[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31258-31260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10351]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RD22-5-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725D(1)); 
Comment Request

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 new information collection, 
FERC-725D(1), Mandatory Reliability Standards FAC-001-4 and FAC-002-4. 
This notice will be part of an information collection request that 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 June 15, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-725D(1) to OMB through 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB control number (1902-
NEW) in the subject line. Your comments should be sent within 30 days 
of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    Please submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. 
RD22-5-000) to the Commission as noted below. Electronic filing through 
https://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 31259]]

    [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: https://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.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: FERC-725D(1), RD22-5-000, Mandatory Reliability Standards 
FAC-001-4 and FAC-002-4.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-NEW.
    Respondents: Transmission owners and generator owners for 
Reliability Standard FAC-001-4. Planning coordinators for Reliability 
Standard FAC-002-4.\1\
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    \1\ The NERC Glossary, at https://www.nerc.com/pa/Stand/Glossary%20of%20Terms/Glossary_of_Terms.pdf, defines these terms. A 
transmission owner (TO) is the entity that owns and maintains 
transmission facilities. A generator owner (GO) is the entity that 
owns and maintains generating units. A planning coordinator, 
formerly known as a planning authority (PA/PC), is the responsible 
entity that coordinates and integrates transmission facilities, 
service plans, resource plans, and protection systems.
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    Frequency of Information Collection: Once during years 1 and 2. On 
occasion during year 3 and beyond.
    Abstract: The Facilities Design, Connections, and Maintenance 
Reliability Standards address topics such as facility interconnection 
requirements, facility ratings, system operating limits, and transfer 
capabilities. These Reliability Standards are designated with the 
prefix ``FAC.''
    On November 23, 2002 the Commission published an order approving 
new Reliability Standards FAC-001-4 and FAC-002-4 (87 FR 71602). The 
Commission approved those new standards to help ensure appropriate 
coordination and communication regarding the interconnection of 
facilities.
    At present, the collections of information associated with all 
``FAC'' Reliability Standards are authorized under FERC-725D (OMB 
Control Number 1902-0247). Ordinarily, the Commission would ask OMB to 
approve the collections of information associated with the new 
Reliability Standards as revisions of FERC-725D. However, another 
information collection request pertaining to FERC-725D is pending at 
OMB,\2\ and only one request per information collection is allowed to 
be pending at OMB at the same time. FERC-725D(1) is a temporary 
placeholder number to avoid conflicting with the pending request 
already submitted to OMB regarding FERC-725D.
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    \2\ That pending request would not affect FAC-001-3 or FAC-002-
3, the predecessors to the Reliability Standards approved by the 
Commission in its November 23, 2022 order.
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    Previous Reliability Standard FAC-001-003 required transmission 
owners and generator owners to complete coordinated studies on new or 
``materially modified'' existing interconnections. As approved in the 
November 23, 2022 order, FAC-001-4 requires coordinated studies of 
``qualified changes'' in interconnections instead of ``materially 
modified'' interconnections. This revision is intended to prevent 
confusion with the Commission-defined term ``Material Modification'' in 
pro forma interconnection procedures and agreements.\3\ The term 
``qualified changes'' refers to changes in existing interconnected 
facilities that can have reliability impacts and helps ensure that they 
are properly addressed in interconnection requirements and studies.
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    \3\ The regulation at 18 CFR 35.28(c)(1) requires every public 
utility that owns, controls, or operates facilities used for the 
transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce to have on 
file with the Commission an open access transmission tariff 
consisting of the pro forma tariff promulgated by the Commission, or 
such other tariff as may be approved by the Commission. The 
regulation at 18 CFR 35.28(f)(1) requires every public utility that 
is required to have on file a non-discriminatory open access 
transmission tariff to amend such tariff by adding the standard 
interconnection procedures and agreement and the standard small 
generator interconnection procedures and agreement required by the 
Commission.
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    In the November 23 order, the Commission also revised Requirement 
R6 of existing Reliability Standard FAC-002-3 by authorizing the 
planning coordinator to define the term ``qualified change'' and 
requiring public posting of the definition.
    Necessity of Information: Mandatory.
    Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the collections of 
information associated with the rulemaking in Docket No. RD22-5-000, 
and has determined that the described information collection activities 
are necessary. These requirements conform to the Commission's need for 
efficient information collection, communication, and management within 
the energy industry.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The responsibilities of applicable 
entities for FAC-001-4 (i.e., transmission owners and generator owners) 
are the same as those approved for Reliability Standard FAC-001-3 in 
FERC-725D. Table 1, below, accordingly shows the same burdens as 
approved in FERC-725D, with updated costs.
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    \4\ The Commission staff estimates that the industry's hourly 
cost for wages plus benefits is similar to the Commission's $91.00 
FY 2022 average hourly cost for wages and benefits.

                                                        Table 1--Estimated Burdens for FAC-001-4
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                                                        Number of
                                  Types and numbers      annual                                    Average number of burden     Total burden hours and
       Types of responses          of respondents     responses per   Total number of responses       hours and cost per                 cost
                                                       respondent                                        response \4\
A                                B.................               C  D (Column B x Column C)....  E.........................  F (Column D x Column E)
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Documentation & Updates........  498 GOs/TOs.......               1  498........................  34 hrs.; $3,094...........  16,932 hrs. $1,491,672.
Evidence Retention.............  498 GOs/TOs.......               1  498........................  1 hr.; $91.00.............  498 hrs.; $45,318.
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[[Page 31260]]

    Under, FAC-002-4, the new collection FERC-725D(1) represents a 
minor additional burden to planning coordinators, due to the 
requirement that they develop the definition of ``qualified change'' 
for new and existing interconnections of generation, transmission or 
electricity end user facilities. This burden is expected to be greater 
in years one and two than in year three and beyond for FAC-002-4. The 
burden and cost estimates for FAC-002-4 are based on the increase in 
the reporting and recordkeeping burden imposed by the revised 
Reliability Standards. Our estimates are based on the NERC Compliance 
Registry as of September 16, 2022, which indicates 63 planning 
coordinators.

                                                        Table 2--Estimated Burdens for FAC-002-4
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                                         Number of
                                          annual                                         Average number of burden hours
   Type and numbers of respondents     responses per      Total number of responses          and cost per response         Total burden hours and cost
                                        respondent
A                                                  B  C (Column A x Column B).........  D..............................  E (Column C x Column D)
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63 PA/PCs Years 1 and 2.............               1  63..............................  120 hrs.; $7,200...............  7,560 hrs.; $453,600.
63 PA/PCs Ongoing, beginning in Year               1  63..............................  40 hrs.; $2,520................  2,520 hrs.; $158,760.
 3.
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    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: May 9, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-10351 Filed 5-15-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P