[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 161 (Friday, August 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45522-45523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21601]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC99-715-000, FERC Form No. 715]


Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

August 16, 1999.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(a) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public comment 
on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to comments submitted on or before 
October 19, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained from, and written comments may be submitted to, the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Attn: Michael Miller, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer, CI-1, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Miller may be reached by 
telephone at (202) 208-1415, by fax at (202) 208-2425, and by E-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collected under the 
requirements for FERC Form No. 715, ``Annual Transmission Planning and 
Evaluation Report'' (OMB No. 1902-0171), is used by the Commission to 
implement the statutory provisions of Sections 202, 207, 210, 211-213 
of the Federal Power Act (FPA), as amended (49 Stat. 838; 16 U.S.C. 
791a-825r) and particularly Sections 213(b), 304, 309, and 311. The 
Commission describes the Form 715 filing requirements in the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR Part 141.300.
    FERC Form No. 715 gathers basic electric transmission systems 
information. The Commission staff uses the Form 715 information to 
evaluate available transmission capacity and transmission constraints 
on electric transmission systems. Electrical transmission system 
customers use the information to determine transmission availability. 
Transmission dependent utilities use the information to determine 
transmission availability from alternative wholesale suppliers. 
Federal, military and private agencies use the information to simulate 
various scenarios and test theories in order to improve the current 
transmission system.

Action

    The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the current 
expiration date. The Commission staff is currently exploring the filing 
of Form 715 information electronically (using a web-based application) 
in lieu of the present combined system of mailing paper filings and 
electronic media (diskettes) to the Commission. If the Commission 
proposes to convert to electronic filing of Form 715 data, a Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking will be issued proposing to amend the Commission's 
regulations to provide for the electronic filing of Form 715. Such a 
proposal may also seek to eliminate the current signature requirement 
and simply require the identification of a representative at each 
utility responsible for submitting the data electronically. The 
representative will be given a password and identification code to 
ensure system integrity.

Burden Statement

    Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated as:

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                                 Annual responses per      Average burden hours per
   Number of  respondents             respondent                   response            Total annual burden hours
(1)                                             (2)                         (3)             (1) x (2) x (3)
 
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                   117                            1                          95                      11,115
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    The reduction of annual respondents from 200 to 117 is due to two 
factors. The first factor is an increase in the number of mergers. The 
second factor is the increase in the use of a secondary entity to file 
the Form 715. For example, the data is compiled by individual utilities 
and submitted to the NERC region. The NERC region consolidates the 
information of its members into a single response and submits it to the 
Commission. These two factors resulted in a reduction in the number of 
Form 715 respondents. In addition, the conversion to electronic filing 
(if implemented) is estimated to reduce average burden hours per 
respondent (from 100 hours presently, to 95). The estimated cost burden 
to respondents: 11,115/2080 hours per year  x  $109,889 per year = 
$587,219. Reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or 
financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, 
or provide the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) 
developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems 
for the purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, 
maintaining, disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the 
existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and 
requirements; (4) training personnel to respond to a collection of 
information; (5) searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing 
the collection of information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise 
disclosing the information. The estimate of respondent cost is based 
upon salaries for professional and clerical support, as well as direct 
and indirect overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly 
attributable to providing this information, such as administrative 
costs and the cost for information technology. Indirect or overhead 
costs are costs incurred by an

[[Page 45523]]

organization in support of its mission. These costs apply to activities 
which benefit the whole organization rather than any one particular 
function or activity.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Commission, including whether the information will have practical 
applications; (2) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity 
of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the 
quality, utilization and clarity of the collected information; (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, 
including the proposed electronic submission of responses; (5) the 
magnitude of the impact of the conversion to electronic filing on 
respondents; (6) the proposed elimination of the signature requirement; 
(7) any existence of a competitive disadvantage caused by publicly 
providing information in Form 715 to which competitors would have 
access (without corresponding obligation on its competitors not subject 
to the Commission's reporting requirements); and (8) the relevancy of 
the information currently collected given the current transition from 
cost-based to a fully competitive wholesale electric market.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-21601 Filed 8-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M