FERC-725G, [RM11-16, NOPR]Transmission Relay Loadability Mandatory Reliability Standard for the Bulk Power System

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
RM11-16_NOPR_ombjust_v2.doc Supporting Statement A	2011-09-21
PRC-023-2 Reliability Standard.pdf Supplementary Document	2011-09-20

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
189310	Transmission Relay Loadability Mandatory Reliability Standard	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0252	ICR Reference No: 201109-1902-004
Status: Historical Inactive	Previous ICR Reference No: 201004-1902-003
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-725G
Title: FERC-725G, [RM11-16, NOPR]Transmission Relay Loadability Mandatory Reliability Standard for the Bulk Power System
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Comment filed on proposed rule and continue	Conclusion Date: 12/08/2011
	Date Received in OIRA: 09/22/2011
Terms of Clearance: Terms of the previous clearance remain in effect. The requested revision is not approved at this time, so that the agency may consider and respond to any public comments on the associated proposed rule.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	07/31/2013	36 Months From Approved	07/31/2013
Responses	678	0	678
Time Burden (Hours)	339,200	0	339,200
Cost Burden (Dollars)	40,704,000	0	40,704,000

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Abstract: FERC-725G is a filing requirement concerning the implementation of a Reliability Standard by the Electric Reliability Organization as well as the Regional Entities and Regional Advisory Bodies who are responsible in the development of Reliability Standards. Specifically, FERC-725G began with the Reliability Standard PRC-023-1 and is implicated here by the proposed approval of Reliability Standard PRC-023-2. Reliability Standard PRC-023-2 requires transmission owners, generator owners, distribution providers, and planning coordinators to ensure that protective relay settings shall not limit transmission loadability; not interfere with system operators' ability to take remedial action to protect system reliability and; be set to reliability detect all fault conditions and protect the electrical network from these faults. Protective relays, also know as primary relays are one type of equipment used to detect, operate and initiate the removal of faults on electric systems. Protective relays read electrical measurements (such as current, voltage and frequency) and remove from service any system element that suffers a fault and threatens to damage equipment or interfere with effective operation of the system. Protective relays are applied to protect specific system elements and are set to recognize certain electrical measurements as indicating a fault. The proposed Reliability Standard does not impose entirely new burden requirements on applicable entities. Instead it improves upon existing requirements in the current Reliability Standard (PRC-023-1).

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 824o Name of Law: Federal Power Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: PL: Pub.L. 109 - 58 Title XII, Subtitle A Name of Law: Energy Policy Act 2005

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
1902-AE42	Proposed rulemaking	76 FR 58424	09/21/2011

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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: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Transmission Relay Loadability Mandatory Reliability Standard

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

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The modifications to the existing Reliability Standard PRC-023-1, and the corresponding burden increase, are a result of two things: one, FERC directives given to NERC when FERC approved the existing Reliability Standard; and two, an increase of 39 in the estimated number of entities that must comply with this collection. The estimated cost to comply with the information collection requirements is also increasing due to the increase in the burden hours (more fully discussed in question 13). The FERC directives led NERC to propose version two of Reliability Standard PRC-023 which makes modifications and improvements to the existing standard. The revised standard includes new and modified requirements that, if approved, are estimated to increase the burden on applicable entities by a total of 27,960 hours, or approximately 39 hours per entity. NERC states that the proposed Reliability Standard requires transmission owners, generator owners, and distribution providers to verify relay loadability using methods that achieve "the reliability goal of this Standard in an effective and efficient manner familiar to the responsible entities." The proposed Standard also applies to out-of-step blocking systems as well as to load-responsive phase protections systems. NERC specifically identifies the benefits of proposed Reliability Standard PRC-023-2, as including (a) consistent identification of operationally critical circuits operated below 200 kV that must comply with the Requirements of the Standard, and (b) providing transmission operators, planning coordinators, reliability coordinators, and the ERO with more information regarding the criteria selected by entities for verifying relay loadability. The increase in the number of applicable entities is thought to be due to changes in the number of entities contained in the NERC Compliance Registry. The previous version of the Reliability was based on the NERC compliance Registry as of March 3, 2009. The current estimate is based on the NERC compliance registry as of July 29, 2011.

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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: 09/22/2011

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