[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 97 (Thursday, May 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31623-31629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11911]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Extension With Changes

AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice and request for OMB review and comment.

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SUMMARY: EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and with 
the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, intends to extend 
for 3 years, with changes, the following forms:
     Form EIA-63B, ``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report,''
     Form EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program 
Report,''
     Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue 
Report with State Distributions,'' (discontinued form to be replaced by 
Form EIA-861M),
     Form EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report,''
     Form EIA-860M, ``Monthly Update to the Annual Electric 
Generator Report,''
     Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report,''
     Form EIA-861S, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report 
(Short Form),''
     Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly Electric Power Industry Report'' 
(replaces Form EIA-826),
     Form EIA-923, ``Power Plant Operations Report,'' and
     Form EIA-930, ``Balancing Authority Operations Report.''
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be 
received on or before July 18, 2016. If you anticipate difficulty in 
submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in 
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Rebecca Peterson. To ensure receipt of the 
comments by the due date, email is recommended 
([email protected]). The postal mailing address is U.S. 
Department of Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Mail Stop 
EI-23, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Ms. Peterson at the email address listed above. 
Alternatively, Ms. Peterson may be contacted on (202) 586-4509. The 
proposed forms and instructions, along with related information on this 
clearance package, can be viewed at http://www.eia.gov/survey/changes/electricity/solar/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request contains 
the following:

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-63B, 
``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report.''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.
    (4) Purpose: The Form EIA-63B tracks photovoltaic module 
manufacturing, shipments, technology types, revenue and related 
information. The data collected on this form appear in various EIA 
publications. The data are used by the U.S. Department of Energy, the 
Congress, other government and non-government entities, and the public 
to monitor the current status and trends of the photovoltaic industry 
and to evaluate the future of the industry.
    (4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
     Change the title of the survey to Form EIA-63B, 
``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report.''
     Change the reporting period from annual to monthly.
     Reduce the monthly frame to include only `large' producers 
with the intent of capturing at least 90% of peak kilowatts shipped. 
Respondents reporting total shipments of at least 100,000 peak 
kilowatts (kWp) during the previous year will be surveyed monthly.
     Survey the entire frame of all known U.S. producers 
annually with a short version of the form that collects data only on 
Schedule 1, Contact Information, Schedule 4, Photovoltaic Module Source 
and Disposition, and Schedule 7, Comments.
     In Schedule 3, Industry Status, add Part E, Production 
Capacity for Manufacturing Photovoltaic Modules, in order to collect 
current and planned maximum annual production capacity

[[Page 31624]]

