[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 74 (Thursday, April 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21222-21223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08033]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RD20-3-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities FERC-725N(1) 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 proposedinformation 
collection FERC-725N(1) \1\ (Mandatory Reliability TPL Standards: TPL-
007-4, (Transmission System Planned Performance for Geomagnetic 
Disturbance Events)).
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    \1\ This temporary (placeholder) information collection number 
is being used for Docket No. RD20-3-000 because FERC-725N is 
currently pending review at OMB on an unrelated matter. Only one 
item per OMB Control No. can be pending review at OMB at the same 
time.

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DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 15, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. RD20-3-
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, at Health and Human Services, 
12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    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).
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-725N(1), Mandatory Reliability Standards TPL-007-4, 
Transmission System Planned Performance for Geomagnetic Disturbance 
Events.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-TBD.
    Type of Request: Approval of FERC-725N(1) which is a temporary 
placeholder for FERC-725N which is currently at OMB for an unrelated 
activity. There are no changes to the current reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements to FERC-725N.
    Abstract: The proposed Reliability Standard TPL-007-4 requires 
owners and operators of the Bulk-Power System to conduct initial and 
on-going vulnerability assessments of the potential impact of defined 
geomagnetic disturbance events on Bulk- Power System equipment and the 
Bulk-Power System as a whole. Specifically, the Reliability Standard 
requires entities to develop corrective action plans for 
vulnerabilities identified through supplemental geomagnetic disturbance 
vulnerability assessments and requires entities to seek approval from 
the Electric Reliability Organization of any extensions of time for the 
completion of corrective action plan items.
    On August 8, 2005, Congress enacted into law the Electricity 
Modernization

[[Page 21223]]

Act of 2005, which is Title XII, Subtitle A, of the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005 (EPAct 2005).\2\ EPAct 2005 added a new section 215 to the FPA, 
which required a Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization 
(ERO) to develop mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards, which 
are subject to Commission review and approval. Once approved, the 
Reliability Standards may be enforced by the ERO subject to Commission 
oversight, or the Commission can independently enforce Reliability 
Standards.\3\
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    \2\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-58, Title XII, 
Subtitle A, 119 Stat. 594, 941 (codified at 16 U.S.C. 824o).
    \3\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(e)(3).
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    On February 3, 2006, the Commission issued Order No. 672, 
implementing section 215 of the FPA.\4\ Pursuant to Order No. 672, the 
Commission certified one organization, North American Electric 
Reliability Corporation (NERC), as the ERO.\5\ The Reliability 
Standards developed by the ERO and approved by the Commission apply to 
users, owners and operators of the Bulk-Power System as set forth in 
each Reliability Standard.
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    \4\ Rules Concerning Certification of the Electric Reliability 
Organization; and Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, and 
Enforcement of Electric Reliability Standards, Order No. 672, FERC 
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,204, order on reh'g, Order No. 672-A, FERC 
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,212 (2006).
    \5\ North American Electric Reliability Corp., 116 FERC ] 
61,062, order on reh'g and compliance, 117 FERC ] 61,126 (2006), 
order on compliance, 118 FERC ] 61,190, order on reh'g, 119 FERC ] 
61,046 (2007), aff'd sub nom. Alcoa Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d 1342 (DC 
Cir. 2009).
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    On February 7, 2020, the North American Electric Reliability 
Corporation filed a petition seeking approval of proposed Reliability 
Standard TPL-007-4 (Transmission System Planned Performance for 
Geomagnetic Disturbance Events).
    NERC's filed petition was noticed on February 11, 2020, with 
interventions, comments and protests due on or before March 9, 2020. No 
interventions or comments were received.
    The DLO was issued on March 19, 2020. The standard goes in effect 
at NERC on October 1,2020.
    Type of Respondents: Generator Owner, Planning Coordinator, 
Distribution Provider and Transmission Owners.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \6\ Our estimates are based on the NERC 
Compliance Registry Summary of Entities as of January 31, 2020.
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    \6\ 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. See 5 
CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition of information 
collection burden.
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    The individual burden estimates include the time needed to gather 
data, run studies, and analyze study results. These are consistent with 
estimates for similar tasks in other Commission-approved standards. 
Estimates for the additional average annual burden and cost \7\ as 
proposed in Docket No. RD20-3-000 follow:
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    \7\ Commission staff estimates that the industry's skill set and 
cost (for wages and benefits) for FERC-725N(1) are approximately the 
same as the Commission's average cost. The FERC 2019 average salary 
plus benefits for one FERC full-time equivalent (FTE) is $167,091/
year (or $80.00/hour).
    \8\ Generator Owner.
    \9\ Planning Coordinator.
    \10\ Distribution Provider.
    \11\ Transmission Owner.

                                                         FERC-725N(1), in Docket No. RD20-3-000
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                                       Annual  number  Annual  number                                              Total annual burden       Cost per
                                           \1\ of       of  responses   Total number     Average burden hrs. &       hours & cost ($)       respondent
                                         respondents   per respondent   of responses    cost) ($) per response          (rounded)               ($)
                                                  (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
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GO \8\...............................             969               1             969  40 hours; $3,200........  38,760 hours;                    $3,200
                                                                                                                  $3,100,800.
PC \9\...............................              71               1              71  40 hours; $3,200........  2,840 hours; $ 227,200.          $3,200
DP \10\..............................             318               1             318  40 hours & $3,200.......  12,720 hours;                    $3,200
                                                                                                                  $1,017,600.
TO \11\..............................             321               1             321  40 hours & $3,200.......  12,840 hours;                    $3,200
                                                                                                                  $1,027,200.
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    TOTAL............................  ..............  ..............           1,679  ........................  67,160 hours;..........  ..............
                                                                                                                 $5,372,800.............
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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.

    Dated: April 10, 2020.
 Kimberly D. Bose,
 Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-08033 Filed 4-15-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P