[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 2897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1049]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. AI99-2-000]


To All Jurisdictional Public Utilities, Licensees, Natural Gas 
Companies and Oil Pipeline Companies

January 8, 1999.

Subject: Records Storage Media

Introduction

    The Commission's present regulations \1\ for long-term storage of 
records generally require the media form to be paper or microforms. As 
a result of rapidly changing technological advances, other storage 
media forms have developed. The alternative storage media often allows 
for more efficient storage capability. This letter constitutes the 
requisite authority for public utilities and licensees, natural gas 
companies and oil pipeline carriers to use storage media other than 
those specified in our regulations.
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    \1\ See 18 CFR 125.2(d)(1), 18 CFR 225.2(d)(1), and 18 CFR 
356.6(a) (1998).
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    1. Question: What types of storage media will the Commission allow?
    Response: The Commission will give each jurisdictional company the 
flexibility to select its own storage media. It will not limit the 
companies to the currently approved storage media: paper and card 
stock; magnetic and punched tape; microfilm, including Computer Output 
Microfilm, microfiche jackets, and aperture cards; updatable microfilm; 
and metallic recording data strips. This will enable each 
jurisdictional company to avail itself of the latest technological 
advances and, depending on its resources and storage requirements, 
select the most economical and efficient storage media.
    2. Question: Is the media selected required to have a life 
expectancy at least equal to the specified retention period?
    Response: The storage media selected must have a life expectancy at 
least equal to the applicable record retention period unless there is a 
quality transfer from one media to another with no loss of data.
    3. Question: The regulations require that ``records supporting 
plant and licensed project cost shall be retained in their original 
form, unless microfilmed.'' Does this requirement still apply?
    Response: No, jurisdictional companies are now allowed to retain 
these records on any type of storage media.
    4. Question: What are the jurisdictional companies' internal 
control responsibilities?
    Response: The Commission is concerned that records stored on and 
produced from machine readable media may be susceptible to accidental 
alteration, or incorrect processing. Accordingly, each jurisdictional 
company is required to implement internal control procedures that 
assure the reliability of and ready access to data stored on machine 
readable media. When records are transferred, each transfer of data 
from one media to another must be verified for accuracy and documented. 
Similarly, the software and hardware required to produce readable 
records must be retained for the same period the media format selected 
is used.
    5. Question: What is the effective date of this authorization?
    Response: This authorization is effective immediately. The use of 
any type of storage media may be implemented without obtaining specific 
authorization from the Commission to do so.

    By direction of the Commission.
David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-1049 Filed 1-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M