144 FERC ¶ 61,026

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

18 CFR Part 38

[Docket No. RM05-5-022]

Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities

(Issued July 18, 2013)

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proposes to incorporate by 

reference in its regulations Version 003 of the Standards for Business Practices and

Communication Protocols for Public Utilities adopted by the Wholesale Electric 

Quadrant (WEQ) of the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB). These 

standards modify NAESB’s WEQ Version 002 and Version 002.1 Standards.

DATES: Comments are due [INSERT DATE 60 days after publication in the 

FEDERAL REGISTER].

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by Docket No. RM05-5-022, may be filed in the 

following ways:

 Electronic Filing through http://www.ferc.gov. Documents created electronically 

using word processing software should be filed in native applications or print-toPDF format and not in a scanned format.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 -ii-

 Mail/Hand Delivery: Those unable to file electronically may mail or hand-deliver 

comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 

Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.

INSTRUCTIONS: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional 

information on the rulemaking process, see the Comment Procedures Section of this 

document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tony Dobbins (technical issues)

Office of Energy Policy and Innovation

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

888 First Street, NE

Washington, DC 20426

(202) 502-6630

Gary D. Cohen (legal issues)

Office of the General Counsel

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

888 First Street, NE

Washington, DC 20426

(202) 502-8321

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Standards for Business Practices and Communication 

Protocols for Public Utilities

Docket No. RM05-5-022

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Paragraph Numbers

I. Background............................................................................................................. - 3 -

II. Discussion............................................................................................................. - 10 -

A. Revisions to OASIS Standards Made to Comply with Order No. 890 Objectives 

and Requirements..................................................................................................... - 12 -

1. Service Across Multiple Transmission Systems (SAMTS) ......................... - 12 -

2. Network Integration Transmission Service (NITS) ..................................... - 13 -

3. Rollover Rights for Redirects....................................................................... - 14 -

4. Redirect Requests and Available Transfer Capacity (ATC) Credit ............. - 15 -

5. OASIS Introduction and Applicability Sections .......................................... - 16 -

6. Commission Proposal................................................................................... - 16 -

B. Revisions to OASIS Standards Not Related to Order No. 890 Objectives and 

Requirements............................................................................................................ - 16 -

C. Other Standards ................................................................................................ - 18 -

1. Coordinate Interchange Standards................................................................ - 18 -

2. Gas/Electric Coordination Standards ........................................................... - 18 -

3. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Standards................................................... - 19 -

4. Smart Grid Standards ................................................................................... - 22 -

5. Standards Related to Terms, Definition and Acronyms............................... - 24 -

6. Commission Proposal................................................................................... - 24 -

D. Implementation................................................................................................. - 24 -

III. Notice of Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards ........................................... - 25 -

IV. Information Collection Statement .................................................................... - 26 -

V. Environmental Analysis ....................................................................................... - 30 -

VI. Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification........................................................... - 30 -

VII. Comment Procedures........................................................................................ - 32 -

VIII. Document Availability ..................................................................................... - 33 -
144 FERC ¶ 61,026

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Standards for Business Practices and Communication 

Protocols for Public Utilities

Docket No. RM05-5-022

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

(Issued July 18, 2013)

1. In this notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission (Commission) proposes to amend its regulations under the Federal Power 

Act1to incorporate by reference, with certain enumerated exceptions, the latest version of 

the Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities 

(Version 003) adopted by the Wholesale Electric Quadrant (WEQ) of the North 

American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) and filed with the Commission as a 

package on September 18, 2012 (September 18 Filing), as modified in a report filed with 

the Commission on January 30, 2013.

2. These revised standards update earlier versions of these standards that the 

Commission previously incorporated by reference into its regulations at 18 CFR 38.2. 

These new and revised standards include modifications to support Order Nos. 890, 

 

1

16 U.S.C. 791a, et seq.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 2 -

890-A, 890-B and 890-C,2including the standards to support Network Integration 

Transmission Service on an Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS), 

Service Across Multiple Transmission Systems (SAMTS), standards to support the 

Commissions policy regarding rollover rights for redirects on a firm basis, standards that 

incorporate the functionality for transmission providers to credit redirect requests with 

the capacity of the parent reservation and standards modifications to support consistency 

across the OASIS-related standards.

3. The Version 003 Standards also include modifications to the OASIS-related

standards that NAESB states support Order Nos. 676, 676-A, 676-E and 717 and add

consistency.3 In addition, NAESB states that it made modifications to the Coordinate 

Interchange standards to compliment the updates to the e-Tag specifications,

4

 

2

Preventing Undue Discrimination and Preference in Transmission Service, 

Order No. 890, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,241 (2007), order on reh’g, Order No. 890-A, 

FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,261 (2007), order on reh’g, Order No. 890-B, 123 FERC 

¶ 61,299 (2008), order on reh’g and clarification, Order No. 890-C, 126 FERC ¶ 61,228 

(2009) (Order No. 890-C). The Version 002 standards also included revisions made in 

response to Order No. 890 (see infra P 11).

3

Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public 

Utilities, Order No. 676, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,216, (2006), reh’g denied, Order No. 

676-A, 116 FERC ¶ 61,255 (2006), Final Rule, Order No. 676-B, FERC Stats. & Regs. 

¶ 31,246 (2007), Final Rule, Order No. 676-C, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,274 (2008), 

order granting clarification and denying reh’g, Order No. 676-D, 124 FERC ¶ 61,317 

(2008), Final Rule, Order No. 676-E, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,299 (2009) (Order No. 

676-E); Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers, Order No. 717, FERC Stats. 

& Regs. ¶ 31,280 (2008) (Order No. 717).

4

September 18 Filing, transmittal at 2 (citing NAESB WEQ Electronic Tagging –

Functional Specifications, Version 1.8.1).
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 3 -

modifications to the Gas/Electric Coordination standards to provide consistency between

the two markets5and re-organized and revised definitions to create a standard set of 

terms, definitions and acronyms applicable to all NAESB WEQ standards.6 NAESB 

states that the Version 003 Standards also include standards related to Demand Side 

Management and Energy Efficiency,7 which the Commission incorporated by reference

in Docket No. RM05-5-0208after NAESB filed its Version 003 report, and Smart Gridrelated standards that NAESB previously filed with the Commission in Docket No. 

RM05-5-021.9

I. Background

4. NAESB is a non-profit standards development organization established in 

January 2002 that serves as an industry forum for the development and promotion of 

 

5

Id.

