Document ID: FERC-2019-0057-0001
Agency: ferc
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Revisions to the Filing Process for Commission Forms
Posted Date: 2019-02-04T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1412-1419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00460]

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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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 

  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2019 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 1412]]

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Parts 141 and 385

[Docket No. RM19-12-000]

Revisions to the Filing Process for Commission Forms

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is proposing to transition from the current use 
of the Visual FoxPro software, which is no longer supported by its 
developer, to a type of Extensible Markup Language (XML) called 
eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). The XBRL standard would 
be used to file the Commission's Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 2, 2-A, 3-Q 
electric, 3-Q natural gas, 6, 6-Q, 60, and 714. The use of XBRL should 
make the information in these forms easier for filers and data users to 
analyze and assist in automating regulatory filings and business 
information processing. In addition, the Commission believes that 
transitioning from the current Visual FoxPro system to XBRL will 
decrease the costs, over time, of preparing the necessary data for 
submission and complying with future changes to filing requirements set 
forth by the Commission. The Commission is also proposing to revise its 
regulations to require filers of Form No. 1-F to file their report in 
electronic media.

DATES: Comments are due March 6, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by docket number, may be filed 
electronically at http://www.ferc.gov in acceptable native applications 
and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture format. For those 
unable to file electronically, comments may be filed by mail or hand-
delivery to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426. The Comment 
Procedures Section of this document contains more detailed filing 
procedures.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Hudson (Technical Information), Office of Enforcement, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 
20426, (202) 502-6620, Robert.Hudson@ferc.gov.
Michael Chase (Legal Information), Office of General Counsel, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 
20426, (202) 502-6205, Michael.Chase@ferc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

 
                                                               Paragraph
 
I. Background...............................................          1.
II. Discussion..............................................          4.
    A. Proposed Adoption of XBRL............................          4.
    B. Proposed Process for Developing the XBRL Based                19.
     Solution...............................................
    C. Regulatory Text Revisions............................         22.
III. Information Collection Statement.......................         23.
IV. Environmental Analysis..................................         33.
V. Regulatory Flexibility Act...............................         34.
VI. Comment Procedures......................................         38.
VII. Document Availability..................................         42.
 

I. Background

    1. Under the Commission's regulations, certain entities are 
required to report information to the Commission by filing one or more 
forms.\1\ Currently, these entities use a Commission-distributed 
software application called Visual FoxPro. Each entity is required to 
gather its relevant financial and other data and enter the data into 
Visual FoxPro, which the entity maintains on its own computer system. 
The entity then uses the Visual FoxPro software to transmit the 
information to the Commission. However, Microsoft Corporation, the 
developer of Visual FoxPro, no longer supports this product.\2\
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    \1\ See 18 CFR 141.1 (requiring annual filing of FERC Form No. 
1, Annual report of Major electric utilities, licensees and others); 
18 CFR 141.2 (2018) (requiring annual filing of FERC Form No. 1-F, 
Annual report for Nonmajor public utilities and licensees); 18 CFR 
260.1 (requiring annual filing of FERC Form No. 2, Annual report for 
Major natural gas companies); 18 CFR 260.2 (requiring annual filing 
of FERC Form No. 2-A, Annual report for Nonmajor natural gas 
companies); 18 CFR 141.400 and 18 CFR 260.300 (requiring quarterly 
filing of FERC Form No. 3-Q, Quarterly financial report of electric 
utilities, licensees, and natural gas companies); 18 CFR 357.2 
(requiring annual filing of FERC Form No. 6, Annual Report of Oil 
Pipeline Companies); 18 CFR 357.4 (2018) (requiring quarterly filing 
of FERC Form No. 6-Q, Quarterly report of oil pipeline companies); 
18 CFR 141.51 (requiring annual filing of FERC Form No. 714, Annual 
Electric Balancing Authority Area and Planning Area Report); and 18 
CFR 366.23 and 18 CFR 369.1 (requiring annual filing of FERC Form 
No. 60, Annual reports of centralized service companies).
    \2\ The Commission has used Visual FoxPro, a Microsoft Windows-
based programming language, since 1997.
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    2. Recognizing that Microsoft Corporation no longer supports Visual 
FoxPro, on April 25, 2015, the Commission issued an order announcing 
its intention to replace the current Visual FoxPro filing format for 
Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 2, 2-A, 3-Q electric, 3-Q natural gas, 6, 6-Q, 60, 
and 714 (collectively, the VFP Forms) with an XML-based filing 
format.\3\ The Commission stated that XML is the current industry 
standard for submission of electronic data, such as that captured in 
its forms, and that the XML data format has significant advantages over 
other approaches because it is non-proprietary, and would establish a 
single standard for nearly all Commission forms while also providing 
consistency with the Commission's current electronic tariff (eTariff) 
filings and the Electric Quarterly Report (EQR) systems.\4\ The XML 
format facilitates the sharing of data across different information 
systems, particularly via the internet, by structuring the data using 
tags to identify particular data elements.
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    \3\ Electronic Filing Protocols for Commission Forms, 151 FERC ] 
61,025 (2015) (April 2015 Order).
    \4\ Id. P 5.
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    3. The Commission noted that the North American Energy Standards 
Board (NAESB) \5\ had helped facilitate meetings to develop the 
Commission's eTariff system, and the Commission directed Commission 
staff to seek NAESB's assistance in the process of developing standards 
for the submission of the VFP Forms to the Commission in the new XML 
format.\6\ NAESB facilitated 18 meetings during which the transition of 
the forms was discussed. Commission staff also discussed the filing of 
financial forms with other federal agencies.
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    \5\ NAESB serves as a forum for the development and promotion of 
standards for wholesale and retail natural gas and electric 
industries. In response to the Commission's request on this matter, 
NAESB performed specific outreach to the oil pipeline industry to 
include participation from that sector.
    \6\ April 2015 Order, 151 FERC ] 61,025 at P 10.

