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Notice2021-11552

Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725G); Comment Request; Extension

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Published

June 2, 2021

Issuing agencies

Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission

Abstract

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC-725G (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System: PRC Reliability Standards.).

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 104 (Wednesday, June 2, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29574-29577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11552]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC21-30-000, RD-20-4-000]

Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725G); 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, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the
currently approved information collection, FERC-725G (Mandatory
Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System: PRC Reliability
Standards.).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due August 2,
2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket
No. IC21-30-000) by one of the following methods:
Electronic filing through <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>, is preferred.
<bullet> Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable
native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture
format.
<bullet> 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: <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>. For user
assistance, contact FERC Online Support by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ccaaa9beafa3a2a0a5a2a9bfb9bcbca3beb88caaa9beafe2aba3ba"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e3858691808c8d8f8a8d86909693938c9197a385869180cd848c95">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, 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 <a href="http://www.ferc.gov">http://www.ferc.gov</a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a2e6c3d6c3e1cec7c3d0c3ccc1c7e2e4e7f0e18cc5cdd4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="de9abfaabf9db2bbbfacbfb0bdbb9e989b8c9df0b9b1a8">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, telephone at (202) 502-8663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC-725G (Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-
Power System: Regional Reliability Standard PRC standards: PRC-006-5
Automatic Underfrequency Load-Shedding (UFLS), PRC-002-2, PRC-012-2,
PRC-019-2, PRC-023-4, PRC-024-1, PRC-025-2, PRC-026-1, and PRC-027-1.
OMB Control No.: 1902-0252.
Type of Request: Revisions and extension to the information
collection, as discussed in Docket No. RD20-4-000.
Abstract: On August 8, 2005, Congress enacted into law the
Electricity Modernization Act of 2005, which is Title XII, Subtitle A,
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005).\1\ EPAct 2005 added a
new section 215 to the FPA, which required 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 the ERO subject to Commission oversight, or the Commission
can independently enforce Reliability Standards.\2\
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\1\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58, Title XII,
Subtitle A, 119 Stat. 594, 941 (codified at 16 U.S.C. 824o).
\2\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(e)(3).

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[[Page 29575]]

The information collected by the FERC-725G is required to implement
the statutory provisions of section 215 of the Federal Power Act
(FPA).\[2]\ Section 215 of the FPA buttresses the Commission's efforts
to strengthen the reliability of the interstate bulk power grid.
The FERC-725G information collection currently contains the
reporting and recordkeeping requirements for the following Reliability
Standards: PRC-002-2, PRC-006-5, PRC-012-2, PRC-019-2, PRC-023-4, PRC-
024-1, PRC-025-2, PRC-026-1, and PRC-027-1.

<bullet> PRC-002-2 Disturbance Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

The purpose is to have adequate data available to facilitate
analysis of Bulk Electric System (BES) Disturb.

<bullet> PRC-006-5 Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding

To establish design and documentation requirements for automatic
Underfrequency Load Shedding (UFLS) programs to arrest declining
frequency, assist recovery of frequency following underfrequency events
and provide last resort system preservation measures.

<bullet> PRC-012-2 Remedial Action Schemes

To ensure that Remedial Action Schemes (RAS) do not introduce
unintentional or unacceptable reliability risks to the Bulk Electric
System (BES).

<bullet> PRC-019-2 Coordination of Generating Unit or Plant
Capabilities, Voltage Regulating Controls, and Protection

The purpose is to verify coordination of generating unit Facility
or synchronous condenser voltage regulating controls, limit functions,
equipment capabilities and Protection System settings.

<bullet> PRC-023-4 Transmission Relay Load-Ability

Protective relay settings shall not limit transmission load-
ability; not interfere with system operators' ability to take remedial
action to protect system reliability and; be set to reliably detect all
fault conditions and protect the electrical network from these faults.

<bullet> PRC-024-1 Generator Frequency and Voltage Protective Relay
Settings

The purpose is to ensure Generator Owners set their generator
protective relays such that generating units remain connected during
defined frequency and voltage excursions.

<bullet> PRC-025-2 Generator Relay Load-Ability

The purpose is to set load-responsive protective relays associated
with generation Facilities at a level to prevent unnecessary tripping
of generators during a system disturbance for conditions that do not
pose a risk of damage to the associated equipment.

<bullet> PRC-026-1 Relay Performance During Stable Power Swings

The purpose is to ensure that load-responsive protective relays are
expected to not trip in response to stable power swings during non-
Fault conditions.

