In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three
years. Note that FERC included a one-time burden estimate (42,137
hours) associated with the addition of Reliability Standard
TPL-007-1 in this collection that was annualized over the three
year approval period. FERC will need to remove this burden from
this collection and their inventory after year 3. Similarly there
are a number of one time responses that will need to be adjusted.
Additionally, the previous terms of clearance will need to be
addressed by FERC when Reliability Standards TPL-001-0 through
TPL-001-004 are revised: "When FERC considers approval of the next
versions of Reliability Standards TPL-001 through TPL-004, and
TPL-007, they should consider small entity impacts and potential
options for reducing their recordkeeping and reporting
burden."
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
11/30/2019
36 Months From Approved
01/31/2017
2,205
0
183
45,020
0
15,471
0
0
0
In this Final Rule in Docket RM15-11,
FERC approves Reliability Standard TPL-007-1. Reliability Standard
TPL-007-1 establishes requirements for certain entities to assess
the vulnerability of their transmission systems to geomagnetic
disturbance events (GMDs), which occur when the sun ejects charged
particles that interact and cause changes in the earth’s magnetic
fields. Entities that do not meet certain performance requirements,
based on the results of their vulnerability assessments, must
develop a plan to achieve the requirements. NERC submitted the
Reliability Standard for Commission approval in response to a FERC
directive in Order No. 779. In addition, the Commission directs
that NERC develop modifications to the benchmark GMD event
definition set forth in Attachment 1 of the approved Reliability
Standard so that the definition is not based solely on
spatially-averaged data.
US Code:
16
USC 824o Name of Law: Energy Policy Act of 2005
The Commission approves
Reliability Standard TPL-007-1 and the associated implementation
plan, violation severity levels, and violation risk factors, as
discussed above. Reliability Standard TPL-007-1 will impose new
requirements for transmission planners, planning coordinators,
transmission owners, and generator owners. 1. Reliability Standard
TPL-007-1, Requirement R1 requires planning coordinators, in
conjunction with transmission planner, to identify the
responsibilities of the planning coordinator and transmission
planner in the planning coordinator’s planning area for maintaining
models and performing the study or studies needed to complete GMD
Vulnerability Assessments. 2. Requirements R2, R3, R4, R5, and R7
refer to the “responsible entity, as determined by Requirement R1,”
when identifying which applicable planning coordinators or
transmission planners are responsible for maintaining models and
performing the necessary study or studies. 3. Requirement R2
requires that the responsible entities maintain models for
performing the studies needed to complete GMD Vulnerability
Assessments, as required in Requirement R4. 4. Requirement R3
requires responsible entities to have criteria for acceptable
system steady state voltage performance during a benchmark GMD
event. 5. Requirement R4 requires responsible entities to complete
a GMD Vulnerability Assessment of the near-term transmission
planning horizon once every 60 calendar months. 6. Requirement R5
requires responsible entities to provide GIC flow information to
transmission owners and generator owners that own an applicable
bulk electric system power transformer in the planning area. This
information is necessary for applicable transmission owners and
generator owners to conduct the thermal impact assessments required
by Requirement R6. 7. Requirement R6 requires applicable
transmission owners and generator owners to conduct thermal impact
assessments where the maximum effective GIC value provided in
Requirement R5, Part 5.1 is 75 A/phase or greater. 8. Requirement
R7 requires responsible entities to develop a corrective action
plan when its GMD Vulnerability Assessment indicates that its
system does not meet the performance requirements of Table 1 –
Steady State Planning Events. The corrective action plan must
address how the performance requirements will be met, must list the
specific deficiencies and associated actions that are necessary to
achieve performance, and must set forth a timetable for
completion.
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.
TPL-007-1 NERC Implementation Plan.pdf
RM15-11-000 supporting statement.docx
TPL-007-1 Reliability Standard (On-going, in Final Rule in RM15-11)