Notice2026-06203
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-552, FERC-549E); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension
Primary source
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Published
March 31, 2026
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 collections, FERC-552, Annual Report of Natural Gas Transactions, and FERC-549E, Price Index Data Providers and Developers. There is no change to the information collection requirements for FERC-552 or FERC-549E. The Commission received one comment on the 60-day notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15987-15988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06203]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC26-5-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-552, FERC-
549E); Consolidated Comment Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: 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 collections, FERC-552, Annual Report of
Natural Gas Transactions, and FERC-549E, Price Index Data Providers and
Developers. There is no change to the information collection
requirements for FERC-552 or FERC-549E. The Commission received one
comment on the 60-day notice.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due April 30,
2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-552 or FERC-549E to OMB
through <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202601-1902-004">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202601-1902-004</a> (FERC-552) or <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202601-1902-005">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202601-1902-005</a> (FERC-549E). You can also visit <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a> and use the drop-down under ``Currently under
Review'' to select the ``Federal Energy Regulatory Commission'' where
you can see the open opportunities to provide comments. Comments should
be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice.
Please submit a copy of your comments to the Commission via email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1054716471537c757162717e737550565542533e777f66"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c387a2b7a280afa6a2b1a2ada0a68385869180eda4acb5">[email protected]</span></a>. You must specify the Docket No. (IC26-5-000)
and the FERC Information Collection number (FERC-552 or FERC-549E) in
your email. If you are unable to file electronically, comments may be
filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery:
<bullet> Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street
NE, Washington, DC 20426.
<bullet> All other delivery methods: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue,
Rockville, MD 20852.
Docket: To view comments and issuances in this docket, please visit
<a href="https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search">https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kayla Williams, (202) 502-6468.
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#387c594c597b545d594a59565b5d787e7d6a7b165f574e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1357726772507f767261727d707653555641503d747c65">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC-552, Annual Report of Natural Gas Transactions; FERC-
549E, Price Index Data Providers and Developers.
OMB Control No.: 1902-0242, 1902-0328.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-549E and FERC-552
information collection requirements with no changes to the current
reporting requirements.
Abstract:
FERC-552: The Commission uses the information collected in FERC
Form No. 552 \1\ to provide greater transparency into the size of the
physical natural gas market and the use of physical fixed-price and
index-based natural gas transactions. This information assists the
Commission and the public in assessing whether index prices are the
result of a robust market of fixed-price transactions.
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\1\ FERC Form No. 552 is prescribed in 18 CFR 260.401.
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FERC Form No. 552 had its genesis in the Energy Policy Act of
2005,\2\ which added section 23 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Section
23 of the NGA, among other things, directs the Commission ``to
facilitate price transparency in markets for the sale or transportation
of physical natural gas in interstate commerce, having due regard for
the public interest, the integrity of those markets, and the protection
of consumers.'' \3\
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\2\ Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58, sections 1261
et seq., 119 Stat. 594 (2005).
\3\ 15 U.S.C. 717t-2(a)(1)(2006).
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FERC-549E: Price indices are commonly used in natural gas and
electricity wholesale markets. These indices are used by market
participants to price their commodities. The Commission set forth
standards for price index developers to demonstrate that their internal
processes were sufficient to qualify as a Commission-approved price
index developer and, thus, have their price indices referenced in
Commission-jurisdictional tariffs in its Initial Policy Statement.\4\
Price index developers seeking approval voluntarily provide written
statements to the Commission to explain how they met these standards.
Approval of a price index developer is a factor in whether the
Commission approves the use of their indices in Commission-
jurisdictional tariffs. After the Initial Policy Statement was issued,
thirteen price index developers sought and received approval. The
Commission issued a Revised Policy Statement on April 21, 2022,
effective on December 31, 2022.\5\ Under the Revised Policy Statement,
interstate natural gas pipelines and public utilities proposing to use
price indices in jurisdictional tariffs are no longer entitled to the
rebuttable presumption that a price index developer's price indices
produce just and reasonable rates unless the price index developer has
obtained approval or re-approval from the Commission within the last
seven years. The FERC-549E information collection represents the burden
for price index developers to comply with Commission requirements
pertaining to information collection and data publication and to seek
approval of their index with the Commission and for data providers that
submit information to price index developers. Data providers that
submit information to price index developers must meet minimum
reporting standards, set forth in the Commission's
[[Page 15988]]
Initial Policy Statement and Revised Policy Statement, to benefit from
a rebuttable presumption that they have submitted their transactions
accurately, timely, and in good faith (also known as the safe harbor
policy).\6\
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\4\ 104 FERC ] 61,121 (Initial Policy Statement), clarified,
Order on Clarification of Policy Statement on Natural Gas and
Electric Price Indices, 105 FERC ] 61,282 (2003) (2003 Clarification
Order), clarified, Order Further Clarifying Policy Statement on
Natural Gas and Electric Price Indices, 112 FERC ] 61,040 (2005)
(2005 Clarification Order).
