FERC-725A, (Final Rule in RM15-16), Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
RM15-16_NERC Petition AttachmentB ImplementPlan_20150318-5202.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-01	Available
RM15-16NERC PetitionAttachment A_20150318-5202.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-01	Available
RM15-16NERC Petition20150318-5202.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2015-12-01	Available
RM15-16 supporting statement FINAL RULE_12-1-15correction725Z (1).docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2016-01-21	Available
CFR-2011-title18-vol1-part40.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2012-01-19	Available
EPACT 2005 Section 215 (16 USC 824o).pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2012-11-01	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
45896	FERC-725A, Mandatory Reliability Standards for Bulk-Power System		Modified
219121	(RM15-16 Final Rule) Rel. Stds. TOP-001-3, TOP-002-4, & TOP-003-3		New
208742	Reliability Standard EOP-004-2 (Order, RD13-3, ONE-TIME)		Unchanged
204465	Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 (RM12-4) ONE-TIME burden		Unchanged
200926	Reliability Standard FAC-013-2 (Order, RD11-3, ONE-TIME)		Unchanged

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0244	ICR Reference No: 201511-1902-009
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201409-1902-009
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-725A
Title: FERC-725A, (Final Rule in RM15-16), 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
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 01/21/2016
	Date Received in OIRA: 12/01/2015
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the revision to the information collection is approved. The previous terms of clearance, including the expiration date, remain in effect.

table that charts list comparision

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	01/31/2019	36 Months From Approved	05/31/2016
Responses	3,966	0	3,770
Time Burden (Hours)	1,642,395	0	1,624,746
Cost Burden (Dollars)	126,725	0	126,725

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Abstract: The FERC-725A collection contains the paperwork requirements and associated burden hours for most of the nationwide Reliability Standards, including the VAR group of standards. In the final rule in RM15-16, the Commission approves revisions to the Transmission Operations and Interconnection Reliability Operations and Coordination Reliability Standards, developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which the Commission has certified as the Electric Reliability Organization responsible for developing and enforcing mandatory Reliability Standards. The Commission also directs NERC to make three modifications to the standards within 18 months of the effective date of the final rule.

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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-AF05	Final or interim final rulemaking	80 FR 73977	11/27/2015

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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: 5

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Reliability Standard FAC-013-2 (Order, RD11-3, ONE-TIME)
FERC-725A, Mandatory Reliability Standards for Bulk-Power System
Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 (RM12-4) ONE-TIME burden
Reliability Standard EOP-004-2 (Order, RD13-3, ONE-TIME)
(RM15-16 Final Rule) Rel. Stds. TOP-001-3, TOP-002-4, & TOP-003-3

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list 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	3,966	3,770	0	196	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,642,395	1,624,746	0	17,649	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	126,725	126,725	0	0	0	0

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: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: In the Final Rule in RM15-16, FERC approves revisions to the Transmission Operations (TOP) and Interconnection Reliability Operations and Coordination (IRO) Reliability Standards, developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization (ERO). The TOP and IRO Reliability Standards improve on the currently-effective standards by providing a more precise set of Reliability Standards addressing operating responsibilities and improving the delineation of responsibilities between applicable entities. The revised TOP Reliability Standards eliminate gaps and ambiguities in the currently-effective TOP requirements and improve efficiency by incorporating the necessary requirements from the eight currently-effective TOP Reliability Standards into three comprehensive Reliability Standards. Further, the standards clarify and improve upon the currently-effective TOP and IRO Reliability Standards by designating requirements in the proposed standards that apply to transmission operators for the TOP standards and reliability coordinators for the IRO standards. Thus, we conclude that there are benefits to clarifying and bringing efficiencies to the TOP and IRO Reliability Standards, consistent with the Commission’s policy promoting increased efficiencies in Reliability Standards and reducing requirements that are either redundant with other currently-effective requirements or have little reliability benefit.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $5,193

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: 12/01/2015

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