30-day notice (Issued)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. IC23-15-000]

COMMISSION INFORMATION COLLECTION ACTIVITIES (FERC-516H)

COMMENT REQUEST; EXTENSION

(December 1, 2023)

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY: : In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC-516H, (Electric Rate Schedules and Tariff Filings, Pro Forma Open Access Transmission Tariff), which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. No Comments were received on the 60-day notice published on September 28, 2023.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due [INSERT DATE 30 days after date of publication in the Federal Register].

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-516H to OMB through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control Number (1902-0303) in the subject line of your comments. Comments should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

Please submit copies of your comments to the Commission. You may submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. IC23-15-000) by one of the following methods:

Electronic filing through https://www.ferc.gov, is preferred.

• Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed in acceptable native applications and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture format.

• For those unable to file electronically, comments may be filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery.

  • Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Addressed to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20426.

  • Hand (including courier) delivery: Deliver to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.

Instructions: OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Using the search function under the “Currently Under Review” field, select Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click “submit,” and select “comment” to the right of the subject collection.

FERC submissions must be formatted and filed in accordance with submission guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 (toll-free).

Docket: Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and issuances in this docket may do so at https://www.ferc.gov/ferc-online/overview.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Sonneman may be reached by e-mail at [email protected], telephone at (202) 502-6362.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: FERC-516H, Electric Rate Schedules and Tariff Filings, Pro Forma Open Access Transmission Tariff

OMB Control No.: 1902-0303

Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-516H information collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting requirements.

Abstract: As of March 14, 2022, FERC-516H, requires respondents that are subject to 18 CFR 35.28 to submit compliance filings that add a new Attachment M to their pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariffs (OATTs). The regulation at 18 CFR 35.28, which pertains to non-discriminatory open access transmission tariffs, applies to:

• Commission-jurisdictional public utilities that own, control, or operate facilities used for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce; and

• Non-jurisdictional utilities that seek voluntary compliance with jurisdictional transmission tariff reciprocity conditions.

In Order No. 881, the Commission added 18 CFR 35.28(c)(5) to require any public utility that owns transmission facilities that are not under the public utility’s control to, consistent with the pro forma OATT required by 18 CFR 35.28(c)(1), share with the public utility that controls such facilities (and its Market Monitoring Unit(s), if applicable):

(i) Transmission line ratings for each period for which transmission line ratings are calculated for such facilities (with updated ratings shared each time ratings are calculated); and

(ii) Written transmission line rating methodologies used to calculate the transmission line ratings for such facilities provided under subparagraph (i), above.

Additionally, 18 CFR Section 35.28(c) requires each public utility transmission provider to have on file with the Commission and adhere to the Commission’s pro forma Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT). In Order No. 881, the Commission added Attachment M of the Commission’s pro forma OATT to require each jurisdictional transmission provider to maintain on the password-protected section of its OASIS page or on another password-protected website a database of transmission line ratings and transmission line rating methodologies. Such transmission line ratings and transmission line rating methodologies are to be calculated and provided by transmission owners. The database must include a full record of all transmission line ratings, both as used in real-time operations, and as used for all future periods for which transmission service is offered. Additionally, Attachment M of the Commission’s pro forma OATT requires transmission providers, as the regulated entities, to share transmission line ratings and methodologies with any transmission provider(s) upon request and in a timely manner.

Type of Respondent: Transmission Owners.

Estimate of Annual Burden:¹ The Commission estimates the annual public reporting burden for the information collection as below:

A. Area of Modification	B. Number of Respondents	C. Annual Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent	D. Annual Estimated Number of Responses (Column B X Column C)	E. Average Burden Hours & Cost2 per Response	F. Total Estimated Burden Hours & Total Estimated Cost (Column D x Column E)
FERC-516H (Control No. 1902-0303)
Transmission owners3 (Year 1 and Ongoing)	289 (TOs)	1	289	176 hrs.; $16,192	50,864 hrs.; $4,679,488

Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Commission’s Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission proceedings.  OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access publicly available information and navigate Commission processes.  For public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].

Kimberly D. Bose,

Secretary.

1 “Burden” is the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For further explanation of what is included in the information collection burden, refer to 5 CFR § 1320.3.

2 The hourly cost (for salary plus benefits) uses the figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for three positions involved in the reporting and recordkeeping requirements. These figures include salary (based on BLS data for May 2023, http://bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm) and benefits (based on BLS data issued March 19, 2022, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm) and are Manager (Code 11-0000 $106.33/hour), Electrical Engineer (Code 17-2071 $77.29/hour). The hourly cost for the reporting requirements ($91.81 = $92 rounded) is an average of the cost of a manager and engineer.

3 Transmission owners update forecasts and ratings, and share transmission line ratings and facility ratings methodologies w/ transmission providers and, if applicable, RTOs/ ISOs & market monitors