6

Id.

7

Id.

8

Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public 

Utilities, Order No. 676-G, 78 FR 14654 (Mar. 7, 2013), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,343 

(Feb. 21, 2013). In this rule, the Commission incorporated by reference into its 

regulations updated business practice standards adopted by NAESB’s WEQ to categorize 

various products and services for demand response and energy efficiency and to support 

the measurement and verification of these products and services in organized wholesale 

electric markets. These same standards are included without revision in the Version 003 

standards.

9

These standards were originally cited in a NAESB July 2011 report filed with the 

Commission and were resubmitted as part of WEQ Version 003. See Report of the North 

American Energy Standards Board on Smart Grid Related Standards, Docket No. RM05-

5-021 (filed July 7, 2011); NAESB September 18 Filing at 2.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 4 -

business practice standards that promote a seamless marketplace for wholesale and retail 

natural gas and electricity. Since 1995, NAESB and its predecessor, the Gas Industry 

Standards Board, have been accredited members of the American National Standards 

Institute (ANSI), complying with ANSI’s requirements that its standards reflect a 

consensus of the affected industries.

5. NAESB’s standards include business practices that streamline the transactional 

processes of the natural gas and electric industries, as well as communication protocols 

and related standards designed to improve the efficiency of communication within each 

industry. NAESB supports all four quadrants of the gas and electric industries –

wholesale gas, wholesale electric, retail gas, and retail electric. All participants in the gas 

and electric industries are eligible to join NAESB and participate in standards 

development.

6. NAESB develops its standards under a consensus process so that the standards 

draw support from a wide range of industry members. NAESB’s procedures are designed 

to ensure that all industry members can have input into the development of a standard, 

whether or not they are members of NAESB, and each standard NAESB adopts is 

supported by a consensus of the relevant industry segments. Standards that fail to gain 

consensus support are not adopted.

7. In Order No. 676, the Commission not only adopted business practice standards 

and communication protocols for the wholesale electric industry, it also established a 

formal ongoing process for reviewing and upgrading the Commission’s OASIS standards 

and other wholesale electric industry business practice standards. In later orders in this 
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 5 -

series, the Commission incorporated by reference: (1) the Version 001 Business Practice 

Standards;10 (2) the Version 002.1 Business Practice Standards;11 (3) business practice 

standards categorizing various demand response products and services;12 and (4) OASISrelated Business Practice Standards related to Demand Side Management and Energy 

Efficiency.

13

8. In Order No. 890, the Commission revisited the pro forma Open Access 

Transmission Tariff (OATT) first established in Order No. 88814 and adopted a revised 

pro forma OATT designed to better achieve the objectives of preventing undue 

discrimination and providing greater specificity and transparency. In later orders in this 

series, the Commission affirmed, with clarifications, the basic findings that it made in 

 

10 Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public 

Utilities, Order No. 676-C, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,274, reh’g denied, Order No. 676-

D, 124 FERC ¶ 61,317 (2008).

11 Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public 

Utilities, Order No. 676-E, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,299 (2009). This order also 

incorporated revisions made in response to Order Nos. 890, 890-A, and 890-B.

12 Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public 

Utilities, Order No. 676-F, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,309 (2010).

13 Order No. 676-G, see supra n.8.

14 Promoting Wholesale Competition Through Open Access Non-Discriminatory 

Transmission Services by Public Utilities; Recovery of Stranded Costs by Public Utilities 

and Transmitting Utilities, Order No. 888, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,036 (1996), order 

on reh'g, Order No. 888-A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,048 (1997), order on reh'g, Order 

No. 888-B, 81 FERC ¶ 61,248 (1997), order on reh'g, Order No. 888-C, 82 FERC ¶ 

61,046 (1998), aff'd in relevant part sub nom. Transmission Access Policy Study Group v. 

FERC, 225 F.3d 667 (D.C. Cir. 2002), aff'd sub nom. New York v. FERC, 535 U.S. 1 

(2002).
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 6 -

Order No. 890.

9. A number of the findings made by the Commission in the Order No. 890 series of 

orders necessitated revisions to the Business Practice Standards for Public Utilities so that 

there would be no inconsistency between the requirements of Order No. 890 and the 

Business Practice Standards. Accordingly, NAESB set up a work project to review the 

existing business practice standards, identify which standards would need revision to 

prevent any inconsistencies with the Order No. 890 requirements, and develop and adopt 

the needed revised standards. Those revised standards form part of the package of 

revisions included in the WEQ Version 003 Standards. These revisions are in addition to 

the Order No. 890-related revisions incorporated by reference in Order No. 676-E.

10. In total, NAESB’s WEQ Version 003 business practice standards include the 

following standards:15

WEQ16 Standards & Models Related to: 

000 Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Definition of Terms, Version 003

001 Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS), Version 003

002 OASIS Standards and Communication Protocols (S&CP), Version 003

003 OASIS S&CP Data Dictionaries

004 Coordinate Interchange

005 ACE Equation Special Cases

 

15 All of the standards were filed with the Commission as a package on September 

18, 2012 and were modified on January 30, 2013.

16 With the exception of standards WEQ 009 and 010, which are unchanged from 

Versions 002 and 002.1, NAESB’s Version 003 Report adopts revisions to multiple 

subsections of each of the WEQ standards listed.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 7 -

006 Manual Time Error Corrections

007 Inadvertent Interchange Payback

008 Transmission Loading Relief

009 Standards of Conduct

010 Contracts Related Standards

011 Gas / Electric Coordination

012 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

013 OASIS Implementation Guide

014 WEQ/WGQ eTariff Related Standards

015 Measurement and Verification of Wholesale Electricity Demand Response

016 Specifications for Common Electricity Product and Pricing Definition

017 Specifications for Common Schedule Communication Mechanism for 

Energy Transactions

018 Specifications for Wholesale Standard Demand Response Signals

019 Customer Energy Usage Information Communication

020 Smart Grid Standards Data Element Table

021 Measurement and Verification of Energy Efficiency Products

11. The Version 003 standards include five categories of standards not previously 

incorporated by reference by the Commission that were developed by NAESB in 

response to the Order No. 890 series of orders. These include: (1) standards that NAESB 

previously submitted to support SAMTS;

17 (2) part two of the standards modifications to 

 