<bullet> PRC-027-1 Coordination of Protection Systems for Performance
During Faults

The purpose is to maintain the coordination of Protection Systems
installed to detect and isolate Faults on Bulk Electric System (BES)
Elements, such that those Protection Systems operate in the intended
sequence during Faults.
Each of these Reliability Standards have three components that
impose burden upon affected industry:

<bullet> Requirements (e.g., denoted in each Reliability Standard as
R1, R2 . . .)
<bullet> Measures (e.g., denoted in each Reliability Standard as M1, M2
. . .)
<bullet> Evidence Retention

These three components can be reviewed for the Reliability
Standards in NERC petitions in FERC's eLibrary system (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp">http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp</a>) or on NERC's own website
(<a href="http://www.nerc.com">www.nerc.com</a>).
Type of Respondents: Generator owners, Planning coordinators,
Distribution providers, UFLS-only Distribution Providers, and
transmission owners in the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC)
Region.
Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ Our estimates are based on the NERC
Compliance Registry Summary of Entities as of February 5, 2021.
According to the NERC compliance registry, and Functions as of, which
indicates there are registered as GO, PC, DP and TO entities. The
individual burden estimates are based on the time needed to gather
data, run studies, and analyze study results to design or update the
underfrequency load shedding programs. Additionally, documentation and
the review of underfrequency load shedding (UFLS) program results by
supervisors and management is included in the administrative
estimations. These are consistent with estimates for similar tasks in
other Commission approved standards.
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\3\ 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. See 5
CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition of information
collection burden.
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RD20-4 (PRC-006-4)

The revisions in the proposed Reliability Standards will align
these standards with the previously approved changes to the NERC
registration criteria \4\ by removing reference to entities \5\ that
are no longer registered with NERC. In proposed Reliability Standard
PRC-006-4, NERC adds the UFLS-only Distribution Provider as an
applicable entity. In two instances, NERC has proposed changes that
will promote consistent use of the term Planning Coordinator across the
Reliability Standards.\6\
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\4\ Order on Electric Reliability Organization Risk Based
Registration Initiative and Requiring Compliance Filing, 150 FERC ]
61,213 (2015); Order on Compliance Filing, 153 FERC ] 61,024 (2015).
\5\ NERC's risk-based registration initiative resulted in the
removal of the load-serving entity and purchasing-selling entity
from the NERC compliance registry.
\6\ Standards Alignment with Registration Petition at 7.
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The Commission's request to OMB will reflect the following:
<bullet> Addition to the burden associated with UFLS-only
distribution providers to proposed (in RD-20-4) Reliability Standard
PRC-006-4.\7\ The petition states that the currently effective standard
is applicable to planning coordinators, ``UFLS entities'' (which may
include transmission owners and distribution providers that own,
operate, or control UFLS equipment), and transmission owners that own
certain elements. In proposed Reliability Standard PRC-006-4, NERC
proposes to add the UFLS-only distribution provider as an applicable
UFLS entity.\8\
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\7\ The burden associated with the Commission approved standard,
PRC-006-3, is included in FERC-725G.
\8\ Standards Alignment with Registration Petition at 13.
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<bullet> Current, Reliability Standard PRC-006-5 \9\ (formerly PRC-
006-3) (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding)
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\9\ PRC-006-5 was approved April 1, 2021 in RM21-1 which did not
trigger the PRA and therefore did not require prior OMB approval.
The current version of this standard, PRC-006-5, was approved by the
Commission on April 1, 2021. The only change was a revision to the
regional variance for the WECC region for PRC-006-4 modifications
that needs to be approved through OMB.
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Commission estimates the annual burden and cost for the information
collection as follows:
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\10\ The number of entities is being reduced in order to more
clearly identify the applicable entities in subsequent rows in this
table. As stated in the NERC Petition, ``[t]he currently effective
standard is applicable to Planning Coordinators, ``UFLS entities''
(which may include Transmission Owners and Distribution Providers
that own, operate, or control UFLS equipment), and Transmission
Owners that own certain Elements. In proposed Reliability Standard
PRC-006-4, NERC proposes to add the UFLS-Only Distribution Provider
as an applicable UFLS entity, consistent with the language in
Section III(b) of Appendix 5B of the NERC Rules of Procedure
(Statement of Compliance Registry Criteria) that the Reliability
Standards applicable to UFLS-Only Distribution Providers includes
prior effective versions of the PRC-006 standard.'' The changes are
not due to Docket No. RD20-4-000.
\11\ The increases are not due to Docket No. RD20-4-000. They
are a program increase of 64 PCs (and the corresponding hrs.) in
order to correct and clarify the estimates.
\12\ The program increase is due to adding 63 UFLS-only DPs due
to Docket No. RD20-4-000. In addition, 415 TOs and DPs were
originally estimated in FERC-725A due to Order No. 693. However, the
estimates and descriptions were not clearly spelled out, so we are
clarifying them. As a result, there are 315 hours (63 * 5 hours) and
the corresponding increase of 63 respondents of program increase due
to Docket No. RD20-4-000, and 2,075 hours (415 * 5 hours) of
increase due to adjustment.

