[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 112 (Monday, June 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31494-31498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12376]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC21-13-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725l); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

[[Page 31495]]

collection FERC 725L (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-
Power System: MOD Reliability Standards), which will be submitted to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due July 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-725L to OMB through 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control Number (1902-
0261) 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. Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission. 
You may submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. IC21-
13-000) by one 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: Deliver to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 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 https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC 725L (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-
Power System: MOD Reliability Standards).
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0261.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-725L information 
collection requirements with changes to the current reporting 
requirements due to RD20-4.
    Abstract: MOD Reliability Standards ensure that generators remain 
in operation during specified voltage and frequency excursions, 
properly coordinate protective relays and generator voltage regulator 
controls, and ensure that generator models accurately reflect the 
generator's capabilities and equipment performance.
    On May 30, 2013, the North American Electric Reliability 
Corporation (NERC) filed a petition explaining that the reliability of 
the Bulk-Power System benefits from ``good quality simulation models of 
power system equipment,'' \2\ and that ``model validation ensures the 
proper performance of the control systems and validates the computer 
models used for stability analysis.'' NERC further stated that the 
Reliability Standards will enhance reliability because the tests 
performed to obtain model data may reveal latent defects that could 
cause ``inappropriate unit response during system disturbances.'' \2\ 
Subsequently, on March 20, 2014,\1\ the Commission approved Reliability 
Standards MOD-025-2, MOD-026-1, and MOD-027-1. These Standards were 
intended to address generator verifications needed to support Bulk-
Power System reliability that would also ensure that accurate data is 
verified and made available for planning simulations.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Final Rule in Docket No. RM13-16-000.
    \2\ NERC Petition for Approval of Five Proposed Reliability 
Standards MOD-025-2, MOD-026-1, MOD-027-1, PRC-019-1, and PRC-024-1 
submitted to FERC on 5/30/2013.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On May 1, 2014,\3\ the Commission approved Reliability Standards 
MOD-032-1 and MOD-033-2. These Standards were to address ``system-level 
modeling data and validation requirements necessary for developing 
planning models and the Interconnection-wide cases that are integral to 
analyzing the reliability of the Bulk-Power System''. MOD-025-2, MOD-
026-1, MOD-027-1, MOD-031-3, MOD-032-1 and MOD-033-2 are all currently 
approved within the FERC-725L information collection. The reporting 
requirements associated with each standard will not change as a result 
of this extension request.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Order in Docket No. RD14-5-000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The 60-day notice published on April 8, 2021 and received no 
comments.
    Type of Respondents: NERC-registered entities including generator 
owners, transmission planners, planning authorities, balancing 
authorities, resource planners, transmission service providers, 
reliability coordinators, and transmission operators.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ In subsequent portions of this notice, the following 
acronyms will be used: PA = Planning Authority, GO = Generator 
Owner, TP = Transmission Planner, BA = Balancing Authority, RP = 
Resource Planner, TSP = Transmission Service Provider, RC = 
Reliability Coordinator, TOP = Transmission Operator.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimate of Annual Burden: \5\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden \6\ and cost for the information collection as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ ``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, reference 5 Code of Federal 
Regulations 1320.3.
    \6\ Each of the five MOD standards in the FERC-725L information 
collection previously contained ``one-time'' components to their 
respondent burden. These one-time burden categories consisted 
primarily of activities related to establishing industry practices 
and developing data validation procedures tailored toward these 
reliability standards and their reporting requirements. None of the 
one-time burdens apply any longer, so they are being removed from 
the FERC-725L information collection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    RD20-4:
     Elimination of the burden associated with the load-serving 
entity (LSE) function in Requirement R1 of proposed Reliability 
Standard MOD-031-3.\7\ The NERC petition states as the load-serving 
entity is no longer a NERC registration category, NERC proposes to 
remove this entity from the applicability section of proposed 
Reliability Standard MOD-031-3 and remove reference to this entity in 
Requirement R1, Part 1.1, where it is listed as an ``Applicable 
Entity'' for purposes of Requirements R2 and R4.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ The burden associated with the current version of this 
standard, MOD-031-2, is included in FERC-725L.
    \8\ Standards Alignment with Registration Petition at 10.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additionally, NERC proposes to strike the term ``Planning 
Authority'' from the applicability section of the standard and the 
explanatory text that follows. The preferred terminology for the 
responsible entity that coordinates and integrates transmission 
facilities and service plans, resource plans, and protection systems is 
``Planning Coordinator.'' \9\ This is a terminology change and will not 
result in a change in burden.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ Standards Alignment with Registration Petition at 10.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 31496]]

     Modification of the term ``Planning Authority'' to 
``Planning Coordinator'' in proposed Reliability Standard MOD-033-
2.\10\ In the petition, NERC proposes to strike the term ``Planning 
Authority'' from the applicability section of the standard and the 
explanatory text that follows. The proposed change is intended to 
promote consistent use of ``Planning Coordinator'' throughout the 
Reliability Standards.\11\ This is a terminology change and will not 
result in a change in burden.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ The burden associated with the current version of this 
standard, MOD-033-1, is included in FERC-725L.
    \11\ Standards Alignment with Registration Petition at 11.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Reliability Standard MOD-031-3 (Demand and Energy Data).
     Reliability Standard MOD-033-2 (Steady-State and Dynamic 
System Model Validation).

