Document ID: FERC-2023-1425-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Rule
Title: Electric Reliability Organization Proposal to Retire Requirements in Reliability Standards Under the NERC Standards Efficiency Review
Posted Date: 2023-11-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 74879-74884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24095]

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 Rules and Regulations
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 210 / Wednesday, November 1, 2023 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 74879]]

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 40

[Docket No. RM19-17-001; Order No. 902]

Electric Reliability Organization Proposal To Retire Requirements 
in Reliability Standards Under the NERC Standards Efficiency Review

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Final action.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves 
the retirement of six Reliability Standards and their requirements 
proposed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the 
Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization.

DATES: This action is effective February 1, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael Gandolfo (Technical Information), Office of Electric 
Reliability, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-6817
Mark Bennett (Legal Information), Office of the General Counsel, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, 
DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-8524

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the 
Federal Power Act (FPA),\1\ the Commission approves the North American 
Electric Reliability Corporation's (NERC) request to retire six 
Reliability Standards with a combined total of 56 requirements. For the 
reasons discussed below, we determine that the retirement of six 
Reliability Standards (the MOD A Reliability Standards) \2\ in their 
entirety is just, reasonable, not unduly discriminatory or 
preferential, and in the public interest.
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(d)(2).
    \2\ Reliability Standards MOD-001-1a (Available Transmission 
System Capability), MOD-004-1 (Capacity Benefit Margin), MOD-008-1 
(Transmission Reliability Margin Calculation Methodology), MOD-028-2 
(Area Interchange Methodology), MOD-029-2a (Rated System Path 
Methodology), and MOD-030-3 (Flowgate Methodology).
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I. Background

A. Section 215 of the FPA and the Mandatory Reliability Standards

    2. Section 215 of the FPA provides that the Commission may certify 
an ERO, the purpose of which is to develop mandatory and enforceable 
Reliability Standards, subject to Commission review and approval.\3\ 
Reliability Standards may be enforced by the ERO, subject to Commission 
oversight, or by the Commission independently.\4\ Pursuant to section 
215 of the FPA, the Commission established a process to select and 
certify an ERO,\5\ and subsequently certified NERC.\6\
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    \3\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(c).
    \4\ Id. 824o(e).
    \5\ Rules Concerning Certification of the Elec. Reliability Org. 
& Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, & Enf't. of Elec. 
Reliability Standards, Order No. 672, 114 FERC ] 61,104, order on 
reh'g, Order No. 672-A, 114 FERC ] 61,328 (2006).
    \6\ N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 116 FERC ] 61,062, order on 
reh'g and compliance, 117 FERC ] 61,126 (2006), aff'd sub nom. 
Alcoa, Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d 1342 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
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B. NERC Petition

    3. On June 7, 2019, NERC submitted a petition proposing, among 
other things, the retirement of the MOD A Reliability Standards, in 
their entirety without replacement (NERC Petition). NERC explained that 
these requirements are administrative in nature or relate expressly to 
commercial or business practices and provide little or no reliability 
benefit.\7\ NERC explained that the MOD A Reliability Standards were 
submitted in response to Commission's directives in Order No. 890 and 
Order No. 693 to develop Reliability Standards ``to provide for 
consistency and transparency in the methodologies used by transmission 
providers to calculate [Available Transfer Capability].'' \8\ NERC 
clarified that ``[Available Transfer Capability] and [Available 
Flowgate Methodology], as well as e-Tags, are commercially-focused 
elements facilitating interchange and balancing of interchange,'' and 
that system operators maintain reliability by monitoring Real-time 
flows based on System Operating Limits and Interconnection Reliability 
Operating Limits.\9\
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    \7\ Id. at 21-22.
    \8\ NERC Petition at 18 (citing Preventing Undue Discrimination 
& Preference in Transmission Serv., Order No. 890, 72 FR 12266 (Mar. 
15, 2007),118 FERC ] 61,119, order on reh'g, Order No. 890-A,73 FR 
2984 (Jan. 16, 2008) 121 FERC ] 61,297 (2007), order on reh'g, Order 
No. 890-B, 123 FERC ] 61,299 (2008), order on reh'g, Order No. 890-
C, 74 FR 12540 (Mar. 25, 2009), 126 FERC ] 61,228 (2009); Mandatory 
Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power Sys., Order No. 693, 72 FR 
16416 (Apr. 4, 2007), 118 FERC ] 61,218, at PP 1020-1126 order on 
reh'g, Order No. 693-A, 120 FERC ] 61,053 (2007)). In 2009, the 
Commission approved the six MOD Reliability Standards containing 
methodologies for calculating Available Transfer Capability (ATC) or 
Available Flowgate Capacity (AFC). See, Mandatory Reliability 
Standards for the Calculation of Available Transfer Capability, 
Capacity Benefit Margins, Transmission Reliability Margins, Total 
Transfer Capability, & Existing Transmission Commitments & Mandatory 
Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power Sys., Order No. 729, 74 FR 
64884 (Dec 8, 2009), 129 FERC ] 61,155 (2009), order on reh'g, Order 
No. 729-A,75 FR 26057 (May 11, 131 FERC ] 61,109 (2010).
    \9\ NERC Petition at 21.
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C. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

