[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31197-31198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08778]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC24-14-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-921); Comment 
Request; Extension

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 the currently approved 
information collection, FERC-921, OMB Control No. 1902-0257, Ongoing 
Electronic Delivery of Data from Regional Transmission Organization and 
Independent System Operators.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 24, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC24-14-
000) by either 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: All 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], telephone at (202) 502-6362.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-921, Ongoing Electronic Delivery of Data from Regional 
Transmission Organization and Independent System Operators.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0257.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-921 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The collection of data in FERC-921 is an effort by the 
Commission, implemented under Order

[[Page 31198]]

No. 760,\1\ to detect potential anti-competitive or manipulative 
behavior or ineffective market rules by requiring Regional Transmission 
Organizations (RTO) and Independent System Operators (ISO) to 
electronically submit, on a continuous basis, data relating to physical 
and virtual offers and bids, market awards, resource outputs, marginal 
cost estimates, shift factors, financial transmission rights, internal 
bilateral contracts, uplift, and interchange pricing. Although 
provision was made by the Commission that market monitoring units 
(MMUs) may provide datasets, all data for this collection has (and is 
expected to continue to) come from each RTO or ISO and not the MMUs. 
Therefore, any associated burden is counted as a burden on RTOs and 
ISOs.
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    \1\ Enhancement of Electricity Market Surveillance and Analysis 
through Ongoing Electronic Delivery of Data from Regional 
Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators, Order 
No. 760, 139 FERC ] 61,053 (2012)
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    While the ongoing delivery of data under FERC-921 is continuous and 
routine, each RTO or ISO makes sporadic changes to its individual 
market with Commission approval. When those changes occur, the RTO or 
ISO may need to change the data being routinely sent to the Commission 
to ensure compliance with Order No. 760. Such changes typically require 
respondents to alter the ongoing delivery of data under FERC-921.
    Type of Respondent: Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and 
Independent System Operators (ISOs).
    Estimate of Annual Burden: \2\ The Commission estimates the total 
annual burden and cost for this information collection by calculating 
the total hourly cost (including both mean wages and benefits) of three 
occupations and then by multiplying that total hourly cost by the 
number of hours needed for each response.
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    \2\ ``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 title 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
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    The total hourly cost applied in this calculation is $88.03, 
calculated as the sum of weighted mean hourly wages and benefits of the 
following occupations: \3\
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    \3\ Costs (for wages and benefits) are based on the mean wage 
estimate by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Occupational 
Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program from May 2023 (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm.) and benefits information 
for private industry workers (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm.)
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     Computer Systems Analysts (Occupational Code: 15-1211): 
$56.57 (base hourly wage) / 70.7% (benefits) = $80.01 x 75 percent of 
the time needed for each response = $60.0075;
     Legal (Occupational Code: 23-0000): $104.10 (base hourly 
wage) / 70.7% (benefits) = $147.24 x 12.5 percent of the time needed 
for each response = $18.405; and
     Database Administrators (Occupational Code: 15-1242): 
$54.40 (base hourly wage) / 70.7% (benefits) = $76.94 x 12.5 percent of 
the time needed for each response = $9.6175.

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                                                        Annual number                                                                       Annual cost
               Category                   Number of     of responses    Total number     Average burden & cost     Total annual burden    per respondent
                                         respondents   per respondent   of responses         per response              hours & cost             ($)
                                                  (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4).....................  (3) * (4) = (5)........       (5) / (1)
                                                                                  (3)
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Ongoing Electronic Delivery of Data..               6               1           \4\ 6  52 hrs.; $4,577.56......  312 hrs.; $27,465.36...       $4,577.56
Data Delivery Changes Over the Year                 6               1               6  480 hrs.; $42,254.40....  2,880 hrs.; $253,526,40       42,254.40
 \5\.
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    Total............................               6               2              12  ........................  3,192 hrs.; $280,991.76       46,831.96
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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.
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    \4\ Each RTO/ISO electronically submits data daily. To match 
with past filings, we are considering the collection of daily 
responses to be a single response.
    \5\ The hour burden associated with a ``Data Delivery Change 
Over the Year'' varies considerably based on the significance of the 
specific change; therefore, the estimate is intended to reflect the 
incremental burden for an average change. Based on historical 
patterns, staff estimates there to be about one and a half changes 
of this nature per RTO or ISO per year. Based on our estimate that 
the total time required for a single change is 320 hours, and there 
are, on average, 1.5 changes annually, the total time for this 
category of response is 480 hours (1.5 x 320 hours).

    Dated: April 18, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-08778 Filed 4-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P