to manufacture photovoltaic modules in peak kilowatts.
     In Schedule 3, delete the words ``system'' and ``cells'' 
throughout the schedule and only collect data relating to ``modules''. 
The following are two examples. On Schedule 3, Part A, change ``cell 
and/or module manufacturing'' to ``module manufacturing''; change 
``module and/or system design'' to ``module design.''
     Change the name of Schedule 4 from ``Photovoltaic 
Shipments Status'' to ``Photovoltaic Modules Source and Disposition.'' 
Collect the inventory of photovoltaic modules at the beginning of the 
monthly reporting period (monthly or annually, depending on if the 
respondent is a monthly or annual respondent) instead of collecting the 
inventory carried forward from the previous year.
     Delete Schedule 4, Part A, Photovoltaic Cell Data, which 
collected cell data pertaining to inventory, shipments, and revenue.
     Delete Schedule 4, Part B, question (e), Energy Conversion 
Efficiency, which collected the percent of power converted per peak 
kilowatt.
     Delete the portion of Schedule 6, Part B, U.S. Shipments 
(sales within the United States excluding sales for resale) by State, 
Sector and End Use, which collected data on photovoltaic module 
shipments by sector and by end use.
    (5) Number of Survey Respondents: Currently the estimated number of 
respondents is 76. Under the new proposed framework, there would be 16 
monthly respondents and 60 annual respondents.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: Under the current 
form, there are 76 annual responses. Under the proposed new framework, 
the number of responses would be 252 responses, including 192 monthly 
and 60 annually.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The current annual 
estimated burden is 885 hours. Under the proposed changes, the 
estimated burden would be reduced to 563 hours, which represents a 
reduction of 322 burden hours from the prior renewal of this 
collection. The burden reduction is the result of the change to a 
monthly collection (accounting for 90 percent of the data) with 
remaining respondents reporting annually; in addition, questions 
related to photovoltaic cells are being removed.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $40,547 (563 burden hours times $72.02 
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-411, 
``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program Report.''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.
    (4) Purpose: The Form EIA-411 collects information relating to the 
reliability of the electric power system in the lower 48 states, 
including regional electricity supply and demand projections for a 10-
year advance period, the characteristics and frequency of outages 
occurring on the Bulk Electric System, and other information on the 
transmission system and supporting facilities. The data are collected 
from the regional reliability entities by the North American Electric 
Reliability Corp. (NERC),\1\ which then organizes and edits the 
information and submits the data to EIA.
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    \1\ NERC is the official North American Electric Reliability 
Corporation as designated by the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (FERC) pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. EIA has 
had a long-standing relationship with NERC and its predecessor for 
the collection of the EIA-411 data.
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    (4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
     Discontinue the collection of historical information 
associated with demand, capacity, transactions, and reserve margins in 
Schedule 3. EIA proposes to delete Line Numbers 2a through 2d in 
Schedule 3 Part A, Projected Demand and Capacity--Summer, and Part B, 
Projected Demand and Capacity--Winter, relating to direct control load 
management, interruptible load, critical peak pricing with control, and 
load as a capacity resource. EIA also proposes to delete Line Number 4 
in Part A and Part B that collects information on Total Demand 
Response. EIA proposes to delete Line Number 7 in Part A and Part B 
that collects information on the peak hour demand plus available 
reserves. EIA proposes to delete Line Numbers 10a through 10c that 
collect information on capacity transfers relating to imports and to 
delete Line numbers 11a through 11c that collect information on 
capacity transfers relating to exports in both Part A and Part B. EIA 
also proposes to delete Line Number 16 that collects information on 
``Target Reserve Margin.''
     One of the goals of collecting this historical information 
on Schedule 3 was to provide a context to evaluate the adequacy of 
planned reserve margins from prior survey submissions. However, 
significant differences between operational reserve margins and planned 
reserve margins has rendered this historical information less 
meaningful than originally intended. Until a more comprehensive 
framework for making such comparisons is identified, EIA is proposing 
not to collect this historical information.
     EIA currently collects the names of planned transmission 
line terminal locations in Schedule 6, Part B, Characteristics of 
Projected Transmission Line Additions. The instructions for Line 5, 
Terminal Location (From) and Line 6, Terminal Location (To) will now 
ask the respondent to report the state and county, in addition to the 
name of the terminal. This is a more standard way of reporting 
locations.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: Nine respondents (the 
eight NERC regional entities and NERC Headquarters).
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is 9.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated 
burden is 1,098 hours, which represents no change in burden hours from 
the prior renewal of this collection.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $79,078 (1,098 burden hours times $72.02 
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-826, ``Monthly 
Electric Sales and Revenue with State Distributions Report.'' See 
``Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly 
Electric Power Industry Report'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-860, ``Annual 
Electric Generator Report.''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.

[[Page 31625]]

