[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31342-31344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12700]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-14-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-914); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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, Cogeneration and Small Power 
Production--Tariff Filings.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due July 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC12-14-
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.

[[Page 31343]]

    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-914, Cogeneration and Small 
Power Production--Tariff Filings.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0231.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-914 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: Section 205(c) of the Federal Power Act (FPA) requires 
that every public utility have all of its jurisdictional rates and 
tariffs on file with the Commission and make them available for public 
inspection, within such time and in such form as the Commission may 
designate. Section 205(d) of the FPA requires that every public utility 
must provide notice to the Commission and the public of any changes to 
its jurisdictional rates and tariffs, file such changes with the 
Commission, and make them available for public inspection, in such 
manner as directed by the Commission. In addition, FPA section 206 
requires the Commission, upon complaint or its own motion, to modify 
existing rates or services that are found to be unjust, unreasonable, 
unduly discriminatory or preferential. FPA section 207 requires the 
Commission upon complaint by a state commission and a finding of 
insufficient interstate service, to order the rendering of adequate 
interstate service by public utilities, the rates for which would be 
filed in accordance with FPA sections 205 and 206.
    In Orders Nos. 671 and 671-A,\1\ the Commission revised its 
regulations that govern qualifying small power production and 
cogeneration facilities. Among other things, the Commission eliminated 
certain exemptions from rate regulation that were previously available 
to qualifying facilities (QFs). New qualifying facilities may need to 
make tariff filings if they do not meet the new exemption requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Revised Regulations Governing Small Power Production and 
Cogeneration Facilities, Order No. 671, 71 FR 7852 (2/15/2006), FERC 
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,203 (2006); and Revised Regulations Governing 
Small Power Production and Cogeneration Facilities, Order 671-A, 71 
FR 30585 (5/30/2006), in Docket No. RM05-36.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    FERC implemented the Congressional mandate of the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005 (EPAct 2005) to establish criteria for new qualifying 
cogeneration facilities by: (1) Amending the exemptions available to 
qualifying facilities from the FPA and from PUHCA [resulting in the 
burden imposed by FERC-914, the subject of this statement]; (2) 
ensuring that these facilities are using their thermal output in a 
productive and beneficial manner; that the electrical, thermal, 
chemical and mechanical output of new qualifying cogeneration 
facilities is used fundamentally for industrial, commercial, 
residential or industrial purposes; and there is continuing progress in 
the development of efficient electric energy generating technology; (3) 
amending the FERC Form 556 \2\ to reflect the criteria for new 
qualifying cogeneration facilities; and (4) eliminating ownership 
limitations for qualifying cogeneration and small power production 
facilities. The Commission satisfied the statutory mandate and its 
continuing obligation to review its policies encouraging cogeneration 
and small power production, energy conservation, efficient use of 
facilities and resources by electric utilities and equitable rates for 
energy customers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The FERC-556 is cleared separately as OMB Control No. 1902-
0075 and is not a subject of this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Type of Respondents: New qualifying facilities and small power 
producers that do not meet Commission exemption criteria.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ 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-914 (IC12-14-000): Cogeneration and Small Power Production--Tariff Filings
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Number of                        Average        Estimated
                                     Number of     responses per   Total number    burden hours    total annual
                                    respondents     respondent     of responses    per response       burden
                                             (A)             (B)     (A) x (B) =             (D)       (C) x (D)
                                                                             (C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FPA Section 205 filings.........             100               1             100             183          18,300
Electric Quarterly Reports                   100               1             100             230          23,000
 (initial)......................
Electric Quarterly Reports                   100               3             300               6           1,800
 (later)........................
Change of Status................             100               1             100               3             300
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................             N/A             N/A             600             N/A          43,400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $2,995,016 
[43,400 hours / 2,080 \4\ hours/year = 20.86538 * $143,540/year \5\ = 
$2,995,016].
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 2080 hours/year = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks/year.
    \5\ Average annual salary per employee in 2012.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.


[[Page 31344]]


    Dated: May 18, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-12700 Filed 5-24-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P