[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5996-5997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03139]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC19-15-000]


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

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

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-730 (Report of Transmission Investment 
Activity).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due April 26, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC19-15-
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-730, Report of Transmission Investment Activity.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0239.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-730 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission uses the FERC-730 information collection 
to determine the effectiveness of its rules and to provide it with an 
accurate assessment of the state of transmission investment by public 
utilities. This annual report includes projections, information that 
details the level and status of transmission investment, and the reason 
for delay (if any). The report must conform to the format prescribed in 
Order No. 679, Appendix A.\1\ Filers are strongly encouraged to submit 
the FERC-730 electronically via eFiling. FERC-730 is filed by public 
utilities that have been granted incentive rate treatment for specific 
electric transmission projects. Actual and planned transmission 
investments, and related project data for the most recent calendar year 
and the subsequent five years, must be reported annually beginning with 
the calendar year that the Commission granted the incentive rates.
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    \1\ Issued on 12/22/2006 in Docket No. RM06-4-001 (Promoting 
Transmission Investment through Pricing Reform).
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    Congress enacted section 1241 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
(EPAct 2005), adding section 219 to the Federal Power Act (FPA), to 
promote the operation, maintenance and enhancement of electric 
transmission infrastructure.\2\ Congress aimed to benefit consumers by 
ensuring reliability and/or reducing the cost of delivered power 
through reducing transmission congestion. In response to EPAct 2005, 
the Commission amended its regulations to allow for these incentive-
based, (including performance-based), rate treatments.
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    \2\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58, 119 Stat. 594, 
315 and 1283 (2005).
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    The Commission amended its regulations in 18 CFR 35.35 to identify 
the incentive ratemaking treatments allowed under FPA section 219. 
Incentives are required to be tailored to the type of transmission 
investments being made, and each applicant must demonstrate that its 
proposal meets the requirements of FPA section 219.
    Type of Respondents: Public utilities that have been granted 
incentive based rate treatment for specific transmission projects under 
provisions of 18 CFR 35.35.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ The Commission estimates the total 
Public Reporting Burden and cost for this information collection as 
follows:
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    \3\ 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 Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations 
1320.3.

                                                  FERC-730: Report of Transmission Investment Activity
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                                                   Number of                        Average burden hours &
                                  Number of      responses per   Total number of   average cost per response  Total annual burden hours      Cost per
                                 respondents       respondent       responses               \4\ ($)            & total annual cost ($)    respondent ($)
                                          (1)              (2)   (1) x (2) = (3)  (4).......................  (3) x (4) = (5)..........  (5) / (1) = (6)
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FERC-730.....................              63                1               63   30 hrs.; $2,370...........  1,890 hrs.; $149,310.....          $2,370
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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;

[[Page 5997]]

(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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    \4\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * 79.00 per hour = 
Average Cost per Response. The hourly cost figure comes from the 
FERC average salary plus benefits of $164,820 per year (or $79.00/
hour). These estimates were updated in May 2018. This figure is 
being used because the staff thinks industry is similarly situated 
in terms of average hourly cost.

    Dated: February 15, 2019.
 Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-03139 Filed 2-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P