    (4) Purpose: Form EIA-860 collects data on existing and planned 
electric generation plants and associated equipment including 
generators, boilers, cooling systems, and environmental control 
systems. Data are collected from all existing units and from planned 
units scheduled for initial commercial operation within 10 years of the 
specified reporting period (depending on the type of plant).
    (4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
     Collect additional information on utility-scale 
electricity storage (primarily batteries). Specifically, in Schedule 2, 
Power Plant Data, EIA proposes to add question 15, which asks if the 
facility has energy storage capabilities. Currently, EIA collects the 
same design and operational data from energy storage applications as it 
does from conventional generators, despite the fundamental differences 
between them. The rapid growth in the number and capacity of energy 
storage applications along with their unique operational 
characteristics is an important consideration for collecting 
information that is relevant to the electric power markets. Based on 
analysis from the Sandia National Laboratory, EIA developed prospective 
data elements and performed cognitive testing on the ability of the 
industry to report this information.
     On Schedule 2, EIA proposes to add questions 16a, 16b, 
16c, and 16d regarding deliveries of natural gas. If a facility has a 
connection to a local distribution company (LDC), question 16a asks for 
the name of the LDC. If the facility has a pipeline connection other 
than to an LDC, question 16b asks for the name(s) of the owner or 
operator of each pipeline that connects directly to the facility or 
that connects to a lateral pipeline owned by this facility. Question 
16c asks if the facility has on-site storage of natural gas and, if so, 
question 16d asks if the facility has the capability to store the 
natural gas in the form of liquefied natural gas. The increasing 
reliance on natural gas as an energy source for electricity requires a 
better understanding of how natural gas is distributed to electric 
generation facilities and if storage is possible.
     In Schedule 3, Part B, add question 22, in order to 
collect the ``Reference Unit Power'' (RUP) value for each nuclear 
generator as of December 31 of the data collection year. The 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) requested that EIA provide 
this information. EIA has primary responsibility to provide U.S. data 
to the IAEA. The IAEA needs the RUP for U.S. reactors as it does from 
its other IAEA member countries. Currently, EIA does not collect RUP. 
EIA proposes to add a question to collect information on RUP to improve 
the accuracy of its estimates of RUP, and to improve the United States' 
data submissions to the IAEA.
     In Schedule 3, Part B, Generator Information--Operable 
Generators, EIA proposes to remove question 23 that asks for the 
minimum amount of time needed to bring a generator from a non-spinning 
reserve status to full load. This has been unduly burdensome to 
collect, both on the respondents and on EIA processing staff.
     In Schedule 3, Part B, also remove question 29, which asks 
for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Obstacle Number assigned 
to the turbines. This also has been burdensome to collect.
     In Schedule 3, Part B, EIA proposed to add question 30a 
and 30b, which asks solar PV generators having fixed tilt technologies 
or single-axis technologies for their fixed azimuth angles and fixed 
tilt angles. This will allow hourly timing of electric supply to be 
better understood.
     In Schedule 3, Part B, EIA proposed to add new questions 
32 and 33, which asks all solar facilities if they have net metering 
agreements or virtual net metering agreements in place associated with 
their solar generation. These questions also ask facilities with net 
metering or virtual net metering agreements the capacity associated 
with these agreements. This expansion will enhance EIA's estimation of 
total distributed solar generation in the United States.
     In Schedule 6, Part B, Boiler Information--Air Emission 
Standards and Control Strategies, plants with a total steam-electric 
nameplate capacity of at least 10 MW report their applicable nitrogen 
oxides (NOX) and mercury regulations and their existing and 
proposed strategies for meeting these regulations; plants with a total 
steam-electric nameplate capacity of at least 100 MW report their 
applicable sulfur dioxide (SO2) regulations and their 
existing and proposed strategies for meeting these regulations. EIA 
proposes standardizing reporting by having plants with a total steam-
electric nameplate capacity between 10 and 100 MW also report their 
applicable SO2 regulations and their existing and proposed 
strategies for meeting these regulations. This expansion will enhance 
EIA's estimation of SO2 emissions by electrical power 
plants.
     In Schedule 6, Part A, Boiler Information--Plant 
Configuration and Equipment Information, question 2, EIA proposes to 
collect the actual and planned retirement dates of environmental 
equipment at electrical power plants. This expansion will allow EIA to 
provide a more comprehensive inventory of environmental equipment.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately 
4,700 respondents.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is approximately 4,700.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated 
burden is 43,883 hours, which represents an increase of 12,789 burden 
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The change in burden 
is the result of a 42-percent increase in the number of respondents due 
to industry developments as well as the addition of questions 
concerning storage capacity, solar generators, and several other areas.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $3,160,454 (43,883 burden hours times 
$72.02 per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-860M, ``Monthly 
Update to the Annual Electric Generator Report''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.
    (4) Purpose: Form EIA-860M collects data on the status of proposed 
new generators scheduled to begin commercial operation within the 
forward 12-month period; existing generators scheduled to retire from 
service within the forward 12-month period; and existing generators 
that have proposed modifications that are scheduled for completion 
within one month. The information is needed to ensure a complete and 
accurate inventory of the nation's generating fleet, for such purposes 
as reliability and environmental analyses.
    (4a) Proposed Change:
     EIA proposes adding questions 3a through 3d to the end of 
Schedule 2, Updates to Proposed New Generators:
    [cir] Questions 3a and 3b ask for each newly operational solar 
generators if the output from the generator is part of a net metering 
agreement and, if so, how much direct current (DC) capacity (in

