Notice2026-18871
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-556); Comment Request; Extension
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentFederal Energy Regulatory Commission
Abstract
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-556 (OMB Control No. 1902-0075) Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility. The comment period ended on September 8, 2026, with no comments received. There were no changes to the reporting requirements.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 177 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58434-58435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18871]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC26-39-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-556); Comment
Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.
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, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or
FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved
information collection FERC-556 (OMB Control No. 1902-0075)
Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status for a Small Power
Production or Cogeneration Facility. The comment period ended on
September 8, 2026, with no comments received. There were no changes to
the reporting requirements.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due October 15,
2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-556 to OMB through <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202608-1902-007">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202608-1902-007</a>. 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#e2a6839683a18e878390838c8187a2a4a7b0a1cc858d94"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a0e2b3e2b09262f2b382b24292f0a0c0f1809642d253c">[email protected]</span></a>. You must specify Docket No. (IC26-39-000)
and the FERC Information Collection number (FERC-556) 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>. Once there, you can also
sign up for automatic notification of activity in this docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact: Kayla Williams at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a6e2c7d2c7e5cac3c7d4c7c8c5c3e6e0e3f4e588c1c9d0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="feba9f8a9fbd929b9f8c9f909d9bbeb8bbacbdd0999188">[email protected]</span></a>, telephone at (202) 502-6468.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC-556, Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) Status
for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility.
OMB Control No.: 1902-0075.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-556 information
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting
requirements.
Abstract: Form No. 556 is required to implement sections 201 and
210 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 \1\ (PURPA).
FERC is authorized, under those sections, to encourage cogeneration and
small power production and to prescribe such rules as necessary to
carry out the statutory directives.
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\1\ 16 U.S.C. 796 and 824i.
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A primary statutory objective is efficient use of energy resources
and facilities by electric utilities. One means of achieving this goal
is to encourage production of electric power by cogeneration
facilities, which make use of reject heat associated with commercial or
industrial processes, and by small power production facilities, which
use renewable resources and other wastes. PURPA encourages the
development of small power production facilities and cogeneration
facilities that meet certain technical and corporate criteria through
establishment of various regulatory benefits. Facilities that meet
these criteria are called Qualifying Facilities (QFs).
FERC's regulations in 18 CFR part 292, as relevant here, specify:
(a) the certification procedures which must be followed by owners or
operators of small power production and cogeneration facilities; (b)
the criteria which must be met; (c) the information which must be
submitted to FERC in order to obtain qualifying status; and (d) the
PURPA benefits which are available to QFs to encourage small power
production and cogeneration.
18 CFR part 292 also exempts some QFs from certain corporate,
accounting, reporting, and rate regulation requirements of the Federal
Power Act,\2\ certain state laws, and the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 2005.\3\
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\2\ 16 U.S.C. 791a, et seq.
\3\ 42 U.S.C. 16451 through 165463.
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Type of Respondents: Facilities that are self-certifying their
status as a cogenerator or small power producer or that are submitting
an application for FERC certification of their status as a cogenerator
or small power producer.
Estimate of Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the burden and
[[Page 58435]]
cost for this information collection as follows:
FERC-556--Certification of Qualifying Facility Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility
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Number of
Number of responses Total number Average burden hours & cost per Total annual burden hours & total Cost per
Facility type Filing type respondents per of responses response \4\ annual cost (rounded) respondent ($)
respondent (rounded)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (4)............................ (3) * (4) = (5)....................... (5) / (1)
(3)
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Cogeneration Facility >1 MW \5\.... Self-certification.... 50 2.14 107 3.54 hrs; $361.08.............. 378.78 hrs; $38,635.56................ 772.71
Cogeneration Facility >1 MW........ Application for FERC 0 2.14 0 50 hrs; $5,100................. 0 hrs; $0............................. 0
certification.
Small Power Production Facility >1 Self-certification.... 2,924 2.14 6,257.36 3.54 hrs; $361.08.............. 22,151.05 hrs; $2,259,407.55.......... 772.71
MW.
Small Power Production Facility >1 Application for FERC 0 2.14 0 50 hrs; $5,100................. 0 hrs; $0............................. 0
MW. certification.
Cogeneration and Small Power Self-certification.... 1,422 2.14 3,043.08 3.54 hrs; $361.08.............. 10,772.50 hrs; $1,098,795.33.......... 772.71
Production Facility <=1 MW \6\.
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Total.......................... ...................... 4,396 ............ 9,407.44 ............................... 33,302 hrs; $3,396,837.66............. ..............
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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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\4\ The Commission staff believes that industry is similarly
situated in terms of wages and benefits. Therefore, cost estimates
are based on FERC's 2026 average annual wage (and benefits) for a
full-time employee of $213,003 (or $102.00/hour).
\5\ MW = megawatt.
\6\ The regulation at 18 CFR 292.203(d) exempts small power
production facilities and cogeneration facilities from self-
certification if they have a net power production capacity of 1 MW
or less. However, we are disclosing burdens for these filings
because some facilities seek status as qualifying facilities
regardless of their capacity.
Dated: September 10, 2026.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-18871 Filed 9-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
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