    4. On January 23, 2020, the Commission issued a NOPR proposing to 
approve the retirement of 74 of the 77 Reliability Standard 
requirements requested by NERC.\10\ In the NOPR, the Commission 
proposed, inter alia, to approve the retirement of the MOD A 
Reliability Standards, but noted that, if approved, the Commission 
intended to coordinate the effective dates for the retirement of the 
MOD A Reliability Standards with successor North American Energy 
Standards Board (NAESB) business practice standards.\11\ The Commission 
explained that equivalent NAESB business practice standards are 
expected to replace the MOD A Reliability Standards proposed for 
retirement.\12\
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    \10\ Elec. Reliability Org. Proposal to Retire Requirements in 
Reliability Standards Under the NERC Standards Efficiency Rev., 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 170 FERC ] 61,032 (Jan. 23, 2020) 
(NOPR).
    \11\ Id. P 21 n.35.
    \12\ Id.
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    5. The Commission noted that NERC's proposed retirements ``are 
largely consistent with the Commission-approved bases for retiring 
Reliability Standard requirements articulated in

[[Page 74880]]

prior proceedings.'' \13\ In proposing to approve NERC's request, the 
Commission stated that NERC ``provided an adequate basis to conclude 
that the requirements proposed for retirement: (1) provide little or no 
reliability benefit; (2) are administrative in nature or relate 
expressly to commercial or business practices; or (3) are redundant 
with other Reliability Standards.'' \14\ Further, the Commission 
acknowledged NERC's assertion that retiring the MOD A Reliability 
Standards is justified because, being primarily administrative or 
related to commercial or business practices, they ``no longer serve a 
reliability purpose.'' \15\ Specifically, the Commission noted NERC's 
assertion that the MOD A Reliability Standards contain ``commercially-
focused elements facilitating interchange and balancing of 
interchange,'' and system operators maintain reliability by monitoring 
Real-time flows based on System Operating Limits and Interconnection 
Reliability Operating Limits.\16\
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    \13\ Id. P 1 (citing N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 138 FERC ] 
61,193, at P 81 (March 2012 Order), order on reh'g and 
clarification, 139 FERC ] 61,168 (2012); Elec. Reliability Org. 
Proposal to Retire Requirements in Reliability Standards, Order No. 
788, 78 FR 73424 (Dec. 6, 2013), 145 FERC ] 61,147, at P 1 (2013)).
    \14\ Id. P 25.
    \15\ Id. P 21.
    \16\ See id. P 22 (citing NERC Petition at 21).
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D. NOPR Comments

    6. The Commission received five sets of comments--two of which were 
specific to the proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability 
Standards.\17\ Neither of the two comments the Commission received in 
response to NERC's proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability 
Standards opposed NERC's proposal. In its comments, Bonneville states 
that it appreciates the Commission's recognition of the relationship 
between the MOD A retirements and the publication of Business Practice 
Standards by NAESB to replace the commercial aspects of the MOD 
requirements.\18\ Further, Bonneville believes ``it will be important 
to continue the efforts to avoid commercial requirements in the NERC 
Reliability Standards and, likewise, avoid reliability requirements in 
NAESB Business Practice Standards.'' \19\ Similarly, WAPA expressed its 
support for the direction of the industry and the work performed by the 
Standards Efficiency Review project. More specifically, WAPA agreed 
with NERC's assertion that Available Transfer Capability/Available 
Flowgate Capability, along with e-Tags, ``are commercially-focused 
elements facilitating interchange and balancing of interchange.'' \20\ 
WAPA also asked the Commission to ensure that ``appropriate measures 
are in place to ensure stakeholder[s] can provide input into the 
development of the new business practices.'' \21\
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    \17\ These two comments were received from the Bonneville Power 
Administration (Bonneville) and the Western Area Power 
Administration (WAPA).
    \18\ Bonneville Comments at 3.
    \19\ Id.
    \20\ WAPA Comments at 3.
    \21\ Id. at 5.
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E. Order No. 873 and the Prior Retirements of Other Reliability 
Standard Requirements

