[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67343-67345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23681]



[[Page 67343]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC16-11-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 1, 
1-F, and 3-Q); Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Commission previously issued a 60-day Notice in the 
Federal Register (81 FR 38169, 6/13/2016) requesting public comments on 
FERC Form Nos. 6, 580, 1, 1-F, and 3-Q. The Commission received no 
comments regarding FERC Form Nos. 6 and 580 and issued a separate 30-
day Notice on those collections (81 FR 62112, 9/8/2016).
    The Commission did receive comments (responding to the 60-day 
Notice) regarding FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q. This Notice addresses 
those comments and solicits additional comments on FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-
F, and 3-Q.
    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 FERC Form No. 1 
(Annual Report of Major Electric Utilities, Licensees, and Others), 
FERC Form No. 1-F (Annual Report for Nonmajor Public Utilities and 
Licensees), and FERC Form No. 3-Q (Quarterly Financial Report of 
Electric Utilities, Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies) 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.

DATES: Comments on the FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q are due by 
October 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control Nos. 
1902-0021 (FERC Form No. 1), 1902-0029 (FERC Form No. 1-F), and 1902-
0205 (FERC Form No. 3-Q) should be sent via email to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs: [email protected], Attention: 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in 
Docket No. IC16-11-000, 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: 
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the information collection 
requirements for FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q, 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 Form No. 1, Annual Report of Major Electric Utilities, Licensees, 
and Others

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0021.
    Abstract: The FERC Form No. 1 (Form No. 1) is a comprehensive 
financial and operating report submitted annually for electric rate 
regulation, market oversight analysis, and financial audits by Major 
electric utilities, licensees and others. Major pertains to utilities 
and licensees having in each of the three previous calendar years, 
sales or transmission services that exceed one of the following: (1) 
One million megawatt hours of total annual sales; (2) 100 megawatt 
hours of annual sales for resale; (3) 500 megawatt hours of annual 
power exchanges delivered; or (4) 500 megawatt hours of annual wheeling 
for others (deliveries plus losses).\1\
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    \1\ As detailed in 18 CFR 101 (Uniform System of Accounts 
Prescribed for Public Utilities and Licensees Subject to the 
Provision of the Federal Power Act, General Instructions) and 18 CFR 
141.1. Nonoperating entities formerly designated as Major and new 
entities that expect to be in the Major category should file as 
detailed in 18 CFR 101.
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    The Form No. 1 is designed to collect financial and operational 
information and is considered to be a non-confidential public use form. 
The Form No. 1 includes a basic set of financial statements: 
Comparative Balance Sheet, Statement of Income, Statement of Retained 
Earnings, Statement of Cash Flows, Statements of Accumulated 
Comprehensive Income, Comprehensive Income, and Hedging Activities; and 
Notes to Financial Statements. Supporting schedules contain 
supplementary information and outlines of corporate structure and 
governance; information on formula rates; and description of important 
changes during the year. Other schedules provide information on 
revenues and the related quantities of electric sales and electricity 
transmitted; account balances for all electric operation and 
maintenance expenses; selected plant cost data; and other statistical 
information.
    Type of Respondent: Major electric utilities.
    Comments: In response to the 60-day Notice, the Commission received 
comments from The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) collectively on 
Forms 1 and 1-F.\2\ A summary of the comments and the Commission's 
responses follow.
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    \2\ The submittals are posted at http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=14318233 and http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=14318200.
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     The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) submitted comments 
on 7/28/2016 on Forms 1 and 1-F.\3\
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    \3\ Id.
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    BEA Comments: BEA uses data from Forms 1 and 1-F in estimating the 
national income and product account (NIPA) structures investment 
estimate. BEA states: ``While BEA uses this information indirectly 
through the [U.S. Census Bureau's Construction Value Put-In Place] 
program, it is considered an indispensable data source to the NIPA 
estimates.'' \4\ BEA would like to explore receiving data directly from 
the Commission with aggregated industry

