[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44010-44012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17135]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC21-36-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725G1 and 
FERC-725G4); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of information collections 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 the currently approved 
information collections, FERC-725G1 (Mandatory Reliability Standards 
for the Bulk-Power System: Reliability Standard PRC-004-6) and FERC-
725G4 (Mandatory Reliability Standards: Reliability Standard PRC-010-2 
(Undervoltage Load Shedding)).

DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due October 12, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments (identified by Docket No. IC21-
36-000) on FERC-725G1 and/or FERC-725G4 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:

[[Page 44011]]

    [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: 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], or by telephone at (202) 502-8663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

FERC-725G1

    Title: Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System: 
Reliability Standard PRC-004-6.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0284.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-725G1 information 
collection requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission collects information under FERC-725G1 in 
accordance with section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) \1\ and 18 
CFR parts 39 and 40. Section 215 of the FPA gives the Commission and 
the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (as the Commission-
approved Electric Reliability Organization) to establish and enforce 
reliability standards for all users, owners, and operators of the bulk-
power system.\2\ Once approved, the Reliability Standards may be 
enforced by the Electric Reliability Organization subject to Commission 
oversight, or by the Commission independently.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 824o.
    \2\ As defined at 16 U.S.C. 824o(a)(1) and 18 CFR 39.1, the term 
``bulk-power system'' means facilities and control systems necessary 
for operating an interconnected electric energy transmission network 
(or any portion thereof), and electric energy from generating 
facilities needed to maintain transmission system reliability. The 
term does not include facilities used in the local distribution of 
electric energy.
    \3\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(e).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Reliability Standard PRC-004-6 requires transmission owners, 
generator owners, and distribution providers to identify and correct 
causes of misoperations of certain protection systems for bulk-power 
system elements. It also requires retention of evidence of 
misoperations for a minimum of 12 calendar months.
    Types of Respondents: Transmission Owners, Generator Owners, and 
Distribution Providers for FERC-725G1. Transmission Owners and 
Distribution Providers for FERC-725G4.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates 703 responses 
annually, and per-response burdens of 16.5 hours and $1,435.50.\4\ The 
total estimated burdens per year are 703 responses, 11,599.5 hours, and 
$1,009,156.50. These burdens are itemized in the following table:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ Using the May 14, 2021 NERC compliance registration 
information for entities that are Generator Owners, Transmission 
Owners, and Distribution Providers (in the U.S.), the number of 
potential respondents is 1,405, taking into account overlap between 
functions. However, not every entity will have a misoperation event 
during a year. Based on our previous experience with this 
information collection, we are estimating that approximately half of 
the 1,405 potential respondents annually will have a reportable 
misoperation, i.e., 703 responses per year for FERC-725G1.

                              FERC-725G1--Annual Estimates of Respondents' Burdens
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Total annual
                                Annual number    Total number    Average burden    burden hours      Cost per
    Number of respondents        of responses    of responses     and cost per      and total     respondent ($)
                                per respondent                    response \5\     annual cost
A.                                          B.    C. (column A  D..............  E. (column C x     F. (column E
                                                   x column B)                    column D).         / column A)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
703..........................                1             703  16.5 hrs.;       11,599.5 hrs.;        $1,435.50
                                                                 $1,435.50.       $1,009,156.50.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FERC-725G4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ Commission staff estimates that the average industry hourly 
cost for this information collection is approximated by the current 
FERC 2021 average hourly costs for wages and benefits, i.e., $87.00/
hour.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Title: Mandatory Reliability Standards: Reliability Standard PRC-
010-2 (Undervoltage Load Shedding).
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0282.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-725G4 information 
collection requirements.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ If OMB renews FERC-725G4, the Commission subsequently may 
consider requesting that OMB combine that information collection 
activity with FERC-725G1. Such action would be administrative only 
and would not indicate the discontinuation of the information 
collection requirements in FERC-725G4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Abstract: The Commission collects information under FERC-725G4 in 
accordance with section 215 of the FPA and 18 CFR parts 39 and 40. 
Reliability Standard PRC-010-2 requires respondents to submit date-
stamped documentation of their compliance with the relevant UVLS 
Program.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ ``Load shedding'' means disconnecting consumers from the 
grid to prevent demand from exceeding supply, which can cause 
widespread grid collapse. A ``UVLS Program'' provides for automatic 
load shedding, utilizing voltage inputs, in specific circumstances 
and locations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Types of Respondents: UVLS Entities.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ ``UVLS Entities,'' as defined at the NERC website at https://www.nerc.com/pa/Stand/Reliability%20Standards/PRC-010-2.pdf, are 
distribution providers and transmission owners responsible for the 
ownership, operation, or control of UVLS equipment, as required by a 
UVLS Program.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates 25 responses 
annually, and per-response burdens of 48 hours and $4,176.\9\ The total 
estimated burdens per year are 25 responses, 1,200 hours, and $104,400. 
These burdens are itemized in the following table:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ Using the May 14, 2021 NERC compliance registration 
information for entities that are Transmission Owners and 
Distribution Providers (in the U.S.), the number of potential 
respondents is 494, taking into account overlap between functions. 
However, not every entity has an undervoltage load shedding program. 
Approximately five percent of the potential respondents have such a 
program. Therefore, we estimate 25 responses per year for FERC-
725G4.

[[Page 44012]]



                                                  FERC-725G4--Annual Estimates of Respondents' Burdens
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Total number                                                                        Cost per
                                         Annual number   of responses       Average burden and cost per       Total annual burden hours   respondent ($)
         Number of respondents           of responses     (column A x              response \10\                and total annual cost       (column E /
                                        per respondent     column B)                                            (column C x column D)        column A)
A                                                    B               C  D.................................  E...........................               F
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25....................................               1              25  48 hrs.; $4,176...................  1,200 hrs.; $104,400........          $4,176
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ Commission staff estimates that the average industry hourly 
cost for this information collection is approximated by the current 
FERC 2021 average hourly costs for wages and benefits, i.e., $87.00/
hour.

    Dated: August 5, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-17135 Filed 8-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P