[[Page 31626]]

MW) is part of the net metering agreement.
    [cir] Questions 3c and 3d ask for each newly operational solar 
generators if the output from the generator is part of a virtual net 
metering agreement and, if so, how much DC capacity (in MW) is part of 
the virtual net metering agreement.
    The distinction between net metering and virtual net metering is 
specified in the proposed instructions to the form. Responses to these 
proposed questions would enhance EIA's estimation of distributed solar 
generation in the United States.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: During a typical year 
approximately 478 entities will file the form for at least one month. 
However, in any given month only about 200 entities fall within the 
reporting threshold (i.e., have a new generator that is within 12 
months of entering commercial operation) and are therefore required to 
file the survey. Most respondents file fewer than 12 forms a year; the 
average for 2015 was 5.6 filings per year per respondent. Based on this 
historical reporting trend, the burden estimates are sufficient based 
on a 12 month reporting cycle.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is 2,677.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated 
burden is 830 hours, which represents an increase of 138 burden hours 
from the prior renewal of this collection. The increase in burden is 
due to a 16-percent increase in the number of respondents who 
previously filed an EIA-860M as well as the addition of questions 
regarding net metering agreements involving newly operable solar 
generators.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $59,777 (830 burden hours times $72.02 
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.

    (1) OMB No.: 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861, ``Annual 
Electric Power Industry Report.''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.
    (4) Purpose: Form EIA-861 collects annual information on the retail 
sale, distribution, transmission and generation of electric energy in 
the United States and its territories. The data include related 
activities such as energy efficiency and demand response programs. In 
combination with the Form EIA-861S short form (see below) and the 
monthly Form EIA-861M, this annual survey provides coverage of sales to 
ultimate customers of electric power and related activities.
    (4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
     In Schedule 1, Identification, under the Respondent Type 
section, a new respondent type entitled ``Behind the Meter'' will be 
added. This respondent type would be for entities that own/operate 
renewable energy generating facilities behind the utility meter that 
generate power intended for on-site use in a home, office building, or 
other commercial facility.
     Add a question to Schedule 6, Part A, Energy Efficiency, 
which asks a respondent, in the event that they use a Demand Side 
Management (DSM) Administrator to report on the respondent's DSM 
programs, to select that DSM Administrator from a dropdown menu. Also, 
for DSM Administrators respondents, move the location of where the DSM 
Administrators list what utilities they are providing services for 
(currently in Schedule 9, Footnotes) to Schedule 6, Part A.
     In Schedule 7, Part A, Net Metering Programs, add a 
question asking for the capacity of small-scale storage associated with 
net-metered distributed capacity. Also in Schedule 7, Part B, Non Net-
Metered Distributed Generators add a question on the capacity of small-
scale storage associated with non-net-metered distributed capacity. EIA 
has received a number of requests to collect these data.
     In Schedule 7, Part A, Net Metering Programs, add a 
question asking for the virtual net- metered capacity and virtual net-
metered customer counts of net metering programs. This question would 
apply both to resources less than 1 MW and resources in excess of 1 MW. 
One of the emerging developments in the solar PV market place are 
community solar projects combined with virtual net-metering agreements 
utilities have with the customers. Virtual net metering arrangements 
allow generation from remotely sited generators to offset customers' 
monthly consumption and results in a net bill to the customer. In order 
to accurately account for this generation, EIA needs to expand the net 
metering data collection to include these situations.
     Change title of Schedule 7, Part B from ``Distributed and 
Dispersed Generation'' to ``Non-net Metered Distributed Generators.''
     Eliminate all questions in Schedule 7B, Distributed and 
Dispersed Generation, regarding dispersed generation. Dispersed 
generators are commercial and industrial generators not connected/
synchronized to the grid. Dispersed generation questions eliminated 
will include number of generators, capacity, and technology type. The 
amount of dispersed generation capacity reported is small and the 
ability of utilities to accurately report this information is unclear, 
since this capacity is not connected to utility grids. In addition, the 
terms distributed generation and dispersed generation have been a 
source of confusion with respondents and data users.
     Add end-use sectors to Schedule 7, Part B, Distributed and 
Dispersed Generation, in place of an aggregated total. Also add an 
additional technology (fuel cells) to Schedule 7, Part B.
     In the Form EIA-861 instructions, examples of required 
respondents was expanded for clarification to include transmission 
owners, transmission operators, and Third Party Owners of solar PV 
(TPO). This is being done to more explicitly clarify the types of 
electric power industry entities required to submit Form EIA-861.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately 
2,300 respondents.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is 2,295.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The total annual 
estimated burden is 29,261 hours, which represents an increase of 5,138 
burden hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The change in 
burden is primarily due to the addition of questions regarding, among 
other things, small-scale storage and virtual net metered capacity.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $2,107,377 (29,261 burden hours times 
$72.02 per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.

