[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16168-16170]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06777]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC16-5-000]


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

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

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 its information 
collections FERC-714 (Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and 
Planning Area Report) and FERC-730 (Report of Transmission Investment 
Activity) 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 previously issued 
a Notice in the Federal Register (80 FR 80355, 12/24/2015) requesting 
public comments. The Commission received no comments on the FERC-714 or 
FERC-730 and is making this notation in its submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due by April 25, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0140 (FERC-714) and 1902-0239 (FERC-730) 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 202-395-0710.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in 
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.
    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.

[[Page 16169]]

    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:
    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 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.

FERC-714 [Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and Planning Area 
Report] \1\
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    \1\ 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.
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    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\2\ (rounded) for the information 
collection as follows:
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    \2\ 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:
     Management (Code 11-0000), $78.04/hr.
     Computer and mathematical (Code 15-0000), $58.25/hr.
     Electrical Engineers (Code 17-2071), $66.45/hr.
     Economist (Code 19-3011), $73.04/hr.
     Computer and Information Systems Managers (Code 11-
3021), $94.55/hr.
     Accountants and Auditors (Code 13-2011), $51.11/hr.
     Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers 
(Code 11-3071), $73.65/hr.
     Power Distributors and Dispatchers (Code 51-8012), 
$54.16/hr.

                  FERC-714 (Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and Planning Area Report)
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                                                                                   Total annual
                                  Annual number    Total number   Average burden  burden hours &     Cost per
     Number of respondents         of responses    of responses     &  cost per    total annual   respondent ($)
                                  per respondent                   response \3\        cost
(1)                                          (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =       (5) / (1)
                                                             (3)                             (5)
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177............................                1             177              87          15,399          $5,973
                                                                          $5,973      $1,057,295
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FERC-730 [Report of Transmission Investment Activity]

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0239.
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    \3\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $72.00 per 
Hour = Average Cost per Response. The hourly cost figure comes from 
the FERC average salary plus benefits ($149,489/year). Commission 
staff believes the FERC average salary plus benefits to be 
representative wage (plus benefits) for industry respondents.
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    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 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:
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    \4\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-58, 119 Stat. 594, 
315 and 1283 (2005).
    \5\ RM06-4-000 (issued 7/20/2006), published at 71 FR 43294.
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     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

[[Page 16170]]

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)
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                                                                                   Total annual
                                  Annual number    Total number   Average burden  burden hours &     Cost per
     Number of respondents         of responses    of responses     & cost per     total annual   respondent ($)
                                  per respondent                   response \3\        cost
(1)                                          (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =       (5) / (1)
                                                             (3)                             (5)
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63.............................                1              63              30           1,890          $2,160
                                                                          $2,160        $136,080
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    Dated: March 21, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-06777 Filed 3-24-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P