[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69614-69615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28152]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-17-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-714); Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Comment request.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D), the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission or FERC) is submitting the information 
collection FERC-714 (Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and 
Planning Area Report) 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 (77 FR 53878, 9/4/2012) 
requesting public comments. FERC received no comments on the FERC-714 
and is making this notation in its submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by December 
20, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0140, should be sent via email to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs: [email protected]. Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. The Desk Officer may also be 
reached via telephone at 202-395-4718.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, identified by the Docket No. IC12-17-000, 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], by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by fax at 
(202) 273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: FERC-714, Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and 
Planning Area Report.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0140.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-714 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The Federal Power Act authorizes the Commission to 
collect information from electric utility balancing authorities and 
planning areas in the United States. 18 CFR 141.51 mandates the data 
collection.
    The Commission uses the collected data to analyze power system 
operations along with its regulatory functions. These analyses estimate 
the effect of changes in power system operations resulting from the 
installation of a new generating unit or plant, transmission 
facilities, energy transfers between systems, and/or new points of

[[Page 69615]]

interconnections. Also, these analyses serve to correlate rates and 
charges, assess reliability and other operating attributes in 
regulatory proceedings, monitor market trends and behaviors, and 
determine the competitive impacts of proposed mergers, acquisitions, 
and dispositions.
    Type of Respondents: Electric utilities operating balancing 
authority areas and planning areas with annual peak demand over 200 MW.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \1\ The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden for this information collection as:
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    \1\ 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-714 (IC12-17-000)--Annual Transmission Planning and Evaluation Report
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                        Number of responses      Total number of      Average burden hours     Estimated total
Number of respondents      per respondent           responses             per response          annual burden
(A)                                  (B)          (A) x (B) = (C)                  (D)                      (C)
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              219                      1                    219                     87                 19,053
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $2,995,016 
[19,053 hours / 2,080 \2\ hours/year = 9.16009 * $143,540/year \3\ = 
$1,314,839.32].
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    \2\ 2080 hours/year = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks/year.
    \3\ Average annual salary per employee in 2012.
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    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: November 14, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-28152 Filed 11-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P