[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23953-23954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09517]



[[Page 23953]]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC21-27-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities; (FERC-65, FERC-65A, 
AND FERC-65B); Consolidated 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 collections, FERC-65 (Notice of Holding Company Status), 
FERC-65A (Exemption Notification of holding Company Status), and FERC-
65B (Waiver Notification of Holding Company Status), which will be 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a review of 
the information collection requirements.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due July 6, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC21-27-
000) by either of the following methods:
    Electronic filing through http://www.ferc.gov, is preferred.
     Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable 
native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture 
format.
     For those unable to file electronically, comments may be 
filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery:
    [cir] Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Addressed to: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First 
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    [cir] Hand (Including Courier) Delivery to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
    Instructions: All 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-65 (Notice of Holding Company Status), FERC-65A 
(Exemption Notification of Holding Company Status), and FERC-65B 
(Waiver Notification of Holding Company Status).
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0218.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-65, FERC-65A and 
FERC-65B information collection requirements with no changes to the 
current reporting requirements.
    Abstract:

FERC-65 (Notice of Holding Company Status)

    The Pursuant to section 366.4 of the Commission's rules and 
regulations, persons who meet the definition of a holding company shall 
provide the Commission notification of holding company status. The 
FERC-65 is a one-time informational filing outlined in the Commission's 
regulations at 18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 366.4. The FERC-65 
must be submitted within 30 days of becoming a holding company.\1\ 
While the Commission does not require the information to be reported in 
a specific format, the filing needs to consist of the name of the 
holding company, the name of public utilities, the name of natural gas 
companies in the holding company system, and the names of service 
companies. In addition, the Commission requires the filing to include 
the names of special-purpose subsidiaries (which provide non-power 
goods and services) and the names of all affiliates and subsidiaries 
(and their corporate interrelationship) to each other. Filings may be 
submitted in hardcopy or electronically through the Commission's 
eFiling system.
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    \1\ Persons that meet the definition of a holding company as 
provided by Sec.  366.1 as of February 8, 2006 shall notify the 
Commission of their status as a holding company no later than June 
15, 2006. Holding companies formed after February 8, 2006 shall 
notify the Commission of their status as a holding company, no later 
than the latter of June 15, 2006 or 30 days after they become 
holding companies.
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FERC-65A (Exemption Notification of Holding Company Status)

    While noting the previously outlined requirements of the FERC-65, 
the Commission has allowed for an exemption from the requirement of 
providing the Commission with a FERC-65 if the books, accounts, 
memoranda, and other records of any person are not relevant to the 
jurisdictional rates of a public utility or natural gas company; or if 
any class of transactions is not relevant to the jurisdictional rates 
of a public utility or natural gas company. Persons seeking this 
exemption file the FERC-65A, which must include a form of notice 
suitable for publication in the Federal Register. Those who file a 
FERC-65A in good faith will have a temporary exemption upon filing, 
after 60 days if the Commission has taken no action, the exemption will 
be deemed granted. Commission regulations within 18 CFR 366.3 describe 
the criteria in more specificity.

FERC-65B (Waiver Notification of Holding Company Status)

    If an entity meets the requirements in 18 CFR 366.3(c), they may 
file a FERC-65B waiver notification pursuant to the procedures outlined 
in 18 CFR 366.4. Specifically, the Commission waives the requirement of 
providing it with a FERC-65 for any holding company with respect to one 
or more of the following: (1) Single-state holding company systems; (2) 
holding companies that own generating facilities that total 100 MW or 
less in size and are used fundamentally for their own load or for sales 
to affiliated end-users; or (3) investors in independent transmission-
only companies. Filings may be made in hardcopy or electronically 
through the Commission's website.
    Type of Respondent: Public utility companies, natural gas 
companies, electric wholesale generators, foreign utility holding 
companies.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \2\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
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    \2\ 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. Refer to 
5 CFR 1320.3 for additional information.

[[Page 23954]]



   FERC-65 (Notification of Holding Company Status), FERC-65A (Exemption Notification of Holding Company Status), and FERC-65B (Waiver Notification of
                                                                 Holding Company Status)
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                                                                                                                           Total annual
                                                             Number of     Annual number   Total number   Average burden  burden hours &     Cost per
                                                            respondents    of responses    of responses     & cost per     total annual   respondent ($)
                                                                          per respondent                   response \3\      cost ($)
                                                                     (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =       (5) / (1)
                                                                                                     (3)                             (5)
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-65.................................................              12               1              12      3; $249.00      36; $2,988         $249.00
FERC-65A................................................               4            1.25               5       1; $83.00      5; $415.00          103.75
FERC-65B................................................               4            1.75               7       1; $83.00      7; $581.00          145.25
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...............................................  ..............  ..............              24  ..............    48; 3,984.00  ..............
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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 Commission staff estimates that the average respondent 
for this collection is similarly situated to the Commission, in 
terms of salary plus benefits. Based on FERC's 2020 annual average 
of $172,329 (for salary plus benefits), the average hourly cost is 
$83/hour.

    Dated: April 29, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-09517 Filed 5-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P