[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 63462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25965]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RM11-2-000]


Smart Grid Interoperability Standards; Notice of Docket 
Designation for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards

October 7, 2010.
    1. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) \1\ lays 
out the policy of the United States with regard to modernization of the 
nation's electricity transmission and distribution system and directs 
the development of a framework to achieve interoperability of smart 
grid devices and systems, including protocols and model standards for 
information management.\2\ EISA directs the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology (NIST) to coordinate the development of this 
framework. Once the Commission is satisfied that NIST's work has led to 
``sufficient consensus'' on interoperability standards, EISA directs 
the Commission to ``institute a rulemaking proceeding to adopt such 
standards and protocols as may be necessary to insure smart-grid 
functionality and interoperability in interstate transmission of 
electric power, and regional and wholesale electricity markets.'' \3\
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    \1\ Public Law 110-140, 121 Stat. 1492 (2007).
    \2\ EISA 1305(a), to be codified at 15 U.S.C. 17385(a).
    \3\ EISA 1305(d), to be codified at 15 U.S.C. 17385(d).
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    2. In August 2009, NIST launched a three-phase plan to expedite the 
development of smart grid interoperability standards. In the first 
phase, NIST led the smart grid community in a participatory public 
process to identify applicable standards, as well as priorities for 
additional standardization activities. In January 2010, NIST released a 
framework and roadmap that identified a number of standards that are 
applicable to the ongoing development of the smart grid.\4\ After 
further discussion with stakeholders and an analysis of the standards' 
cyber security protections, NIST has now identified five suites of 
standards that it states are ready for consideration by regulatory 
authorities. While the Commission has made no determination yet on 
whether ``sufficient consensus'' exists for these standards, the 
Commission is issuing this notice to designate the docket captioned 
above for a possible rulemaking proceeding pursuant to EISA section 
1305(d).
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    \4\ Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability 
Standards, Release 1.0, NIST Special Publication 1108, January 2010, 
available at http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/upload/smartgrid_interoperability_final.pdf.
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    3. In accordance with the Federal Administrative Procedure Act,\5\ 
the Commission will issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for comment 
before adopting any of the five suites of standards identified by NIST.
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    \5\ 5 U.S.C. 551-59; 701-06 (2006).
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    4. For the convenience of interested stakeholders, the Commission 
has placed NIST's announcement and descriptions of the standards that 
have been prepared by NIST in the record of this proceeding. These 
documents are available for review at the Commission in the Public 
Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site under the 
above docket number at http://www.ferc.gov using the eLibrary link. For 
assistance, please contact FERC, Online Support at 
[email protected] or toll free at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, 
contact (202) 502-8659.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-25965 Filed 10-14-10; 8:45 am]
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