FERC-725A (Final Rule in RM19-16), Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
SupportingStatement (RM19-16 and 17) .docx Supporting Statement A	2020-11-18
09-2020-E-5 (ORDER No. 873.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-11-16
18 CFR 40.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-11-16
16 USC 824o.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-11-16
Final Rule Federal Register Notice 10-15-2020.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-11-16
Staff Presentation.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-02-21
01-23-20-E-24.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-01-24
Petition#1.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-01-24
Petition #2.pdf Supplementary Document	2020-01-24

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
45896	FERC-725A, Mandatory Reliability Standards for Bulk-Power System	Modified
219121	Rel. Stds. TOP-001-4, TOP-002-4, & TOP-003-3	Modified
204465	Reliability Standard FAC-003-2	Modified
200926	Reliability Standard FAC-013-2 (Order, RD11-3, ONE-TIME)	Removed

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0244	ICR Reference No: 202009-1902-004
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202001-1902-003
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-725A
Title: FERC-725A (Final Rule in RM19-16), Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 11/18/2020

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	08/31/2021
Responses	2,466	2,566
Time Burden (Hours)	1,466,716	1,469,721
Cost Burden (Dollars)	126,725	126,725

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Abstract: Final Rule in RM19-16 & RM19-17.Pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approved the retirement of 18 of 76 Reliability Standard requirements. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization, submitted the proposed retirements for Commission approval. As explained in NERC’s two petitions, the 18 retired requirements: (1) provide little or no reliability benefit; (2) are administrative in nature or relate expressly to commercial or business practices; or (3) are redundant with other Reliability Standards. NERC’s justifications for retiring the 18 requirements are largely consistent with the Commission-approved bases for retiring Reliability Standard requirements articulated in prior proceedings. The Final Rule affects FERC-725A, FERC-725G1, and FERC-725Z; the consolidated supporting statement addresses the 3 collections.

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Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 109 - 58 1211 Name of Law: Energy Policy Act of 2005
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
1902-AF69	Final or interim final rulemaking	85 FR 65207	10/15/2020

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 3

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
FERC-725A, Mandatory Reliability Standards for Bulk-Power System
Reliability Standard FAC-003-2
Rel. Stds. TOP-001-4, TOP-002-4, & TOP-003-3
Reliability Standard FAC-013-2 (Order, RD11-3, ONE-TIME)

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	2,466	2,566	0	-100	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,466,716	1,469,721	0	-3,005	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	126,725	126,725	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Changing Regulations

Short Statement: NERC’s justifications for retiring the 18 requirements are consistent with the Commission-approved bases for retiring Reliability Standard requirements articulated in prior proceedings, including the Commission’s determination that the proposed retirements will promote the efficiency of the Reliability Standards program by reducing duplicative or otherwise unnecessary regulatory burdens. Further, the retirement of the Reliability Standard provisions will benefit overall reliability by allowing registered entities to focus their resources on complying with those Reliability Standard requirements that more effectively promote the reliable operation and planning of the nation’s bulk-power system. Therefore, because the Reliability Standards and requirements proposed for retirement have been found to be no longer necessary, the related information collection requirements no longer serve any purpose.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $9,664

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 11/18/2020

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