    7. On September 17, 2020, the Commission issued Order No. 873,\22\ 
approving the retirement of 18 Reliability Standard requirements,\23\ 
remanding two requirements for further consideration by NERC, and 
taking no action on the proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability 
Standards.\24\ In Order No. 873, the Commission confirmed the approach 
proposed in the NOPR and provided developments since then, noting that 
on March 30, 2020, NAESB submitted Version 003.3 of the Standards for 
Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities, 
including the Modeling business practices intended to replace the MOD A 
Reliability Standards upon their retirement, for which the Commission 
had issued a NOPR.\25\ The Commission concluded that ``[i]n light of 
these developments, this final action does not address the retirement 
of MOD A Reliability Standards. The Commission will determine the 
appropriate action regarding the proposed retirement of the MOD A 
Reliability Standards at a later time.'' \26\
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    \22\ Elec. Reliability Org. Proposal to Retire Requirements in 
Reliability Standards Under the NERC Standards Efficiency Rev., 
Order No. 873, 172 FERC ] 61,225 (2020).
    \23\ NERC withdrew the originally requested retirement of 
Reliability Standard VAR-001-6, Requirement R2 on May 14, 2020.
    \24\ Id. P 4.
    \25\ Id. (citing Standards for Bus. Pracs. & Commc'n Protocols 
for Pub. Utils., Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 172 FERC ] 61,047 
(2020)).
    \26\ Id.
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F. NAESB Standards for Business Practices and Communications Protocols 
for Public Utilities

    8. In Order No. 676-J, the Commission revised its regulations to 
incorporate by reference, as mandatory enforceable requirements, the 
current version of NAESB's Standards for Business Practices and 
Communication Protocols for Public Utilities adopted by the Wholesale 
Electric Quadrant (WEQ) of NAESB, Version 003.3 of the NAESB WEQ 
Business Practice Standards (WEQ Version 003.3 Standards).\27\ Among 
other things, the WEQ Version 003.3 Standards address the technical 
issues affecting Available Transfer Capability and Available Flowgate 
Capability calculation for wholesale transmission services, with the 
addition of certain revisions and corrections. The Commission also 
revised its regulations to provide that transmission providers must 
avoid unduly discriminatory and preferential treatment in the 
calculation of Available Transfer Capability.\28\
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    \27\ Standards for Bus. Pracs. & Commc'n Protocols for Pub. 
Utils., Order No. 676-J, 86 FR 29491 (June 2, 2021), 175 FERC ] 
61,139 (2021).
    \28\ Id. P 33.
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    9. The first compliance filing concerned the cybersecurity and 
Parallel Flow Visualization standards included in Version 003.3. The 
Commission directed utilities to make the second compliance filing 
reflecting the remainder of the revisions in Version 003.3 12 months 
after implementation of the WEQ Version 003.2 Standards, or no earlier 
than October 27, 2022, with an implementation date no earlier than 
three months following compliance filings submission (no earlier than 
January 27, 2023), resulting in a 15-month implementation period.\29\
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    \29\ Id. PP 48, 50. The Commission noted that the implementation 
of the NAESB Available Transfer Capability -related standards 
contained in WEQ-023 will be coordinated with the retirement of the 
NERC MOD A Reliability Standards. Id. P 43 n.53.
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II. Commission Determination

    10. Pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the FPA,\30\ the Commission 
approves the proposed retirement of the MOD A Reliability Standards, to 
be coordinated with the effective date of the tariff records accepted 
in the orders on the second set of Order No. 676-J compliance filings, 
February 1, 2024.\31\ As explained herein, we are satisfied with NERC's 
justification for these retirements. In particular, we note NERC's 
explanation that the MOD A Reliability Standards are no longer 
necessary because Available Transfer Capability, Available Flowgate 
Capability, and e-Tags fundamentally pertain to commercial and business 
operations, and that system operators

