[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 74879-74884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24095]
========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 210 / Wednesday, November 1, 2023 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 74879]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
18 CFR Part 40
[Docket No. RM19-17-001; Order No. 902]
Electric Reliability Organization Proposal To Retire Requirements
in Reliability Standards Under the NERC Standards Efficiency Review
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Final action.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves
the retirement of six Reliability Standards and their requirements
proposed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the
Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization.
DATES: This action is effective February 1, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Gandolfo (Technical Information), Office of Electric
Reliability, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-6817
Mark Bennett (Legal Information), Office of the General Counsel,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington,
DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-8524
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the
Federal Power Act (FPA),\1\ the Commission approves the North American
Electric Reliability Corporation's (NERC) request to retire six
Reliability Standards with a combined total of 56 requirements. For the
reasons discussed below, we determine that the retirement of six
Reliability Standards (the MOD A Reliability Standards) \2\ in their
entirety is just, reasonable, not unduly discriminatory or
preferential, and in the public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(d)(2).
\2\ Reliability Standards MOD-001-1a (Available Transmission
System Capability), MOD-004-1 (Capacity Benefit Margin), MOD-008-1
(Transmission Reliability Margin Calculation Methodology), MOD-028-2
(Area Interchange Methodology), MOD-029-2a (Rated System Path
Methodology), and MOD-030-3 (Flowgate Methodology).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Background
A. Section 215 of the FPA and the Mandatory Reliability Standards
2. Section 215 of the FPA provides that the Commission may certify
an ERO, the purpose of which is to develop mandatory and enforceable
Reliability Standards, subject to Commission review and approval.\3\
Reliability Standards may be enforced by the ERO, subject to Commission
oversight, or by the Commission independently.\4\ Pursuant to section
215 of the FPA, the Commission established a process to select and
certify an ERO,\5\ and subsequently certified NERC.\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(c).
\4\ Id. 824o(e).
\5\ Rules Concerning Certification of the Elec. Reliability Org.
& Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, & Enf't. of Elec.
Reliability Standards, Order No. 672, 114 FERC ] 61,104, order on
reh'g, Order No. 672-A, 114 FERC ] 61,328 (2006).
\6\ N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 116 FERC ] 61,062, order on
reh'g and compliance, 117 FERC ] 61,126 (2006), aff'd sub nom.
Alcoa, Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d 1342 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. NERC Petition
3. On June 7, 2019, NERC submitted a petition proposing, among
other things, the retirement of the MOD A Reliability Standards, in
their entirety without replacement (NERC Petition). NERC explained that
these requirements are administrative in nature or relate expressly to
commercial or business practices and provide little or no reliability
benefit.\7\ NERC explained that the MOD A Reliability Standards were
submitted in response to Commission's directives in Order No. 890 and
Order No. 693 to develop Reliability Standards ``to provide for
consistency and transparency in the methodologies used by transmission
providers to calculate [Available Transfer Capability].'' \8\ NERC
clarified that ``[Available Transfer Capability] and [Available
Flowgate Methodology], as well as e-Tags, are commercially-focused
elements facilitating interchange and balancing of interchange,'' and
that system operators maintain reliability by monitoring Real-time
flows based on System Operating Limits and Interconnection Reliability
Operating Limits.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ Id. at 21-22.
\8\ NERC Petition at 18 (citing Preventing Undue Discrimination
& Preference in Transmission Serv., Order No. 890, 72 FR 12266 (Mar.
