[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 214 (Wednesday, November 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70145-70146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24453]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC20-20-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-523); 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 a renewal of currently approved 
information collection, FERC-523 (Application for Authorization for the 
Issuance of Securities or the Assumption of Liabilities).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due December 4, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on the information collections to OMB 
through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control 
Number(s) in the subject line of your comments. Comments should be sent 
within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
    A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in 
Docket No. IC20-20-000, by any of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's website: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
     U.S. Postal Service Mail: Persons unable to file 
electronically may mail similar pleadings to the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
     Effective 7/1/2020, delivery of filings other than by 
eFiling or the U.S. Postal Service should be delivered to Health and 
Human Services, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    Instructions:
    OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with 
submission guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Using the 
search function under the ``Currently Under Review'' field, select 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click ``submit,'' and select 
``comment'' to the right of the subject collection.
    FERC submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with 
submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
[email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: FERC-523, Application for Authorization for the Issuance of 
Securities or the Assumption of Liabilities.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0043.
    Type of Request: Three-year approval of the FERC-523 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The information collected by FERC-523 is required to 
implement the statutory provisions of section 204 of the Federal Power 
Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 824c). Under section 204 of the FPA, no public 
utility or licensee shall issue any security, or assume any obligation 
or liability as guarantor, endorser, surety, or otherwise in respect of 
any security of another person, until the public utility applies for 
and receives Commission approval by order authorizing the issuance or 
assumption of the liability. The Commission issues an order if it finds 
that such issuance or assumption (a) is for lawful object, within the 
corporate purposes of the applicant and compatible with the public 
interest, which is necessary or appropriate for or consistent with the 
proper performance by the applicant as a public utility, and which will 
not impair its ability to perform that service, and (b) is reasonably 
necessary or appropriate for such purposes.
    The Commission uses the information contained in filings to 
determine its acceptance and/or rejection of applications for 
authorization to either issue securities or to assume an obligation or 
liability by the public utilities and licensees who submit these 
applications.
    The specific application requirements and filing format are found 
at 18 CFR part 34, and 18 CFR 131.43 and 131.50. This information is 
filed electronically. The 60-day Federal Register notice published on 
August 18, 2020 (85 FR 50823) with no comments were received.
    Type of Respondents: Public utilities subject to the Federal Power 
Act.

[[Page 70146]]

    Estimate of Annual Burden \1\ and cost \2\: The Commission 
estimates the reduction in the annual public reporting burden for the 
FERC-523, as follows:
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    \1\ 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.
    \2\ Commission staff estimates that the industry's skill set and 
cost (for wages and benefits) for FERC-523 are approximately the 
same as the Commission's average cost. The FERC 2020 average salary 
plus benefits for one FERC full-time equivalent (FTE) is $172,329/
year (or $83.00/hour).

                           FERC-523, Application for Authorization for Issuance of Securities or the Assumption of Liabilities
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                                            Annual number
          Number of respondents              of responses   Total number of   Average burden hrs. & cost    Total annual burden hrs. &       Cost per
                                            per respondent   responses \3\         ($) per response            total annual cost ($)      respondent ($)
(1)                                                   (2)   (1) * (2) = (3)  (4).........................  (3) * (4) = (5).............      (5) / (1))
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57.......................................               1               57   70 hrs.; $5,810.............  3,990 hrs.; $331,170........          $5,810
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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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    \3\ The number of responses has decreased from the collection 
renewal in 2017 due to normal fluctuations in industry.

    Dated: October 28, 2020.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-24453 Filed 11-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P