[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 221 (Tuesday, November 17, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 71755-71756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29268]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 35

[Docket No. RM15-23-000]


Collection of Connected Entity Data from Regional Transmission 
Organizations and Independent System Operators

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. DOE.

ACTION: Order Granting Motion for Technical Conference and Request to 
Postpone Comment Deadline.

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SUMMARY: In this order, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission) grants a motion for a technical conference and request to 
postpone comment deadline that was filed in response to the Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking for the Collection of Connected Entity Data from 
Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators 
(NOPR) that Commission issued on September 17, 2015.\1\ The Commission 
directs staff to convene a technical conference on December 8, 2015 and 
postpones the due date for comments on the NOPR until January 22, 2016, 
45 days after the technical conference.
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    \1\ Collection of Connected Entity Data from Regional 
Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators, 152 
FERC ] 61,219 (2015).

DATES: The technical conference will be held on December 8, 2015 and 
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NOPR comments will be due January 22, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    David Pierce (Technical Information), Office of Enforcement, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, 
DC 20426, (202) 502-6454 [email protected].
    Kathryn Kuhlen (Legal Information), Office of Enforcement, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 
20426, (202) 502-6855 [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Before Commissioners: Norman C. Bay, Chairman; Cheryl A. LaFleur, 
Tony Clark, and Colette D. Honorable.
    Collection of Connected Entity Data from Regional Transmission 
Organizations and Independent System Operators
    Docket No. RM15-23-000

[[Page 71756]]

Order Granting Motion for Technical Conference and Request To Postpone 
Comment Deadline

(Issued November 10, 2015)

    1. On September 17, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) to amend its regulations to require each 
regional transmission organization (RTO) and independent system 
operator (ISO) to electronically deliver to the Commission, on an 
ongoing basis, data required from its market participants that would 
(i) identify the market participants by means of a common alpha-numeric 
identifier; (ii) list their ``Connected Entities,'' which includes 
entities that have certain ownership, employment, debt, or contractual 
relationships to the market participants, as specified in the NOPR; and 
(iii) describe in brief the nature of the relationship of each 
Connected Entity. The NOPR states the information is being sought to 
assist the Commission in its screening and investigative efforts to 
detect market manipulation, an enforcement priority of the Commission. 
Comments on the proposed rule are due November 30, 2015, which is 60 
days after publication in the Federal Register plus one day to 
accommodate the circumstance that the 60th day falls on a Sunday.
    2. On October 28, 2015, a group of entities (the Moving Entities) 
filed a Motion for Technical Conference and Request to Postpone Comment 
Deadline.\2\ The Motion asks that a technical conference be established 
and the comment deadline extended, or alternatively that if the 
technical conference request is denied, that the comment deadline be 
extended to January 29, 2016, which is two months beyond the current 
due date.
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    \2\ Motion for Technical Conference and Request to Postpone 
Comment Deadline, Docket No. RM15-23-000 (Oct. 28, 2015) (Motion).
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    3. Filings in support of the Moving Entities' request were made by 
the Commercial Energy Working Group,\3\ a consortium of entities 
composed of Trade Groups,\4\ the American Gas Association,\5\ a group 
of independent generation owners and representatives,\6\ and the 
International Energy Credit Association.\7\
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    \3\ Comments of the Commercial Energy Working Group in Support 
of Motion for Technical Conference and Request to Postpone Comment 
Deadline, Docket No. RM15-23-000 (Oct. 29, 2015).
    \4\ Answer of Trade Groups in Support of Motion for Technical 
Conference and Request to Postpone Comment Deadline, Docket No. 
RM15-23-000 (Oct. 30, 2015).
    \5\ Comments of the American Gas Association in Support of 
Motion for Technical Conference and Request to Postpone Comment 
Deadline, Docket No. RM15-23-000 (Oct. 30, 2015).
    \6\ Comments of Independent Generation Owners & Representatives 
in Support of Motion for Technical Conference and Request to 
Postpone Comment Deadline, Docket No. RM15-23-000 (Nov. 4, 2015).
    \7\ Answer of International Energy Credit Association In Support 
Of Motion For Technical Conference and Request to Postpone Comment 
Deadline, Docket No. RM15-23-000 (Nov. 5, 2015).
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    4. The Motion acknowledges and supports the important goals 
underlying the NOPR,\8\ but asserts that a technical conference ``would 
help the Commission carefully consider whether the reporting 
requirements--as currently drafted--will achieve the desired benefits 
commensurate with the burden that would be placed on [affected 
parties], or whether the reporting requirements could be drafted in a 
manner that eliminates some of the burden while preserving the 
Commission's goal of detecting market manipulation.'' \9\
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    \8\ Motion, p. 2
    \9\ Id.
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    5. Upon careful consideration of this request, the Commission 
concurs that a technical conference would be useful in understanding 
industry concerns and the extent of the burdens that would be imposed 
upon market participants under the draft regulatory language. 
Therefore, the Commission will hold a staff-led technical conference on 
December 8, 2015, with comments due 45 days thereafter.\10\
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    \10\ A notice will be issued setting out the details of the 
technical conference, including the exact times and agenda.
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The Commission Orders:
    The Filing Entities' Motion for Technical Conference and Request to 
Postpone Comment Deadline is granted. The Commission directs staff to 
convene a technical conference on December 8, 2015. Comments will be 
due on January 22, 2016, 45 days after the technical conference.

    By the Commission.

    Issued: November 10, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-29268 Filed 11-16-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P