[[Page 67344]]

totals of particular line items from Forms 1 and 1-F. BEA also suggests 
that the Commission expand the Form 1 and 1-F collection to include 
additional information regarding details on capital expenditures.
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    \4\ Id.
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    FERC Response: BEA may access Form 1 and 1-F data directly: (1) 
Using the Form 1 viewer and historical data that is accessible via the 
Commission's Web site at www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/forms.asp; or (2) by 
searching for individual filings in eLibrary at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp.
    The Commission is not presently considering modifications to 
collect additional information on the Forms 1 and 1-F. Separately, the 
Commission is looking at modernizing data collection in Docket No. 
AD15-11, but that is an activity not addressed here.\5\
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    \5\ When FERC makes changes to the forms, instructions, and/or 
reporting platform system, that information will be submitted to 
OMB, as appropriate, for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA). More information on the Forms Refresh project is posted at 
http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/forms/eforms-refresh.asp.
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    Estimate of Annual Burden: The estimated annual burden \6\ and cost 
\7\ follow:
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    \6\ The one-time implementation burden (of 3 hours per 
respondent for the Forms 1 and 1-F) for the Final Rule in Docket No. 
RM11-24 (issued 7/18/2013) was administratively averaged over Years 
1-3 giving an additional 1 hour annually for Years 1-3. Because the 
implementation period and that 3-year period (of averaging the 
implementation burden) have been completed, the additional 1 hour of 
burden is removed here and for the FERC Form 1-F, below. These 
changes were inadvertently omitted from the 60-day Notice in Docket 
No. IC16-11.
    \7\ The cost estimate (wages plus benefits) is $78.66/hour and 
is used for the Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q. The $78.66/hour (wages 
plus benefits) is based on figures from the Bureau of Labor 
Statistics National Industry--Specific Occupational and Employment 
Wage Estimates (May 2015 estimates at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm, and benefits information for December 2015 at 
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm) and is an average of 
the following: (a) Management (code 11-0000) of $88.94/hour; (b) 
business and financial operations occupations (code 13-0000) of 
$56.86/hour; (c) legal (code 23-0000) of $128.94/hour; and (d) 
office and administrative support (code 43-0000) of $39.91/hour.

                                                   Form No. 1
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                                                                                   Total annual
                                Annual number   Total number    Average burden    burden hours &     Cost per
    Number of  respondents      of responses    of responses   hours & cost per    total annual   respondent ($)
                               per respondent                      response            cost
 (1)                                      (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).............  (3) * (4) = (5)       (5) / (1)
                                                          (3)
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210..........................               1             210  1,168 hrs.;       245,280 hrs.;        $91,874.88
                                                                $91,874.88.       $19,293,724.80.
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    The instructions to the Form 1 will be updated to reflect the 
current burden estimate and email addresses for FERC and OMB.

FERC Form No. 1-F, Annual Report for Nonmajor Public Utilities and 
Licensees

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0029.
    Abstract: The FERC Form No. 1-F (Form No. 1-F) is a financial and 
operating report submitted annually for electric rate regulation, 
market oversight analysis, and financial audits by Nonmajor electric 
utilities and licensees. Nonmajor pertains to utilities and licensees 
having total annual sales of 10,000 megawatt-hours or more in the 
previous calendar year and not classified as Major.\8\
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    \8\ As detailed in 18 CFR 101 (Uniform System of Accounts 
Prescribed for Public Utilities and Licensees Subject to the 
Provision of the Federal Power Act, General Instructions) and 18 CFR 
141.2. Nonoperating entities formerly designated as Nonmajor and new 
entities that expect to be in the Nonmajor category should file as 
detailed in 18 CFR 101.
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    The Form No. 1-F is designed to collect financial and operational 
information and is considered to be a non-confidential public use form. 
The Form No. 1-F includes a basic set of financial statements: 
Comparative Balance Sheet, Statement of Retained Earnings, Statement of 
Cash Flows, Statement of Comprehensive Income and Hedging Activities, 
and Notes to Financial Statements. Supporting schedules contain 
supplementary information and include revenues and the related 
quantities of electric sales and electricity transmitted; account 
balances for all electric operation and maintenance expenses; selected 
plant cost data; and other statistical information.
    Type of Respondent: Nonmajor electric utilities.
    Comments: In response to the 60-day Notice, the Commission received 
comments from the BEA on 7/28/2016. As indicated above, these comments 
were submitted collectively for both Forms 1 and 1-F; a summary of the 
comments and the Commission's responses are provided above under Form 
1.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The estimated annual burden and cost 
follow. (The estimated hourly cost used for the Form No. 1-F is $78.66 
(wages plus benefits) and is described above, under the Form No. 1.):

