FERC-725D, Facilities Design, Connections and Maintenance Reliability Standards

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
725D Justification 2011 Final.doc Supporting Statement A	2011-04-11
Statutes and Regs for Reliability.doc Supplementary Document	2011-03-31

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
181752	FERC-725D, Facilities Design, Connections and Maintenance Reliability Standards	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0247	ICR Reference No: 201102-1902-003
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 200903-1902-002
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-725D
Title: FERC-725D, Facilities Design, Connections and Maintenance Reliability Standards
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 06/14/2011
	Date Received in OIRA: 04/11/2011
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for 3 years.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	06/30/2014	36 Months From Approved	06/30/2011
Responses	470	0	250
Time Burden (Hours)	141,000	0	75,000
Cost Burden (Dollars)	55,800	0	0

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Abstract: The three FAC Reliability Standards require planning authorities and reliability coordinators to establish methodologies to determine system operating limits (SOLs) for the bulk-power system in the planning and operation horizons. The three Reliability Standards do not require responsible entities to file information with the Commission. With the exception of a three year self-certification of compliance, the Reliability Standards do not require responsible entities to file information with the ERO or Regional Entities. However, the Reliability Standards do require responsible entities to develop and maintain certain information for a specified period of time, subject to inspection by the ERO or Regional Entities. The information generated or maintained is used by the ERO or Regional Entities to verify compliance with the standards. Without being able to verify compliance, the ERO or Regional Entitles would have no method for oversight of these standards. This could lead to a lack of compliance with the standard and degradation in the reliability of the bulk electric system. Reliability Standard FAC-010-2 requires the planning authority to have a documented methodology for use in developing SOLs and must retain evidence that it issued its SOL methodology to relevant reliability coordinators, transmission operators and adjacent planning authorities. Likewise, the planning authority must respond to technical comments on the methodology within 45 days of receipt. Further, each planning authority must self-certify its compliance to the compliance monitor once every three years. Reliability Standard FAC-011-2 requires similar documentation by the reliability coordinator. Reliability Standard FAC-014-2 requires the reliability coordinator, planning authority, transmission operator, and transmission planner to verify compliance through self-certification submitted to the compliance monitor annually. These entities must also document that they have developed SOLs consistent with the applicable SOL methodology and that they have provided SOLs to entities identified in Requirement 5 of the Reliability Standard. Further, the planning authority must maintain a list of multiple contingencies and their associated stability limits. These three Reliability Standards serve an important reliability purpose in ensuring that SOLs used in the reliable planning and operation of the Bulk-Power System are determined based on an established methodology. Moreover, they clearly identify the entities to which they apply and contain clear and enforceable requirements.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 824o Name of Law: Federal Power Act
   PL: Pub.L. 109 - 58 1211 Name of Law: Energy Policy Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	75 FR 71678	11/24/2010
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	76 FR 18209	04/01/2011
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
FERC-725D, Facilities Design, Connections and Maintenance Reliability Standards

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	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	470	250	0	0	220	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	141,000	75,000	0	0	66,000	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	55,800	0	0	0	55,800	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: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The burden has increased due to an increase in the number of entities who are registered for the Planning Authority, Reliability Coordinator, Transmission Planner, and Transmission Operator functions. The change in applicable entities reported here is also due to the Commission now having a more accurate estimate of the number of entities that must comply with these standards. The "new" cost figure is due to our current policy of reporting in ROCIS all costs not associated with burden hours. In this case, the cost is associated with records storage.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $1,575

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

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? 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? Uncollected

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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: 04/11/2011

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