[[Page 74881]]

maintain reliability by monitoring Real-time flows based on System 
Operating Limits and Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits. We 
are further persuaded that retiring the MOD A Reliability Standards 
will not result in a reliability gap.
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    \30\ 16 U.S.C. 824o(d)(2).
    \31\ See ISO-New England, 185 FERC ] 61,070 (2023); N.Y. Indep. 
Sys. Operator, Inc., 185 FERC ] 61,067 (2023); PJM Interconnection, 
L.L.C., 185 FERC ] 61,068 (2023); Ala. Power Co., 185 FERC ] 61,073; 
Versant Power, 185 FERC ] 61,065 (2023); Cal. Indep. Sys. Operator 
Corp., 185 FERC ] 61,072 (2023); MATL LLP, 185 FERC ] 61,074 (2023); 
Golden Spread Elec. Coop., Inc., 185 FERC ] 61,071 (2023).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    11. Regarding WAPA's comments focused on the importance of ensuring 
stakeholders' ability to provide input.\32\ Order No. 676-J explained 
that NAESB has procedures to ensure that interested persons have input 
into NAESB's standard development regardless of the interested persons' 
NAESB membership and that ``each standard NAESB adopts must be 
supported by a consensus of the relevant industry segments. Standards 
that fail to gain consensus support are not adopted.'' \33\ Therefore, 
we believe WAPA's concerns were fully addressed.
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    \32\ WAPA Comments at 5.
    \33\ See Order No. 676-J, 175 FERC ] 61,139 at P 5.
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III. Information Collection Statement

    12. The information collection requirements contained in this final 
action are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.\34\ 
OMB's regulations require approval of certain information collection 
requirements imposed by agency rules.\35\ Upon approval of a collection 
of information, OMB will assign an OMB control number and expiration 
date. Comments on the collection of information are due within 60 days 
of the date this order is published in the Federal Register. 
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. The Commission solicits comments on the Commission's need for 
this information, whether the information will have practical utility, 
the accuracy of the burden estimates, ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected or retained, 
and any suggested methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including 
the use of automated information techniques.
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    \34\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
    \35\ 5 CFR 1320.
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    13. These MOD Standards are currently located in the FERC-725A (OMB 
Control No. 1902-0244) collection. The collection is currently approved 
by OMB and contains Reliability Standards MOD-0001-1a, MOD-004-1, MOD-
008-1, MOD-028-2, MOD-029-2a and MOD-030-3 (the MOD A Reliability 
Standards), along with other Reliability Standards. In Docket No. RM19-
17-001, the Commission approves the retirement of these six current 
OMB-approved MOD Reliability Standards and their associated 
requirements. The retirements will be coordinated with the effective 
dates for the successor NAESB business practice standards, which mirror 
the retired responsibilities from the MOD-A Reliability Standards.
    14. Reliability Standards MOD-001-1a, MOD-004-1, MOD-008-1, MOD-
028-2, MOD-029-2a, and MOD-030-3 are all currently approved within the 
FERC-725A information collection. The number of respondents below is 
based on an estimate of the NERC compliance registry for transmission 
service providers (TSP), transmission operators (TOP), transmission 
planners (TP), resource planners (RP), and balancing authorities 
(BA).\36\ As these entities still have obligation to other NERC 
Reliability Standards when updating the FERC-725A for this collection 
the number respondents shall remain the same and only the man-hours 
will be reduced.
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    \36\ The number of TSP (71), TOP (165), TP (98), RP (159), and 
BA (98) are taken based on the NERC Compliance Registry information 
as of August 17, 2023, and represent U.S. registered entities.
    \37\ The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is a 
combination based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 
2022, for 75% of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17-2071) 
$77.29/hr, 77.29 x .75 = 57.9675 ($57.97-rounded) ($57.97/hour) and 
25% of an Information and Record Clerk (43-4199) $39.58/hr x .25% = 
9.895 ($9.90 rounded) ($9.90/hour), for a total ($57.97 + $9.90 = 
$67.87/hour).
    \38\ In 2015 the Commission approved the retirement of the load-
serving entity function. See N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 150 
FERC ] 61,213 (2015); N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 153 FERC ] 
61,024 (2015). NERC has an ongoing standard drafting team project to 
replace this function as an applicable entity in the Reliability 
Standards with the distribution provider function. See Project-2022-
02 Modifications to TPL-001 and MOD-032.
    \39\ The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is a 
combination based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 
2022, for 75% of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17-2071) 
$77.29/hr, 72.29 x .75 = 57.9576 ($57.96-rounded) ($57.96/hour) and 
25% of an Information and Record Clerk (43-4199) $39.58/hr, $39.58 x 
.25% = 9.895 ($9.90 rounded) ($9.90/hour), for a total ($57.96+$9.90 
= $67.86/hour).

