[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 121 (Tuesday, June 24, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37471-37473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15886]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: proposed collection; 
comment request.

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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments concerning proposed revisions 
to three of the existing electric power surveys that expire November 
30, 2004. The surveys are: Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Sales and 
Revenue with State Distributions Report,'' Form EIA-861, ``Annual 
Electric Power Industry Report,'' and Form EIA-906, ``Power Plant 
Report.''

DATES: Written comments must be filed on or before August 25, 2003. If 
you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that period, 
contact the person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESS: Send comments to Stan Kaplan. To ensure receipt of the 
comments by the due date, submission by e-mail 
([email protected]) is recommended. Comments can be sent by FAX 
to 202-287-1934. The mailing address is Energy Information 
Administration, Electric Power Division, EI-53, U.S. Department of

[[Page 37472]]

Energy, Washington, DC 20585-0650. Alternatively, Stan Kaplan may be 
contacted by telephone at (202) 287-1803.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the proposed revised Forms EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Sales 
and Revenue with State Distributions Report,'' with instructions, EIA-
861, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report,'' with instructions, and 
EIA-906, ``Power Plant Report,'' with instructions should be directed 
to Stan Kaplan at the address listed above. The revised Schedule I, 
Part A through Part C of the Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Sales and 
Revenue with State Distributions Report,'' the revised Schedule IV, 
Part A through Part C of the Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Power 
Industry Report,'' and the revised Form EIA-906, ``Power Plant 
Report,'' are also available on EIA's Web site at http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/page/forms.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, 42 
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the EIA to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resources, reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. Among other activities, 
this information is used to assess the adequacy of energy resources to 
meet near and longer-term domestic demands.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides 
the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to 
comment on collections of energy information conducted by or in 
conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare 
data requests that maximize the utility of the information collected, 
and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. 
Also, the EIA will later seek approval of survey changes by the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) under section 3507(a) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    The EIA collects information about the electric power industry for 
use by government and private sector analysts. The survey information 
is disseminated in a variety of publications, electronic products, and 
electronic data files. For details on EIA's electric power information 
program, please visit EIA's Web site at http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelelectric.html.

II. Current Actions

    The EIA will request OMB approval of modifications to Schedule I, 
Part A through Part C of the Form EIA-826, to Schedule IV, Part A 
through Part C of the Form EIA-861, and to the Form EIA-906.
    The proposed changes to the Form EIA-826 and Form EIA-861 reflect 
the need to revise the definition of the commercial and industrial 
sectors to include data previously reported in the ``other'' sector and 
to add two new sector categories, transportation and irrigation. 
Electricity used for public street and highway lighting, 
interdepartmental or intra-company sales (sales to other departments 
within the entity), and sales to public authorities has been reported 
in the ``other'' sector but would now be reported in the commercial 
sector. Electricity sales for agriculture, excluding irrigation, has 
been reported in the ``other'' sector but would now be reported in the 
industrial sector.
    Data on revenues, megawatthours, and number of customers for 
electric energy supplied for transportation, such as electrified rails, 
would now be reported in the transportation sector and energy supplied 
for irrigation would now be reported in the irrigation sector.
    The proposed changes to the Form EIA-906 reflect the need to 
collect information on fuel used to generate electric power at the 
facility level. In addition, data on electricity generation and fuel 
used to generate electricity are needed at the prime mover, the motive 
force that drives an electric generator (e.g. steam engine, turbine, or 
water wheel).
    As a means of improving the three electric power surveys, EIA 
proposes the following specific changes:
    Form EIA-826,``Monthly Electric utility Sales and Revenue with 
State Distributions Report,'' will eliminate reporting in the ``other'' 
sector and have that information reported in the appropriate commercial 
and industrial sectors on Schedule I, Parts A through C. In addition, 
two new sector categories, transportation and irrigation, will be added 
on Schedule I, Part A through Part C.
    Form EIA-861,``Annual Electric Power Industry Report,'' will 
eliminate reporting in the ``other'' sector and have that information 
reported in the appropriate commercial and industrial sectors on 
Schedule IV, Parts A through C. In addition, two new sector categories, 
transportation and irrigation, will be added on Schedule IV, Part A 
through Part C.
    Form EIA-906, ``Power Plant Report,'' will collect information on 
total fuel used and fuel used to generate electric power, rather than 
the production of heat and/or steam that is used in industrial 
processes. In addition, the form will collect some data elements at the 
prime mover level, while continuing to collect other data at the 
facility level.
    Those elements that are proposed to be collected at the prime mover 
level include electricity generation and the fuel(s) used to generate 
electricity.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of comments. Please indicate to 
which form(s) your comments apply.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the 
actual usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into 
account its accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the 
agency's ability to process the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent to the Request for Information

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If 
not, which instructions need clarification?
    C. Can the information be submitted by the due date?
    D. The estimated reporting burdens for these three forms are not 
expected to change with the proposed revisions. The reporting burdens 
are: 1.50 hours per monthly response for Form EIA-826, ``Monthly 
Electric Sales and Revenue With State Distributions Report,'' 7.30 
hours per annual response for Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Power 
Industry Report,'' and 1.40 hours per response on the Form EIA-906, 
``Power Plant Report.'' These estimated burdens

[[Page 37473]]

include the total time necessary to provide the requested information. 
In your opinion, how accurate are these estimates?
    E. The agency's estimate in the above paragraph is only the cost to 
a respondent for the time it will take to complete each form. Due to 
the proposed changes, will a respondent incur any start-up costs for 
reporting, or any recurring annual costs for operation, maintenance, 
and purchase of services associated with these forms?
    F. What additional actions could be taken to minimize the burden of 
these forms? Such actions may involve the use of automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other types 
of information technology.
    G. To your knowledge, does any other Federal, State, or local 
agency collect similar information? If so, specify the agency, the data 
element(s), and the methods of collection.

As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected

    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    B. Is the information useful at the levels of detail to be 
collected?
    C. For what purpose(s) would the information be used? Be specific.
    D. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their weaknesses and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, June 18, 2003.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-15886 Filed 6-23-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P