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[[Page 1413]]

II. Discussion

A. Proposed Adoption of XBRL

    4. Based on these discussions, while we continue to find that XML 
is the most suitable format for filing Commission forms, we think a 
standard built on XML called eXtensible Business Reporting Language 
(XBRL) would be a superior method for both the Commission and filing 
entities to use. XBRL was developed specifically for reporting 
financial data and is used widely for reporting business and financial 
information.
    5. The energy industry currently uses XML format to submit other 
filings and reports to the Commission, including eTariff and EQR.\7\ In 
the April 2015 Order, the Commission noted that XML is commonly used to 
submit electronic data, and the Commission explained the features of 
XML that give it significant advantages over other approaches. In the 
April 2015 Order, the Commission also noted that other potential means 
of communicating electronic data, such as uploading a file formatted in 
comma-separated value (CSV) or using web-based forms either alone, or 
in combination, are less flexible and efficient than XML file uploads, 
and would be more expensive and time-consuming to develop and 
maintain.\8\ Among other things, the Commission noted that CSV uploads 
are difficult to error check, would require conversion that has the 
potential to create data errors, and will not easily accommodate the 
large and complex footnotes that often accompany financial data.
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    \7\ The Commission has required filers to submit in XML for 
eTariff and provides an XML option for filing EQRs.
    \8\ April 2015 Order, 151 FERC ] 61,025 at P 8.
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    6. In the April 2015 Order, the Commission determined that, rather 
than filers having to input their data into a proprietary database 
application, the XML format would permit filers to develop, or obtain 
from third-party vendors, a system for collecting form information that 
is best suited to their own internal systems.\9\ This approach would 
enable filers to maintain their own information and data in the formats 
that they prefer and then repackage that material for submission to the 
Commission at the appropriate time. Using the XML format similarly 
would reduce costs for the Commission to process the information. 
Adopting the XML format also would eliminate the need for the 
Commission to provide software to filers. This approach allows for the 
independent design and implementation of future filing requirements 
rather than dependence on a vendor's continued development and support 
of their proprietary software.
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    \9\ Id. P 6.
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    7. There are two options available to an organization that chooses 
XML as the format for data submission. One option is to develop a 
customized XML system that meets the business reporting needs of an 
organization, the result of which is generally proprietary and unique 
to the organization and data collection. The Commission currently uses 
customized XML solutions for certain of its data collections, such as 
eTariff and EQR. The other option is to use a standard built upon the 
XML format, such as XBRL.\10\ As explained in more detail below, the 
Commission believes that the use of the XBRL standard for certain forms 
offers significant advantages over the use of customized XML.
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    \10\ XBRL International, Inc. (XBRL International), the global 
non-profit organization that develops and maintains the XBRL 
standard and related specifications, states that the standard is 
used by over 100 regulators, including the Department of Energy 
(DOE), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation, more than 10 million companies, is accepted 
in over 60 countries, and supported by more than 200 software 
packages.
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    8. The XBRL standard provides features tailored to submission of 
business data and builds upon the advantages of the XML format set 
forth in the April 2015 Order.\11\ The XBRL standard includes all the 
advantages of the XML format, such as its non-proprietary nature, its 
efficient sharing of data across different information systems, and its 
ability to include identified proprietary formats (e.g., PDF, Microsoft 
Word, etc.). The XBRL standard has clearly defined mechanisms to handle 
important aspects of business data that add to these benefits by 
structuring the data with tags that utilize standard taxonomies in 
order to capture not only the value of the data, but also the inherent 
characteristics of the information.
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    \11\ April 2015 Order, 151 FERC ] 61,025 at P 5.
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    9. As an international standard for digital reporting, XBRL enables 
the reporting of comprehensive, consistent, interoperable data that 
allows industry and other data users to automate submission, 
extraction, and analysis. XBRL is a language in which reporting terms 
can be authoritatively defined. Those terms can then be used to 
uniquely represent the contents of the Commission's data collections. 
XBRL is currently required for filing forms by a number of other 
federal agencies.\12\
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    \12\ For example, the SEC requires the use of XBRL for filing 
10-Q and 10-K forms, the DOE has launched an initiative through its 
Solar Energy Technologies Office to set data standards for the solar 
industry using XBRL, and members of the Federal Financial 
Institutions Examination Council require the forms collectively 
referred to as the Call Report to be filed in XBRL.
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    10. XBRL provides an efficient way to exchange information inherent 
to the XML format and applies a standard way to capture the 
characteristics of that information. This is made possible through a 
number of interrelated technical specifications \13\ developed and 
published by XBRL International, collectively referred to as the XBRL 
Specification. XBRL provides a way to define unambiguous, reusable 
definitions; report individual facts against those definitions; and, 
where necessary (and permitted), extend those definitions to take 
account of unique reporting ideas or aggregations. XBRL also allows 
filers to test the resulting report against the constraints set out in 
the definitions, file or publish the finished report, and process 
entire reports or individual data points in a platform-independent, 
vendor-neutral way. XBRL is supported by a large number of common off-
the-shelf software packages and by a large number of service providers. 
All of these features, and the specific advantages discussed below, 
enhance interoperability with systems currently in use by many 
industries and governments. Furthermore, the open XBRL specifications 
are freely licensed to anyone seeking to use the standard.
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    \13\ A specification is a set of documented requirements to be 
satisfied by a material, design, product, or service.
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    11. Another advantage of using XBRL is that, in addition to 
collecting information (numbers and text), the XBRL International Units 
Registry (Registry) provides clear definitions and a standardized 
mechanism to record characteristics of information.\14\ For example, 
XBRL requires that the time period be selected from the Registry and 
recorded in the same way by every reporting entity. In a customized XML 
collection, time period and other common characteristics are defined by 
the designer of the data collection system, and separate collection 
systems likely use different definitions. Moreover, when financial data 
collection systems are built on XML, CSV, or some other format, the 
method used to define units such as currencies, periods of time, the 
entity the data relates to, and disaggregation of data is recreated 
every time. This means data