                                            MOD-001-1a--Available Transmission System Capability--Retirement
                                                                   [Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual number
 Applicable entity (respondent)      Number of     of responses    Annual number of    Average burden hours and     Total annual burden hours  and cost
                                    respondents   per respondent      responses            cost per response                reduction  (rounded)
                                             (1)             (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)  (4) \37\....................  (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TSP--Retired....................              71               1                 71  120 hrs.; $8,144.40.........  8,520 hrs.; $578,252.4.
TOP--Retired....................             165               1                165  120 hrs.; $8,144.40.........  19,800 hrs.; $1,343,826.
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    FERC-725A for MOD-001-1a      ..............  ..............  .................  ............................  28,320 hrs.; $1,922,078.40.
     Total Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                     MOD-004-1--Capacity Benefit Margin--Retirement
                                                                 [Burden reduction] \38\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual number
 Applicable entity (respondent)      Number of     of responses    Annual number of    Average burden hours and     Total annual burden hours  and cost
                                    respondents   per respondent      responses            cost per response                reduction  (rounded)
                                             (1)             (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)  (4) \39\....................  (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RP--Retired.....................             159               1                159  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  9,540 hrs.; $647,479.80.
TSP--Retired....................              71               1                 71  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
BA--Retired.....................              98               1                 98  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  5,880 hrs.; $399,075.60.

[[Page 74882]]

 
TP--Retired.....................             203               1                203  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  12,180 hrs.; $826,656.60.
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    FERC-725A for MOD-004-1       ..............  ..............  .................  ............................  31,860 hrs.; $2,162,338.20.
     Total Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     
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    \40\ Id.

                                     MOD-008-1--Transmission Reliability Margin Calculation Methodology--Retirement
                                                                   [Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual number
 Applicable entity (respondent)      Number of     of responses    Annual number of    Average burden hours and     Total annual burden hours  and cost
                                    respondents   per respondent      responses            cost per response                reduction  (rounded)
                                             (1)             (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)  (4) \40\....................  (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired....................             165               1                165  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    FERC-725A for MOD-008-1       ..............  ..............  .................  ............................  9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
     Total Retired.
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    \41\ Id.

                                             MOD-028-2--Area Interchange Methodology Proposed for Retirement
                                                                   [Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual number
 Applicable entity (respondent)      Number of     of responses    Annual number of    Average burden hours and     Total annual burden hours  and cost
                                    respondents   per respondent      responses            cost per response                reduction  (rounded)
                                             (1)             (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)  (4) \41\....................  (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired....................             165               1                165  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
TSP--Retired....................              71               1                 71  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    FERC-725A for MOD-028-2       ..............  ..............  .................  ............................  14,160 hrs.; $961,039.20.
     Total Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     
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    \42\ Id.

                                                      MOD-029-2a--Flowgate Methodology--Retirement
                                                                   [Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual number
 Applicable entity (respondent)      Number of     of responses    Annual number of    Average burden hours and     Total annual burden hours  and cost
                                    respondents   per respondent       response           cost per responses                reduction  (rounded)
                                             (1)             (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)  (4) \42\....................  (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired....................             165               1                165  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
TSP--Retired....................              71               1                 71  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total for MOD-029-2a for      ..............  ..............  .................  ............................  14,160 hrs.; $961,039.20.
     Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 74883]]

