FERC-516A, (Final Rule in RM16-8) Standardization of Small Generator Interconnection Agreements and Procedures,

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
18CFR35-28f.docx Supplementary Document	2016-08-01
FERC-516A Supporting Statement_Final Rule_RM16-8_ 7-25-2016.docx Supporting Statement A	2016-07-25
Order 2006 (May 2005).pdf Supplementary Document	2014-09-09
USCODE-2012-title16-chap12-subchapII-sec824e.pdf Supplementary Document	2014-07-30
USCODE-2012-title16-chap12-subchapII-sec824d.pdf Supplementary Document	2014-07-30

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
23246	Standardization of Small Generator Interconnection Agreements and Procedures Instruction	Unchanged
222613	One-time changes (in Yr. 1 and averaged over Yrs. 1-3) due to Final Rule in RM16-8	New
205613	Ongoing Voluntary Pre-Application Report, Supplemental Review, and Review of Required Upgrades (RM13-2)	Unchanged
205612	Ongoing Mandatory Pre-Application Report, Supplemental Review, and Review of Required Upgrades (RM13-2)	Unchanged

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0203	ICR Reference No: 201607-1902-003
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201407-1902-011
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-516A
Title: FERC-516A, (Final Rule in RM16-8) Standardization of Small Generator Interconnection Agreements and Procedures,
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 10/03/2016
	Date Received in OIRA: 08/01/2016
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three years. Note that the one-time burden added to this collection (averaged to be 295 hours/yr for 3 years) will need to be removed after Year 3, when this collection expires.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	10/31/2019	36 Months From Approved	10/31/2017
Responses	3,359	0	3,241
Time Burden (Hours)	16,516	0	16,221
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: Final Rule in Docket No. RM16-8.FERC is modifying the pro forma Small Generator Interconnection Agreement (SGIA). The pro forma SGIA establishes the terms and conditions under which public utilities must provide interconnection service to small generating facilities of no larger than 20 megawatts. The Commission is modifying the pro forma SGIA to require newly interconnecting small generating facilities to ride through abnormal frequency and voltage events and not disconnect during such events. The specific ride through settings must be consistent with Good Utility Practice and any standards and guidelines applied by the transmission provider to other generating facilities on a comparable basis. The Commission already requires generators interconnecting under the Large Generator Interconnection Agreement to meet such requirements, and it would be unduly discriminatory not to also impose these requirements on small generating facilities. The Commission concludes that newly interconnecting small generating facilities should have ride through requirements comparable to large generating facilities. FERC-516A, in general. Under sections 205 and 206 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) the Commission is charged with ensuring just and reasonable electric transmission rates and charges as well as ensuring that jurisdictional providers do not subject any person to any undue prejudice or disadvantage. The lack of consistent and readily accessible terms and conditions for connecting resources to the grid led to a large number of disputes between jurisdictional transmission providers and small generators in the late 1990's and early 2000's. In response, the Commission directed transmission providers to include Commission-approved, standard, pro-forma interconnection procedures (small generator interconnection procedures or SGIP) and a single uniformly applicable interconnection agreement (small generator interconnection agreement or SGIA) in their open-access transmission tariffs (OATTs). The requirement to create and file these documents was instituted August 12, 2005, by Commission Order 2006 and is codified in 18 CFR 35.28(f). This collection is necessary because it sets and maintains a standard in OATTs for consistent consideration and processing of interconnection requests by transmission providers.

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

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
1902-AF19	Final or interim final rulemaking	81 FR 50290	08/01/2016

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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: 4

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Ongoing Mandatory Pre-Application Report, Supplemental Review, and Review of Required Upgrades (RM13-2)
Ongoing Voluntary Pre-Application Report, Supplemental Review, and Review of Required Upgrades (RM13-2)
Standardization of Small Generator Interconnection Agreements and Procedures	516A	Small Generator Interconnection Agreement
One-time changes (in Yr. 1 and averaged over Yrs. 1-3) due to Final Rule in RM16-8

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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	3,359	3,241	0	118	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	16,516	16,221	0	295	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	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: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: FERC modifies the pro forma Small Generator Interconnection Agreement (SGIA) originally set forth in Order No. 2006 and revised in Order No. 792 to require small generating facilities interconnecting through the SGIA to ride through abnormal frequency and voltage events and not disconnect during such events. Pursuant to section 206 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Commission finds that, given the changes to conditions since the Commission last evaluated whether to impose ride through requirements on small generating facilities, the revisions to the pro forma SGIA are necessary to remedy undue discrimination by ensuring that small generating facilities have ride through requirements comparable to large generating facilities. As a result of this Final Rule in RM16-8, small generating facilities are required to not disconnect automatically or instantaneously from the system or equipment of the transmission provider and any affected systems for an under-frequency or over-frequency condition, or an under-voltage or over-voltage condition. Furthermore, the transmission provider must coordinate the small generating facility’s protective equipment settings with any automatic load shedding program (e.g., under-frequency load shedding, under-voltage load shedding). The specific ride through settings must be consistent with Good Utility Practice and any standards and guidelines applied by the transmission provider to other generating facilities on a comparable basis. These requirements will apply to new interconnection customers that execute or request the unexecuted filing of an SGIA on or after the effective date of this Final Rule. These requirements will also apply to existing interconnection customers that, pursuant to a new interconnection request, execute or request the unexecuted filing of a new or modified SGIA on or after the effective date of this Final Rule.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $293,508

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: 08/01/2016

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