[[Page 1414]]

cannot be easily compared without manual reconciliation. The XBRL 
standard enables each number's context to be captured in a way that 
communicates definition, time period, units, and name of reporting 
entity consistently.
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    \14\ XBRL version 2.1 requires that all numeric facts be 
associated with a unit. The Registry provides a centralized list of 
units that promotes the consistent use of units across preparers and 
jurisdictions. The Registry is available at: http://www.xbrl.org/utr/utr.xml.
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    12. An additional advantage of the XBRL standard is that it defines 
relationships between elements separately from the element itself. This 
makes it possible to express multiple relationships and hierarchies 
among many elements. Unlike XBRL, XML specifies the relationship as 
part of the definition of an element. While it is possible to express 
multiple relationships in customized XML, developers must create custom 
code in order to do so. XBRL also allows the fields in a hierarchical 
relationship to share the same properties because the taxonomy allows 
relationships between concepts to be defined separately. For example, 
consider a balance sheet item such as Cash. The taxonomy would include 
the definition of Cash and would also demonstrate how Cash may relate 
to other balance sheet items (within the taxonomy) such as rolling up 
to Current Assets and eventually Total Assets. All three of these items 
(Cash, Current Assets, and Total Assets) are interrelated financial 
concepts that are defined and presented in the taxonomy as elements.
    13. Furthermore, XBRL standardizes many unique characteristics of 
business reporting data, such as units, time period, entity 
identification, decimal places, and data labels, and allows the 
database designer to define its own custom characteristics for 
additional business reporting data. XBRL uses tags to apply these 
characteristics to the data, such as ``current'' for period, 
``transmission'' for entity identification, ``dollars'' for units, and 
``thousands'' for decimal places. This means that XBRL would define a 
simple term like ``Assets'' with a combination of defined tags for each 
characteristic, offering dimensionality. By contrast, customized XML, 
without custom code to address dimensionality, would likely have unique 
fields for every combination of characteristics, resulting in numerous 
fields with long descriptive names, such as 
``Current_Assets_Transmission_Dollars_Thousands'' or 
``PreviousYear_Assets_Transmission_Dollars_Thousands'' and no 
standardization across elements within the forms.
    14. The XBRL standard also offers greater flexibility than a 
customized XML format as it results in the creation of a ``taxonomy,'' 
whereas customized XML solutions result in wholly custom, permanent 
documents, and code. Taxonomies are files containing relevant business 
terminology, their meanings, their data types, relationships among 
terms, and the rules or formulas they must follow. Taxonomies are not 
permanent documents, but rather are code that describes elements that 
can be used in other programs and software. Thus, unlike a customized 
XML solution, XBRL would operationalize with a taxonomy all information 
needed to create a form submission into publicly available code that 
can be used in many applications, and can be reused in other 
collections, saving time in developing those collections.
    15. XBRL would also facilitate the implementation of changes to the 
reporting requirements. Any change to reporting requirements in a 
customized XML solution requires costly upgrades to the applications 
used by filers, organizations that extract and analyze data, and 
software providers that make the tools to create and use the data. 
Unlike customized XML solutions, XBRL-based solutions enable future 
changes, such as adding, amending, and deleting defined elements and 
relationships, without the need for costly development procedures. The 
Commission would also benefit from the advantages XBRL systems provide 
in terms of administering the various VFP Form data collections. 
Specifically, XBRL would allow more substantive changes to the taxonomy 
as a result of Commission directives, as well as enabling the 
Commission to make minor technical changes to maintain and revise the 
taxonomy, without costly development procedures.
    16. Implementing an XBRL-based solution would lead to greater data 
quality through easier validation checks. XBRL taxonomies support 
simple formulas such as addition and subtraction and allow more complex 
formulas to be defined with a set of guidelines. In the Commission's 
current XML-based collection systems, such as the EQR system, filers 
may check their files prior to making their submission through a test 
submission feature on the Commission's website. This process requires a 
filer to submit their data into the test submission feature to receive 
an email detailing errors in their file. XBRL taxonomies contain 
validations that can be used to check a submission by filers on their 
own system without uploading anything to the Commission. This enables 
filers to confirm that their VFP Form submission is error-free prior to 
submission, thereby saving time and reducing burden on the filers. 
Furthermore, the taxonomy will contain instructions on how the 
Commission's system will convert the submission to a human-readable 
form. These instructions can be used to create the same human-readable 
form on the filer's computer prior to submission. Under the VFP system, 
filers have been able to view their submission in a human-readable 
format only after it has been filed.
    17. Another advantage of a collection designed using the XBRL 
standard is that it simultaneously supports all previous taxonomies 
published for that form. Occasionally, a filer may be required to 
refile a form using a version of the form that is not current. With a 
customized XML approach, all filings must conform to the current 
version of the schema for the system to accept the submission. As a 
result, if the form changes substantively between the original 
submission and the subsequent refiling, the filer or the Commission 
must make certain technological adjustments to enable the submission of 
the refiling. By contrast, with the XBRL submission method, a refiling 
can be submitted using any prior version of the taxonomy at any time. 
This is possible because the structure of the XBRL submission file will 
be the same, and the validations are tied to each version of the 
taxonomy. Once the submission is accepted, it can then be compared with 
the prior filing for the same period to determine what has changed. 
Most XBRL software products allow filers to select a taxonomy version 
each time they create their submission to file.
    18. Finally, the proposed XBRL-based FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q 
electric will incorporate energy storage-related data which the 
Commission required be submitted under Order No. 784.\15\ Currently, 
utilities with energy storage assets and those that acquire the assets 
report using existing schedules and footnotes not intended for energy 
storage assets pending the availability of new and revised 
schedules.\16\ The proposed XBRL-based forms will allow utilities to 
submit this data directly into the forms.
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    \15\ See Third-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting 
and Financial Reporting for New Electric Storage Technologies, Order 
No. 784, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,349 (2013) (crossed-referenced at 
144 FERC ] 61,056).
    \16\ See Accounting and Reporting Guidance for New Electric 
Storage Technologies, Docket No. AI14-I-000 (February 20, 2014).
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B. Proposed Process for Developing the XBRL Based Solution