\5\ Actions Regarding the Commission's Policy on Price Index
Formation and Transparency, and Indices Referenced in Natural Gas
and Electric Tariffs (PL20-3-000) (Revised Policy Statement), April
21, 2022.
\6\ Initial Policy Statement, 104 FERC ] 61,121 at P 37 and
Revised Policy Statement, 179 FERC ] 61,036 at P 45.
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Type of Respondents: Wholesale natural gas market participants
(FERC-552), price index data providers and developers (FERC-549E).
Estimate of Annual Burden: \7\ The Commission estimates the annual
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
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\7\ The Commission defines burden 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.
\8\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the
following formula: Average Burden Hours per Response * $103 per Hour
= Average Cost per Response. The hourly cost figure comes from
FERC's average annual cost of salary plus benefits in FY25 of
$214,093. We believe this estimate is comparable to respondents
salaries.
\9\ The number of natural gas market participants is based on CY
2024 FERC Form 552 data.
\10\ The number of price index data providers is based on CY
2024 FERC Form 552 data.
\11\ The number of price index developers is based on the number
of entities that received FERC approval after the issuance of the
2022 Revised Policy Statement.
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Annual number
Number of of responses Total number Average burden & cost Total annual burden hours & Cost per
respondents per of responses per response \8\ total annual cost respondent ($)
respondent
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (4).................... (3) * (4) = (5)............... (5) / (1)
(3)
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FERC-552: Annual Report of Natural Gas Transactions \9\
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Wholesale natural gas market 671 1 671 20 hrs.; $2,060........ 13,420 hrs.; $1,382,260....... $2,060
participants.
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FERC 549E: Price Index Data Providers \10\ and Developers \11\
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Data providers (and their 76 249 18,924 4 hrs.; $412........... 75,696 hrs.; $7,796,688....... 102,588
affiliates) report Next Day
Transactions.
Data Providers-perform biennial 96 .5 48 80 hrs.; $8,240........ 3,840 hrs.; $395,520.......... 4,120
self-audit (not annual).
Data Providers (and their 70 12 840 4 hrs.; $412........... 3,360 hrs.; $346,080.......... 4,944
affiliates) report Next Month
Transactions.
Price Index Developers--code of 6 1 6 80 hrs.; $8,240........ 480 hrs.; $49,440............. 8,240
conduct & confident.; & inform
customers.
Price Index Developers-- 6 1 6 80 hrs.; $8,240........ 480 hrs.; $49,440............. 8,240
identify assessed index price
vs. calculated.
Price Index Developers--re- 6 .14 1 269 hrs.; $27,707...... 269 hrs.; $27,707............. 4,618
certify every 7 yrs..
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TOTAL FERC 549E............ .............. .............. 19,825 ....................... 84,125; $8,664,875............ 132,750
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Comments Received on 60 Day Comment Period
The Commission received one comment from Public Citizen, Inc.
(Public Citizen) regarding FERC-552 and FERC-549E. Public Citizen
suggests what it describes as ``needed enhancements'' to reporting
under FERC-552 and FERC-549E to address increasing price volatility.
Public Citizen proposes revisions to the FERC-552 to increase
transparency into the natural gas price index formation process.
Specifically, Public Citizen recommends that the Commission: shift from
annual to quarterly reporting with geographic hub-level data; require
respondents to clearly identify affiliates filing separate reports; and
create a publicly accessible electronic information system based on
actual transactions.
The requirements related to the FERC-552 and FERC-549E information
collections are governed by 18 CFR 260.401 and the Commission's Revised
Policy Statement, which include the frequency, content, scope, and
availability of the collections.\12\ In this information collection
renewal proceeding, the Commission is not currently considering changes
to these regulations or to the Revised Policy Statement. Because Public
Citizen's comment proposes changes to those regulations and/or the
Revised Policy Statement, its comments are outside of the scope of this
information collection renewal process.
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\12\ Revised Policy Statement, 179 FERC ] 61,036.
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30 Day Notice Comments
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: March 26, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-06203 Filed 3-30-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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