[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 31, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61395-61396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-24087]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. RD25-4-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725N) Comment
Request; Revision
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 proposed revisions of the
currently approved information collection, FERC-725N, (Mandatory
Reliability Standards: TPL Reliability Standards).
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due March 2, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket
No. RD25-4-000) by one of the following methods: 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:
[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. 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 http://www.ferc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Kayla Williams may be reached by email at
[email protected], or by telephone at (202) 502-6468.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC-725N, (Mandatory Reliability Standards: TPL Reliability
Standards.
OMB Control No.: FERC-725N (1902-0264).
Type of Request: On December 17, 2024, the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation (NERC) submitted a petition seeking approval of
proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1 (Transmission System Planning
Performance Requirements for Extreme Temperature Events).\1\ Further,
NERC seeks approval of the associated implementation plan, violation
risk factors, and violation severity levels. NERC also seeks approval
of a proposed definition of ``extreme temperature assessment'' for
inclusion in the NERC Glossary of Terms Used in NERC Reliability
Standards (NERC Glossary).\2\ For the reasons discussed below, pursuant
In Order No. 896, the Commission directed NERC to submit a new or
modified Reliability Standard that addresses the Commission's
identified concerns pertaining to transmission system planning for
extreme heat and cold weather events that impact the Reliable Operation
of the Bulk-Power System.\3\ Specifically, the Commission directed NERC
to develop a new or modified Reliability Standard that requires the
following: (1) development of benchmark planning cases based on major
prior extreme heat and cold weather events and/or meteorological
projections; (2) planning for extreme heat and cold weather events
using steady state and transient stability analyses expanded to cover a
range of extreme weather scenarios including the expected resource
mix's availability during extreme heat and cold weather conditions; and
(3) development of corrective action plans that mitigate certain
instances where performance requirements for extreme heat and cold
weather events are not met.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Petition at 1.
\2\ Id. at 16.
\3\ Transmission Sys. Plan. Performance Requirements for Extreme
Weather, Order No. 896, 183 FERC ] 61,191 (2023).
\4\ Id. at P 6.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FERC-725N information collection requirements are subject to
review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under section
3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. OMB's regulations
require approval of certain information collection requirements imposed
by agency rules. Upon approval of a collection of information, OMB will
assign an OMB control number and expiration date. Respondents subject
to the filing requirements 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 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. The Commission bases its paperwork burden estimates on the
additional paperwork burden presented by the proposed new Reliability
Standard TPL-008-1. The new defined term ``extreme temperature
assessment'' is not expected to generate any new burden as it is a
definition used within the body of Reliability Standards. Reliability
Standards are objective-based and allow entities to choose compliance
approaches best tailored to their systems. Additionally, proposed
Reliability Standard TPL-008-1, Requirement R1 identifies each
responsible entity that shall complete its responsibilities such that
the extreme temperature assessment is completed at least once every
five calendar years. The NERC Compliance Registry, as of November 20,
2024, identifies unique U.S. entities that are subject to mandatory
compliance with proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1, as 62 planning
coordinators (PC) and 204 transmission planners (TP). Based on
[[Page 61396]]
these assumptions, we estimate the following reporting burden:
Proposed Burden TPL-008-1 Docket No. RD25-4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of
Type and annual Total number Average number of burden hours per
Reliability standard number of responses of responses response \6\ Total burden hours
entity \5\ per entity
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (4)................................ (3) * (4) = (5)
(3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Collection TPL-008-1 FERC-725N
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual review and record 62 (PC) 1 62 88 hrs., $70.67/hrs................ 5,456 hrs., $385,576.
retention. 204 (TP) 1 204 56 hrs., $70.67/hrs................ 11,424 hrs., $807,334.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total for TPL-008-1.......... ........... ........... 266 ................................... 16,880 hrs., $1,192,910.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The annual responses and burden hours for proposed Reliability
Standard TPL-008-1 will be 266 responses: 16,880 hours.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Number of entities data taken from the NERC compliance
registry, dated November 20, 2024.
\6\ 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit institutions; not-for-
profit institutions.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Necessity of the Information: This order approves the Reliability
Standard pertaining to transmission system planning performance
requirements for extreme temperature events. As discussed above, the
Commission proposes to approve proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1
pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the FPA because it establishes
transmission system planning performance requirements to help ensure
that the Bulk-Power System will operate reliably during extreme heat
and extreme cold temperature events.
Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the proposed
Reliability Standard and made a determination that its action is
necessary to implement section 215 of the FPA.
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: December 23, 2025.
Carlos D. Clay,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-24087 Filed 12-30-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P