    19. Parties should submit comments on the proposed adoption of the 
XBRL standard in lieu of a customized XML solution. Should the 
Commission adopt XBRL in the Final Rule in this proceeding, the 
Commission plans to

[[Page 1415]]

convene staff-led technical conference(s), in consultation with NAESB. 
The technical conference(s) would enable interested industry members to 
discuss and propose revisions to the draft taxonomy that the Commission 
plans to release following the issuance of the Final Rule, along with 
other important components of the XBRL system.
    20. The Commission also proposes that its initial launch of the 
XBRL system will include Commission incorporation of the prior three 
years of VFP Form data from the current VFP system. Providing access to 
the prior three years of form data in XBRL will allow form filers to 
correct previously filed data through refilings, when necessary, 
consistent with the Commission's informal policy concerning refilings 
of EQRs.\17\ The Commission seeks comment on the time period of 
historical VFP Form data that should be converted by the Commission to 
the new XBRL system upon launch of the new XBRL system. After 
implementation of the XBRL system, the Commission anticipates 
ultimately transferring approximately 10 years of historical VFP Form 
data over to the XBRL system.
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    \17\ The Commission's informal policy directs filers to correct 
the most recent 12 EQRs, or three years of data, with a note placed 
in the EQR stating that other reports may also contain the error. 
See Plan for Retrospective Analysis of Existing Rules, Docket No. 
AD12-6-000 (2011), https://www.ferc.gov/legal/maj-ord-reg/retro-analysis/ferc-eo-13579.pdf.
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    21. Although we do not envision that the Commission will need to 
make frequent changes to the taxonomy and related code, the Secretary 
of the Commission, under Order No. 703, has delegated authority to make 
such modifications when necessary.\18\ Before the Commission implements 
any such changes, notice of the proposed change will be provided 
sufficiently in advance to notify companies and provide them time to 
comply with the changes to the taxonomy and related code.
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    \18\ 18 CFR 375.302(z).
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C. Regulatory Text Revisions

    22. With the exception of Form No. 1-F, current regulations already 
provide for the filing of Form Nos. 1, 2, 2-A, 3-Q electric, 3-Q 
natural gas, 6, 6-Q, 60, and 714 in electronic format according to the 
instructions for each form and filing. The Commission therefore sees no 
need for further regulatory text changes pertaining to these forms. 
Upon completion of the technical conference process, however, the 
Commission would issue an order revising the format instructions for 
the forms to accord with the results of the technical conferences. 
These instructions would cover only the format for making the 
electronic filings and will not include any revisions to the substance 
of the required filings, which the Commission will make when necessary 
in appropriate separate proceedings. The Commission is also proposing 
to require Form No. 1-F filers to submit Form No. 1-F in electronic 
format rather than filing an original and copies of the form on paper, 
as is currently required. The Commission therefore proposes to revise 
Sec.  141.2(b)(1)(i) of the Commission's regulations \19\ and Rule 2011 
of its Rules of Practice and Procedure \20\ to require Form No. 1-F 
filers to submit their reports using electronic media as prescribed in 
Rule 2011.
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    \19\ 18 CFR 141.2(b)(1)(i).
    \20\ 18 CFR 385.2011.
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III. Information Collection Statement