                                                       MOD-030-2--Flowgate Methodology--Retirement
                                                                   [Burden reduction]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Annual number
 Applicable entity (respondent)      Number of     of responses    Annual number of    Average burden  hours and    Total annual burden hours  and cost
                                    respondents   per respondent      responses         cost  per response \43\             reduction  (rounded)
                                             (1)             (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)  (4).........................  (3) * (4) = (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          FERC-725A, OMB Control No. 1902-0244
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Retired....................             165               1                165  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  9,900 hrs.; $671,913.
TSP--Retired....................              71               1                 71  60 hrs.; $4,072.20..........  4,260 hrs.; $289,126.20.
                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total for MOD-030-2 for       ..............  ..............  .................  ............................  14,160 hrs.; $961,039.20.
     Retired.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Title: FERC-725A, Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-
Power System.
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    \43\ Id.
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    Action: Modifications to Existing Collections of Information in 
FERC-725A.
    OMB Control No: 1902-0244 (FERC-725A).
    Respondents: Business or other for profit, and not for profit 
institutions.
    Frequency of Responses: On occasion (and proposed for deletion).
    Necessity of the Information: Reliability Standards MOD-001-1a 
(Available Transmission System Capability), MOD-004-1 (Capacity Benefit 
Margin), MOD-008-1 (Transmission Reliability Margin Calculation 
Methodology), MOD-028-2 (Area Interchange Methodology), MOD-029-2a 
(Rated System Path Methodology), and MOD030-3 (Flowgate Methodology) 
(the MOD A Reliability Standards) were part of the implementation of 
the Congressional mandate of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to develop 
mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards to better ensure the 
reliability of the nation's Bulk-Power system. As these Reliability 
Standards are retired, their purpose and requirements have been moved 
into the NAESB business practice standards.
    Internal review: The Commission has reviewed NERC's proposal and 
determined that this action is necessary to implement section 215 of 
the FPA.
    15. 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 [Attention: Ellen Brown, email: [email protected], phone: 
(202) 502-8663, fax: (202) 273-0873].
    16. Comments concerning the information collections and 
requirements approved for retirement in this final action and the 
associated burden estimates, should be sent to the Commission in this 
docket and may also be sent 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 email to OMB at the following email address: 
[email protected].

IV. Environmental Analysis

    17. 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.\44\ The 
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from this 
requirement as not having a significant effect on the human 
environment. Included in the exclusion are rules that are clarifying, 
corrective, or procedural or that do not substantially change the 
effect of the regulations being amended.\45\ The actions approved here 
fall within this categorical exclusion in the Commission's regulations.
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    \44\ Reguls. Implementing the Nat'l Env't Policy Act, Order No. 
486, FERC Stats. & Regs. Preambles 1986-1990 ] 30,783 (1987) (cross-
referenced at 41 FERC ] 61,284).
    \45\ 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii).
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V. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    18. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \46\ generally 
requires a description and analysis of final rules that will have 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
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    \46\ 5 U.S.C. 601-612.
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    19. The RFA mandates consideration of regulatory alternatives that 
accomplish the stated objectives of a 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.\47\ The Small Business 
Administration has established size standards, for the types of 
affected entities that range from a maximum of 250-1,000 employees for 
an entity and its affiliates to be considered small.
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    \47\ 13 CFR 121.101.
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    20. This final action accepts the request of NERC, the Commission-
certified ERO, to retire the MOD A Reliability Standards and recognizes 
that NAESB business practice standards will cover the obligations. This 
final action reduces paperwork burdens for both large and small 
business entities. The Commission estimates the total industry 
reduction in burden for all entities (large and small) to be 112,560 
hours or 68.5 hours per response.
    21. Based on the information above, the Commission certifies that 
the proposed reductions will not have a significant impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, no initial 
regulatory flexibility analysis is required. The Commission certifies 
that this final action will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities.

VI. Document Availability

    22. 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).
    23. From FERC'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.
    24. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the FERC's 
website during normal business hours from FERC Online Support at 202-
502-6652 (toll free at 1-866-208-3676) or email at 
[email protected], or the Public Reference Room at (202) 502-
8371, TTY (202)502-8659. Email the

[[Page 74884]]

Public Reference Room at [email protected].

VII. Effective Date and Congressional Notification

    25. These regulations are effective February 1, 2024. The 
Commission has determined, with the concurrence of the Administrator of 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, that this rule 
is not a ``major rule'' as defined in section 351 of the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

    By the Commission.

    Issued October 26, 2023.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-24095 Filed 10-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P