[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 247 (Thursday, December 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80355-80357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32131]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC16-5-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities; Consolidated 
Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments.

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

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

[[Page 80356]]

FERC) is soliciting public comment on the requirements and burden of 
the FERC-714 (Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and Planning 
Area Report) and FERC-730 (Report of Transmission Investment Activity) 
information collections.

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due February 22, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC16-5-
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.
    Please reference the specific collection number and/or title in 
your comments.
    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:
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the information collection 
requirements for all collections described below with no changes to the 
current reporting requirements. Please note that each collection is 
distinct from the next.
    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) whether the collections of 
information are 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 estimates of the 
burden\1\ and cost of the collections of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility and clarity of the information collections; and 
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 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-714, [Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and Planning Area 
Report] \2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ The renewal request in this IC docket is for the current 
FERC-714, with no change to the reporting requirements. The FERC-714 
is also part of the Forms Refresh effort (started in Docket No. 
AD15-11), which is a separate activity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0140.
    Abstract: The Commission uses the FERC-714 data to analyze power 
system operations. 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 interconnections. The FERC-714 
data assists in providing a broad picture of interconnected balancing 
authority area operations including comprehensive information of 
balancing authority area generation, actual and scheduled inter-
balancing authority area power transfers, and net energy for load, 
summer and winter generation peaks and system lambda. The Commission 
also uses the data to prepare status reports on the electric utility 
industry including a review of inter-balancing authority area bulk 
power trade information.
    The Commission uses the collected data from planning areas to 
monitor forecasted demands by electric utilities with fundamental 
demand responsibilities and to develop hourly demand characteristics.
    Type of Respondent: Electric utility balancing authorities and 
planning areas in the United States.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden and cost\3\ (rounded) for the information 
collection as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ The hourly cost (wages plus benefits), is based on the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2014 National Industry-Specific 
Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm). The average hourly cost (wages plus 
benefits) of $68.66/hour is the average of the following: (a) 
Management (Code 11-0000), $78.04/hr; (b)Computer and mathematical 
(Code 15-0000), $58.25/hr; (c) Electrical Engineers (Code 17-2071), 
$66.45/hr; (d) Economist (Code 19-3011), $73.04/hr; (e) Computer and 
Information Systems Managers (Code 11-3021),$94.55/hr; (f) 
Accountants and Auditors (Code 13-2011), $51.11/hr; (g) 
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Code 11-3071), 
$73.65/hr; (h) Power Distributors and Dispatchers (Code 51-8012), 
$54.16/hr.

                  FERC-714 (Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and Planning Area Report)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Annual  number                      Average      Total annual
                                   of  responses   Total  number  burden &  cost   burden  hours     Cost per
      Number of respondents             per        of  responses   per  response     &  total       respondent
                                    respondent                          \6\        annual  cost         ($)
(1)                                          (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =       (5) / (1)
                                                             (3)                             (5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
177.............................               1             177              87          15,399          $5,973
                                                                          $5,973      $1,057,295
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FERC-730, [Report of Transmission Investment Activity]

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0239.
    Abstract: Pursuant to Section 219 \4\ of the Federal Power Act, the 
Commission issued FERC Order No. 679,\5\ Promoting Transmission 
Investment Through Pricing Reform. In Order No. 679 FERC amended its 
regulations in 18 CFR 35.35 to establish incentive-based (including 
performance-based) rate treatments for the transmission of electric 
energy in interstate commerce by public utilities. The Commission 
intended the order to benefit consumers by ensuring reliability and to 
reduce the cost of delivered power by reducing transmission congestion. 
Order No. 679 also adopted an annual reporting requirement (FERC-730) 
for utilities that receive incentive rate treatment for

[[Page 80357]]

specific transmission projects. The FERC-730 provides annual data on 
transmission capital expenditures as well as project status detail. The 
Commission requires that filers specify which projects are currently 
receiving incentives in the project detail table and that they group 
together those facilities receiving the same incentive. Specifically, 
in accordance with the statute, public utilities with incentive rates 
must file:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-58, 119 Stat. 594, 
315 and 1283 (2005).
    \5\ RM06-4-000 (issued July 20, 2006), published: 71 FR 43294
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Actual transmission investment for the most recent 
calendar year, and projected, incremental investments for the next five 
calendar years (in dollar terms); and
     a project by project listing that specifies for each 
project the most up to date, expected completion date, percentage 
completion as of the date of filing, and reasons for delays for all 
current and projected investments over the next five calendar years. 
Projects with projected costs less than $20 million are excluded from 
this listing.
    To ensure that Commission rules are successfully meeting the 
objectives of Section 219, the Commission collects industry data, 
projections and related information that detail the level of 
investment. FERC-730 information regarding projected investments as 
well as information about completed projects allows the Commission to 
monitor the success of the transmission pricing reforms and to 
determine the status of critical projects and reasons for delay.
    Type of Respondent: Public utilities that have been granted 
incentives based rate treatment for specific transmission projects 
under the provisions of 18 CFR 35.35(h) must file the FERC-730.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:

                              FERC-730 (Report of Transmission Investment Activity)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Annual  number                      Average      Total annual
                                   of  responses   Total  number  burden &  cost   burden  hours     Cost per
      Number of respondents             per        of  responses   per  response     &  total       respondent
                                    respondent                          \6\        annual  cost         ($)
(1)                                          (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =       (5) / (1)
                                                             (3)                             (5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
63..............................               1              63              30           1,890          $2,160
                                                                          $2,160        $136,080
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: December 16, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-32131 Filed 12-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P