[[Page 31627]]

    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly 
Electric Power Industry Report'' (replaces Form EIA-826). See 
``Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-826, Monthly Electric 
Sales and Revenue with State Distributions Report'' under Supplementary 
Information above.
    (3) Type of Request: New Collection.
    (4) Purpose: Form EIA-861M will collect monthly information from a 
sample of electric utilities, energy service providers, and 
distribution companies that sell or deliver electric power to end 
users. Data collected on this form includes sales and revenue for all 
end-use sectors (residential, commercial, industrial, and 
transportation). This survey is the monthly complement to the annual 
data collection from the universe of respondents made by the short and 
long form versions of the Form EIA-861 survey (see further below).
    (4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
     Discontinue Form EIA-826 and replace it with new Form EIA-
861M, ``Monthly Electric Power Industry Report.'' Data collected on the 
discontinued Form EIA-826 will be collected on the EIA-861M with the 
following changes.
     In Schedule 1, Identification, under the Respondent Type 
section, the respondent types for State and Municipal will be combined 
into one category titled ``State--Municipal.'' A new respondent type, 
``Behind the Meter,'' will be added. This respondent type would be for 
entities that own/operate renewable energy generating facilities behind 
the utility meter that generate power intended for on-site use in a 
home, office building, or other commercial facility.
     EIA proposes to add a new part, Schedule 3, Part A, Net 
Metering Programs, which will collect data regarding net-metering 
programs, including capacity, installations, storage capacity, 
customers, and, if available, energy sold back to the utility. These 
data will be reported by state, balancing authority, customer class, 
and technology (photovoltaic, wind and other).
     EIA also proposes on the new Schedule 3, Part A, Net 
Metering Programs, to add virtual net metered capacity and customer 
counts both from resources less than 1 Megawatt (MW) and resources 1 MW 
or greater. Emerging developments in the solar PV market place include 
community solar projects that are combined with ``virtual net 
metering'' agreements between utilities and end-use customers. Virtual 
net metering arrangements allow generation from remotely sited 
generators to offset customers' monthly consumption and results in a 
net bill to the customer. In order to accurately account for this 
generation, EIA needs to expand the net metering data collection to 
include these situations.
     EIA proposes to delete the current Schedule 3, Part B, Net 
Metering, whose current data elements and additional data elements will 
be collected on the new proposed Schedule 3, Part A, Net Metering 
Programs. In place of the previous Part B, EIA will add a new Schedule 
3, Part B, Non Net-Metered Distributed Generators, which will collect 
the number and capacity of non-net-metered distributed generators by 
technology and sector. The addition of these data will improve EIA's 
ability to make monthly estimates of generation from solar photovoltaic 
(PV) resources.
     EIA proposes on both Schedule 3, Part A (Net Metering 
Programs) and Part B (Non Net-Metered Distributed Generators), to 
collect the capacity of small-scale storage associated with net metered 
and non-net metered distributed capacity. EIA has received an 
increasing number of requests to collect these data.
     EIA proposes to eliminate Schedule 3, Part C, Advanced 
Metering, relating to advanced utility meters. These data will no 
longer be collected on a monthly basis. These data were changing 
rapidly in previous years as utilities were participating in American 
Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) projects. Currently the data are 
not moving rapidly year-over-year and EIA expects a further year-over-
year decline in future years. This eliminates the need to look at it 
monthly. These data will continue to be collected annually on Form EIA-
861.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately 
620 respondents.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is 7,440.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated 
burden is 15,178 hours, which represents an increase of 6,415 burden 
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The increase in burden 
is due to growth in the number of respondents due to industry 
developments and the addition of questions regarding capacity.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $1,093,120 (15,178 burden hours times 
$72.02 per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.