15, 2007),118 FERC ] 61,119, order on reh'g, Order No. 890-A,73 FR
2984 (Jan. 16, 2008) 121 FERC ] 61,297 (2007), order on reh'g, Order
No. 890-B, 123 FERC ] 61,299 (2008), order on reh'g, Order No. 890-
C, 74 FR 12540 (Mar. 25, 2009), 126 FERC ] 61,228 (2009); Mandatory
Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power Sys., Order No. 693, 72 FR
16416 (Apr. 4, 2007), 118 FERC ] 61,218, at PP 1020-1126 order on
reh'g, Order No. 693-A, 120 FERC ] 61,053 (2007)). In 2009, the
Commission approved the six MOD Reliability Standards containing
methodologies for calculating Available Transfer Capability (ATC) or
Available Flowgate Capacity (AFC). See, Mandatory Reliability
Standards for the Calculation of Available Transfer Capability,
Capacity Benefit Margins, Transmission Reliability Margins, Total
Transfer Capability, & Existing Transmission Commitments & Mandatory
Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power Sys., Order No. 729, 74 FR
64884 (Dec 8, 2009), 129 FERC ] 61,155 (2009), order on reh'g, Order
No. 729-A,75 FR 26057 (May 11, 131 FERC ] 61,109 (2010).
\9\ NERC Petition at 21.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
4. On January 23, 2020, the Commission issued a NOPR proposing to
approve the retirement of 74 of the 77 Reliability Standard
requirements requested by NERC.\10\ In the NOPR, the Commission
proposed, inter alia, to approve the retirement of the MOD A
Reliability Standards, but noted that, if approved, the Commission
intended to coordinate the effective dates for the retirement of the
MOD A Reliability Standards with successor North American Energy
Standards Board (NAESB) business practice standards.\11\ The Commission
explained that equivalent NAESB business practice standards are
expected to replace the MOD A Reliability Standards proposed for
retirement.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ Elec. Reliability Org. Proposal to Retire Requirements in
Reliability Standards Under the NERC Standards Efficiency Rev.,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 170 FERC ] 61,032 (Jan. 23, 2020)
(NOPR).
\11\ Id. P 21 n.35.
\12\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. The Commission noted that NERC's proposed retirements ``are
largely consistent with the Commission-approved bases for retiring
Reliability Standard requirements articulated in
[[Page 74880]]
prior proceedings.'' \13\ In proposing to approve NERC's request, the
Commission stated that NERC ``provided an adequate basis to conclude
that the requirements proposed for retirement: (1) provide little or no
reliability benefit; (2) are administrative in nature or relate
expressly to commercial or business practices; or (3) are redundant
with other Reliability Standards.'' \14\ Further, the Commission
acknowledged NERC's assertion that retiring the MOD A Reliability
Standards is justified because, being primarily administrative or
related to commercial or business practices, they ``no longer serve a
reliability purpose.'' \15\ Specifically, the Commission noted NERC's
assertion that the MOD A Reliability Standards contain ``commercially-
focused elements facilitating interchange and balancing of
interchange,'' and system operators maintain reliability by monitoring
Real-time flows based on System Operating Limits and Interconnection
Reliability Operating Limits.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ Id. P 1 (citing N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 138 FERC ]
61,193, at P 81 (March 2012 Order), order on reh'g and
clarification, 139 FERC ] 61,168 (2012); Elec. Reliability Org.
Proposal to Retire Requirements in Reliability Standards, Order No.
788, 78 FR 73424 (Dec. 6, 2013), 145 FERC ] 61,147, at P 1 (2013)).
\14\ Id. P 25.
\15\ Id. P 21.
\16\ See id. P 22 (citing NERC Petition at 21).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. NOPR Comments
6. The Commission received five sets of comments--two of which were
specific to the proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability
Standards.\17\ Neither of the two comments the Commission received in
response to NERC's proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability
Standards opposed NERC's proposal. In its comments, Bonneville states
that it appreciates the Commission's recognition of the relationship
between the MOD A retirements and the publication of Business Practice
Standards by NAESB to replace the commercial aspects of the MOD
requirements.\18\ Further, Bonneville believes ``it will be important
to continue the efforts to avoid commercial requirements in the NERC
Reliability Standards and, likewise, avoid reliability requirements in
NAESB Business Practice Standards.'' \19\ Similarly, WAPA expressed its
support for the direction of the industry and the work performed by the
Standards Efficiency Review project. More specifically, WAPA agreed
with NERC's assertion that Available Transfer Capability/Available
Flowgate Capability, along with e-Tags, ``are commercially-focused
elements facilitating interchange and balancing of interchange.'' \20\
WAPA also asked the Commission to ensure that ``appropriate measures
are in place to ensure stakeholder[s] can provide input into the
development of the new business practices.'' \21\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ These two comments were received from the Bonneville Power
Administration (Bonneville) and the Western Area Power
Administration (WAPA).
