[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 79 (Thursday, April 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22811-22812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09342]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RD14-2-000]


Proposed Agency Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Comment request.

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

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 in Docket No. RD14-2-000 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 (79 FR 4894, 1/
30/2013) requesting public comments. FERC received no comments in 
response to that notice and has made this notation in its submission to 
OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due by May 27, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the docket number, 
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. RD14-2-000, 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: The information collection in Docket No. 
RD14-2-000 relates to the FERC-approved revision to the definition of 
bulk electric system, developed by the North American Electric 
Reliability Corporation (NERC).\1\ The approved revision modifies the 
definition of bulk electric system in response to Commission directives 
in Order Nos. 773 and 773-A, as well as some other clarifying 
revisions.\2\ The information collection requirements contained in the 
definition of bulk electric system are contained in FERC-725J (OMB 
Control Number 1902-0259).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ North American Electric Reliability Corp., 146 FERC ] 61,199 
(2014) (March 2014 Order).
    \2\ Revisions to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of 
Bulk Electric System and Rules of Procedure, Order No. 773, 141 FERC 
] 61,236 (2012); order on reh'g, Order No. 773-A, 143 FERC ] 61,053 
(2013), order on reh'g and clarification, 144 FERC ] 61,174.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On December 20, 2012, the Commission issued Order No. 773, a Final 
Rule approving NERC's modifications to the definition of ``bulk 
electric system'' and the Rules of Procedure exception process to be 
effective July 1, 2013. On April 18, 2013, in Order No. 773-A, the 
Commission largely affirmed its findings in Order No. 773. In Order 
Nos. 773 and 773-A, the Commission directed NERC to modify the 
definition of bulk electric system in two respects: (1) Modify the 
local network exclusion (exclusion E3) to remove the 100 kV minimum 
operating voltage to allow systems that include one or more looped 
configurations connected below 100 kV to be eligible for the local 
network exclusion; and (2) modify the exclusions to ensure that 
generator interconnection facilities at or above 100 kV connected to 
bulk electric system generators identified in inclusion I2 are not 
excluded from the bulk electric system.
    In its December 13, 2013 Petition, NERC proposed revisions to 
respond to the Commission directives in Order Nos. 773 and 773-A. In 
addition, NERC revised inclusion I4 to include the collector system at 
the point of aggregation.\3\ Therefore, the estimates for this 
information collection are based on the three modifications approved in 
the March 2014 Order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The bulk electric system definition components consist of 
the core definition, five inclusions and four exclusions. NERC does 
not propose any changes to the core definition, inclusion I3 or 
exclusion E2. The proposed changes chiefly affect exclusions E1 and 
E3 and inclusion I4. NERC also made minor clarifying changes to 
inclusions I1, I2, and I5 and exclusion E4. These minor changes do 
not affect the information collection and reporting requirements 
approved in Order Nos. 773 and 773-A.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission estimates a modest decrease in information 
collection and reporting that would result from implementing the 
proposed revisions to the definition of bulk electric system. 
Specifically, the Commission estimates a decrease in information 
collection and reporting that would result from implementing NERC's 
proposed revisions to the definition of bulk electric system. The 
estimate is derived in NERC's alternative proposal in addressing the 
Commission's concern regarding low voltage looped configurations. NERC 
explains that its technical analysis shows that a 50 kV threshold for 
sub[hyphen]100 kV loops does not affect the application of exclusion 
E1. NERC states that this approach will ease the administrative burden 
on entities as it negates the necessity for an entity to prove that 
they qualify for exclusion E1 if the sub[hyphen]100 kV loop in question 
is less than or equal to 50 kV.\4\ This administrative burden falls 
into the category of ``System Review and List Creation'' as described 
in Order Nos. 773 and 773-A.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ NERC Petition at 19-25, Exhibit D at 2, 48-90.
    \5\ System Review and List Creation corresponds to step 1 of 
NERC's proposed transition plan, which requires each U.S. asset 
owner to apply the revised bulk electric system definition to all 
elements to determine if those elements are included in the bulk 
electric system pursuant to the revised definition. See Order No. 
773, 141 FERC ] 61,236 at P 330.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Because the E1 exclusion applies to low voltage loops operated 
below 50 kV, entities will no longer evaluate looped configurations for 
either the E3 network exclusion or the NERC exception process.\6\ 
Accordingly, we estimate a decrease of one engineering hour needed for 
``System Review and List Creation'' for transmission owners and 
distribution providers, respectively. With respect to the revisions to 
inclusion I4, NERC states that the

[[Page 22812]]

standard drafting team ``identified the portions of the collector 
system which consistently provide a reliability benefit to the 
interconnected transmission network and are easily identified within 
collector systems.'' \7\ Thus, the Commission estimates no material 
change in information collection because the engineering time needed to 
evaluate the collector system component included in the bulk electric 
system is a simple and straightforward determination of whether the 
collector system aggregates to greater than 75 MVA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ Cf., Order No. 773-A, 143 FERC ] 61,053 at P 128.
    \7\ NERC Petition at 16.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimate of Annual Burden: \8\ The Commission estimates the public 
reporting burden as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ 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.

                   RD14-2-000 (FERC-725J)--Revision to the Definition of Bulk Electric System
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     Estimated
                                     Number of       Number of     Total number   Average burden   total year 1
                                    respondents    responses per   of responses      hours per        burden
                                      \9\ (A)       respondent      (A) x (B) =    response (D)   reduction  (C)
                                                        (B)             (C)                            x (D)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transmission Owners (System                  333               1             333              -1            -333
 Review and List Creation)......
Distribution Providers (System               554               1             554              -1            -554
 Review and List Creation)......
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............            -887
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The total estimated decrease in cost burden to respondents (year 1 
only) is $53,220; [-887 hours * $60 \10\ = -$53,220].
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ The number of respondents for transmission owners and 
distribution providers is based on the NERC Compliance Registry 
referenced in Order No. 773.
    \10\ The estimate for cost per hour for an electrical engineer 
is $60 (the average salary plus benefits) according to the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics at http://bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 18, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-09342 Filed 4-23-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P