                               Proposed Changes to Burden Due to Docket No. RD20-4-000 Adjustments and Clarifications [1]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Annual number                               Average burden
 Reliability standard & requirements    Number of respondents &   of responses    Annual number of responses     hrs. per      Total annual burden hours
                                            type of entity       per respondent                                  response
                                       (1).....................             (2)  (1) * (2) = (3)............             (4)  (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               RD20-4 Net Changes to FERC-725L, OMB Control No. 1902-0261
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MOD-031-3 (Demand and Energy Data)     -561 (DP, LSE, TP & BA).               1  -561.......................               8  -4,488
 Develop summary in accordance w/R1,
 Subparts 1.5.4 and 1.5.5.--program
 decrease & adjustment/clarification
 \12\.
MOD-031-3 (Demand and Energy Data)     113 (PC & BA)...........               1  113........................               8  904
 Develop data request in accordance w/
 R1 and R3 & Evidence Retention--
 adjustment/clarification \13\.
MOD-031-3 (Demand and Energy Data)     381 (TP, BA & DP).......               1  381........................               8  3,048
 Develop and provide data in
 accordance w/R2 and R4 & Evidence
 Retention--adjustment/clarification
 \12\.
MOD-033-2 (Steady-State Dynamic        -14 (RC & TOP) \ 14\....               1  -14........................               8  -112
 System Model Validation) R2 Data
 Submittal [for R2]--adjustment.
MOD-033-2 (Steady-State Dynamic        -14 (PC, RC & TOP) \15\.               1  -14........................               1  -14
 System Model Validation), R1-R2,
 Evidence Retention, adjustment.
                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Net Changes for FERC-725L due to   ........................  ..............  -95                          ..............  -662
     RD20-4.                                                                     (net reduction)............                  (net reduction)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                        MOD-025-2
          [Verification and data reporting of generator real and reactive power capability and synchronous condenser reactive power capability]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Annual number
                                    Number of        of responses    Total number   Average burden & cost per  Total annual burden hours     Cost per
                                 respondents \16\   per respondent   of responses            response             & total annual cost     respondent ($)
                               (1)................             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4)......................  (3) * (4) = (5)..........       (5) / (1)
                                                                               (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attachment 2.................  1,003 (GO).........               1           1,003  6 hrs.; $502.02 \17\.....  6,018 hrs.; $503,526.06..         $502.02
Evidence Retention...........  1,003 (GO).........               1           1,003  1 hr.; $34.79 \18\.......  1,003 hrs.; $34,894.07...           34.79
                              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total....................  ...................  ..............  ..............  .........................  7,021 hrs.; $538,420.07..  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                        MOD-026-1
                   [Verification of models and data for generator excitation control system or plant volt/variance control functions]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Annual number
                                    Number of       of responses    Total number    Average burden & cost per  Total annual burden hours     Cost per
                                   respondents     per respondent   of responses            response              & total annual cost     respondent ($)
                                (1)..............             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).......................  (3) * (4) = (5)..........       (5) / (1)
                                                                              (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instructions for obtaining      201 (TP).........               1             201  8 hrs.; $669.36 \17\......  1,608 hrs.; $134,541.36..         $669.36
 excitation control system or
 plant voltage/variance
 control function model.
Documentation on generator      501 (GO).........               1             501  8 hrs.; $669.36 \17\......  4,008 hrs.; $335,349.36..          669.36
 verification.

[[Page 31497]]

 
Evidence Retention............  668 (GO and TOP).               1             668  1 hr.; $34.79 \18\........  668 hrs.; $23,239.72.....           34.79
                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  .................  ..............  ..............  ..........................  6,284 hrs.; $493,130.44..  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                        MOD-027-1
                   [Verification of models and data for turbine/governor and load control or active power/frequency control functions]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Annual number
                                    Number of       of responses    Total number    Average burden & cost per  Total annual burden hours     Cost per
                                   respondents     per respondent   of responses            response              & total annual cost     respondent ($)
                                (1)..............             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).......................  (3) * (4) = (5)..........       (5) / (1)
                                                                              (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instructions for obtaining      201 (TP).........               1             201  8 hrs.; $669.36 \17\......  1,608 hrs.; $134,541.36..         $669.36
 excitation control system or
 plant voltage/variance
 control function model.
Documentation on generator      501 (GO) \19\....               1             501  8 hrs.; $669.36 \17\......  4,008 hrs.; $335,349.36..          669.36
 verification.
Evidence Retention............  668 (GO and TP)..               1             668  1 hr.; $34.79 \18\........  668 hrs.; $23,239.72.....           34.79
                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  .................  ..............  ..............  ..........................  6,284 hrs.; $493,130.44..  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                     MOD-031-3 (Formerly MOD-031-2) (Demand and Energy Data), Included in FERC-725L
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Annual number
Reliability standard MOD-031-3   Number and type    of responses    Total number     Avg. burden & cost per    Total annual burden hours     Cost per
                                  of respondents   per respondent   of responses          response \20\           & total annual cost     respondent ($)
                                (1)..............             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).......................  (3) * (4) = (5)..........       (5) / (1)
                                                                              (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(On-going) Develop summary in   616 (DP, TP and/                1             616  8 hrs.; $561.52...........  4,928 hrs.; $345,896.32..         $561.52
 accordance with Requirement     or BA).
 R1, Subparts 1.5.4 and 1.5.5.
MOD-031-3 Net Changes in RD20-  .................  ..............             -67  ..........................  -536 hrs.; $37,621.84....  ..............
 4 (in the first table above).
                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    New Total for MOD-031-3     .................  ..............             549  ..........................  4,392 hrs.; $308,274.48..  ..............
     for Renewal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                                        MOD-032-1
                   [Verification of models and data for turbine/governor and load control or active power/frequency control functions]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Annual number
                                    Number of       of responses    Total number    Average burden & cost per  Total annual burden hours     Cost per
                                   respondents     per respondent   of responses            response              & total annual cost     respondent ($)
                                (1)..............             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).......................  (3) * (4) = (5)..........       (5) / (1)
                                                                              (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Data Submittal................  1,418 (BA, GO, PA/              1           1,418  8 hrs.; $561.52 \20\......  11,344 hrs.; $796,235.36.         $561.52
                                 PC, RP, TO, TP,
                                 and TSP).