\18\ Bonneville Comments at 3.
\19\ Id.
\20\ WAPA Comments at 3.
\21\ Id. at 5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
E. Order No. 873 and the Prior Retirements of Other Reliability
Standard Requirements
7. On September 17, 2020, the Commission issued Order No. 873,\22\
approving the retirement of 18 Reliability Standard requirements,\23\
remanding two requirements for further consideration by NERC, and
taking no action on the proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability
Standards.\24\ In Order No. 873, the Commission confirmed the approach
proposed in the NOPR and provided developments since then, noting that
on March 30, 2020, NAESB submitted Version 003.3 of the Standards for
Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities,
including the Modeling business practices intended to replace the MOD A
Reliability Standards upon their retirement, for which the Commission
had issued a NOPR.\25\ The Commission concluded that ``[i]n light of
these developments, this final action does not address the retirement
of MOD A Reliability Standards. The Commission will determine the
appropriate action regarding the proposed retirement of the MOD A
Reliability Standards at a later time.'' \26\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\22\ Elec. Reliability Org. Proposal to Retire Requirements in
Reliability Standards Under the NERC Standards Efficiency Rev.,
Order No. 873, 172 FERC ] 61,225 (2020).
\23\ NERC withdrew the originally requested retirement of
Reliability Standard VAR-001-6, Requirement R2 on May 14, 2020.
\24\ Id. P 4.
\25\ Id. (citing Standards for Bus. Pracs. & Commc'n Protocols
for Pub. Utils., Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 172 FERC ] 61,047
(2020)).
\26\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
F. NAESB Standards for Business Practices and Communications Protocols
for Public Utilities
8. In Order No. 676-J, the Commission revised its regulations to
incorporate by reference, as mandatory enforceable requirements, the
current version of NAESB's Standards for Business Practices and
Communication Protocols for Public Utilities adopted by the Wholesale
Electric Quadrant (WEQ) of NAESB, Version 003.3 of the NAESB WEQ
Business Practice Standards (WEQ Version 003.3 Standards).\27\ Among
other things, the WEQ Version 003.3 Standards address the technical
issues affecting Available Transfer Capability and Available Flowgate
Capability calculation for wholesale transmission services, with the
addition of certain revisions and corrections. The Commission also
revised its regulations to provide that transmission providers must
avoid unduly discriminatory and preferential treatment in the
calculation of Available Transfer Capability.\28\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\27\ Standards for Bus. Pracs. & Commc'n Protocols for Pub.
Utils., Order No. 676-J, 86 FR 29491 (June 2, 2021), 175 FERC ]
61,139 (2021).
\28\ Id. P 33.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. The first compliance filing concerned the cybersecurity and
Parallel Flow Visualization standards included in Version 003.3. The
Commission directed utilities to make the second compliance filing
reflecting the remainder of the revisions in Version 003.3 12 months
after implementation of the WEQ Version 003.2 Standards, or no earlier
than October 27, 2022, with an implementation date no earlier than
three months following compliance filings submission (no earlier than
January 27, 2023), resulting in a 15-month implementation period.\29\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\29\ Id. PP 48, 50. The Commission noted that the implementation
of the NAESB Available Transfer Capability -related standards
contained in WEQ-023 will be coordinated with the retirement of the
NERC MOD A Reliability Standards. Id. P 43 n.53.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Commission Determination
10. Pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the FPA,\30\ the Commission
approves the proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability Standards, to
be coordinated with the effective date of the tariff records accepted
in the orders on the second set of Order No. 676-J compliance filings,
February 1, 2024.\31\ As explained herein, we are satisfied with NERC's
justification for these retirements. In particular, we note NERC's
explanation that the MOD A Reliability Standards are no longer
necessary because Available Transfer Capability, Available Flowgate
Capability, and e-Tags fundamentally pertain to commercial and business
operations, and that system operators
[[Page 74881]]
maintain reliability by monitoring Real-time flows based on System
Operating Limits and Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits. We
are further persuaded that retiring the MOD A Reliability Standards
will not result in a reliability gap.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\30\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(d)(2).