    23. The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) \21\ requires each federal 
agency to seek and obtain Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approval before undertaking a collection of information directed to ten 
or more persons or contained in a rule of general applicability. OMB's 
regulations require approval of certain information collection 
requirements imposed by agency rules.\22\ Upon approval of a collection 
of information, OMB will assign an OMB control number and an expiration 
date. Respondents subject to the filing requirements of an agency rule 
will not be penalized for failing to respond to these collections of 
information unless the of information display a valid OMB control 
number.
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    \21\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
    \22\ 5 CFR 1320.11.
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    24. The revisions proposed in this NOPR would update the filing 
process for regulated entities required to file the VFP Forms. The 
information collected in the VFP Forms is required to be submitted 
annually or quarterly to the Commission under existing regulations and 
reporting requirements adopted under the Federal Power Act (FPA), the 
Natural Gas Act (NGA), the Interstate Commerce Act (ICA), and the 
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005 (PUHCA 2005). The VFP Forms 
would continue to be submitted to the Commission under existing 
regulations and reporting requirements. The proposed new and amended 
regulations and reporting requirements, if adopted, would require 
regulated entities to furnish the information collected in the VFP 
Forms using tags in XBRL-Related Documents.\23\ The specified financial 
and operational information already is required to be collected and 
filed with the Commission pursuant to existing periodic and annual 
report requirements. Under this NOPR proposal, the information would 
need to be filed with the Commission using XBRL. The Commission 
anticipates that the revisions to the filing process for the VFP Forms, 
once effective, would reduce ongoing regulatory burdens.\24\ The 
Commission will submit the proposed reporting requirements to OMB for 
its review and approval under section 3507(d) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act.\25\
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    \23\ XBRL-Related Documents for purposes of this NOPR 
encompasses documents, code, and any other file related to 
presenting information in XBRL that are part of the filing 
submission.
    \24\ Burden is 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. For further 
explanation of what is included in the information collection 
burden, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3.
    \25\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
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    25. The Commission solicits public comments regarding the accuracy 
of the burden estimates and any suggested methods for minimizing 
respondents' burden. Specifically, the Commission asks that any revised 
burden or cost estimates submitted by commenters be supported by 
sufficient detail to understand how the estimates are generated.
    26. The Commission's regulations currently require certain 
regulated entities to file information in VFP Forms on an annual and 
quarterly basis.\26\ We propose no substantive changes to the 
information collected in the VFP Forms, but rather to transition from 
the VFP system currently used to collect the information to an XBRL 
system.\27\ Compliance with the proposed new filing process would be 
mandatory.
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    \26\ See supra P 1 & n.1.
    \27\ While the NOPR does not change the information collected by 
any of the VFP Forms, the NOPR proposes to incorporate the energy 
storage-related data that the Commission required be reported under 
Order No. 784 into the new XBRL-based FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q 
electric. See infra P 18, n.15.
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    27. FERC Form No. 1 (OMB Control No. 1902-0021), FERC Form No. 2 
(OMB Control No. 1902-0028), and FERC Form No. 6 (OMB Control No. 1902-
0022) prescribe the information that major electric utilities, 
licensees, and others; major natural gas companies; and oil pipeline 
companies, respectively, must disclose annually about their finances 
and operations. FERC Form No. 1-F (OMB Control No. 1902-0029) and FERC 
Form No. 2-A (OMB Control No. 1902-0030) prescribe the information that 
nonmajor electric

[[Page 1416]]