17 See September 18 Filing at 3 & n.13 (citing submittal of NAESB Standards 

Development to Support Coordination of Requests for Transmission Service Across 

Multiple Transmission Systems (Docket No. RM05-5-013) on October 7, 2011, with 

minor corrections on January 25, 2012).
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 8 -

the WEQ-001-9.7 Business Practice Standard requested in FERC Order No. 890-A

18

related to rollover rights to requests for redirect on a firm basis; (3) the WEQ-001-9.1.3.1 

and WEQ-001-10.3.1.1 Business Practice standards that provide for transmission 

providers to process redirect requests in a manner in which the request would be

processed in a manner that counts the available transfer capability encumbered by the 

parent reservation as available for the redirected request;

19 (4) standards to support 

Network Integration Transmission Service on the OASIS;20 and (5) standards 

modifications to support consistency across the NAESB OASIS standards.21

12. In Order No. 717, the Commission made several modifications related to the 

posting requirements associated with the Standards of Conduct. Specifically, the 

Commission discontinued the requirement for public utilities to post standards of conduct 

information on their OASIS sites.22 In response, WEQ’s Business Practice 

Subcommittee modified the WEQ-001, WEQ-002 and WEQ-003 Business Practice 

Standards to remove reference to the standards of conduct- related obligations with the 

exception of a few template structures that may be implemented at the option of the 

 

18 See September 18 Filing at 3 (citing NAESB WEQ Business Practices Standards 

Crediting Redirect Requests with the Capacity of the Parent Reservation).

19 Id. at 3.

20 Id.

21 Id.

22 Order No. 717, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,280 at PP 213–218 and PP 235–239.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 9 -

transmission provider. WEQ’s OASIS Subcommittee also modified standards WEQ013-2.6.81 and WEQ-013-2.6.82 to clarify the listing of service types, modified standards 

WEQ-001-14.1.3 and WEQ-001-15.1.2 regarding the timing of required postings of 

narratives, and made modifications to standards WEQ-001, WEQ-002 and WEQ-003 

(concerning standards of conduct posting requirements) in response to Order No. 717.

13. The Joint Electric Scheduling Subcommittee (JESS), a standing joint 

subcommittee made up of participants from NAESB and the North American Electric 

Reliability Corporation (NERC), has been tasked with coordinating efforts to maintain

and modify, as needed, the coordinate interchange business practice standards in WEQ004 with their associated reliability standards. JESS now leads the effort to harmonize

the Coordinate Interchange (WEQ-004) standards with the WEQ-001, WEQ-003 and 

WEQ-013 Business Practice Standards in light of revisions made to the Electronic 

Tagging Functional Specification, previously maintained by NERC, and now maintained 

and updated, as needed, by NAESB. The WEQ adopted additional modifications to the 

WEQ-004 standards to use abbreviations, acronyms, definitions and terms consistent with

those in Standard WEQ-000 and to provide consistency across all WEQ standards.

14. WEQ adopted modifications to support consistency between the WEQ business 

practice standards and the Wholesale Gas Quadrant (WGQ) Gas/Electric Coordination 

standards. In addition, WEQ made modifications to the business practice standards to 

harmonize the terms and definitions contained within the WEQ business practice 

standards with the definitions of those terms used in the business practice standards for 

other quadrants. These changes were also coordinated to be consistent with definitions 
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 10 -

and terms contained in the NERC Glossary.

15. Also included in the WEQ Version 003 standards are standards developed to 

support Smart Grid applications as well as standards related to the measurement and 

verification of Demand Response (DR) and Energy Efficiency (EE) products. These 

standards have been referenced in earlier reports filed with the Commission before the 

completion of the WEQ Version 003 standards. The Smart Grid application standards 

had been referenced in a report filed with the Commission on July 7, 2011 in Docket No. 

RM05-5-021. The DR and EE measurement and verification standards were referenced 

in a report filed with the Commission on May 2, 2011 in Docket No. RM05-5-021 and 

have been the subject of Commission action.23

16. Finally, NAESB’s September 18 Filing includes an interpretation of standards

WEQ-001-9.1 and WEQ-001-10.1 and recites the results of a quadrant wide effort to 

provide a common location for all abbreviations, acronyms and definitions of terms that 

created the WEQ-000 Business Practice Standards and addresses both internal 

inconsistencies and inconsistencies between the standards and terms and definitions in 

the NERC Glossary.

II. Discussion

17. As discussed below, with certain enumerated exceptions, we propose to 

 

23 Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public 

Utilities, Order No. 676-G, 78 FR 14654 (Mar. 7, 2013), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,343 

(Feb. 21, 2013).
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 11 -

incorporate by reference (into the Commission’s regulations at 18 CFR 38.2) the NAESB 

WEQ Version 003 standards.24 The Version 003 standards will update the Version 002.1 

standards currently incorporated by reference into the Commission’s regulations.25

18. We note that, in a separate rulemaking (in Docket No. RM13-17-000) being issued 

concurrently with this NOPR, the Commission is proposing new standards on 

coordination between natural gas and electricity markets. Depending on the outcome of 

that proceeding, we are considering situating the incorporation by reference that we are 

proposing in this NOPR in a different section in Part 38 than section 38.2. This should 

not, however, affect the substance of our proposal.

 

24 Consistent with our past practice, we do not propose to incorporate by reference 

into the Commission’s regulations the following standards: Standards of Conduct for 

Electric Transmission Providers (WEQ-009); Contracts Related Standards (WEQ-010); 

and WEQ/WGQ eTariff Related Standards (WEQ-014). We do not propose to 

incorporate by reference standard WEQ-009 because it contains no substantive standards 

and merely serves as a placeholder for future standards. We do not propose to 

incorporate by reference standard WEQ-010 because this standard contains an optional 

NAESB contract regarding funds transfers and the Commission does not require utilities 

to use such contracts. In addition, we do not propose to incorporate by reference standard 

WEQ-014, eTariff Related Standards, because the Commission already has adopted 

standards and protocols for electronic tariff filing based on the NAESB standards. See 

Electronic Tariff Filings, Order No. 714, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,276 (2008). Also, we 

do not propose to incorporate by reference NAESB’s interpretation of its standards on 

Gas/Electric Coordination (WEQ-011). While interpretations may provide useful 

guidance, NAESB’s interpretations are not binding on the Commission and we will not 

require utilities to comply with those interpretations (although we will require 

compliance with all the standards that we incorporate by reference into the Commission’s 

regulations). Additionally, as discussed more specifically the NITS section below, we do 

not propose to incorporate by reference certain portions of WEQ-001.