                                                  Form No. 1-F
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                                Annual number                                      Total annual
                                of responses    Total number    Average burden    burden hours &     Cost per
    Number of respondents            per        of responses   hours & cost per    total annual   respondent ($)
                                 respondent                        response            cost
 (1)                                      (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).............  (3) * (4) = (5)       (5) / (1)
                                                          (3)
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5............................               1               5  122 hrs.;         610 hrs.;             $9,596.52
                                                                $9,596.52.        $47,982.60.
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    The instructions to the Form 1-F will be updated to reflect the 
current burden estimate and email addresses for FERC and OMB.

FERC Form No. 3-Q, Quarterly Financial Report of Electric Utilities, 
Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies

    OMB Control No.: 1902-0205.
    Abstract: The FERC Form No. 3-Q (Form No. 3-Q) is a quarterly 
financial and operating report for rate regulation, market oversight 
analysis, and financial audits which supplements the (a) Form

[[Page 67345]]

Nos. 1 and 1-F for the electric industry, or the (b) Form No. 2 (Major 
Natural Gas Pipeline Annual Report; OMB Control No. 1902-0028) and Form 
No. 2-A (Nonmajor Natural Gas Pipeline Annual Report; OMB Control No. 
1902-0030) (for the natural gas industry). The Form No. 3-Q is 
submitted for all Major and Nonmajor electric utilities and licensees; 
and natural gas companies.\9\
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    \9\ 18 CFR 260.1(b) states that for natural gas companies, 
Major, as defined by the Natural Gas Act, pertains to a company 
whose combined gas transported or stored for a fee exceed 50 million 
Dth in each of the three previous calendar years. 18 CFR 260.2(b) 
states that for natural gas companies, Nonmajor as defined by the 
Natural Gas Act, pertains to a company not meeting the filing 
threshold for Major, but having total gas sales or volume 
transactions exceeding 200,000 Dth in each of the three previous 
calendar years.
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    Form No. 3-Q includes a basic set of financial statements: 
Comparative Balance Sheet, Statement of Income and Statement of 
Retained Earnings, Statement of Cash Flows, Statement of Comprehensive 
Income and Hedging Activities and supporting schedules containing 
supplementary information. Electric respondents report revenues and the 
related quantities of electric sales and electricity transmitted; 
account balances for all electric operation and maintenance expenses; 
selected plant cost data; and other statistical information. Natural 
gas respondents include monthly and quarterly quantities of gas 
transported and associated revenues; storage, terminaling and 
processing services; natural gas customer accounts and details of 
service; and operational expenses, depreciation, depletion and 
amortization of gas plant.
    Type of Respondent: Major and nonmajor electric utilities and 
natural gas pipelines.
    Comments: In response to the 60-day Notice, the Commission received 
comments from two parties on Form 3-Q. A summary of the comments and 
the Commission's responses follow.

