In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three years.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
04/30/2015
36 Months From Approved
07/31/2013
741
0
678
399,549
0
339,200
0
0
40,704,000
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 covers Reliability Standard PRC-023. On March 18, 2010 FERC issued a Final Rule approved version one of the Reliability Standard, which was not among the original Reliability Standards approved by the Commission in Order No. 693. Reliability Standard PRC-023-2 was approved by the Commission on March 15, 2012.
Reliability Standard PRC-023-2 contains six requirements with the stated purpose of ensuring that protective relay settings do not limit transmission loadability; do not interfere with system operators' ability to take remedial action to protect system reliability; and are set to reliably detect all fault conditions and protect the electrical network from these faults. The Reliability Standard also includes two attachments. Attachment A specifies the protection systems that are subject to and excluded from the Standard's Requirements. Attachment B specifies the criteria for determining the circuits which must comply with Requirements R1 through R5.
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 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 63 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 are estimated to increase the burden on applicable entities by a total of 28,830 hours (program change), or approximately 39 hours per entity (for each of the 741 entities). NERC states that the proposed Reliability Standard requires transmission owners, generator owners, and distribution providers to verify relay loadability using methods that achieve
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:
(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;
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.