25 See supra n.11.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 12 -

A. Revisions to OASIS Standards Made to Comply with Order No. 890

Objectives and Requirements

19. In the NAESB WEQ Version 003 standards, NAESB has developed new standards 

and revised existing standards designed to ensure consistency with certain policies 

articulated by the Commission in Order Nos. 890, 890-A and 890-B.

1. Service Across Multiple Transmission Systems (SAMTS)

20. The SAMTS business practice standards were developed to provide a process for 

customers to complete cross-regional transactions in response to the Commission’s 

requirement that transmission providers develop business practice standards in this area.26 

SAMTS-related standards include modified and added terms in the Abbreviations, 

Acronyms and Definition of Terms (newly created WEQ-000), OASIS Business Practice 

Standards (WEQ-001), OASIS Standards and Communication Protocols (WEQ-002),

OASIS Data Dictionary (WEQ-003), and the OASIS Implementation Guide (WEQ-013). 

The SAMTS standards address the coordination of point-to-point transmission service 

and/or network transmission service requests across multiple transmission systems. The 

process requires each affected provider to independently evaluate its portion of the linked 

request with the opportunity for reconciliation by the customer once all evaluations are 

complete. The customer communicates reconciled information to each of the affected 

providers.

 

26 Order No. 890, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,241 at P 1377.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 13 -

2. Network Integration Transmission Service (NITS)

21. Network Integration Transmission Service allows a Network Customer to 

integrate, economically dispatch and regulate its current and planned Network Resources 

to serve its Network Load in a manner comparable to the way a Transmission Provider 

uses its Transmission System to serve its Native Load Customers.

27 The Commission 

required that utilities use OASIS to request designation of new network resources and to 

terminate designation of network resources.

28

 In response to this requirement as well as 

other directives within Order No. 89029 and subsequent orders,30 NAESB’s WEQ 

Executive Committee adopted business practice standards to support the OASIS 

functionality associated with NITS. These new and revised standards fall within the 

WEQ-000, WEQ-001, WEQ-002 and WEQ-003 Business Practice Standards.

22. The new/revised standards are designed to provide functionality that:

 allows transmission providers to handle requests (loads, designation of a network 

resource, non-designated resources) on a customer-by-customer basis,

 allows the option of tracking designated network resource scheduling rights, and

 allows a customer to designate an agent to administer OASIS transactions on its 

behalf.

 

27 Order No. 890, Pro Forma OATT, Section III (Network Integration 

Transmission Service) Preamble.

28 Order No. 890, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,241 at P 385.

29 Id., PP 1477, 1504, 1532, and 1541.

30 Order No. 890-A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,261 at P 919; Order No. 890-B,

123 FERC ¶ 61,299 at P 188; Order No. 890-C, 126 FERC ¶ 61,228 at P 17.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 14 -

23. NAESB has proposed Standard WEQ-001-106.2.5, which appears to contemplate

a Transmission Provider refusing a request to terminate a secondary network service. We 

request comment on the purpose of this standard and on whether the Commission should 

incorporate this standard by reference. We note that, in Order No. 890-A, the 

Commission found that it was not appropriate to allow a Transmission Provider to deny 

requests to terminate network resource designations, although Order No. 890-A did not 

directly address the issue of terminating secondary network service.

31

3. Rollover Rights for Redirects 

24. In Order No. 676, the Commission incorporated by reference NAESB’s proposed 

standards for dealing with redirects, with the exception of WEQ-001-9.7 which the 

Commission viewed as inconsistent with the pro forma OATT and Commission policies 

on rollover rights.32 In Order No. 676-E, the Commission incorporated by reference new 

and modified NAESB standards related to rollover rights with the continued exception of 

standard WEQ-001-9.7. The Commission noted in Order No. 676-E that the filed 

NAESB standards represented only the first part of a two part process through which 

NAESB will fully develop standards that are consistent with the Commission’s policy on 

rollover rights as articulated in Order Nos. 890, 890-A and 676.

33

 As explained in Order 

 

31 Id. P 950.

32 Order No. 676, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,216 at P 52.

33 Order No. 890, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,241 at PP 1231-1239; Order No. 890-

A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,261 at PP 644-651; Order No. 676-E, FERC Stats. & Regs. 

¶ 31,299 at P 94.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 15 -

No. 676-E, NAESB stated that the second part of this process would include 

modifications to Standard 001-9.7, as directed by Order No. 890.34

25. In the Version 003 standards, NAESB modified WEQ-001-9.7 so that it would 

conform to the Commission’s policy granting rollover rights to requests for redirect on a 

firm basis.35 NAESB modified the WEQ-001-9 Business Practice Standards and

modified the definition of Unexercised Rollover Rights and added a definition for 

Capacity Eligible for Rollover to make the NAESB standards consistent with the 

Commission’s regulations. NAESB also made relevant modifications to standards WEQ001, WEQ-002 and WEQ-013 and provided examples for the conveyance of rollover 

rights with a redirect on a firm basis provided in Appendix B of the WEQ-001 standards.

4. Redirect Requests and Available Transfer Capacity (ATC) 

Credit

26. In the Version 003 Standards, NAESB added standards WEQ-001-10.3.1.1 and 

WEQ- 001-9.1.3.1, which provide that transmission providers are to process redirect 

requests in a manner that considers the available transfer capability encumbered by the 

 

34 Order No. 676-E, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,299 at P 7 & n.12 (citing NAESB 

Version 002.1 filing letter dated Feb. 19, 2009).

35 As we stated in Entergy Services, Inc., 143 FERC ¶ 61,143, at P 25 & n.68 

(2013), our guiding precedent on the issue of when a customer requesting redirect loses 

rights on the original path was set in Dynegy Power Marketing, Inc., 99 FERC ¶ 61,054, 

at P 9 (2002), where we held that a transmission customer receiving firm transmission 

service does not lose its rights to its original path until the redirect request satisfies all of 

the following criteria: (1) it is accepted by the transmission provider; (2) it is confirmed 

by the transmission customer; and (3) it passes the conditional reservation deadline under 

OATT section 13.2.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 16 -

parent reservation as available for the redirected request. The revised standards were 

designed to avoid violation of first come, first served queue priority principles.

