[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 79 (Friday, April 25, 2025)] [Notices] [Pages 17429-17430] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2025-07068] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. IC25-11-000] Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725k); Comment Request; Extension AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of information collection 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 collection, FERC-725K (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the SERC Region). There are no changes to the reporting requirements with this information collection. DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 24, 2025. ADDRESSES: Please submit comments via email to [email protected]. You must specify the Docket No. (IC25-11-000) and the FERC Information Collection number (FERC-725K) in your email. If you are unable to file electronically, comments may be filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery:Mail via U.S. Postal Service only, addressed to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. [[Page 17430]] Hand (including courier) delivery to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852. Docket: To view comments and issuances in this docket, please visit https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search. Once there, you can also sign-up for automatic notification of activity in this docket. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kayla Williams may be reached by email at [email protected], telephone at (202) 502-6468. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: FERC-725K (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the SERC Region). OMB Control No.: 1902-0260. Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-725K information collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting requirements. Abstract: Section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) requires a Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to develop mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards, which are subject to Commission review and approval. Once approved, the Reliability Standards may be enforced by NERC, subject to Commission oversight, or by the Commission independently. Reliability Standards that NERC proposes to the Commission may include Reliability Standards that are proposed by a Regional Entity to be effective in that region. In Order No. 672, the Commission noted that: As a general matter, we will accept the following two types of regional differences, provided they are otherwise just, reasonable, not unduly discriminatory or preferential and in the public interest, as required under the statute: (1) a regional difference that is more stringent than the continent-wide Reliability Standard, including a regional difference that addresses matters that the continent-wide Reliability Standard does not; and (2) a regional Reliability Standard that is necessitated by a physical difference in the Bulk-Power System. When NERC reviews a regional Reliability Standard that would be applicable on an interconnection-wide basis and that has been proposed by a Regional Entity organized on an interconnection-wide basis, NERC must rebuttably presume that the regional Reliability Standard is just, reasonable, not unduly discriminatory or preferential, and in the public interest. In turn, the Commission must give ``due weight'' to the technical expertise of NERC and of a Regional Entity organized on an interconnection-wide basis. On April 19, 2007, the Commission accepted delegation agreements between NERC and each of the eight Regional Entities. In the order, the Commission accepted SERC as a Regional Entity organized on less than an interconnection-wide basis. As a Regional Entity, SERC oversees Bulk- Power System reliability within the SERC Region, which covers a geographic area of approximately 560,000 square miles in a sixteen- state area in the southeastern and central United States (all of Missouri, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and portions of Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Florida). The SERC Region is currently geographically divided into five subregions that are identified as Southeastern, Central, VACAR, Delta, and Gateway. For this renewal, there is only one SERC region Reliability Standard, PRC-006-SERC-3 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding Requirements). PRC-006-SERC-3 is applicable to these SERC entities, 27 planning coordinators (PC), 212 generator owners (GO), and UFLS entities made up 70 transmission owners (TO) and 95 distribution providers. Type of Respondents: Entities registered with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (within the SERC region). Estimate of Annual Burden: \1\ The Commission estimates the annual reporting burden and cost for the information collection as: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ ``Burden'' is defined as 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, reference 5 Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3. \2\ These values were derived from the NERC Compliance data of February 12, 2025, using only SERC unique United States registered entities. \3\ The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is a combination based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2024, for 75% of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17-2071) $79.31/hr., 79.31 x .75 = 59.4825 ($59.48-rounded) ($59.48/hour) and 25% of an Information and Record Clerk (43-4199) $44.74/hr., $44.74 x .25% = 11.185 ($11.19 rounded) ($11.19/hour), for a total ($59.48 + $11.19 = $70.67/hour). FERC-725K--Mandatory Reliability Standard for the SERC Region -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Annual number Cost per respondents of responses Total number Average burden & cost per Total annual burden hours respondent \2\ per respondent of responses response \3\ & total annual cost ($) (1) (2) (1) * (2) = (4)...................... (3) * (4) = (5).......... (5) / (1) (3) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Review and Record Retention..... 27 (PC) 1 27 24 hrs., $1,696.08....... 648 hrs., $45,794.16..... $1,696.08 212 (GO) 1 212 20 hrs., $1,413.40....... 4,240 hrs., $299,640.80.. 1,413.40 70 (TO) 1 70 12 hrs., $848.04......... 840 hrs., $59,362.80..... 848.04 95 (DP) 1 95 12 hrs., $848.04......... 1,140 hrs., $80,563.80... 848.04 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total.............................. ............ .............. 404 ......................... 6,868 hrs., $485,361.56.. 4,805.56 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 18, 2025. Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2025-07068 Filed 4-24-25; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P