    (1)OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861S, ``Annual 
Electric Power Industry Report (Short Form).''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.
    (4) Purpose: Form EIA-861S collects a limited set of information 
annually from 1,100 small companies involved in the retail sale of 
electricity. A complete set of annual data are collected from 2,300 
larger companies on the Form EIA-861(long form) and monthly data are 
collected on the Form EIA-861M (see above). The smaller utilities that 
currently report on the EIA-861S are required to complete the EIA-861 
(long form) once every five years to provide updated information for 
the statistical estimation of uncollected data.
    (4a) Proposed Change:
     EIA plans to extend the time interval in which small 
utilities on the EIA-861S (short form) must complete the EIA-861 (long 
form) from 5 years to 8 years. EIA has conducted a statistical analysis 
of this proposal and the results indicate that the reporting interval 
can be extended to 8 years without adversely affecting the statistical 
estimation of uncollected data, i.e., sector level (residential, 
commercial, industrial, and transportation) sales, revenue, and 
customer count by state. The change will also reduce burden on smaller 
utilities.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately 
1,100 respondents.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is 1,100.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated 
burden is 833 hours, which represents a reduction of 3 burden hours 
from the prior renewal of this collection.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $59,993 (833 burden hours times $72.02 
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for

[[Page 31628]]

generating, maintaining and providing the information.

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-923, ``Power 
Plant Operations Report.''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.
    (4) Purpose: Form EIA-923 collects information from electric power 
plants in the United States. Data collected include electric power 
generation, energy source consumption, end of reporting period fossil 
fuel stocks, as well as the quality and cost of fossil fuel receipts.
    (4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
     On Schedule 2, Cost and Quality of Fuel Purchases--Plant 
Level, Part A, Contract Information, Purchases and Cost, and Part B, 
Quality of Fuel and Transportation, change the way natural gas receipts 
are collected. Currently this information is collected by supplier and 
individual contract. EIA proposes to collect receipts data by pipeline 
for all individual pipelines servicing a plant. In the case of Part A, 
respondents would break down their costs into total delivered costs 
excluding fixed charges, and pipeline capacity reservation and other 
fixed charges. The object of this change is to collect more useful 
information and to reduce the reporting burden.
     On Schedule 4, Part A, Fossil Fuel Stocks at the End of 
the Reporting Period for Coal, Petroleum Coke, Distillate Fuel Oil, and 
Residual Fuel Oil, remove the data protection for coal and petroleum 
stocks held at power plants and related facilities. Plant-level stocks 
data would be publicly released (as is other plant-specific data, such 
as generation) seven weeks after the end of the reporting month. The 
passage of time during the seven week time period between collection 
and publication limits any competitive harm that would result from 
releasing the data, and its release will provide more detailed market 
information to policy-makers and industry analysts.
     On Schedule 4, Part A, Fossil Fuel Stocks at the End of 
the Reporting Period for Coal, Petroleum Coke, Distillate Fuel Oil, and 
Residual Fuel Oil, institute the same reporting thresholds, generator 
nameplate capacity with a primary fuel of coal greater than 50 MW or 
total generator nameplate capacity with a primary fuel of any 
combination of natural gas, residual fuel oil, distillate fuel oil, or 
petroleum coke greater than 200 MW, as on Schedule 2, Costs and Quality 
of Fuel Purchases--Plant Level. This change will make the fuel receipts 
data (Schedule 2) and stock data (Schedule 4) consistent with each 
other and create a single respondent pool for the two schedules. The 
number of plants reporting on Schedule 4, Part A will be reduced. The 
change will also increase the quality of fuel stocks data collected on 
Schedule 4, Part A because the fuel stocks data that is reported by 
plants falling under the Schedule 2 threshold tends to be difficult to 
quality check. Also to achieve consistency across schedules, kerosene 
and jet fuel stocks will no longer be collected on Schedule 4.
     On Schedule 8, Part D, Monthly Cooling System Information, 
collect the cooling system information data on a monthly rather than an 
annual basis. The survey currently collects 12 months of cooling water 
operating data once a year. Under this proposal, monthly respondents 
would provide cooling system information data monthly, rather than 
providing 12 months of cooling data on the 923 supplemental form. The 
change is not expected to affect reporting burden.
     Additionally, EIA plans to reduce the current monthly 
sample via a more efficient model-based cutoff design. It will 
significantly reduce the number of monthly respondents (from 2,108 
respondents to 1,323) while maintaining the ability to effectively 
estimate data for out-of-sample power plants, i.e. power plants that 
only report data on an annual basis. This will also reduce the number 
of supplemental respondents from 1,632 to 1,056. The new sample design 
is expected to lower the overall burden and still produce aggregate 
statistics that meet EIA publication standards.
     EIA also proposes to collect data from plants whose 
operating status is TS, ``operating under test conditions (not in 
commercial service)'' if those plants are in fact collecting revenues 
from the sale of electricity. This change would allow EIA get more 
complete data on U.S. generation and sales.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately 
7,328 respondents. The monthly form is filed by 1,323 respondents; the 
annual form is filed by 6,005 respondents; and the supplemental form is 
filed by 1,056 respondents. (Those same 1,056 supplemental respondents 
also file the monthly form and are included in the 1,323 respondents on 
the monthly form).
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is 22,937.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated 
burden is 55,283 hours, which represents a reduction of 16,029 burden 
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The change in burden 
is primarily due to the removal of questions related to cooling water 
and frame modification resulting in fewer respondents.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in 
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the 
respondents is estimated to be $3,981,482 (55,283 burden hours times 
$72.02 per hour. Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA 
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating, 
maintaining and providing the information.