5. OASIS Introduction and Applicability Sections

27. NAESB proposed modifications to the introduction and applicability sections of 

the OASIS standards to promote consistency within the standards. The introductory

section of the standards provides a brief description of the purpose of the standard, while 

the applicability section identifies the entities that are affected by the standard. In 

addition, modifications were made to the organization and the structure of standards 

WEQ-001 and WEQ-013 for purposes of consistency.

6. Commission Proposal

28. With the exceptions noted, we propose to incorporate by reference Version 003 of 

these standards into the Commission’s regulations.

B. Revisions to OASIS Standards Not Related to Order No. 890

Objectives and Requirements

29. In Version 003, NAESB also made modifications to address three issues not 

related to the requirements established in the Order No. 890 and not the subject of a 

report previously provided to the Commission. In Order No. 717, the Commission 

modified the posting requirements for waivers and exercises of discretion as well as some 

other posting requirements.36 Of particular note, the Commission eliminated the 

requirement for public utilities (and pipelines) to post standards of conduct information 

 

36 Order No. 717, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,280 at PP 213–218; PP 235–249.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 17 -

on OASIS and instead required transmission providers to post that information on their

websites.

37

 NAESB modified WEQ-001, WEQ-002 and WEQ-003 to remove reference 

to the standards of conduct related obligations with the exception of a few template 

structures that may be implemented at the option of the transmission provider.

30. In Order No. 676-E, the Commission declined to incorporate NAESB WEQ-001-

14.1.3 and WEQ-001-15.1.2 (both related to ATC Narrative) because these standards did 

not meet the Commission’s requirement to post the ATC narrative as soon as feasible.

38

 

To correct this deficiency, NAESB modified those two standards to provide that 

transmission providers strive to post narratives within one business day and requiring a 

posting within five business days. NAESB’s report does not present any reason why a 

transmission provider would need five business days to post an ATC narrative and we 

remain concerned that the five-business day requirement does not meet the Commission’s 

requirement to post the ATC narrative as soon as feasible. We invite comments on the 

necessity for taking longer than one day to post the ATC narrative.

31. In addition, NAESB made minor modifications to standards WEQ-013-2.6.8.1 and 

WEQ-013-2.6.8.2 to clarify that the listings of service types therein constitute examples 

and are not definitive. With the exceptions noted, we propose to incorporate by reference 

Version 003 of these standards into the Commission’s regulations.

 

37 Order No. 717, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,280 at P 247.

38 Order No. 676-E, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,299 at P 39.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 18 -

C. Other Standards

1. Coordinate Interchange Standards

32. As explained above, JESS is leading efforts to modify the Coordinate Interchange 

(WEQ-004) standards and, additionally, to make related modifications to WEQ-001, 

WEQ-003 and WEQ-013 Business Practice Standards to ensure that the standards are 

consistent with current Electronic Tagging Functional specifications (now maintained by 

NAESB) as well as to incorporate a guideline standardizing the rounding of partial 

megawatt hours schedules.

39

 Additional modifications were made to ensure consistency 

across all WEQ standards.

2. Gas/Electric Coordination Standards

33. In the Version 003 standards, NAESB made modifications to eliminate 

inconsistencies between definitions used by the NAESB quadrants as well as the NERC 

Glossary.40 This included changing the terms “Power Plant Operator” and “Power Plant 

Operator’s Facility” to “Power Plant Gas Coordinator” and “Power Plant Gas 

Coordinator’s Facility,” respectively.41 Additionally, a definition for “Transportation 

Service Provider” was added and revisions were made to ensure the consistent 

application of the terms “Balancing Authority” and “Reliability Coordinator.”

42

 We 

 

39 See NAESB Version 003 Report at 9.

40 Id.

41 Id.

42 Id.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 19 -

propose to incorporate by reference Version 003 of these standards into the 

Commission’s regulations.

3. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Standards

34. NAESB first developed Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Standards in 2007 and the 

Commission incorporated the PKI standard (Standard WEQ-12), Version 001, by 

reference into its regulations in Order No. 676-C.43 The NAESB PKI Standards 

incorporated by reference by the Commission in Order No. 676-C were limited to

requirements that an Authorized Certification Authority (ACA) must meet in order to 

issue certificates that are compliant with the NAESB PKI Standards and the minimum 

physical characteristics that a certificate must meet in order to achieve compliance with 

the NAESB PKI Standards.44 These standards did not identify business transactions by 

public utilities that required the use of PKI.

35. On rehearing, in Order No. 676-D, the Commission explained that the NAESB 

standards apply to Certificate Authorities seeking certification from NAESB, but did not 

require that public utilities use PKI. The Commission explained: “the PKI Standards are 

designed to provide uniform standards for an encryption system that companies can, but 

are not required to, use to enhance security for business transactions taking place over the 

 

43 See Order No. 676-C, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,274 at P 75.

44 Id.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 20 -

Internet.” (emphasis added).45 The Commission further explained that “[t]he standards 

do not require that public utilities use PKI for all business transactions over the Internet 

and the standards permit public utilities to conduct business transactions over the Internet 

that do not involve the use of [ACAs].”

46

36. In a series of filings, NAESB reported on its updated PKI standards for Version 

003. The revised standards are divided into two sections. First, Standard WEQ-012 

specifies those transactions for which public utilities need to use PKI. The WEQ-012 

standards specify the minimum authentication requirements that end entities47 must meet 

when conducting transactions under NAESB Business Practice Standards defined in 

Standards WEQ-000, WEQ-001, WEQ-002, WEQ-003, WEQ-004 and WEQ-013. This 

includes the use of PKI in communicating with the Electric Industry Registry (EIR) of 

commercial transaction information useful for electronic tagging.

48 Under these 

standards, for these specific purposes, public utilities need to use NAESB-certified ACAs

for PKI.

 

45 Order No. 676-D, 124 FERC ¶ 61,317 at P 7.

46 Id. P 9.

47 NAESB defines “end entities” as including utilities and other independent grid 

operators.

48 NAESB has replaced NERC in supporting the Electric Industry Registry (EIR) 

as these data relate to business transactions rather than reliability. Under NERC, the 

registry was referred to as the Transmission System Information Network (TSIN).
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 21 -

37. Second, NAESB developed ACA Accreditation Requirements and ACA Process 

requirements that ACAs must meet to receive certification from NAESB. NAESB has 

not adopted these accreditation requirements as standards.

38. NAESB explains49 that, given the importance and inter-play of OASIS, electronic 

tagging, and the EIR, a common PKI standard used to secure access is a significant 

improvement over simple user name and password authentication in common use. 

