[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 25, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35268-35269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15835]


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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, DOE.

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 submitting its information collection, FERC-585 (Reporting of 
Electric Energy Shortages and Contingency Plans Under PURPA Section 
206) 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 on April 12, 2018, requesting public 
comments. The Commission received no comments on the FERC-585 and is 
making this notation in its submittal to OMB.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due August 24, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by the OMB Control No. 
1902-0138, 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 202-395-8528.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in 
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 Stat. 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 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

[[Page 35269]]

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 public utilities must 
comply with the requirements to report shortages and anticipated 
shortages by submitting this information electronically using the 
Office of Electric Reliability's pager system at [email protected] in 
lieu of submitting an original and two copies to the Secretary of the 
Commission. 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:
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    \3\ Final Rule in Docket RM05-19-000, issued on 5/27/2005.
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     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 situation.
    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, refer to 5 Code of Federal 
Regulations 1320.3.

                              FERC-585 (Reporting of Electric Shortages and Contingency Plans Under PURPA Section 206) \5\
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                                                    Annual number                                                    Total annual burden
                                      Number of     of responses    Total number     Average burden and cost per       hours and total       Cost per
                                     respondents   per respondent   of responses             Response \6\                annual cost        respondent
                                              (1)             (2)   (1) * (2) = (  (4)............................  (3) * (4) = (5).....    ($) 5) / (1)
                                                                               3)
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Contingency Plan.................               1               1               1  73 hrs.; $5,767................  73 hrs.; $5,767.....          $5,767
Capacity Shortage................               1               1               1  0.25 hrs.; $19.75..............  0.25 hrs.; $19.75...          $19.75
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    Total........................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ...............................  73.25 hrs.;           ..............
                                                                                                                     $5,786.75.
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    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 in this table are slightly different from the 
estimates in the 60-day notice. In the 60-day notice we used wage 
figures from 2017. In May 2018, we began using the 2018 cost 
estimates. There are no other changes from the 60-day notice other 
than the change to wage figures. The difference in the burden cost 
is minimal. The burden hours remain unchanged.
    \6\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * 79.00 per 
Hour = Average Cost per Response. This is Based upon FERC's 2018 FTE 
average salary plus benefits. Commission staff believes that any 
industry effort applied to FERC-585 would be compensated similarly 
to FERC's average salary.

    Dated: July 18, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-15835 Filed 7-24-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P