[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53877-53878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21664]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-16-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-715); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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, Annual Transmission Planning 
and Evaluation Report.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due November 5, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC12-16-
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-715: Annual Transmission Planning and Evaluation 
Report.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0171.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-715 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: Acting under FPA Section 213,\1\ FERC requires each 
transmitting utility that operates integrated transmission system 
facilities rated above 100 kilovolts (kV) to submit annually:
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 824l.
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     Contact information for the FERC-715;
     Base case power flow data (if it does not participate in 
the development and use of regional power flow data);
     Transmission system maps and diagrams used by the 
respondent for transmission planning;
     A detailed description of the transmission planning 
reliability criteria used to evaluate system performance for time 
frames and planning horizons used in regional and corporate planning;
     A detailed description of the respondent's transmission 
planning assessment practices (including, but not limited to, how 
reliability criteria are applied and the steps taken in performing 
transmission planning studies); and
     A detailed evaluation of the respondent's anticipated 
system performance as measured against its stated reliability criteria 
using its stated assessment practices.
    The FERC-715 enables the Commission to use the information as part 
of their regulatory oversight functions which includes:
     The review of rates and charges;
     The disposition of jurisdictional facilities;
     The consolidation and mergers;
     The adequacy of supply and;
     Reliability of nation's transmission grid.
    The FERC-715 enables the Commission to facilitate and resolve 
transmission disputes. Additionally, the Office of Electric Reliability 
(OER) uses the FERC-715 data to help protect and improve the 
reliability and security of the nation's bulk power system. OER 
oversees the development and review of mandatory reliability and 
security standards and ensures compliance with the approved standards 
by the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system. OER also 
monitors and addresses issues concerning the nation's bulk power system 
including assessments of resource adequacy and reliability.
    Without the FERC-715 data, the Commission would be unable to 
evaluate planned projects or requests related to transmission.
    Type of Respondents: Integrated transmission system facilities 
rated at or above 100 kilovolts (kV).
    Estimate of Annual Burden \2\: The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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    \2\ The Commission defines burden 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-715--(IC12-16-000)--Annual Transmission Planning and Evaluation Report
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                                       Number of        Total number of     Average burden      Estimated total
    Number of respondents (A)        responses per      responses (A) x        hours per      annual  burden (C)
                                    respondent (B)         (B) = (C)         response (D)            x (D)
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110.............................                  1                 110                 160              17,600
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is 
$1,214,569.23 [17,600 hours / 2080 hours per year = 8.46153 * $143,540/
year = $1,214,569.23]
    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;

[[Page 53878]]

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: August 28, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-21664 Filed 8-31-12; 8:45 am]
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