In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is withholding approval at this time. The
agency shall examine public comment in response to the proposed
rulemaking and will include in the supporting statement of the next
ICR--to be submitted to OMB at the final rule stage--a description
of how the agency has responded to any public comments on the ICR,
including comments on maximizing the practical utility of the
collection and minimizing the burden.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
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0
0
0
0
0
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On December 31, 2014, NERC submitted a
petition seeking approval of proposed Reliability Standard
PRC-026-1, as well as the associated implementation plan, and
violation risk factors and violation severity levels. NERC avers
that proposed Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 satisfies the Order
No. 733 directive to develop a new standard that requires the use
of protective relay systems that can differentiate between faults
and stable power swings. According to NERC, the proposed
Reliability Standard sets forth requirements that prevent the
unnecessary tripping of bulk electric system elements in response
to stable power swings. NERC further explains that the
identification of bulk electric system elements with protection
systems at-risk of operating as a result of a stable or unstable
power swing and subsequent review by the applicable generator owner
or transmission owner "provides assurance that relays will continue
to be secure for stable power swings if any changes in system
impedance occur." Proposed Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 has four
requirements and two attachments. NERC explains that Attachment A
"provides clarity on which load-responsive protective relay
functions are applicable" under the standard. Specifically,
Attachment A provides that proposed Reliability Standard PRC-026-1
applies to: any protective functions which could trip
instantaneously or with a time delay of less than 15 cycles on load
current (i.e., "load-responsive")…. According to NERC, the 15 cycle
time delay "is representative of an expected power swing having a
slow slip rate of 0.67 Hertz (Hz) and is the average time that a
stable power swing with that slip rate would enter the relays'
characteristic, reverse direction, and then exit the characteristic
before the time delay expired." NERC states that the proposed
standard does not apply to "functions that are either immune to
power swings, block power swings, or prevent non-immune protection
function operation due to supervision of the function."
FERC-725G3 is a new collection
number for the proposed revised Reliability Standard PRC-026-1
(Relay Performance During Stable Power Swings). (Long-term the
info. collection requirements should be part of FERC-725G, however
an unrelated item is pending OMB review under 725G.) Pursuant to
Section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), FERC proposes to
approve a revised Reliability Standard, PRC-026-1, developed and
submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation
(NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization
(ERO). Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 addresses the Commission's
directive from Order No. 733 by helping to prevent the unnecessary
tripping of bulk electric system elements in response to stable
power swings.
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.
RM15-8 NOPR Supporting Statement9-24-2015.docx
EPACT 2005 Section 215 (16 USC 824o).pdf
PRC-026-1 Reliability Standard