FERC-725E: Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Western Electric Coordinating Council (RD26-5)

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
725E RD26-5 30-day notice (Published).pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-08-27	Available
FERC-725E RD26-5 30-day Notice (Issued).docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-08-27	Available
725E RD26-5 60-day notice (Published).pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-08-27	Available
FERC-725E_RD26-5_BAL-002-WECC 60-day notice (Issued).docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-08-27	Available
BAL-004-WECC-4.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2025-07-29	Available
FERC-725E _supporting statement_8_27_26.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2026-08-27	Available
VAR-501-WECC-4.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2024-05-02	Available
Delegated Order for RD26-5-000.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-08-27	Available
Joint Petition for BAL-002-WECC-3 Retirement_final.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-08-27	Available
IRO-006-WECC-3.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2020-11-17	Available
FAC-501-WECC-2.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2020-11-17	Available
18 CFR 40.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2020-11-13	Available
16 USC 824o.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2020-11-13	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
180804	FERC-725E (WECC Reliability Standards)		Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1902-0246	ICR Reference No: 202608-1902-005
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202506-1902-001
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-725E
Title: FERC-725E: Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Western Electric Coordinating Council (RD26-5)
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 08/27/2026

table that charts list comparision

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	09/30/2027
Responses	1,209	1,244
Time Burden (Hours)	1,949	2,358
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: RD26-5 Retirement of BAL-002-WECC-3 (Contingency Reserve) - requires balancing authorities and reserve sharing groups to document compliance with the contingency reserve requirements described in the standard. The retirement of Regional Reliability Standard BAL-002-WECC-3 would increase the availability of reserves currently held as excess Contingency Reserves to better support system operations and manage variable generation concerns.30 Retirement would also increase the restoration timeframe for Contingency Reserves after a contingency event occurs and increase an entity’s ability to secure additional resources. Bulk-Power System reliability would continue to be maintained through the continent-wide Reliability Standard BAL-002-3 by requiring sufficient Contingency Reserves are maintained and a restoration timeframe that is compatible with market scheduling practices. FERC-725E is the information collection that is required to implement the statutory provisions of section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 824o). Section 215 of the FPA buttresses the Commission's efforts to strengthen the reliability of the interstate grid through the grant of new authority by providing for a system of mandatory Reliability Standards developed by the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO). The FERC 725E information collection pertains specifically to the Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC). WECC promotes bulk electric system reliability in the Western Interconnection. WECC is the Regional Entity responsible for compliance monitoring and enforcement. In addition, WECC provides an environment for the development of Reliability Standards and the coordination of the operating and planning activities of its members as set forth in the WECC Bylaws. For the purposes of the extension, the following standards will remain unchanged: BAL-004-WECC-3 (Automatic Time Error Correction) - requires balancing authorities to document that time error corrections and primary inadvertent interchange payback were conducted according to the requirements in the standard. FAC-501-WECC-2 (Transmission Maintenance) - requires transmission owners with certain transmission paths to have a transmission maintenance and inspection plan and to document maintenance and inspection activities according to the plan. IRO-006-WECC-3 (Qualified Transfer Path Unscheduled Flow (USF) Relief) - requires balancing authorities and reliability coordinators to document actions taken to mitigate unscheduled flow. VAR-501-WECC-4 (Power System Stabilizers (PSS)) requires the Western Interconnection is operated in a coordinated manner under normal and abnormal conditions by establishing the performance criteria for WECC power system stabilizers.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 824o 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:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 24540	05/06/2026
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 54865	08/25/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
FERC-725E (WECC Reliability Standards)

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Request	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	1,209	1,244	0	-35	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,949	2,358	0	-409	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

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

Burden Increase Due to:

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

Burden Reduction Due to: Changing Regulations

Short Statement: The retirement of BAL-002-WECC-03 reflects a reduction in the total responses and hours for the WECC standards because of the removal of the WECC standard. In the future all WECC standards that remain in FERC-725E will have specified burden for each standard.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $8,404

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     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? No

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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: 08/27/2026

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