utilities and licensees; and nonmajor natural gas companies, 
respectively, must disclose annually about their finances and 
operations. FERC Form No. 3-Q (OMB Control No. 1902-0205) prescribes 
information that electric utilities, licensees, and natural gas 
companies must disclose quarterly about their finances and operations. 
FERC Form No. 6-Q (OMB Control No. 1902-0206) prescribes information 
that oil pipeline companies must disclose quarterly about their 
finances and operations. FERC Form No. 714 (OMB Control No. 1902-0140) 
prescribes information that certain electric transmitting utilities 
operating balancing authority areas or planning areas are required to 
file annually. FERC Form No. 60 (OMB Control No. 1902-0215) prescribes 
information that centralized service companies must disclose annually 
about their finances and operations.
    28. The compliance burden estimates for the proposed revisions to 
the filing process for the VFP Forms are based on several assumptions 
and unique assessments for each form. However, all regulated entities 
required to submit the VFP Forms would have to map the reporting 
information to the Commission's standard XBRL taxonomy and create a 
final submission file(s). Based on discussions with other federal 
agencies, subject matter experts in XBRL data collection and the VFP 
Forms, and entities that have prepared their financial information in 
XBRL, we estimate that filers would incur the following average burden 
hours:
     XBRL Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 3-Q electric, 2, 2-A, 3-Q natural 
gas, 6, and 6-Q \28\
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    \28\ The internal burden hours for tagging Form Nos. 1 and 3-Q 
electric are combined because the annual information reported in 
Form No. 1 is a compilation of the information reported in the prior 
three quarters in Form Nos. 3-Q electric in addition to the fourth 
quarter. Similarly, we have combined the number of internal burden 
hours for tagging the Form Nos. 2 and 3-Q natural gas and the Form 
Nos. 6 and 6-Q, respectively, because the annual Form Nos. 2 and 6 
are based on a compilation of the information reported in the prior 
three quarters in Form Nos. 3-Q natural gas and 6-Q in addition to 
the fourth quarter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    [cir] Burden hours to tag in XBRL:
    [ssquf] 00 hours to prepare and submit the first filing using XBRL; 
and
    [ssquf] 14 hours for each subsequent filing in XBRL.
     Form No. 60
    [cir] Burden hours to tag in XBRL:
    [ssquf] 20 hours to prepare and submit the first filing made in 
XBRL; and
    [ssquf] 3 hours for each subsequent filing.
     Form No. 714
    [cir] Burden hours to tag in XBRL:
    [ssquf] 15 hours to prepare and submit the first filing made in 
XBRL; and
    [ssquf] 2 hours for each subsequent filing.
    29. Public Reporting Burden: The Commission's burden estimates for 
the proposal in this NOPR are for a one-time implementation of the 
transition to XBRL proposed in this NOPR, and an ongoing estimate for 
maintenance of the XBRL reporting system. The following estimates of 
reporting burden are related only to this NOPR and anticipate the costs 
to filers for compliance with the Commission's proposal in this NOPR.

                                                                    RM19-12-000 NOPR
                                                            [One-time implementation burden]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Annual number
            Requirement                 Number of     of responses    Total number   Average burden & cost   Total annual burden      Annual cost per
                                       respondents   per respondent   of responses     per response \29\      hours & cost \30\        respondent ($)
                                                (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4)..................  (3) * (4) = (5)......  (5) / (1)
                                                                                (3)
------------------------------------
Form No. 1.........................             207               1             207  100 hrs.; $6,931.....  20,700 hrs.;           $6,931.
                                                                                                             $1,434,717.
Form No. 1-F.......................               5               1               5  100 hrs.; $6,931.....  500 hrs.; $34,655....  $6,931.
Form No. 3-Q electric..............             212               3             636  No Change \31\.......  No Change............  No Change.
Form No. 2.........................              92               1              92  100 hrs.; $6,931.....  9,200 hrs.; $637,652.  $6,931.
Form No. 2-A.......................              73               1              73  100 hrs.; $6,931.....  7,300 hrs.; $505,963.  $6,931.
Form No. 3-Q natural gas...........             165               3             495  No Change............  No Change............  No Change.
Form No. 6.........................             244               1             244  100 hrs.; $6,931.....  24,400 hrs.;           $6,931.
                                                                                                             $1,691,164.
Form No. 6-Q.......................             244               3             732  No Change............  No Change............  No Change.
Form No. 60........................              39               1              39  20 hrs.; $1,386.20...  780 hrs.; $54,062....  $1,386.20.
Form No. 714.......................             176               1             176  15 hrs.; $1,039.65...  2,640 hrs.; $182,977.  $1,039.65.
                                    -----------------
    Total for Implementation.......  ..............  ..............        \32\ 836  .....................  65,520 hrs.;           .....................
    Burden.........................                                                                          $4,541,190.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                    RM19-12-000 NOPR
                                                       [Annual ongoing system maintenance burden]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Annual number
            Requirement                 Number of     of responses    Total number   Average burden & cost   Total annual burden      Annual cost per
                                       respondents   per respondent   of responses     per response \33\      hours & cost \34\        respondent ($)
                                                (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =  (4)..................  (3) * (4) = (5)......  (5) / (1)
                                                                                (3)
------------------------------------
Form No. 1.........................             207               1             207  14 hrs.; $970.34.....  2,898 hrs.; $200,860.  $970.34.
Form No. 1-F.......................               5               1               5  14 hrs.; $970.34.....  70 hrs.; $4,852......  $970.34.
Form No. 3-Q electric..............             212               3             636  No Change............  No Change............  No Change.
Form No. 2.........................              92               1              92  14 hrs.; $970.34.....  1,288 hrs.; $89,271..  $970.34.
Form No. 2-A.......................              73               1              73  14 hrs.; $970.34.....  1,022 hrs.; $70,835..  $970.34.

