[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 71 (Thursday, April 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15824-15825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07555]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC18-11-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-585); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or 
FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved 
information collection, FERC-585 (Reporting of Electric Energy 
Shortages and Contingency Plans Under PURPA Section 206).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 11, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC18-11-
000) by either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's Website: 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], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202) 
273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-585 (Reporting of Electric Energy Shortages and 
Contingency Plans Under PURPA \1\ Section 206).
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    \1\ PURPA = Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1979 (Pub. 
L. 95-617, 92 Statute 3117), enacted 11/9/1978.
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    OMB Control No.: 1902-0138.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-585 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission uses the information collected under the 
requirements of FERC-585 ``Reporting of Electric Energy Shortages and 
Contingency Plans under Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 
1979'' to implement the statutory provisions of Section 206 of PURPA. 
Section 206 of PURPA amended the Federal Power Act (FPA) by adding a 
new subsection (g) to section 202, under which the Commission, by rule, 
was to require each public utility to report to the Commission and any 
appropriate state regulatory authority:
     Any anticipated shortages of electric energy or capacity 
which would affect the utility's capability to serve its wholesale 
customers; and
     a contingency plan that would outline what circumstances 
might give rise to such occurrences.
    In Order No. 575,\2\ the Commission modified the reporting 
requirements in 18 CFR 294.101(b) to provide that, if a public utility 
includes in its rates schedule, provisions that during electric energy 
and capacity shortages:
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    \2\ Final Rule in Docket RM92-12-000, issued on 1/13/1995.
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     It will treat firm power wholesale customers without undue 
discrimination or preference; and
     it will report any modifications to its contingency plan 
for accommodating shortages within 15 days to the appropriate state 
regulatory agency and to the affected wholesale customers, then the 
utility need not file with the Commission an additional statement of 
contingency plan for accommodating such shortages.

This revision merely changed the reporting mechanism; the public 
utility's contingency plan would be located in its filed rate rather 
than in a separate document.
    In Order No. 659,\3\ the Commission modified the reporting 
requirements in 18 CFR 294.101(e) to provide that the means by which 
public utilities must comply with the requirements to report shortages 
and anticipated shortages is to submit this information electronically 
using the Office of Electric Reliability's pager system at 
[email protected] in lieu of submitting an original and two copies 
with the Secretary of the Commission.
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    \3\ Final Rule in Docket RM05-19-000, issued on 5/27/2005.
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    The Commission uses the information to evaluate and formulate an 
appropriate option for action in the event an unanticipated shortage is 
reported and/or materializes. Without this information, the Commission 
and State agencies would be unable to:
     Examine and approve or modify utility actions;
     prepare a response to anticipated disruptions in electric 
energy; and/or
     ensure equitable treatment of all public utility customers 
under the shortage situations.
    The Commission implements these filing requirements in the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) under 18 CFR part 294.101.
    Type of Respondents: Public Utilities.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \4\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
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    \4\ ``Burden'' is defined 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.

                                        Reporting of Electric Energy Shortages and Contingency Plans Under PURPA
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                                          Annual number of
          Number of respondents             responses per    Total number of   Average burden & cost per   Total annual burden hours &      Cost per
                                             respondent         responses             response \5\              total annual cost          respondent
(1)                                                    (2)   (1) * (2) = (3)  (4)........................  (3) * (4) = (5)............         (5) / (1)
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1.......................................                 1                 1  73 hrs.; $5,585............  73 hrs.; $5,585............            $5,585
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[[Page 15825]]

    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of 
information is 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 estimate of the burden and 
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
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    \5\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $76.50 per 
Hour = Average Cost per Response. The figure comes from the 2017 
FERC average hourly cost (for wages and benefits) of $76.50 (and an 
average annual salary of $158,754). Commission staff is using the 
FERC average salary because we consider any reporting completed in 
response to the FERC-585 to be compensated at rates similar to the 
work of FERC employees.

    Dated: April 6, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-07555 Filed 4-11-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P