[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58803-58804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24304]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RD11-4-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725A); Comment 
Request; Submitted for OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3507 of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507, the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) has submitted the 
information collection described below to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review of the information collection requirements. Any 
interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should 
address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below. 
The Commission issued a Notice in the Federal Register (76 FR 23801, 
04/28/2011) requesting public comments. FERC received no comments on 
the FERC-725A and has made this notation in its submission to OMB.

DATES: Comments in consideration of the collection of information are 
due October 24, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically (eFiled) or in 
paper format, and should refer to Docket No. RD11-4-000. Documents must 
be prepared in an acceptable filing format and in compliance with 
Commission submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. eFiling instructions are available at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. First time users must follow 
eRegister instructions at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eregistration.asp, to establish a username and password before eFiling. 
The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgement to the sender's 
e-mail address upon receipt of eFiled comments. Commenters making an 
eFiling should not make a paper filing. Commenters that are not able to 
file electronically must send an original of 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 
this docket may do so through eSubscription at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp. In addition, all comments and FERC 
issuances may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely through FERC's 
eLibrary at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp, by searching 
on Docket No. RD11-4-000. For user assistance, contact FERC Online 
Support by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 
208-3676 (toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for 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: The information collected under the order in 
Docket No. RD11-4-000 under the requirements of FERC-725A, ``Mandatory 
Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System'' (OMB No. 1902-0244), 
is required by Commission-approved Reliability Standard EOP-008-1 (Loss 
of Control Center Functionality) that requires reliability 
coordinators, transmission operators, and balancing authorities to have 
an operating plan and facilities for backup functionality to ensure 
Bulk-Power System reliability in the event that a control center 
becomes inoperable. The standard consists of eight requirements.
    Requirement R1 requires each applicable entity to have a current 
operating plan describing the manner in which it will continue to meet 
its functional obligations in the event that its primary control center 
functionality is lost. Requirement R2 instructs each applicable entity 
to have a copy of its current plan for backup functionality at its 
primary control center and at the location providing backup 
functionality. Requirement R3 mandates that each reliability 
coordinator have a backup control center that provides functionality 
sufficient to maintain compliance with all Reliability Standards that 
depend on primary control center functionality.
    Requirement R4 directs balancing authorities and transmission 
operators to have a backup functionality, either through a facility or 
contracted services, to maintain compliance with all Reliability 
Standards that depend on their primary control center functionality. 
Requirement R5 requires each applicable entity to review annually and 
approve its plan for backup functionality. Requirement R6 mandates that 
primary and backup functionality cannot depend on each other, and 
Requirement R7 requires each applicable entity to annually test and 
document the results of its plan demonstrating the transition time 
between the simulated loss of the primary control center and the full 
implementation of the backup functionality. Finally, each reliability 
coordinator, balancing authority or transmission operator that 
experiences a loss of either primary or backup functionality 
anticipated to last for more than six months must, in accordance with 
Requirement R8, provide a plan to its Regional Entity within six 
calendar months of the date when functionality is lost showing how it 
will re-establish such functionality.
    Rather than creating entirely new obligations with respect to the 
loss of control center functionality, Reliability Standard EOP-008-1 
upgrades existing planning requirements. The standard does not impose 
entirely new burdens on the effected entities, but it does impose new 
requirements regarding the approval, placement, documentation and 
updating of plans as well as requires entities that may not already 
possess backup functionality to obtain, possibly through contractual 
arrangements, backup capabilities.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden resulting from the 
approval of Reliability Standard EOP-008-1 is estimated as:

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                                      Number of       Number of                                    Total annual
    Changes to FERC-725A data        respondents    responses per     Average burden hours per     hours ( A x B
            collection              annually (A)   respondent (B)           response (C)               x C )
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Review and possible revision of               215               1  20...........................           4,300
 plan (one-time).

[[Page 58804]]

 
Updating, approving, and                      215               1  Compliance: 6................           1,290
 maintaining records.                                              Recordkeeping: 2.............             430
Balancing authorities and                      27               1  120..........................           3,240
 transmission operators
 contracting for backup
 functionality (one-time).
    Total one-time...............  ..............  ..............  .............................           7,540
    Total recurring..............  ..............  ..............  .............................           1,720
                                  ==============================================================================
        Total....................  ..............  ..............  .............................           9,260
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    Estimated one-time cost burden to respondents is $904,800; [i.e., 
7540 hours @ $120 an hour (compliance cost) for the first year equals 
$904,800)]. In subsequent years, respondents will incur an estimated 
cost burden of $166,840; [i.e., (1290 hours @ $120 an hour (compliance 
cost)) + 430 hours @ $28 an hour (recordkeeping cost) equals $166,840 
\1\]. The average annual recurring cost burden per respondent is $776 
($166,840/215 = $776).
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    \1\ The order approving Reliability Standard EOP-008-1 
mistakenly used the $120 an hour figure for all the reoccurring 
hours. This caused an overstatement of the reoccurring cost burden 
by $39,560 ($206,400 reported in the order minus the corrected 
figure of $166,840 equals 166,840), because 430 hours should have 
been calculated at the lower recordkeeping figure of $28 an hour. 
Additionally, the order approving the standard listed the total 
recordkeeping cost as $10,240 and it should have been $12,040.
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    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, or 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 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 
anyone particular function or activity.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is 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 collection 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 collection 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: September 15, 2011 .
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-24304 Filed 9-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P