[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 12 (Thursday, January 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2424-2425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1229]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission


Information Collection Submitted for Review and Request for 
Comments (IC01-521-001 FERC-521)

January 11, 2002.
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of submission for review by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has 
submitted the energy information collection listed in this notice to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under provisions 
of Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-
13). Any interested person may file comments on the collection of 
information directly with OMB and should address a copy of those 
comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission received 
no comments in response to an earlier Federal Register notice of 
October 9, 2001 (66 FR 51416). The Commission has noted this fact in 
its submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments regarding this collection of information are best 
assured of having their full effect if received on or before February 
19, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to Office of Management and Budget, Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, 
D.C. 20503. A copy of the comments should also be sent to Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Attention: Mr. Michael Miller, 888 First Street NE, Washington, D.C. 
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: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description

    The energy information collection submitted to OMB for review 
contains:
    1. Collection of Information: FERC-521 ``Headwaters Benefits''
    2. Sponsor: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
    3. Control No.: OMB No. 1902-0087. The Commission is now requesting 
that OMB approve a three-year extension of the current expiration date, 
with no changes to the existing collection. This is a mandatory 
information collection requirement.
    4. Necessity of Collection of Information: Submission of the 
information is necessary to fulfill the requirements of Section 10(f) 
of the Federal Power Act (FPA). The reporting requirements associated 
with FERC-521 are codified at 18 CFR Part 11 of the Commission's 
regulations.
    FERC-521 implements the Commission's regulations for the 
determination of headwater benefits derived by downstream parties. The 
regulations set forth a formula for determining an equitable 
apportionment of the annual charges for interest, maintenance, and 
depreciation for a storage reservoir or other headwater improvement 
owned by the United States, a licensee, or pre-1920 permittee. 
Headwater benefits are the additional energy production possible at a 
downstream hydropower project. Under Section 10(f) of the Federal Power 
Act, an owner of a hydropower project is required to reimburse upstream 
headwater project owners for an

[[Page 2425]]

equitable part of the benefits it receives. This includes paying 
equitable portions of annual charges for interest, maintenance, and 
depreciation of the headwater project to the U.S. Treasury.
    The Commissions regulations provide for apportionment of the costs 
between the headwater project and down-stream projects based on 
downstream energy gains and propose equitable apportionment methodology 
that can be applied to all river basins in which headwater improvements 
are built. In determining energy gains, the size and efficiency of the 
turbines and their generators, and the load to be served will remain 
constant, while streamflow, reservoir storage, and head will vary 
depending on the operating conditions of the upstream reservoirs. 
Because head and streamflow determine the amount of energy produced at 
the hydropower project, a relationship that the generation is a 
function of the head and streamflow can be developed. Commission 
experience has shown that the relationship between generation and 
streamflow is an adequate tool for estimating generation in calculating 
energy gains. The information submitted enables the Commission to carry 
out its responsibilities in implementing the statutory provisions of 
the FPA.
    Respondent Description: The respondent universe currently comprises 
on average, five entities subject to the Commission's jurisdiction.
    6. Estimated Burden: 200 total burden hours, five respondents, one 
response annually, 40 hours per response (average).
    7. Estimated Cost Burden to Respondents: 200 hours  2,080 
hours per year  x  $117,041 per year = $11,254, average cost per 
respondent = $2,250.

    Statutory Authority:  Section 10(f) of the Federal Power Act (16 
U.S.C. 803).

C.B. Spencer,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-1229 Filed 1-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-U