[[Page 1417]]

 
Form No. 3-Q natural gas...........             165               3             495  No Change............  No Change............  No Change.
Form No. 6.........................             244               1             244  14 hrs.; $970.34.....  3,416 hrs.; $236,763.  $970.34.
Form No. 6-Q.......................             244               3             732  No Change............  No Change............  No Change.
Form No. 60........................              39               1              39  3 hrs.; $207.93......  117 hrs.; $8,109.....  $207.93.
Form No. 714.......................             176               1             176  2 hrs.; $138.62......  352 hrs.; $24,397....  $138.62.
                                    -----------------
    Total for Ongoing Burden.......  ..............  ..............        \35\ 836  .....................  9,163 hrs.; $635,087.  .....................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission's estimates for the hourly wage figure (as related 
to the implementation and ongoing burden estimate) are based on the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics data (for the Utilities sector, at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm, plus benefits information at 
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm). The salaries (plus 
benefits) for the eight occupational categories are:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \29\ The average burden and cost per response is calculated 
using the hourly wage figures described in detail below.
    \30\ Every figure in this column is rounded to the nearest 
dollar.
    \31\ There is no change to the internal burden hours for filing 
Form Nos. 3-Q electric, 3-Q natural gas, and 6-Q because the burden 
hours associated with these quarterly forms are included in the 
burden hours calculated for filing Form Nos. 1, 2, and 6.
    \32\ This total number of responses does not include the 
responses for Form Nos. 3-Q electric, 3-Q natural gas, or 6-Q 
because the burden hours for tagging Form Nos. 1, 2, and 6 include 
the number of hours required to tag the quarterly responses. The 
quarterly filings are generally a subset of the annual filings.
    \33\ The average burden and cost per response is calculated 
using the hourly wage figures described in detail below.
    \34\ Every figure in this column is rounded to the nearest 
dollar.
    \35\ This total number of responses does not include the 
responses for Form Nos. 3-Q electric, 3-Q natural gas, or 6-Q 
because the burden hours for tagging Form Nos. 1, 2, and 6 include 
the number of hours required to tag the quarterly responses. The 
quarterly filings are generally a subset of the annual filings.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Management (Occupation Code: 11-0000): $94.28/hour
     Information Security Analysts (Occupation Code: 15-1122): 
$60.90/hour
     Legal (Occupation Code: 23-0000): $143.68/hour
     Office and Administrative Support: $41.34/hour
     Computer and Information Systems Manager (Occupation Code: 
11-3021): $96.51
     Management Analyst (Occupation Code: 13-1111): $63.32/hour
     Computer and Information Systems Analyst (Occupation Code: 
15-1120): $66.47/hour
     Accountants and Auditors (Occupation Code: 13-2011): 
$56.59/hour
    The average hourly cost for all eight of these categories is 
calculated assuming the following weights in correspondence to effort 
applied by each respective occupation:
     Management (Occupation Code: 11-0000): 5%
     Information Security Analysts (Occupation Code: 15-1122): 
5%
     Legal (Occupation Code: 23-0000): 5%
     Office and Administrative Support: 10%
     Computer and Information Systems Manager (Occupation Code: 
11-3021): 10%
     Management Analyst (Occupation Code: 13-1111): 5%
     Computer and Information Systems Analyst (Occupation Code: 
15-1120): 35%
     Accountants and Auditors (Occupation Code: 13-2011): 25%
Overall, the average hourly cost uses the following calculation with 
all seven occupations and their respective weights included:

[($94.28/hour * 0.05) + ($60.90/hour * 0.05) + ($143.68/hour * 0.05) + 
($41.34/hour * 0.1) + ($96.51/hour * 0.1) + ($63.32/hour * 0.05) + 
($66.47/hour * 0.35) + ($56.59/hour * 0.25)] / 8 = $69.31.

    The number of responses related to both the implementation and 
ongoing burden is 836 responses.\36\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ This total number of responses does not include the 
responses for Form Nos. 3-Q electric, 3-Q natural gas, or 6-Q 
because the burden hours for tagging Form Nos. 1, 2, and 6 include 
the number of hours required to tag the quarterly responses. The 
quarterly filings are generally a subset of the annual filings.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The implementation burden will be 65,520 hours for Year 1.
    The ongoing burden in Years 2 and 3 will be 9,163 hours per year.
    The responses and burden for Years 1-3 for both the implementation 
and ongoing burden are as follows:

836 responses/year; [(65,520 hours for Year 1) + (9,163 hours for Year 
2) + (9,163 hours for Year 3)] / 3 years = 27,949 hours/year (annual 
average for Years 1-3).

    30. Out-of-pocket expenses: We estimate that filers would incur the 
following out-of-pocket expenses for software, consulting, or filing 
agent services used in the Years 2 and 3 (following the first year of 
implementation):
     XBRL Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 3-Q electric, 2, 2-A, 3-Q natural 
gas, 6, and 6-Q:
    [cir] Out-of-pocket cost for software and filing agent services: 
$4,912 for each filing.
    [cir] Total out-of-pocket cost for software and filing agent 
services per year: (621 respondents) * ($4,912 for each filing) = 
$3,050,352.
     Form No. 60:
    [cir] Out-of-pocket cost for software and filing agent services: 
$982 for each filing.
    [cir] Total out-of-pocket cost for software and filing agent 
services per year: (39 respondents) * ($982 for each filing) = $38,298.
     Form No. 714:
    [cir] Out-of-pocket cost for software and filing agent services: 
$737 for each filing.
    [cir] Total out-of-pocket cost for software and filing agent 
services per year: (176 respondents) * ($737 for each filing) = 
$129,712.

