[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46781-46783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19635]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. IC11-1-000 and IC11-1F-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form 1 and 
FERC Form 1F); Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collections 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, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006), 
(Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the proposed information 
collections described below.

DATES: Comments in consideration of the collections of information are 
due October 3, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically or in paper 
format, and should refer to Docket Nos. IC11-1-000 and IC11-1F-000. For 
comments that only pertain to the FERC Form 1, specify only the related 
docket number. Comments that only pertain to the FERC Form 1F cannot be 
eFiled at this time due to a system issue and must be submitted via 
mail/courier. Documents must be prepared in an acceptable filing format 
and in compliance with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
submission guidelines at http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp.
    Comments may be filed electronically under Docket Number IC11-1-000 
when comment pertains to both collections via the eFiling link on the 
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov. First time users will 
have to establish a user name and password (http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eregistration.asp) before eFiling. The Commission will send an 
automatic acknowledgement to the sender's e-mail address upon receipt 
of comments through eFiling. Commenters filing electronically should 
not make a paper filing. Commenters that are not able to file 
electronically must send their comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in 
Docket Number IC11-1 may do so through eSubscription at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp. However, due to a system 
issue, Docket Number IC11-1F is not available at this time for 
eSubscription. In addition, all comments and FERC issuances may be 
viewed, printed or downloaded remotely through FERC's website using the 
``eLibrary'' link and searching on Docket Numbers IC11-1 and IC11-1F. 
For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support at: 
[email protected], (866) 208-3676 (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by e-mail 
at [email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at 
(202) 273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with sections 304 and 309 of

[[Page 46782]]

the Federal Power Act, FERC is authorized to collect and record data to 
the extent it considers necessary, and to prescribe rules and 
regulations concerning accounts, records and memoranda. The Commission 
may prescribe a system of accounts for jurisdictional companies and 
after notice and an opportunity for hearing may determine the accounts 
in which particular outlays and receipts will be entered, charged or 
credited.
    The Form No. 1 is a comprehensive financial and operating report 
submitted for electric rate regulation and financial audits. Major is 
defined as having (1) One million Megawatt hours or more; (2) 100 
megawatt hours of annual sales for resale; (3) 500 megawatt hours of 
annual power exchange delivered; or (4) 500 megawatt hours of annual 
wheeling for others (deliveries plus losses).
    FERC Form 1-F is designed to collect financial and operational 
information from non-major public utilities and licensees. Non-major is 
defined as having total annual sales of 10,000 megawatt-hours or more 
in the previous calendar year and not classified as Major. The 
Commission collects Form Nos. 1 and 1-F information as prescribed in 18 
CFR 141.1 and 141.2.
    Under the existing regulations FERC jurisdictional entities subject 
to its Uniform System of Accounts \1\ must annually (quarterly for the 
3Q) file with the Commission a complete set of financial statements, 
along with other selected financial and non financial data through the 
submission of FERC Forms 1, 1-F, and 3Q \2\. The FERC Annual/Quarterly 
Report Forms provide the Commission, as well as others, with an 
informative picture of the jurisdictional entities financial condition 
along with other relevant data that is used by the Commission, as well 
as others, in making economic judgments about the entity or its 
industry.
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    \1\ See 18 CFR part 201.
    \2\ The FERC Form 3Q data collection (OMB Control No. 205) is 
not being renewed as part of this proceeding. Some information 
regarding the Form 3Q is included here as it relates to the FERC 
Forms 1 and 1F.
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    The information collected in the forms is used by Commission staff, 
state regulatory agencies and others in the review of the financial 
condition of regulated companies. The information is also used in 
various rate proceedings, industry analyses and in the Commission's 
audit programs and as appropriate, for the computation of annual 
charges based on certain schedules contained on the forms. The 
Commission provides the information to the public, interveners and all 
interested parties to assist in the proceedings before the Commission.
    Additionally, the uniformity of information helps to present 
accurately the entity's financial condition and produces comprehensive 
data related to the entity's financial history helping to act as a 
guide for future action. The uniformity provided by the Commission's 
chart of accounts and related accounting instructions permits 
comparability and financial statement analysis of data provided by 
jurisdictional entities. Comparability of data and financial statement 
analysis for a particular entity from one period to the next, or 
between entities, within the same industry, would be difficult to 
achieve if each company maintained its own accounting records using 
dissimilar accounting methods and classifications to record similar 
transactions and events.
    The FERC Annual Report Forms provide the Commission, as well as 
others, with an informative picture of the jurisdictional entities' 
financial condition along with other relevant data that is used by the 
Commission in making economic judgments about the entity or its 
industry. For financial information to be useful to the Commission, it 
must be understandable, relevant, reliable and timely.
    Action: The Commission is requesting a three-year extension of the 
FERC Forms 1 and 1F reporting requirements, with no changes to the 
forms.
    Burden Statement: The estimated annual public reporting burden is 
reflected in the following table:

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                                                 Number of       Number of     Average  burden    Total annual
               Data collection                  respondents    responses per      hours per     burden hours (1)
                                               annually (1)   respondent (2)    response (3)       x (2) x (3)
Form 1......................................             209               1             1,162           242,858
Form 1F.....................................               5               1               116               580
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    Total...................................  ..............  ..............  ................           243,438
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents on the FERC 
Form 1 is $12,385,758 (242,858 hours x $51/hour \3\). The average cost 
per respondent is $59,262.
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    \3\ The per hour figures were obtained from the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics National Industry-Specific Occupational and Employment 
Wage Estimates (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_221100.htm), 
and are based on the mean wage statistics for staff in the areas of 
management, business and financial, legal and administrative. The 
mean wage was then increased by 20% to account for benefits/
overhead.
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents on the FERC 
Form 1F is $29,580 (580 hours x $51/hour \3\). The average cost per 
respondent is $5,916.
    The 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 collections of 
information; and (7) transmitting or otherwise disclosing the 
information.
    The estimate of cost for respondents 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 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 collections of 
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the Commission, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed

[[Page 46783]]

collections of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collections of information on those who are to 
respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology (e.g. permitting electronic submission of 
responses).

    Dated: July 28, 2011.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-19635 Filed 8-2-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P