In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is filing comment and 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.
In addition, the previous terms of clearance are still in effect: OMB encourages FERC to reach out to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) (and any other commenters) to discuss the data needs BEA identified during the review of this information collection request renewal and to determine whether possible efficiencies (to the federal government and industry) may be made by including additional data or information requirements in this form in the future.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
12/31/2019
36 Months From Approved
12/31/2019
5
0
5
610
0
610
0
0
0
NOPR in RM19-12. A consolidated supporting statement is being submitted with for Forms 1, 1-F, and 3-Q (electric and gas), 2, 2A, 6, 6Q, 714A, & 60A
The Commission is proposing to transition from the current use of the Visual FoxPro software, which is no longer supported by its developer, to a type of Extensible Markup Language (XML) called eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). The XBRL standard would be used to file the Commissionâs Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 2, 2-A, 3-Q electric, 3-Q natural gas, 6, 6-Q, 60, and 714. The use of XBRL should make the information in these forms easier for filers and data users to analyze and assist in automating regulatory filings and business information processing. In addition, the Commission believes that transitioning from the current Visual FoxPro system to XBRL will decrease the costs, over time, of preparing the necessary data for submission and complying with future changes to filing requirements set forth by the Commission. The Commission is also proposing to revise its regulations to require filers of Form No. 1-F to file their report in electronic media pursuant to 18 CFR 385.2011.
General. In accordance with sections 304 and 309 of the Federal Power Act, FERC is authorized to collect and record data to the extent it considers necessary, and to prescribe rules and regulations concerning accounts, records and memoranda. The Commission may prescribe a system of accounts for jurisdictional companies and after notice and an opportunity for hearing may determine the accounts in which particular outlays and receipts will be entered, charged or credited. The Form 1-F is designed to collect financial and operational information from nonmajor public utilities and licensees. Public utilities and licensees that are not classified as major and had total sales in each of the last three consecutive years of 10,000 megawatt-hours or more are classified as nonmajor. The Commission collects Form No. 1-F information as prescribed in 18 CFR 141.2.
Under the existing regulations FERC jurisdictional entities subject to its Uniform System of Accounts must annually file with the Commission a complete set of financial statements, along with other selected financial and non financial data through the submission of FERC Annual Report Form 1-F. The FERC Annual Report Forms provide the Commission, as well as others, with an informative picture of the jurisdictional entities financial condition along with other relevant data that is used by the Commission, as well as others, in making economic judgments about the entity or its industry.
(Note that ~4 out of the 5 filers choose to submit electronically using the Form 1 software rather than submitting the paper only Form 1-F.)
Under the Commissionâs regulations, certain entities are required to report information to the Commission by filing one or more forms. Currently, these entities use a Commission-distributed software application called Visual FoxPro. Each entity is required to gather its relevant financial and other data and enter the data into Visual FoxPro, which the entity maintains on its own computer system. The entity then uses the Visual FoxPro software to transmit the information to the Commission. However, Microsoft Corporation, the developer of Visual FoxPro, no longer supports this product.
Recognizing that Microsoft Corporation no longer supports Visual FoxPro, on April 25, 2015, the Commission issued an order announcing its intention to replace the current Visual FoxPro filing format for Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 2, 2-A, 3-Q electric, 3-Q natural gas, 6, 6-Q, 60, and 714 (collectively, the VFP Forms) with an XML-based filing format. The Commission stated that XML is the current industry standard for submission of electronic data, such as that captured in its forms, and that the XML data format has significant advantages over other approaches because it is non-proprietary, and would establish a single standard for nearly all Commission forms while also providing consistency with the Commissionâs current electronic tariff (eTariff) filings and the Electric Quarterly Report (EQR) systems. The XML format facilitates the sharing of data across different information systems, particularly via the Internet, by structuring the data using tags to identify particular data elements.
No
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Robert Hudson 202 502-6620
No
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.