Notice2021-27779
Notice of Availability of Final Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower Projects: Chapter 18-Level 2 Risk Analysis
Primary source
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Published
December 23, 2021
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 244 (Thursday, December 23, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 244 (Thursday, December 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72945-72946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27779]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. AD20-23-000]
Notice of Availability of Final Engineering Guidelines for the
Evaluation of Hydropower Projects: Chapter 18--Level 2 Risk Analysis
The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or
Commission) has prepared a final ``Chapter 18--Level 2 Risk Analysis''
of its Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower Projects
(Guidelines). This chapter is one of four new chapters of the
Guidelines intended to provide additional guidance related to 18 CFR
part 12, Safety of Water Power Projects and Project Works, Docket No.
RM20-9-000, Order No 880, issued by the Commission on December 16,
2021.
On July 16, 2020, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NOPR) to revise its part 12 regulations. On the same day,
the Commission solicited public review and comment on four new draft
chapters of its Guidelines. Draft Chapter 18 was part of that issuance.
The Commission received nine comment letters in response to draft
Chapter 18. Most of the comments were submitted by licensees and
individuals through trade associations, including National Hydropower
Association, Dam Safety Interest Group of CEATI International, and US
Society on Dams, as well as the US Army Corps of Engineers. Comments
were also received from individual licensees, corporations, and
individuals, including McMillen Jacobs Associates, David L. Mathews,
City of North Little Rock Electric, Central Nebraska Public Power and
Irrigation District, and Upper Peninsular Power Company.
In all, the nine comment letters consisted of over 250 discrete
comments. The comments received were varied and ranged from requesting
clarification of the overall need and approach to a risk analysis
process to questions regarding implementation and execution of the risk
analysis process. Commenters requested clarification of procedural
aspects of performing a risk analysis and recommended improvements to
the risk analysis process and methodology. Commenters asked the
Commission to:
<bullet> Consider that there is a limited availability of qualified
individuals and consultants with the requisite experience and training
to perform a semi-quantitative risk analysis;
<bullet> Consider that the risk analysis process will increase the
cost of conducting a Part 12D report;
<bullet> Provide additional guidance on conducting hydrologic
hazard analyses and consequence estimates;
<bullet> Clarify whether training will be available from FERC or
others for risk analysis facilitators and others conducting risk
analyses; and
<bullet> Provide additional guidance on the screening of potential
failure modes prior to conducting the risk analysis.
Commission staff has considered all comments in finalizing Chapter
18 of the Engineering Guidelines. Based on the comments received,
Chapter 18 has been revised to:
<bullet> Clarify the qualifications and role of the risk analysis
facilitator(s) and team members;
<bullet> Clarify the identification and screening of potential
failure modes;
[[Page 72946]]
<bullet> Provide additional discussion and examples of the critical
load method to estimate the likelihood of failure;
<bullet> Provide clarification and additional guidance on
estimating consequences (e.g., life safety consequences, economic
consequences, financial consequences for damage state potential failure
modes, and environmental and other non-monetary consequences);
<bullet> Add a risk analysis matrix for incremental financial/
damage state consequences; and
<bullet> Include background information on developing hydrologic
hazard curves for semi-quantitative risk analyses.
All information related to ``Chapter 18--Level 2 Risk Analysis,''
including the draft chapter, all submitted comments, and the final
chapter, can be found on the FERC website (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>) using the
eLibrary link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on ``General Search''
and enter the docket number, excluding the last three digits in the
Docket Number field (i.e., AD20-23). Be sure you have selected an
appropriate date range. The Commission also offers a free service
called eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal
issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the
amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically
providing you with electronic notification of these filings and direct
links to the documents. Go to the Commission's website (<a href="http://www.ferc.gov">www.ferc.gov</a>),
select the FERC Online option from the left-hand column, and click on
eSubscription. Users must be registered in order to use eSubscription.
The final version of Chapter 18 is also available on the
Commission's Division of Dam Safety and Inspections website at:
Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower Projects [bond]
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (<a href="http://ferc.gov">ferc.gov</a>).
Information Collection Statement
Chapter 18 includes information collection activities for which the
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, requires approval by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Commission has included the
burden and cost estimates for information collection activities related
to this chapter in the rulemaking document (Docket No. RM20-9-000,
Order No. 880). The Commission has designated the information
collection activities in the rule as FERC-517. Upon final approval of
FERC-517, OMB will assign an OMB Control Number and expiration date.
Send written comments on FERC-517 to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) through <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>, Attention:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the
OMB control number (1902-TBD) in the subject line. Your comments should
be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal
Register. OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance
with submission guidelines at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. 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.
For assistance with any of the Commission's online systems, please
contact FERC Online Support at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e1a7849382ae8f8d888f84b29491918e9395a1dd80c189938487dc" http: ferc.gov">ferc.gov</a>">FercOnlineSupport@<a href="http://ferc.gov">ferc.gov</a></a> or toll free
at (866) 208-3676, or for TTY, contact (202) 502-8258.
Dated: December 16, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-27779 Filed 12-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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