NAESB states that its PKI program provides assurance that (1) the party initiating a data 

exchange is positively identified by its electronic certificate, (2) the data exchanged is 

encrypted and unaltered in transit, and (3) each party to the transaction (i.e, the initiating

party and the counter-party) is the intended recipient of the information exchanged, 

through mutual authentication. NAESB further explains that this mutual authentication 

process allows two entities or computers, in this case, the end entity and the service 

provider operating the system, to authenticate the identities of one another through 

challenge-response protocols.

39. Given the improvement represented by the revised standards over the Version 002 

standards, we propose to incorporate by reference the NAESB WEQ-012 standards. 

These standards, when adopted, will require public utilities to conduct transactions 

securely when using the internet and will eliminate confusion over which transactions 

involving public utilities must follow the approved PKI procedures to secure their 

 

49 January 30, 2013 Filing.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 22 -

transactions. We also understand the necessity for the standards to require that all ACAs

be certified under a common set of certification requirements so that all participants have 

a common list of ACAs from which they can choose. Having a common list of ACAs

enhances the efficiency of transactions as each party can be assured that a counter party’s

certificate meets these minimum requirements.

50

 While we find that NAESB’s 

certification provides efficiency benefits, we are not proposing to incorporate by 

reference the NAESB ACA Accreditation Requirements and ACA Process requirements,

as NAESB has not adopted these requirements as standards and the Commission does not 

have jurisdiction over ACAs.

51

4. Smart Grid Standards

40. The NAESB WEQ Version 003 Business Practice Standards include five

wholesale business practice standards related to Smart Grid that define use cases, data 

requirements, and a common model to represent customer energy usage:52

 

50 In proposing to incorporate by reference Standard WEQ-012, we recognize that 

while the electric industry is not insubstantial, it may represent only a small portion of an 

ACA’s clientele, and that NAESB has a legitimate concern in setting certification 

standards that provide potential customers with sufficient competitive alternatives in 

choosing suppliers to provide price competition in PKI services.

51 See Reporting on North American Energy Standards Board Public Key 

Infrastructure Standards,140 FERC ¶ 61,149, at P 13 (2012) (where the Commission 

stated it does not have jurisdiction over NAESB or the Certification Authorities as public 

utilities). Since the ACA Accreditation Requirements and ACA Process apply to nonjurisdictional entities, and we are not proposing to incorporate these standards as federal 

regulations, we will not opine upon these requirements, including the lifetime of the root 

keys.

52 See supra n.9.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 23 -

 NAESB WEQ-016 – Specifications for Common Electricity Product and Pricing 

Definition;

 NAESB WEQ-017 – Specifications for Common Schedule Communication 

Mechanism for Energy Transactions;

 NAESB WEQ-018 – Specifications for Wholesale Standard Demand Response 

Signals;

 NAESB WEQ-019 – Customer Energy Usage Information Communication; and

 NAESB WEQ-020 – Smart Grid Standards Data Elements Table.

41. We propose, in this NOPR, to incorporate by reference standards WEQ-016, 

WEQ-017, WEQ-018, WEQ-019 and WEQ-020 into the Commission’s regulations. The 

Commission notes that NAESB ratified changes to Standard WEQ-019 on March 21, 

2013. We understand that this standard provides for energy usage information and this 

revision is consistent with the Green Button Initiative, promoted by the White House 

Office of Science and Technology Policy,53 which allows consumers access to their 

energy usage information. These standards will not only be used by the wholesale 

electric industry, but also are important initiatives for use in ongoing utility programs for 

consumer data access. We, therefore, invite comment on whether the Commission 

should incorporate by reference the version of Standard WEQ-019 ratified by NAESB 

membership on March 21, 2013, rather than the version contained in Version 003.

 

53 See http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/18/green-button-providingconsumers-access-their-energy-data .
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 24 -

5. Standards Related to Terms, Definition and Acronyms

42. The Version 003 WEQ Business Practice Standards create a common location for 

all abbreviations, acronyms and definitions of terms and houses this information in a 

newly created standard WEQ-000. In accordance with Commission guidance.

54

 NAESB 

also set out to ensure definition consistencies internally and with the NERC Glossary and 

revised the NAESB definitions accordingly.

6. Commission Proposal

43. With the exceptions noted, we propose to incorporate by reference Version 003 of 

these standards into the Commission’s regulations.

D. Implementation

44. Consistent with our past practice, we propose that, once the Commission 

incorporates these standards by reference into its regulations, public utilities must 

implement these standards even before they have updated their tariffs to incorporate these 

changes. The Commission is also proposing, consistent with our regulation at 18 CFR 

35.28(c)(1)(vii), to require each public utility to revise its OATT to include the Version 

003 standards that we are proposing to incorporate by reference herein. For standards 

that do not require implementing tariff provisions, the Commission is proposing to permit 

the public utility to incorporate the WEQ standard by reference in its OATT. We are not, 

however, proposing to require a separate tariff filing to accomplish this change.

 

54 NAESB’s efforts in this regard are in accordance with the Commission’s 

findings in Order No. 676, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,241 at P 40 and Order No. 676-C, 

126 FERC ¶ 61,228 at P 8.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 25 -

Consistent with our prior practice, we are proposing to give public utilities the option of 

including these changes as part of an unrelated tariff filing.55

III. Notice of Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards

45. The NAESB WEQ Version 003 Business Practice Standards were adopted by 

NAESB under NAESB's consensus procedures.56 As the Commission found in Order 

No. 676, adoption of consensus standards is appropriate because the consensus process 

helps ensure the reasonableness of the standards by requiring that the standards draw 

support from a broad spectrum of all segments of the industry. Moreover, since the 

industry itself has to conduct business under these standards, the Commission's 

regulations should reflect those standards that have the widest possible support. In 

section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, 

Congress affirmatively requires federal agencies to use technical standards developed by 

voluntary consensus standards organizations, like NAESB, as means to carry out policy 

objectives or activities unless use of such standards would be inconsistent with applicable 

law or otherwise impractical.

57

 

55 See Order No. 676, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,216 at P 100.

56 Under this process, to be approved a standard must receive a super-majority 

vote of 67 percent of the members of the WEQ's Executive Committee with support from 

at least 40 percent from each of the five industry segments--transmission, generation, 

marketer/brokers, distribution/load serving entities, and end users. For final approval, 67 

percent of the WEQ's general membership must ratify the standards.

