[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24189-24190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9659]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-11-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the 
currently approved information collection, FERC-725, Certification of 
Electric Reliability Organization; Procedures for Electric Reliability 
Standards.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 22, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC12-11-
000) by either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's Web Site: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp
     Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance contact FERC Online Support 
by email at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
    Docket: Users interested in receiving automatic notification of 
activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and 
issuances in this docket may do so at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-725 and Certification of Electric Reliability 
Organization; Procedures for Electric Reliability Standards.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0225.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-725 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements. However, FERC is making adjustments to the burden 
estimates based on current information.
    Abstract: The Commission uses the information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-725 \1\ to implement the statutory provisions of 
Section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA).\2\
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    \1\ ``Electric Reliability Organization'' or ``ERO'' means the 
organization certified by the Commission the purpose of which is to 
establish and enforce Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power 
System, subject to Commission review.
    \2\ Section 215 was added by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, 
Public Law 109-58, 119 Stat. 594 (2005) (codified at 42 U.S.C. 
16451, et seq.)
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    Section 215 of the FPA aids the Commission's efforts to strengthen 
the reliability of the interstate grid through the granting of new 
authority to provide for a system of mandatory Reliability Standards 
developed by the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) and reviewed 
and approved by FERC.
    On February 3, 2006, the Commission issued Order No.672 \3\ 
certifying a single ERO [the North American Electric Reliability 
Corporation (NERC)], to oversee the reliability of the United States' 
portion of the interconnected North American Bulk-Power System, subject 
to Commission oversight. The ERO is responsible for developing and 
enforcing the mandatory Reliability Standards. The Reliability 
Standards apply to all users, owners and operators of the Bulk-Power 
System. The Commission has the authority to approve all ERO actions, to 
order the ERO to carry out its responsibilities under these statutory 
provisions, and (as appropriate) to enforce Reliability Standards.
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    \3\ Rules Concerning Certification of the Electric Reliability 
Organization; and Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, and 
Enforcement of Electric Reliability Standards ] 31,204 71 FR 8662 
(2006) Order on rehearing, 71 FR 19,814 (2006), FERC Statutes and 
Regulations ] 31,212 (2006).
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    The ERO can delegate its enforcement responsibilities to a Regional 
Entity. Delegation is effective only after the Commission approves the 
delegation agreement. A Regional Entity can also propose a Reliability 
Standard to the ERO for submission to the Commission for approval.
    The FERC-725 contains the following information collection 
elements:
    Self Assessment and ERO Application: The Commission requires the 
ERO to submit to FERC a performance assessment report every five years. 
Each of regional entity submits a performance assessment report to the 
ERO. Submitting an application to become an ERO is also part of this 
collection.\4\
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    \4\ The Commission does not expect any new ERO applications to 
be submitted in the next three years and is not including any burden 
for this requirement in the burden estimate.
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    Reliability Assessments: 18 CFR 39.11 requires the ERO to assess 
the reliability and adequacy of the Bulk-Power System in North America. 
Subsequently, the ERO must report to the Commission on its findings. 
Regional entities perform similar assessments within individual 
regions.
    Reliability Compliance: Reliability Standards are mandatory and 
enforceable. In addition to the specific information collection 
requirements contained in each standard, there are general compliance, 
monitoring and enforcement information collection requirements imposed 
on applicable entities. Audits, spot checks, self-certifications, 
exception data submittals, violation reporting, and mitigation plan 
confirmation are included in this area.
    Stakeholder Survey: The ERO used a stakeholder survey to solicit 
feedback from registered entities in preparation for its three year 
performance assessment. The Commission assumes that the ERO will 
perform another survey prior to the 2014 performance assessment.
    Other Reporting: This category refers to all other reporting 
requirements imposed on the ERO or regional entities in order to comply 
with the Commission's regulations.
    The Commission implements its responsibilities through the Code of 
Federal Regulations in 18 CFR part 39.
    Type of Respondents: Electric reliability organization, regional 
entities, and registered entities.

[[Page 24190]]

    Estimate of Annual Burden \5\: The Commission estimates the total 
public reporting burden for this information collection as:
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    \5\ Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For 
further explanation of what is included in the information 
collection burden, reference 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.

                                  FERC-725--Certification of the ERO \4\; Procedures for Electric Reliability Standards
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                                                                                             Number of                    Average burden     Estimated
            Type of respondent                    Type of reporting          Number of     responses per   Total number      hours per     total annual
                                                   requirement \4\          respondents     respondent     of responses      response         burden
                                            ............................             (A)         (B) \6\     (A) x (B) =             (D)       (C) x (D)
                                                                                                                     (C)
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Electric Reliability Organization (ERO)...  Self-Assessment.............  ..............            0.33            0.33          10,400           3,432
                                            Reliability Assessments.....  ..............              11              11           3,120          34,320
                                            Reliability Compliance......  ..............               1               1          76,837          76,837
                                            Standards Development.......  ..............               1               1          51,834          51,834
                                            Other Reporting.............               1               1               1           2,080           2,080
Regional Entities.........................  Self-Assessment.............  ..............            0.33            2.64          16,640          43,930
                                            Reliability Assessments.....  ..............               1               8          16,679         133,432
                                            Reliability Compliance......  ..............               1               8          46,788         374,304
                                            Standards Development.......  ..............               1               8         * 4,142          33,134
                                            Other Reporting.............               8               1               8           1,040           8,320
Registered Entities.......................  Stakeholder Survey..........  ..............            0.33             537               4           2,148
                                            Reliability Compliance......           1,627               1           1,627           * 483         786,342
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Subtotals:
    ERO...................................                                                                                                       168,503
    Regional..............................                                             \7\ N/A                                                   593,120
    Registered............................                                                                                                       788,490
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        Total.............................  ............................           1,636         \7\ N/A         \7\ N/A         \7\ N/A       1,550,113
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* (Rounded)

     The Commission derived the figures above using NERC's Business 
Plan and Budget Submissions, NERC's Compliance, Enforcement and 
Monitoring Plans, NERC's Performance Assessments, other information on 
NERC's Web site (http://www.nerc.com/), and internal FERC staff 
estimates. See the appendix for more details regarding the burden 
estimates.\8\
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    \6\ In all instances below where the number of responses per 
respondent is ``1'' the Commission acknowledges that actual number 
of responses varies and cannot be estimated clearly.
    \7\ N/A = not applicable.
    \8\ The appendix will not be published in the Federal Register. 
The appendix is available in FERC's eLibrary system under the notice 
issuance in Docket No. IC12-11-000.
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is 
$115,655,020 ($15,128,199 + $46,121,011 + $54,405,810).
    ERO Cost: 168,503 hours @ $89.78/hr = $15,128,199.
    Regional Entity Cost: 593,120 hours @ $77.76/hr = $46,121,011.
    Registered Entity Cost: 788,490 hours @ $69/hr = $54,405,810 .
    The hourly cost figures are loaded (i.e. includes salary and other 
personnel costs). The Commission used NERC's 2012 Business Plan and 
internal FERC salary estimates for these cost figures.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the 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 and 
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

    Dated: April 16, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-9659 Filed 4-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P