Q. What is a Fuel Adjustment Clause (FAC)?

A. A fuel adjustment clause is an automatic fuel cost recovery
mechanism, pursuant to 18 CFR 35.14, within the cost-based tariffs of
some FERC-jurisdictional electric utilities. Not all utilities have them
and those that do must comply with the Commission's regulations in 18
CFR 35.14 with regard to their use. The purpose of a FAC is to keep
utilities whole with regard to rapid changes in the cost of fuel. It
gives utilities a vehicle for passing through to their wholesale rate
payers increases or decreases in the cost of fuel without obtaining
prior Commission approval.

**Q. Who must file the FERC-580?**

**A.** The filing must be submitted by all FERC-jurisdictional utilities
owning and/or

> operating at least one steam-electric generating station of 50 MW or
> greater capacity, or having a majority ownership interest in a
> jointly-owned steam-electric generating station of at least 50 MW. A
> jurisdictional utility without a cost-based tariff on file with the
> Commission is not required to file the FERC-580.

**Q. How do I file the FERC-580?**

**A.** Use the eFiling system found on the Commission's website:

> <http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp>
>
> to register and eFile the complete filing with attachments OR submit
> the filing on CD or diskette accompanied by a hardcopy original and
> one copy of the complete filing to:
>
> Federal Energy Regulatory Commission\
> 888 First Street, N.E.\
> Washington, DC 20426
>
> Attention: FERC-580
>
> **Please do not send your filing via the U.S. Postal Service as their
> thermo-security procedures employed on all mail posted to Federal
> addresses destroys any electronic media enclosed.**

**Q. When is our FERC-580 filing due?**

**A.** It is due September 15, 2008.

**Q. What do I file in the FERC-580?**

**A.** Answer all of the questions in the interrogatory and submit to
the

> Commission the completed interrogatory in *Excel* or *Word* and all
> required attachments. If your response is electronic, required
> attachments should be in Commission-accepted electronic format. See
> <http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp> for more information
> regarding acceptable file types.

**Q. How should I name my electronic files?**

**A.** You are encouraged to name your files as follows:

> For a FERC-580 *Excel* workbook:
>
> CompanyName_2008_FERC-580.**xls**
>
> For a FERC-580 *Word* document:
>
> CompanyName_2008_FERC-580.**doc**
>
> The naming convention for any other documents that are required to
> accompany the filing, such as the organization charts required by
> Question 6, would be more specific to those documents.
>
> A *Word* file with the organization chart required by Question 6 would
> be named as follows:
>
> ABCElectricCompany_2008_FERC-580\_**Q6**.doc

**Q. How do I file revised information using the *Excel* format of the
FERC-580?**

**A.** Respondents who chose the *Excel* workbook option, and who need
to file a change

> to a filed response can do so by eFiling the workbook with the revised
> information. For example, if the respondent needs to change the
> response provided for Question 2, the respondent would make the change
> and name the revised file as follows:
>
> UtilityABC_2008_FERC-580\_**Q2_revised**.xls
>
> The respondent should include a cover letter with the eFiled revision
> explaining the circumstances that required the revision.

**Q. Do I have to use the *Excel* workbook you have prepared to complete
my 2008** **FERC-580 filing?**

**A.** No, however its use is strongly encouraged because it can
increase the accuracy of

> data filed and make analyses easier. Staff analyses of filed
> worksheets will assist in possible automation of the FERC-580.

**Q. What are the codes and ID numbers requested in the FERC-580?**

**A**. As a result of the Commission effort to improve data quality and
completeness, it

> became necessary to incorporate certain data quality control elements
> (DQCEs), such as the codes the Energy Information Administration (EIA)
> assigns for use in Federal data collections. Most of the DQCEs are
> available through drop-down menus in the FERC-580 *Excel* workbook.
> The DQCEs are also at:
> <http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/hard-filing/form-580/overview.asp>
> for respondents who are using the *Word* version of the interrogatory.

**Q. Should I convert the *Excel* spreadsheets I file into a portable
display format** **(PDF)?**

**A.** No, this inhibits analyses of your responses.

**Q. May I ask the Commission to treat my responses to the FERC-580 as
privileged?**

**A.** As has been the case in previous FERC-580 filing years, the
Office of

> Management and Budget has approved the public release of all
> information collected in the FERC-580. Requests for privileged
> treatment of information, that if disclosed, would violate the terms
> of a rail transportation contract confidentiality clause, will be
> considered. Those requesting privileged treatment should be specific
> in the request for privileged treatment as to the rail contract and
> terms involved. Privileged treatment requests must also comply with 18
> CFR 388.112.
>
> Go to: <http://www.ferc.gov/help/filing-guide/file-ceii.asp> for new
> important information regarding the filing of documents where
> privileged treatment is sought. The procedures vary depending on
> whether the material is filed via the Commission's eFiling system,
> submitted on CD/DVD, or filed on paper.

**Q. The person you sent the FERC letter to has left the company and we
have a new contact person for the FERC-580.**

**A.** Email the information below about the new contact to
<FERC-580@ferc.gov>

Name:

Title:

Company name:

Utility's EIA number:

Phone number:

Address:

Email address:

**Q. What is an EIA Code?**

**A.** The EIA assigns these numbers to uniquely identify utilities and
their power plants

> in Federal energy data collections.

**Q. Where do I get the EIA codes I need for my filing?**

**A.** Refer to the worksheet in the 2008 FERC-580 workbook called "*EIA
Utility*

> *Codes*" and "*EIA Plant Codes.*" They are also on FERC's website:
> [eia-codes.xls](http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/hard-filing/form-580/eia-codes.xls).

**Q. What is a Mine Safety and Health Identification Number?**

**A.** The Mine Safety and Health Administration assigns this number to
all mines. You

> can find it here:
> [msha-ids.xls](http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/hard-filing/form-580/msha-ids.xls).
> The list is also included on a spreadsheet within the *Excel* version
> of the FERC-580.

**Q. What is a USDOT Identification Number?**

**A.** The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issues this
number to

> transportation companies and requires that all self-propelled
> commercial motor vehicles operated in interstate commerce meeting
> certain criteria display it. See the FERC-580 Glossary for a more
> complete definition. Find the number by entering a transportation
> company\'s name in the search engine on the website:
> <http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/companysnapshot.aspx>.

**Q. How can I get a copy of past responses my utility has made to the
FERC-580?**

**A.** You can use e-Library to view these documents as well as to
download them to

> your computer desktop as images, native files, and PDF. Access
> eLibrary from this link:
> <http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp>. From there, click on
> *General Search*. This brings up a web page where you enter a date
> range for the filing you want. Under the *Class/Type* dropdown, pick
> *Form 580*. Lastly, enter all or part of your utility's name in the
> *Text Search Box* and click *Search*. A list of your filings will
> provide links to your documents submitted.

**Q. I still have questions. Who do I ask?**

**A.** Email your questions to: <FERC-580@ferc.gov> and they will be
promptly

answered.

**Q. Updated:** In completing our Form 580 filing due this year, for
jointly-owned generating stations for which our company is the operator,
should we report 100% of the expenses and other information (including
the other joint owners\' expenses and statistics) or just the expenses
and statistics relating to our company\'s ownership percentage?

**A.** Enter your information for the entire generating station,
regardless of your ownership percentage.