\31\ See ISO-New England, 185 FERC ] 61,070 (2023); N.Y. Indep.
Sys. Operator, Inc., 185 FERC ] 61,067 (2023); PJM Interconnection,
L.L.C., 185 FERC ] 61,068 (2023); Ala. Power Co., 185 FERC ] 61,073;
Versant Power, 185 FERC ] 61,065 (2023); Cal. Indep. Sys. Operator
Corp., 185 FERC ] 61,072 (2023); MATL LLP, 185 FERC ] 61,074 (2023);
Golden Spread Elec. Coop., Inc., 185 FERC ] 61,071 (2023).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Regarding WAPA's comments focused on the importance of ensuring
stakeholders' ability to provide input.\32\ Order No. 676-J explained
that NAESB has procedures to ensure that interested persons have input
into NAESB's standard development regardless of the interested persons'
NAESB membership and that ``each standard NAESB adopts must be
supported by a consensus of the relevant industry segments. Standards
that fail to gain consensus support are not adopted.'' \33\ Therefore,
we believe WAPA's concerns were fully addressed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\32\ WAPA Comments at 5.
\33\ See Order No. 676-J, 175 FERC ] 61,139 at P 5.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Information Collection Statement
12. The information collection requirements contained in this final
action are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) under section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.\34\
OMB's regulations require approval of certain information collection
requirements imposed by agency rules.\35\ Upon approval of a collection
of information, OMB will assign an OMB control number and expiration
date. Comments on the collection of information are due within 60 days
of the date this order is published in the Federal Register.
Respondents subject to the filing requirements of this rule will not be
penalized for failing to respond to these collections of information
unless the collections of information display a valid OMB control
number. The Commission solicits comments on the Commission's need for
this information, whether the information will have practical utility,
the accuracy of the burden estimates, ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected or retained,
and any suggested methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including
the use of automated information techniques.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\34\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
\35\ 5 CFR 1320.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. These MOD Standards are currently located in the FERC-725A (OMB
Control No. 1902-0244) collection. The collection is currently approved
by OMB and contains Reliability Standards MOD-0001-1a, MOD-004-1, MOD-
008-1, MOD-028-2, MOD-029-2a and MOD-030-3 (the MOD A Reliability
Standards), along with other Reliability Standards. In Docket No. RM19-
17-001, the Commission approves the retirement of these six current
OMB-approved MOD Reliability Standards and their associated
requirements. The retirements will be coordinated with the effective
dates for the successor NAESB business practice standards, which mirror
the retired responsibilities from the MOD-A Reliability Standards.
14. Reliability Standards MOD-001-1a, MOD-004-1, MOD-008-1, MOD-
028-2, MOD-029-2a, and MOD-030-3 are all currently approved within the
FERC-725A information collection. The number of respondents below is
based on an estimate of the NERC compliance registry for transmission
service providers (TSP), transmission operators (TOP), transmission
planners (TP), resource planners (RP), and balancing authorities
(BA).\36\ As these entities still have obligation to other NERC
Reliability Standards when updating the FERC-725A for this collection
the number respondents shall remain the same and only the man-hours
will be reduced.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\36\ The number of TSP (71), TOP (165), TP (98), RP (159), and
BA (98) are taken based on the NERC Compliance Registry information
as of August 17, 2023, and represent U.S. registered entities.
\37\ The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is a
combination based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of
2022, for 75% of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17-2071)
$77.29/hr, 77.29 x .75 = 57.9675 ($57.97-rounded) ($57.97/hour) and
25% of an Information and Record Clerk (43-4199) $39.58/hr x .25% =
9.895 ($9.90 rounded) ($9.90/hour), for a total ($57.97 + $9.90 =
$67.87/hour).
