[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26873-26874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08075]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC24-8-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-598) Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE

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 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission 
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved 
information collection, FERC-598, Self-Certification for Entities 
Seeking Exempt Wholesale Generator Status or Foreign Utility Company 
Status, OMB Control Number 1902-0166, which will be submitted to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due May 16, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-598 to OMB through 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control Number (1902-
0166) 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. IC24-8-000) by 
one of the following methods. Electronic filing through https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview 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 U.S. Postal Service 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, Secretary of the 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/ferc-online/overview. 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: Jean Sonneman may be reached by email 
at [email protected], or telephone at (202) 502-6362.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-598, Self-Certification for Entities Seeking Exempt 
Wholesale Generator or Foreign Utility Company Status.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0166.
    Type of Request: Three-year renewal of FERC-598.
    Abstract: Under 42 U.S.C. 16452(a), public utility holding 
companies and their associates must maintain, and make available to the 
Commission, certain books, accounts, memoranda, and other records. The 
pertinent records are those that the Commission has determined: (1) are 
relevant to costs incurred by a public utility or natural gas company 
that is an associate company of such holding company; and (2) are 
necessary or appropriate for the protection of utility customers with 
respect to jurisdictional rates.
    Public utility holding companies and their associates may seek 
exemption from this requirement. The pertinent statutory and regulatory 
provisions, 42 U.S.C. 16454 and 18 CFR 366.7, authorize such entities 
to file with the Commission a notice of self-certification 
demonstrating that they are ``exempt wholesale generators'' (EWGs) or 
``foreign utility companies'' (FUCOs). If the Commission takes no 
action on a good-faith self-certification filing within 60 days after 
the date of filing, the applicant is exempt from the requirements of 42 
U.S.C. 16452(a).
    An EWG is defined as ``any person engaged directly, or indirectly 
through one or more affiliates . . . and exclusively in the business of 
owning or operating, or both owning and operating, all or part of one 
or more eligible facilities and selling electric energy at wholesale.'' 
\1\ A FUCO is defined as ``any company that owns or operates facilities 
that are not located in any state and that are used for the generation, 
transmission, or distribution of electric energy for sale or the 
distribution at retail of natural or manufactured gas for heat, light, 
or power, if such company: (1) derives no part of its income, directly 
or indirectly, from the generation, transmission, or distribution of 
electric energy for sale or the distribution at retail of natural or 
manufactured gas for heat, light, or power, within the United States; 
and (2) [n]either the company nor any of its subsidiary companies is a 
public-utility

[[Page 26874]]

company operating in the United States.'' \2\
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    \1\ 18 CFR 366.1.
    \2\ Id.
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    In the case of EWGs, the person filing a notice of self-
certification must also file a copy of the notice of self-certification 
with the state regulatory authority of the state in which the facility 
is located. In addition, that person must represent to the Commission 
in its submission that it has filed a copy of the notice with the 
appropriate state regulatory authority.\3\
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    \3\ 18 CFR 366.7(a).
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    Type of Respondents: EWGs and FUCOs.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \4\ The Commission estimates the total 
annual burden and cost \5\ for this information collection as follows.
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    \4\ ``Burden'' is 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, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3.
    \5\ The Commission staff thinks that the average respondent for 
this collection is similarly situated to the Commission, in terms of 
salary plus benefits. Based upon FERC's FY 2024 annual full-time 
equivalent average of $207,786 (for salary plus benefits), the 
average hourly cost is $100 per hour.

                                                                        FERC-598
                      [Self-certification for entities seeking exempt wholesale generator status or foreign utility company status]
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                                      B. Annual number                           D. Average burden hrs.  E. Total annual burden
 A. Number of respondents (EWGs and   of responses per     C. Total number of        & cost ($) per       hours & total annual     F. Average Cost per
               FUCOs)                    respondent            responses                response                  cost                respondent ($)
                                                          (Column A x Column B)                          (Column C x Column D).    (Column E / Column 1)
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300................................                  1                      300  6 hrs.; $600..........  1,800 hrs.; $180,000..                     $600
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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.

    Dated: April 10, 2024.
Debbie-Anne Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-08075 Filed 4-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P