FERC-516F, (RM17-8-000 NOPR) Reform of Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
RM17-8 NOPR Support Statement-2-15-2017 final.docx Supporting Statement A	2017-02-15
18 CFR 37.6.pdf Supplementary Document	2017-01-13
16 USC 824e.pdf Supplementary Document	2017-01-13
16 USC 824d.pdf Supplementary Document	2017-01-13
18 CFR 35.28.pdf Supplementary Document	2017-01-13

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
224944	RM17-8 (RTO/ISO)	New
224942	RM17-8 (Non-RTO/ISO)	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0297	ICR Reference No: 201612-1902-003
Status: Historical Inactive	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-516F
Title: FERC-516F, (RM17-8-000 NOPR) Reform of Generator Interconnection Procedures and Agreements
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Comment filed on proposed rule	Conclusion Date: 08/08/2017
	Date Received in OIRA: 02/15/2017
Terms of Clearance: OMB files this comment in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.11(c) of the Paperwork Reduction Act and is withholding approval of this collection at this time. This OMB action is not an approval to conduct or sponsor an information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The agency shall examine public comment in response to the Notice of 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. This action has no effect on any current approvals.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date		36 Months From Approved
Responses	0	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	0	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) in Docket RM17-8, the Commission is proposing fourteen reforms that focus on improving aspects of the pro forma LGIA and LGIP, the pro forma OATT, and the Commission’s regulations. The proposed reforms fall into three broad categories and are intended to: (1) improve certainty in the interconnection process; (2) improve transparency by providing more information to interconnection customers; and (3) enhance interconnection processes. First, the Commission proposes four reforms to improve certainty by affording interconnection customers more predictability in the interconnection process. To accomplish this goal, the Commission proposes to: (1) revise the pro forma LGIP to require transmission providers that conduct cluster studies to move toward a scheduled, periodic restudy process; (2) remove from the pro forma LGIA the limitation that interconnection customers may only exercise the option to build transmission provider’s interconnection facilities and stand alone network upgrades if the transmission owner cannot meet the dates proposed by the interconnection customer; (3) modify the pro forma LGIA to require mutual agreement between the transmission owner and interconnection customer for the transmission owner to opt to initially self-fund the costs of the construction of network upgrades; and (4) require that the Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO) and Independent System Operators (ISO) establish dispute resolution procedures for interconnection disputes. Second, the Commission proposes five reforms to improve transparency by providing improved information for the benefit of all participants in the interconnection process. These reforms would provide a fuller picture of the considerations involved in interconnecting a new large generating facility. The Commission proposes to: (1) require transmission providers to outline and make public a method for determining contingent facilities in their LGIPs and LGIAs based upon guiding principles in the Proposed Rule; (2) require transmission providers to list in their LGIPs and on their Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS) sites the specific study processes and assumptions for forming the networking models used for interconnection studies; (3) require congestion and curtailment information to be posted in one location on each transmission provider’s OASIS site; (4) revise the definition of “Generating Facility” in the pro forma LGIP and LGIA to explicitly include electric storage resources; and (5) create a system of reporting requirements for aggregate interconnection study performance. Third, the Commission proposes five reforms to enhance interconnection processes by making use of underutilized existing interconnections, providing interconnection service earlier, or accommodating changes in the development process. In this area, the Commission proposes to: (1) allow interconnection customers to limit their requested level of interconnection service below their generating facility capacity; (2) require transmission providers to allow for provisional agreements so that interconnection customers can operate on a limited basis prior to completion of the full interconnection process; (3) require transmission providers to create a process for interconnection customers to utilize surplus interconnection service at existing interconnection points; (4) require transmission providers to set forth a separate procedure to allow transmission providers to assess and, if necessary, study an interconnection customer’s technology changes (e.g., incorporation of a newer turbine model) without a change to the interconnection customer’s queue position; and (5) require transmission providers to evaluate their methods for modeling electric storage resources for interconnection studies and report to the Commission why and how their existing practices are or are not sufficient.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 18 USC 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-AF33	Proposed rulemaking	82 FR 4464	01/13/2017

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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: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
RM17-8 (Non-RTO/ISO)
RM17-8 (RTO/ISO)

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Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The proposed revisions in this docket would require filings of pro forma LGIAs, pro forma LGIPs, and pro forma OATTS with the Commission, as well as periodic postings to OASIS websites. The increase in burden is due to the proposed improvements to the interconnection process. Commission staff anticipates the reforms proposed here, once implemented, would not significantly change currently existing burdens on an ongoing basis. In regards to OASIS postings specifically, Commission staff anticipates that the majority of the burden associated with those requirements would be incurred in the first year developing the necessary processes and procedures to generate the data to be posted, and that in subsequent years there will be minimal burden to make those postings.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $44,143

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: 02/15/2017

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