[[Page 31498]]

 
Evidence Retention............  1,418 (BA, GO, PA/              1           1,418  1 hr.; $34.79 \18\........  1,418 hrs.; $49,332.22...           34.79
                                 PC, RP, TO, TP,
                                 and TSP).
                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  .................  ..............  ..............  ..........................  12,762 hrs.; $998,484.70.  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                             MOD-033-2 (Formerly MOD-033-1)
                                                   [Steady-state and dynamics system model validation]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Annual number
                                    Number of       of responses    Total number     Avg. burden & cost per    Total annual burden hours     Cost per
                                   respondents     per respondent   of responses            response              & total annual cost     respondent ($)
                                (1)..............             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).......................  (3) * (4) = (5)..........       (5) / (1)
                                                                              (3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Data Submittal................  178 (RC and TOP).               1             178  8 hrs.; $669.36 \20\......  1,424 hrs.; $119,146.08..         $669.36
Evidence Retention............  243 (PA/PC, RC,                 1             243  1 hr.; $34.79 \18\........  243 hrs.; $8,453.97......           34.79
                                 and TOP).
MOD-033-2 Net Changes in RD20-  .................  ..............             -28  ..........................  -126.....................  ..............
 4 (in the first table above).
                               -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    New Total for MOD-033-2     .................  ..............             393  ..........................  1,541 hrs.; $128,935.47..  ..............
     Renewal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The total annual estimated burden and cost for the FERC-725L 
information collection is 38,724 hours and $2,960,375.60 respectively.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ The estimates reflect a program decrease of 63 de-
registered LSEs (and corresponding program decrease of 504 hrs.) 
related to Docket No. RD20-4-000, and an adjustment/clarification 
(decrease) of 498 DPs, TPs, and BAs (and corresponding decrease of 
3,984 hrs.), not related to Docket No. RD20-4-000. The updated 
number of 381 DPs, TPs and BAs is listed in a new row clarifying 
their applicability with Requirements R2 and R4. Requirement R2 
requires applicable entities to develop and provide data pursuant 
with Requirement R1.
    \13\ The 113 PCs and BAs were originally estimated in FERC-725A 
due to Order No. 693. However, the estimates and descriptions were 
not clearly spelled out, so we are clarifying them. [Some of this 
burden may still be in FERC-725A (and double counted temporarily).]
    \14\ The estimate is changing to 174 (from 188) due to normal 
industry fluctuation.
    \15\ The estimate is changing to 188 (from 194) due to normal 
industry fluctuation.
    \16\ The number of respondents for MOD-025-2/MOD-026-1/MOD-027-
1/MOD-31-3/MOD-032-/MOD-033-2 are from the NERC compliance registry 
February 5, 2021.
    \17\ This wage figure uses the average hourly wage (plus 
benefits) for electrical engineers (Occupation Code: 17-2071, 
$70.19/hour) and managers (Occupation Code: 11-0000, $97.15/hour) 
obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm). The average used the 
following calculation: [$70.19/hour + $97.15/hour] / 2 = $83.67/
hour.
    \18\ The estimate uses the hourly average wage (plus benefits) 
for file clerks obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: 
$34.79/hour (BLS Occupation Code: 43-4071).
    \19\ It is estimated that the applicable numbers of generator 
owner respondents used to calculate the public reporting burden for 
these standards MOD-026-1, MOD-027- 1, MOD-032-1 and MOD-033-1 is 
half of total numbers of GO (501=1003/2) due to the higher 
applicability threshold for those Reliability Standards.
    \20\ The estimate uses the average hourly wage (plus benefits) 
of $70.19/hour for electrical engineers (Occupation Code: 17-2071) 
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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: June 8, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-12376 Filed 6-11-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P