\38\ In 2015 the Commission approved the retirement of the load-
serving entity function. See N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 150
FERC ] 61,213 (2015); N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 153 FERC ]
61,024 (2015). NERC has an ongoing standard drafting team project to
replace this function as an applicable entity in the Reliability
Standards with the distribution provider function. See Project-2022-
02 Modifications to TPL-001 and MOD-032.
\39\ The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is a
combination based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of
2022, for 75% of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17-2071)
$77.29/hr, 72.29 x .75 = 57.9576 ($57.96-rounded) ($57.96/hour) and
25% of an Information and Record Clerk (43-4199) $39.58/hr, $39.58 x
.25% = 9.895 ($9.90 rounded) ($9.90/hour), for a total ($57.96+$9.90
= $67.86/hour).
MOD-001-1a--Available Transmission System Capability--Retirement
[Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number
Applicable entity (respondent) Number of of responses Annual number of Average burden hours and Total annual burden hours and cost
respondents per respondent responses cost per response reduction (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4) \37\.................... (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TSP--Retired.................... 71 1 71 120 hrs.; $8,144.40......... 8,520 hrs.; $578,252.4.
TOP--Retired.................... 165 1 165 120 hrs.; $8,144.40......... 19,800 hrs.; $1,343,826.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A for MOD-001-1a .............. .............. ................. ............................ 28,320 hrs.; $1,922,078.40.
Total Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MOD-004-1--Capacity Benefit Margin--Retirement
[Burden reduction] \38\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number
Applicable entity (respondent) Number of of responses Annual number of Average burden hours and Total annual burden hours and cost
respondents per respondent responses cost per response reduction (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4) \39\.................... (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RP--Retired..................... 159 1 159 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 9,540 hrs.; $647,479.80.
TSP--Retired.................... 71 1 71 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
BA--Retired..................... 98 1 98 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 5,880 hrs.; $399,075.60.
[[Page 74882]]
TP--Retired..................... 203 1 203 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 12,180 hrs.; $826,656.60.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A for MOD-004-1 .............. .............. ................. ............................ 31,860 hrs.; $2,162,338.20.
Total Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\40\ Id.
MOD-008-1--Transmission Reliability Margin Calculation Methodology--Retirement
[Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number
Applicable entity (respondent) Number of of responses Annual number of Average burden hours and Total annual burden hours and cost
respondents per respondent responses cost per response reduction (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4) \40\.................... (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired.................... 165 1 165 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A for MOD-008-1 .............. .............. ................. ............................ 9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
Total Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\41\ Id.
MOD-028-2--Area Interchange Methodology Proposed for Retirement
[Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number
Applicable entity (respondent) Number of of responses Annual number of Average burden hours and Total annual burden hours and cost
respondents per respondent responses cost per response reduction (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4) \41\.................... (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired.................... 165 1 165 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
TSP--Retired.................... 71 1 71 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A for MOD-028-2 .............. .............. ................. ............................ 14,160 hrs.; $961,039.20.
Total Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\42\ Id.
MOD-029-2a--Flowgate Methodology--Retirement
[Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number
Applicable entity (respondent) Number of of responses Annual number of Average burden hours and Total annual burden hours and cost
respondents per respondent response cost per responses reduction (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4) \42\.................... (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired.................... 165 1 165 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
TSP--Retired.................... 71 1 71 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total for MOD-029-2a for .............. .............. ................. ............................ 14,160 hrs.; $961,039.20.
Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 74883]]
MOD-030-2--Flowgate Methodology--Retirement
[Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number
Applicable entity (respondent) Number of of responses Annual number of Average burden hours and Total annual burden hours and cost
respondents per respondent responses cost per response \43\ reduction (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4)......................... (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired.................... 165 1 165 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
TSP--Retired.................... 71 1 71 60 hrs.; $4,072.20.......... 4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total for MOD-030-2 for .............. .............. ................. ............................ 14,160 hrs.; $961,039.20.
Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title: FERC-725A, Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-
Power System.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\43\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Action: Modifications to Existing Collections of Information in
FERC-725A.
OMB Control No: 1902-0244 (FERC-725A).
Respondents: Business or other for profit, and not for profit
institutions.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion (and proposed for deletion).
Necessity of the Information: Reliability Standards MOD-001-1a
(Available Transmission System Capability), MOD-004-1 (Capacity Benefit
Margin), MOD-008-1 (Transmission Reliability Margin Calculation
Methodology), MOD-028-2 (Area Interchange Methodology), MOD-029-2a
(Rated System Path Methodology), and MOD030-3 (Flowgate Methodology)
(the MOD A Reliability Standards) were part of the implementation of
the Congressional mandate of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to develop
mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards to better ensure the
reliability of the nation's Bulk-Power system. As these Reliability
Standards are retired, their purpose and requirements have been moved
into the NAESB business practice standards.
Internal review: The Commission has reviewed NERC's proposal and
determined that this action is necessary to implement section 215 of
the FPA.
15. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting
requirements by contacting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Office of the Executive Director, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20426 [Attention: Ellen Brown, email: [email protected], phone:
(202) 502-8663, fax: (202) 273-0873].
16. Comments concerning the information collections and
requirements approved for retirement in this final action and the
associated burden estimates, should be sent to the Commission in this
docket and may also be sent to the Office of Management and Budget,
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs [Attention: Desk Officer
for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission]. For security reasons,
comments should be sent by email to OMB at the following email address:
[email protected].
IV. Environmental Analysis
17. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may
have a significant adverse effect on the human environment.\44\ The
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from this
requirement as not having a significant effect on the human
environment. Included in the exclusion are rules that are clarifying,
corrective, or procedural or that do not substantially change the
effect of the regulations being amended.\45\ The actions approved here
fall within this categorical exclusion in the Commission's regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\44\ Reguls. Implementing the Nat'l Env't Policy Act, Order No.
486, FERC Stats. & Regs. Preambles 1986-1990 ] 30,783 (1987) (cross-
referenced at 41 FERC ] 61,284).
\45\ 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
V. Regulatory Flexibility Act
18. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \46\ generally
requires a description and analysis of final rules that will have
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\46\ 5 U.S.C. 601-612.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
19. The RFA mandates consideration of regulatory alternatives that
accomplish the stated objectives of a rule and that minimize any
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The Small Business Administration's Office of Size Standards develops
the numerical definition of a small business.\47\ The Small Business
Administration has established size standards, for the types of
affected entities that range from a maximum of 250-1,000 employees for
an entity and its affiliates to be considered small.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\47\ 13 CFR 121.101.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
20. This final action accepts the request of NERC, the Commission-
certified ERO, to retire the MOD A Reliability Standards and recognizes
that NAESB business practice standards will cover the obligations. This
final action reduces paperwork burdens for both large and small
business entities. The Commission estimates the total industry
reduction in burden for all entities (large and small) to be 112,560
hours or 68.5 hours per response.
21. Based on the information above, the Commission certifies that
the proposed reductions will not have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, no initial
regulatory flexibility analysis is required. The Commission certifies
that this final action will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
VI. Document Availability
22. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov).
23. From FERC's Home Page on the internet, this information is
available on eLibrary. The full text of this document is available on
eLibrary in PDF and Microsoft Word format for viewing, printing, and/or
downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, type the docket
number excluding the last three digits of this document in the docket
number field.
24. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the FERC's
website during normal business hours from FERC Online Support at 202-
502-6652 (toll free at 1-866-208-3676) or email at
[email protected], or the Public Reference Room at (202) 502-
8371, TTY (202)502-8659. Email the
[[Page 74884]]
Public Reference Room at [email protected].
VII. Effective Date and Congressional Notification
25. These regulations are effective February 1, 2024. The
Commission has determined, with the concurrence of the Administrator of
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, that this rule
is not a ``major rule'' as defined in section 351 of the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
By the Commission.
Issued October 26, 2023.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-24095 Filed 10-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P