[[Page 29576]]

RD20-4 Net Changes for FERC-725G, OMB Control No. 1902-0252
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Average annual
Average annual number 1 of number of Average annual total Average Total annual burden
PRC regional reliability standards respondents responses per number of responses burden hours hours
respondent per response
(1)............................ (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4)
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PRC-006-4 (Automatic Underfrequency Load -80 (TO & DP).................. 1 -80 47 -3,760
Shedding) Reporting Requirement--program
decrease 10.
PRC-006-4 (Automatic Underfrequency Load -80 (TO & DP).................. 1 -80 5 -400
Shedding) Evidence Retention--program
decrease 14.
PRC-006-4 (Automatic Underfrequency Load 64 (PC)........................ 1 64 47 3,008
Shedding) R1-R7, R11-R15 Reporting
Requirement--program increase &
clarification 11.
PRC-006-4 (Automatic Underfrequency Load 64 (PC)........................ 1 64 5 320
Shedding) R1-R7, R11-R15 Evidence
Retention-program increase &
clarification 14.
PRC-006-4 (Automatic Underfrequency Load 478 (TO, DP, UFLS-only DP)..... 1 478 5 2,390
Shedding) R8-R10 Evidence Retention--
program increase & clarification 12.
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Net Changes for FERC-725G due to RD20- ............................... ................ 446 (net increase) .............. 1,558 (net increase)
4.
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IC21-30-000 Renewal as Effected by RD20-4-000: Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System: Regional Mandatory Reliability Standards for
the Bulk-Power System: Regional Reliability Standard PRC Standards: PRC-006-5, PRC-002-2, PRC-012-2, PRC-019-2, PRC-023-4, PRC-024-1, PRC-025-2, PRC-026-
1, and PRC-02713
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Average annual
Average annual number of Average annual Average burden hours & Total annual burden Cost per
Reliability standard & requirement number 1 of responses per total number cost ($) per response hours & cost ($) respondent ($)
respondents respondent of responses (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (4)..................... (3) * (4) = (5)........ (5) / (1)
(3)
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PRC-006-5 (Current burden after net changes due to RD20-4)
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TO/DP/PC 14.......................... 480 1 480 35 hrs.; $2,905......... 16,800 hrs.; $1,394,400 $2,905
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Net Changes for FERC-725G due to .............. .............. 926 ........................ 18,358 hrs.; $1,523,714
RD20-4.
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PRC-023-4
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TO/GO/DP 15.......................... 1,314 1 1,314 303 hrs.; $25,149....... 398,142 hrs.; 25,149
$33,045,786.
PC................................... 65 1 65 212 hrs.; $17,596....... 13,780 hrs.; $1,143,740 17,596
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[[Page 29577]]

PRC-025-2
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GO/TO/DP 17.......................... 1,314 1 1,314 4 hrs.; $332............ 5,256 hrs.; $436,248... 332
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PRC-019-2
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GO/TO................................ 1,178 1 1,178 8.9 hrs.; $664.......... 9,424 hrs.; $782,192... 664
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PRC-024-1
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GO................................... 1,003 1 1,003 8 hrs.; $664............ 8,024 hrs.; $665,992... 664
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PRC-026-1
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GO/PC/TO............................. 1,189 1 1,189 18 hrs.; $1,494......... 21,402 hrs.; $1,776,366 1,494
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PRC-002-2
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TO/GO/PC 18.......................... 1,189 0.50 594.5 100 hrs.; $8,300........ 59,450 hrs.; $4,934,350 8,300
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PRC-012-2
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RC/PC/TO/GO/DP....................... 1,329 1 1,329 88 hrs.; $7,304......... 116,952 hrs.; 7,304
$9,707,016.
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PRC-027-1
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TO/GO/DP............................. 1,314 1 1,314 44 hrs.; $3,652......... 57,816 hrs.; $4,798,728 3,652
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Total for FERC-725G.............. .............. .............. 10,226.50 ........................ 708,604 hrs.;
$58,814,132.
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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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\13\ The number of respondents on this table reflect information
taken from NERC Compliance Registry, while it may show a decrease
from previous years the 2021 values reflect treating standards as a
whole instead of by requirement which allow for aggregate values and
eliminating multiple counts of the same entity within a standard.
\14\ Using NERC Compliance Registration data (February 5, 2021),
the number of respondents are for US unique entities and takes into
account the overlap between functions of the DP = Distribution
Provider, TO = Transmission Owner and PC= Planning Coordinator for a
total of 480.
\15\ Using NERC Compliance Registration data (February 5, 2021),
the number of respondents are for US unique entities and takes into
account the overlap between functions of the DP = Distribution
Provider, TO = Transmission Owner and DP = Distribution Provider for
a total of 1,314. The number of hours also take into account line
terminal work needed to be done applicable TO, GO, or DP as per PRC-
023-1 approved in Order No. 773 March 18, 2010.
\16\ Reliability Standard PRC-025-2 from FERC-725G2 (OMB No.
1902-0281)- a temporary place holder is now being placed back into
725G.
\17\ According to the NERC compliance registry as of February 5,
2021, NERC has registered 379 distribution providers (DP), 1,003
generator owners (GO) and 321 transmission owners (TO). However,
under NERC's compliance registration program, entities may be
registered for multiple functions, so these numbers incorporate some
double counting. The number of unique entities responding will be
approximately 994 entities registered as a transmission owner, a
distribution provider, or a generator owner that is also a
transmission owner and/or a distribution owner. These values reflect
removing any year 1-2 costs and covers on-going cost from version
PRC-025-1 and PRC-025-2.
\18\ Based on the Requirements of PRC-002-2 some entities do not
have to perform tasks annual so average response rate is set to
0.50.

Dated: May 26, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-11552 Filed 6-1-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

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