     BEA submitted comments on 7/28/2016 on Form 3-Q.\10\
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    \10\ The submittal is posted at http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=14318234.
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    BEA Comments: BEA relies heavily on data from Forms 3-Q to 
calculate components of both the industry and national economic 
accounts to estimate gross output, intermediate input, and value 
added to the U.S. economy from the utilities industry. Similar to 
BEA's comments on Forms 1 and 1-F, BEA is interested in the 
inclusion of additional information in Form 3-Q regarding details 
related to capital expenditures. BEA suggests expansions to the Form 
3-Q such as adding ``new versus replacement capital expenditures for 
certain line items''; including ``annual payments for equipment, 
software, and structures leased under operating leases from 
others''; and improving ``questions to help identify plants 
producing services in the current period (in service) versus plant 
not in service or off-line''.
    FERC Response: The Commission is not presently considering 
modifications to collect additional information on the Form 3-Q but 
as noted above is looking at modernizing data collection, which is a 
separate activity not addressed here.
     EEI submitted comments on 8/12/2016 on the Form 3-
Q.\11\
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    \11\ The submittal is posted at http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/opennat.asp?fileID=14328920.
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    EEI Comments: In its comments, EEI proposes eliminating the Form 
3-Q or reducing its frequency. EEI claims that the Form 3-Q has 
little to no value to the Commission's objective to achieve vigilant 
oversight of reporting entities. EEI states that it is unclear 
exactly how and to what extent the Commission uses the quarterly 
data and that no EEI member has ever been contacted about a Form 3-Q 
filing. EEI poses that Form 3-Q does not lend itself to 
identification of emerging trends or the economic effects of 
significant transactions and events and that Form 3-Q has no bearing 
on formula rate determination. As such EEI recommends that the 
Commission eliminate Form 3-Q or alternately adopt a mid-year 
frequency.
    Regarding the accuracy of the Commission's burden and cost 
estimates, EEI comments that the Commission's estimates are 
reasonable, but that EEI does not believe the burden and costs are 
warranted.
    FERC Response: The Commission currently uses the Form 3-Q report 
to perform oversight analysis and make timely evaluations of current 
financial information submitted to the Commission. Additionally, 
Form 3-Q is used to validate the debt and equity information of 
filings under Part 34 of the Commission's regulations when the most 
recent 12-month filing occurred more than 4 months prior to the 
application under Part 34. The Commission is not presently 
considering modifications to the collection or frequency of 
collection of the Form 3-Q, but may consider doing so in the future, 
at which time EEI will be able to submit comments on this issue.

    Estimate of Annual Burden: The estimated annual burden and cost (as 
rounded) follow. (The estimated hourly cost used for the Form No. 3-Q 
is $78.66 (wages plus benefits) and is described above, under the Form 
No. 1.)
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    \12\ The estimated number of electric filers of the Form No. 3-Q 
is 213 (rather than the 215 total for the number of filers of the 
Form Nos. 1 and 1-F) due to waivers granted by the Commission in 
Docket No. AC04-105.

                                                                      Form No. 3-Q
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                                                    Annual number                                                Total annual burden
                                       Number of    of  responses    Total number of   Average burden hours &   hours & total annual    Annual cost per
                                      respondents   per respondent      responses         cost per response             cost             respondent ($)
                                      ...........              (1)     (2)(1) * (2) =  (4)...................  (3) * (4) = (5).......          (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
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FERC 3-Q (electric).................     \12\ 213                3                639  168 hrs.; $13,214.88..  107,352 hrs.;                  $39,644.64
                                                                                                                $8,444,308.
FERC 3-Q (gas)......................          167                3                501  167 hrs.; $13,136.22..  83,667 hrs.;                    39,408.66
                                                                                                                $6,581,246.
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    Total for FERC 3-Q..............                                            1,140                          191,019 hrs.;
                                                                                                                $15,025,554.
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    The instructions to the Form 3-Q will be updated to reflect the 
current burden estimate and email addresses for FERC and OMB.

    Dated: September 26, 2016.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-23681 Filed 9-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P