Document ID: FERC-2019-1158-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals
Posted Date: 2019-10-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52080-52081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21337]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC19-45-000]

Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form 580) 
Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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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 Form 580 (Interrogatory on Fuel and Energy 
Purchase Practices Pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Power Act).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due December 2, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments (identified by Docket No. IC19-45-
000) by either of the following methods:
     eFiling at Commission's website: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp
     Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at: http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support 
by email at ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone at: (866) 208-3676 
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
    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 http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202) 
273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC Form 580, (Interrogatory on Fuel and Energy Purchase 
Practices Pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Power Act).
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0137.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC Form 580 with no 
changes to the current reporting requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission collects FERC Form 580 information every 
other year as required under Section 205(f)(2) of the FPA as amended by 
Section 208 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 
(PURPA). The Commission uses the information collected through the FERC 
Form 580 interrogatory to review utility purchase and cost recovery 
practices through automatic adjustment clauses (AACs) in order to 
ensure efficient use of resources.\1\ The Commission uses the 
information to evaluate costs in individual rate filings and to 
supplement periodic utility audits. The public also uses the 
information in this manner. Without the FERC Form 580 interrogatory, 
the Commission would not have the requisite information available to 
conduct the necessary review the FPA mandates.
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    \1\ By using the data in FERC Form 580, the Commission is able 
to review utility purchase and cost recovery practices and ensure 
the resources are in compliance with Commission regulations in 18 
CFR 35.14
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    Type of Respondents: 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 form.
    Estimate of Annual Burden.\2\ The Commission estimates the annual 
\3\ public reporting burden and cost \4\ for the information collection 
as:
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    \2\ Burden is defined as 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. See 5 
CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition of information 
collection burden.
    \3\ The FERC Form 580 interrogatory is conducted every two 
years.
    \4\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the 
2019 FERC average salary plus benefits of $167,091/year (or $80.00/
hour). Commission staff finds that the work done on this information 
collection is typically done by wage categories like those at FERC.

                  FERC Form 580 (Interrogatory on Fuel and Energy Purchase Practices Pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal Power Act)
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                                               Annual  number                                                                              Annual  cost
                                  Number of     of  responses   Total number     Average burden and      Total annual burden hours and          per
                                 respondents         per        of responses     cost per  response            total annual cost            respondent
                                                 respondent                                                                                     ($)
                                          (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4)...................  (3) * (4) = (5)..................       (5) / (1)
                                                                          (3)
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Respondents with FACs \5\....              29             0.5            14.5  103 hrs.; $8,240......  1,493.5 hrs.; $119,480.00........       $4,120.00
Respondents with AACs, but no               9             0.5             4.5  20 hrs.; $1,600.......  90 hrs.; $7,200.00...............             800
 FACs.
Respondents with no AACs nor               28             0.5              14  2 hrs.; $160..........  28 hrs.; $2,240.00...............           80.00
 FACs.
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    Total....................  ..............  ..............              33  ......................  1,611.5 hrs.; $128,920.00........  ..............
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[[Page 52081]]

    Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of 
information are 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 estimates 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.
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    \5\ Fuel Adjustment Clause (FAC)

    Dated: September 25, 2019.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-21337 Filed 9-30-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P