57 Pub. L. No. 104-113, 12(d), 110 Stat. 775 (1996), 15 U.S.C. 272 note (1997).
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 26 -

46. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-119 (section 11) (February 10, 

1998) provides that Federal Agencies should publish a request for comment in a NOPR 

when the agency is seeking to issue or revise a regulation proposing to adopt a voluntary 

consensus standard or a government-unique standard. In this NOPR, the Commission is 

proposing to incorporate by reference a voluntary consensus standard developed by the 

WEQ.

IV. Information Collection Statement

47. The following collection of information contained in this proposed rule is subject 

to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under section 

3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507(d). OMB’s regulations 

require approval of certain information collection requirements imposed by agency 

rules.58 Upon approval of a collection(s) of information, OMB will assign an OMB 

control number and an expiration date. Respondents subject to the filing requirements of 

this rule will not be penalized for failing to respond to these collections of information 

unless the collections of information display a valid OMB control number.

48. The Commission solicits comments on the Commission's need for this 

information, whether the information will have practical utility, the accuracy of the 

provided burden estimates, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondents’

burden, including the use of automated information techniques.

 

58 5 CFR 1320.11 (2012).
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 27 -

49. The following burden estimate is based on the projected costs for the industry to 

implement the new and revised business practice standards adopted by NAESB and 

proposed to be incorporated by reference in this NOPR.

Data Collection No. of 

Respondents

 (1)

No. of Responses 

Per Respondent

 (2)

Hours Per 

Response 

 (3)

Total No. of 

Hours

(1)x(2)x(3)

FERC-51659

(tariff filing) 132 1 6

 

 792

FERC-71760

(compliance 

with standards) 132 1 3061 3,960

Totals 4,752

Costs to Comply with Paperwork Requirements:

The estimated annual costs are as follows:

• FERC-516: 132 entities * 1 response/entity * (6 hours/response * $72/hour62) = 

 

59 “FERC-516” is the Commission’s identifier that corresponds to OMB control 

no. 1902-0096 which identifies the information collection associated with Electric Rate 

Schedules and Tariff Filings.

60 “FERC-717” is the Commission’s identifier that corresponds to OMB control 

no. 1902-0173 which identifies the information collection associated with Standards for 

Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities.

61 The 30-hour estimate was developed in Docket No. RM05-5-013, when the 

Commission prepared its estimate of the scope of work involved in transitioning to the 

NAESB Version 002.1 Business Practice Standards. See Order No. 676-E, FERC Stats. 

& Regs. ¶ 31,299 at P 134. We have retained the same estimate here, because the scope 

of the tasks involved in the transition to Version 003 of the Business Practice Standards is 

very similar to that for the transition to the Version 002.1 Standards. 

62 The estimated hourly loaded cost (salary plus benefits) is a composite estimate 

that includes legal, technical, and support staff rates, based on data from the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics at http://bls.gov/oes/current/naics3_221000.htm. Loaded costs are BLS 

(continued...)
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 28 -

$57,024.

 • FERC-717: 132 entities * 1 response/entity * (30 hours/response * $72/hour) = 

$285,120.

Titles: Electric Rate Schedule Filing (FERC-516); Open Access Same Time Information 

System and Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public 

Utilities (FERC-717).

Action: Proposed collection.

OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0096 (FERC-516); 1902-0173 (FERC-717).

Respondents: Business or other for profit (Public Utilities – Generally not applicable to 

small businesses).

63

Frequency of Responses: One-time implementation (business procedures, capital/startup).

50. Necessity of the Information: This proposed rule, if implemented would upgrade 

the Commission’s current business practice and communication standards and protocols 

modifications to support compliance with requirements established by the Commission in 

Order Nos. 890, 890-A, 890-B and 890-C, as well as modifications to the OASIS-related 

standards to support Order Nos. 676, 676-A, 676-E and 717. In addition, NAESB made 

modifications to the Coordinate Interchange standards to compliment the updates to the 

e-Tag specifications, modifications to the Gas/Electric Coordination standards to provide 

 

rates divided by 0.703 and rounded to the nearest dollar 

(http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm).

63 See infra P 56.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 29 -

consistency between the two markets and re-organized and revised definitions to create a 

standard set of terms, definitions and acronyms applicable to all NAESB WEQ standards. 

The Version 003 Standards also include standards related to Demand Side Management 

and Energy Efficiency, which the Commission separately acted on in Docket No. RM05-

5-020 after NAESB filed its Version 003 report, and Smart Grid-related standards that 

NAESB previously filed with the Commission in Docket No. RM05-5-021 and to

increase the efficiency of the wholesale electric power grid.

51. Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the revised business practice 

standards and has made a preliminary determination that the proposed revisions that we 

propose here to incorporate by reference are both necessary and useful. In addition, the 

Commission has assured itself, by means of its internal review, that there is specific, 

objective support for the burden estimate associated with the information requirements.

52. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting requirements by 

contacting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Executive Director,

888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426 [Attn: Ellen Brown, e-mail: 

DataClearance@ferc.gov, phone: (202) 502-8663, fax: (202) 273-0873].

53. Comments concerning the information collections proposed in this NOPR and the 

associated burden estimates should be sent to the Commission at this docket and may also

by e-mail to the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs [Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission]. For security reasons, comments should be sent by e-mail to OMB at the 

following e-mail address: oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Please reference the docket 
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 30 -

number of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket No. RM05-5-022) in your 

submission.

V. Environmental Analysis

54. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental Assessment or an 

Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may have a significant adverse effect 

on the human environment.64 The Commission has categorically excluded certain actions 

from these requirements as not having a significant effect on the human environment.65 

The actions proposed here fall within categorical exclusions in the Commission’s 

regulations for rules that are clarifying, corrective, or procedural, for information 

gathering, analysis, and dissemination, and for sales, exchange, and transportation of 

electric power that requires no construction of facilities.66 Therefore, an environmental 

assessment is unnecessary and has not been prepared in this NOPR.

VI. Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

55. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA)67 generally requires a description 

and analysis of proposed rules that will have significant economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities. The RFA mandates consideration of regulatory alternatives that 

 

64 Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,

Order No. 486, 52 FR 47897 (Dec. 17, 1987), FERC Stats. & Regs., Regulations

Preambles 1986-1990 ¶ 30,783 (1987).

65 18 CFR 380.4.

