EIA-111 Supporting Statement B (03-27-18)

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Supporting Statement for Quarterly Electricity Imports and Exports Report

1. Part B: Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

Form EIA-111, Quarterly Electricity Imports and Exports Report

OMB No. 1905-0208

March 2018

Independent Statistics & Analysis

www.eia.gov

U.S. Department of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

Table of Contents

Part B: Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods i

B.1. Respondent Universe 1

B.2. Statistical Methods 1

B.3. Maximizing Response Rates 1

B.4. Test Procedures and Form Consultations 2

B.5. Statistical Consultations 2

B.1. Respondent Universe

Form EIA-111 collects import and export data from a census of licensed importers and exporters of electricity. The data collected on Form EIA-111 are used to obtain estimates of the flow of electricity into and out of the United States. U.S. entities that purchase, sell or exchange electricity, including persons authorized to export electric energy from the United States to foreign countries, are required to report monthly flows of electric energy received or delivered across the border and the cost associated with the transactions. U.S. Balancing Authorities that are directly interconnected with foreign Balancing Authorities report actual and implemented interchange. Persons authorized by Presidential Permit to construct, operate, maintain, or connect electric power transmission lines that cross the U.S. international border, and export authorization holders, report events where their DOE Order flow limit terms were exceeded.

B.2. Statistical Methods

There are no statistical methodologies used with this form.

B.3. Maximizing Response Rates

To maximize response rates, the form has been designed and the instructions written to be clear and concise.

Non-respondents are contacted by e-mail, telephone, and letter to request their data submission until an insignificant nonresponse rate is reached. If no response occurs, additional correspondence is sent to higher level management officials to request the submission of the data.

If non-response occurs, EIA will know the magnitude of missing data since implemented interchange reported by Balancing Authorities will be greater than aggregated imports and exports. In that case, the ratio of aggregated transfers filed by Balancing Authorities divided by the aggregated imports and exports filed by entities will be used to adjust the payments for imports or exports.

The reliability of data is subject to two types of possible errors: non-sampling errors and sampling errors. Form EIA-111 does not rely on sampling. Non-sampling errors occur for all surveys and can be attributed to many sources in the collection and processing of data, such as incomplete frame coverage, a difference in interpretations of definitions or questions, mistakes in recording or coding the data from respondents. Response error, or reporting error (the difference between the true value and the value reported on a survey form), is typically the major component of the total survey error for this survey.

To aid in detecting and minimizing response errors, automated data validation procedures are used to check current data. These checks include verifying the current data for consistency with past data, for internal consistency (e.g. totals equal sum of parts), examining orders of magnitude, and cell position. Data elements that fail validation are flagged for manual review and possible editing.

B.4. Test Procedures and Form Consultations

Form EIA-111 was not independently tested.

B.5. Statistical Consultations

Form EIA-111 was designed by a collaborative effort of three EIA offices, one with an in-depth knowledge of the electric power transmission systems, one with survey design expertise, and one with automated collection processing and operations expertise. This collaboration resulted in a relatively low burden survey instrument that collects useful data. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability provided concurrence that the collected data was technically adequate.

For information concerning this request for OMB approval, please contact Tosha Beckford, at 202-287-6597, or tosha.beckford@eia.gov.