Revisions To Company Registration And Establishing Technical Conference

Docket Nos. RM07-16-000 and RM01-5-000 2

142 FERC ¶ 61,097

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Before Commissioners: Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman;

Philip D. Moeller, John R. Norris,

Cheryl A. LaFleur, and Tony T. Clark.

Filing Via the Internet Electronic Tariff Filings

Docket Nos.

RM07-16-000 RM01-5-000

REVISIONS TO COMPANY REGISTRATION AND ESTABLISHING TECHNICAL CONFERENCE

(Issued February 7, 2013)

1. The Commission is revising the company registration process with respect to the filing of electronic tariffs (eTariff) and to future filings requiring a company registration account. These procedures are expected to take effect in the third quarter of 2013.

Discussion

2. Under the existing company registration system, filing companies acquire a company registration number and a random number generated company registration password by entering information on an electronic form on the Commission’s website under “Company Registration.” The company registration number and password are used to make filings at the Commission and to make administrative changes to the Company Registration account. When making filings, the person making the filing logs-in under their individual eRegistration account and types in both the company registration number and the password. However, since many different people make filings for the filing company,¹ this method requires the sharing of the company registration password with many individuals.

3. Because the sharing of passwords is not secure and such sharing limits filing companies’ ability to control those persons who may make filings,² the Commission is adopting a revised method of authenticating filings requiring the use of a company registration number. Under this system, the filer will maintain a list of eRegistered agents which it has authorized to submit filings on its behalf. A filer can designate multiple individuals as its agents. The agent will use its eRegistration account to log onto FERC Online. When the eRegistered agent logs in to the Commission website to make a filing, they will choose the type of filing (e.g., eTariff), and then will be presented with a list of all the filing companies for which they make that type of filing.³

4. This process provides filing companies with greater control over the agents eligible to make specific types of filings on their behalf and eliminates the need that exists under the current Company Registration system to share the company registration password among employees. The Commission therefore will be adopting this process for all filings requiring a company registration account.

5. The Commission directs Commission staff to provide guidance to the industry and hold a technical conference to demonstrate the design of the Company Registration system. Representatives from all industries that will be using company registration to make filings are encouraged to attend the Company Registration conference.

6. The Secretary of the Commission is given delegated authority to issue a notice after the technical conference(s) containing the revised procedures and the effective date, and to make future revisions to the process as necessary.

The Commission orders:

The Commission hereby adopts a revised Company Registration process to be applied to electronic tariff and other filings requiring the use of a company registration account, as discussed in the body of this order.

By the Commission.

( S E A L )

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

Deputy Secretary.

1 A filing company that makes its own filings may use numerous individuals to make filings. Also, filing companies often will have one or perhaps more law firms making filings on their behalf.

2 Under the current process, for instance, a filing company interested in password security might request a new password every time an employee leaves the company.

3 In addition, as currently contemplated, filing companies also will be able to designate personnel as Company Registration account administrators who in addition to making filings themselves, will have additional rights to administer the Company Registration account settings and designate agents to make filings.