[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69615-69616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28153]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC12-16-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-715); 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-715 (Annual Transmission Planning and Evaluation 
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 53877, 9/4/2012) requesting public 
comments. FERC received no comments on the FERC-715 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. 
1902-0171, 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. IC12-16-000, 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], by telephone at (202) 502-8663, and by 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 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. 8241.
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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

[[Page 69616]]

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\ 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-715 (IC12-16-000)--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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              110                      1                    110                    160                 17,600
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    The total estimated annual cost burden to respondents is $2,995,016 
[17,600 hours / 2,080 \3\ hours/year = 8.46153 * $143,540/year \4\ = 
$1,214,569.23].
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    \3\ 2080 hours/year = 40 hours/week * 52 weeks/year.
    \4\ 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. 2012-28153 Filed 11-19-12; 8:45 am]
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