66 See 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii), 380.4(a)(5), 380.4(a)(27).

67 5 U.S.C. 601-612.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 31 -

accomplish the stated objectives of a proposed rule and that minimize any significant 

economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The Small Business 

Administration’s Office of Size Standards develops the numerical definition of a small 

business.68 The Small Business Administration has established a size standard for 

electric utilities, stating that a firm is small if, including its affiliates, it is primarily 

engaged in the transmission, generation and/or distribution of electric energy for sale and 

its total electric output for the preceding twelve months did not exceed four million 

megawatt hours (MWh).69

56. The Commission seeks comment on the estimated impact of the proposed rule on 

small business entities. The Commission estimates that 5 of the 132 respondents are 

small. The Commission estimates that the impact on these entities is consistent with the 

paperwork burden of $2,592 per entity used above.70 The Commission does not consider 

$2,592 to be a significant economic impact. 

57. Based on the above, the Commission certifies that the proposed Reliability 

Standards will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. 

Accordingly, no initial regulatory flexibility analysis is required.

 

68 13 CFR 121.101 (2012).

69 13 CFR 121.201, Sector 22, Utilities & n.1. 

70 36 hours at $72/hour = $2,592
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 32 -

VII. Comment Procedures

58. The Commission invites interested persons to submit comments on the matters and 

issues proposed in this notice to be adopted, including any related matters or alternative 

proposals that commenters may wish to discuss. Comments are due [INSERT DATE 60 

days after publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER]]. Comments must refer to 

Docket No. RM05-5-022, and must include the commenter's name, the organization they 

represent, if applicable, and their address in their comments.

59. The Commission encourages comments to be filed electronically via the eFiling 

link on the Commission's web site at http://www.ferc.gov. The Commission accepts 

most standard word processing formats. Documents created electronically using word 

processing software should be filed in native applications or print-to-PDF format and not 

in a scanned format. Commenters filing electronically do not need to make a paper 

filing.

60. Commenters that are not able to file comments electronically must send an 

original of their comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 

Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.

61. All comments will be placed in the Commission's public files and may be viewed, 

printed, or downloaded remotely as described in the Document Availability section 

below. Commenters on this proposal are not required to serve copies of their comments 

on other commenters.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 33 -

VIII. Document Availability

62. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the Federal Register, the 

Commission provides all interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the 

contents of this document via the Internet through the Commission's Home Page 

(http://www.ferc.gov) and in the Commission's Public Reference Room during normal 

business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time) at 888 First Street, NE, Room 2A, 

Washington, DC 20426.

63. From the Commission's Home Page on the Internet, this information is available 

on eLibrary. The full text of this document is available on eLibrary in PDF and 

Microsoft Word format for viewing, printing, and/or downloading. To access this 

document in eLibrary, type the docket number excluding the last three digits of this 

document in the docket number field.

64. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission’s website during 

normal business hours from the Commission’s Online Support at 202-502-6652 (toll free 

at 1-866-208-3676) or email at ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or the Public Reference 

Room at (202) 502-8371, TTY (202) 502-8659. E-mail the Public Reference Room at 

public.referenceroom@ferc.gov.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 34 -

List of subjects in 18 CFR Part 38

Conflict of interests, Electric power plants, Electric utilities, Incorporation by reference, 

Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

By direction of the Commission.

( S E A L )

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,

Deputy Secretary.
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 35 -

In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission proposes to revise Chapter I, Title 18, 

Part 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as follows:

PART 38 – BUSINESS PRACTICE STANDARDS AND COMMUNICATION 

PROTOCOLS FOR PUBLIC UTILITIES

1. The authority citation for Part 38 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 791-825r, 2601-2645; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 7101-7352.

2. In § 38.2, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:

§ 38.2 Incorporation by reference of North American Energy Standards Board

Wholesale Electric Quadrant standards.

(a) * * *

(1) Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Definition of Terms

(WEQ-000, Version 003, July 31, 2012, as modified by NAESB final actions ratified on 

Oct. 4, 2012, Nov. 28, 2012 and Dec. 28, 2012);

(2) Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS), Version 2.0

(WEQ-001, Version 003, July 31, 2012, as modified by NAESB final actions ratified on 

Dec. 28, 2012) with the exception of Standards 001-14.1.3 and 001-15.1.2);

(3) Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS) Business Practice 

Standards and Communication Protocols (S&CP), Version 2.0 (WEQ-002, Version 003,

July 31, 2012, as modified by NAESB final actions ratified on Nov. 28, 2012 and Dec. 

28, 2012);

(4) Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS) Data Dictionary 

Business Practice Standards, Version 2.0 (WEQ-003, Version 003, July 31, 2012, as 

modified by NAESB final actions ratified on Dec. 28, 2012);
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 36 -

(5) Coordinate Interchange (WEQ-004, Version 003, July 31, 2012, as 

modified by NAESB final actions ratified on Dec. 28, 2012);

(6) Area Control Error (ACE) Equation Special Cases

(WEQ-005, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(7) Manual Time Error Correction (WEQ-006, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(8) Inadvertent Interchange Payback (WEQ-007, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(9) Transmission Loading Relief (TLR) – Eastern Interconnection

(WEQ-008, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(10) Gas / Electric Coordination (WEQ-011, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(11) Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) (WEQ-012, Version 003, July 31, 2012, as 

modified by NAESB final actions ratified on Oct. 4, 2012);

(12) Open Access Same-Time Information System (OASIS) Implementation 

Guide, Version 2.0 (WEQ-013, Version 003, July 31, 2012, as modified by NAESB final 

actions ratified on Dec. 28, 2012);

(13) Measurement and Verification of Wholesale Electricity Demand Response

(WEQ-015, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(14) NAESB Specifications for Common Electricity Product and Pricing 

Definition (WEQ-016, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(15) Specifications for Common Schedule Communication Mechanism for 

Energy Transactions (WEQ-017, Version 003, July 31, 2012);
Docket No. RM05-5-022 - 37 -

(16) Specifications for Wholesale Standard Demand Response Signals

(WEQ-018, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(17) NAESB Customer Energy Usage Information Communication

(WEQ-019, Version 003, July 31, 2012);

(18) Smart Grid Standards Data Element Table

(WEQ-020, Version 003, July 31, 2012); and

(19) Measurement and Verification of Energy Efficiency Products

(WEQ-021, Version 003, July 31, 2012).

* * * * *