    (1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-930, ``Balancing 
Authority Operations Report''
    (3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently 
approved collection.
    (4)  Purpose: Form EIA-930 collects hourly electric power operating 
data from Balancing Authorities in the contiguous United States.\2\ The 
data include:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ A Balancing Authority is ``The responsible entity that 
integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-
generation balance within a Balancing Authority Area, and supports 
Interconnection frequency in real time.'' (NERC, Glossary of Terms 
Used in NERC Reliability Standards, December 21, 2012.) In most, but 
not all cases, a balancing authority is an electric utility company 
or a Regional Transmission Organization

 Hourly demand
 Hourly next-day demand forecast
 Hourly net generation
 Hourly actual interchange with each interconnected Balancing 
Authority

    The purpose of this survey is to enable EIA to make available a 
comprehensive set of the current day's system demand data on an hourly 
basis and the prior day's basic hourly electric system operating data 
on a daily basis. Besides providing a basic measure of the current 
status of electric systems and the United States electric industry as a 
whole, the data can be used to compare actual system demand with the 
day-ahead forecast thereby providing a measure of the accuracy of the 
forecasting used to commit resources. In addition, the EIA-930 data are 
key in addressing smart grid related issues such as integrating wind 
and solar generation, improving the coordination of natural gas and 
electric short-term

[[Page 31629]]

operations, and expanding the use of demand response, storage, and 
electric vehicles in electric system operations.
    (4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
     Change the amount of time within which the respondents 
must report. Currently respondents must submit their data within 60 
minutes of the end of the data hour. The proposal is to change that to 
within 30 minutes of the end of the data hour. This change would be 
consistent with the observed reporting capabilities of the respondents.
     Require respondents to report hourly sub-regional actual 
demand when these values are produced in the normal course of business 
within a month of the operating day.
     Require respondents to report hourly net generation by 
standard fuel type categories.
    Also, EIA requests comments on whether it should continue its 
current policy of limited withholding of small Balancing Authority data 
for two days.
    (5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: The annual estimated 
number of respondents is 66.
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual 
estimated number of total responses is 24,090.
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated 
burden is 3,960 hours, which represents an increase of 1,618 burden 
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The increase in burden 
is due to the expansion of the form to collect net generation by 
standard fuel type.
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: 
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs 
associated with response burden. The information is maintained in the 
normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the respondents 
is estimated to be $285,199 (3,960 burden hours times $72.02 per hour). 
Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA estimates that 
there are no additional costs for generating, maintaining and providing 
the information.

    Statutory Authority: Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy 
Administration Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-275, codified at 15 U.S.C. 
772(b).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 12, 2016.
Nanda Srinivasan,
Director, Office of Survey Development and Statistical Integration, 
U.S. Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-11911 Filed 5-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P