[[Page 1418]]

    31. Based on the number of filers we expect to be subject to the 
proposed requirements, the number of filings that we expect those 
filers to make and the burden hours and out-of-pocket cost estimates 
described, we estimate that the average yearly burden of the proposed 
requirements over the first three years would be 27,949 internal hours 
per year and $2,145,575 in out-of-pocket expenses per year. This would 
be incurred by an average of 836 filers for an average yearly burden 
per filer of 33.4 internal hours and $2,566 in out-of-pocket expenses 
over Years 1-3.
    Titles: Form No. 1 (Annual Report of Major Electric Utilities, 
Licensees and Others); Form No. 1-F (Annual Report of Nonmajor Public 
Utilities and Licensees); Form No. 3-Q electric (Quarterly Financial 
Report of Electric Utilities, Licensees and Natural Gas Companies); 
Form No. 2 (Annual Report of Nonmajor Natural Gas Companies); Form No. 
3-Q gas (Quarterly Financial Report of Electric Utilities, Licensees 
and Natural Gas Companies); Form No. 6 (Annual Report of Oil Pipeline 
Companies); Form No. 6-Q (Quarterly Financial Report of Oil Pipeline 
Companies); Form No. 60 (Annual Reports of Centralized Service 
Companies); Form No. 714 (Annual Electric Balancing Authority Area and 
Planning Area Report).
    Action: Revision of Currently Approved Collections of Information.
    OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0021 (Form No. 1), 1902-0029 (Form No. 1-F), 
1902-0028 (Form No. 2), 1902-0205 (Form No. 3-Q), 1902-0022 (Form No. 
6), 1902-0206 (Form No. 6-Q), 1902-0215 (Form No. 60), and 1902-0140 
(Form No. 714).
    Respondents: Public utilities, licensees, interstate natural gas 
companies, oil pipeline companies, centralized service companies, 
Balancing Authorities, or other for profit and/or not for profit 
institutions.
    Frequency of Responses: Annual or quarterly.
    Necessity of the Information: The Commission requires that the 
information collected in Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 3-Q electric, 2, 2-A, 3-Q 
natural gas, 6, 6-Q, 60, and 714 be submitted in an updated electronic 
format that is compatible with current technology and ensures access to 
the information required to be collected.
    Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the reporting 
requirements related to the VFP Forms and made a determination that 
revising the filing process for the VFP Forms will ensure the 
Commission has the necessary data to carry out its statutory mandates, 
while reducing unnecessary burden on industry. 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.
    32. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting 
requirements by contacting the following: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426 [Attention: Ellen 
Brown, Office of the Executive Director, email: DataClearance@ferc.gov, 
phone: (202) 502-8663, fax: (202) 273-0873]. Please send comments 
concerning the collection of information and the associated burden 
estimates to the Commission, and to the Office of Management and 
Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 725 17th Street 
NW, Washington, DC 20503 [Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, phone: (202) 395-4638, fax: (202) 395-
7285]. For security reasons, comments to OMB should be submitted by 
email to: oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Comments submitted to OMB should 
include Docket Number RM19-2-000 and any related information collection 
and its respective OMB Control Number [Form No. 1 (1902-0021), Form No. 
1-F (1902-0029), Form No. 2 (1902-0028), Form No. 3-Q (1902-0205), Form 
No. 6 (1902-0022), Form No. 6-Q (1902-0206), Form No. 60 (1902-0215), 
and Form No. 714 (1902-0140)].

IV. Environmental Analysis

    33. 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.\37\ The 
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from this 
requirement as not having a significant effect on the human 
environment.\38\ The actions proposed here fall within the categorical 
exclusions in the Commission's regulations for rules that are 
clarifying, corrective, or procedural, or do not substantially change 
the effect of legislation or regulations being amended and for rules 
regarding information gathering, analysis, and dissemination.\39\ In 
addition, the proposed rule is categorically excluded as an electric 
rate filing submitted by a public utility under sections 205 and 206 of 
the FPA \40\ and as a rule regarding sales, exchange, and 
transportation of natural gas that require no construction of 
facilities.\41\ Accordingly, no environmental assessment is necessary 
and none has been prepared in this NOPR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \37\ Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, Order No. 486, FERC Stats. & Regs, ] 30,783 (1987) 
(cross-referenced at 41 FERC ] 61,284).
    \38\ 18 CFR 380.4.
    \39\ 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii) and 380.4(a)(5).
    \40\ 18 CFR 380.4(a)(15).
    \41\ 18 CFR 380.4(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

V. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    34. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \42\ generally 
requires a description and analysis of proposed rules that will have 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
The Commission is not required to perform this sort of analysis if the 
proposed activities within the NOPR would not have such an effect.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ 5 U.S.C. 601-612.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    35. Approximately 213 electric utility, licensees, and other 
companies are required to file the Form Nos. 1 and 3-Q electric, or 
Form No. 1-F, and therefore are subject to the requirements adopted by 
this rule. Of those filers, the Commission estimates approximately 40 
will be small as defined by SBA regulations.\43\ Approximately 244 oil 
pipeline companies are required to file the Form Nos. 6 and 6-Q, and 
therefore are subject to the requirements proposed in this NOPR. Of 
those oil pipeline filers, the Commission estimates approximately 23% 
will be small, as currently defined for ``All Other Pipeline 
Transportation'' companies (NAICS code 486990) as a company that, in 
combination with its affiliates, has total annual receipts of $37.5 
million or less. Approximately 165 interstate natural gas pipelines are 
required to file the Form Nos. 2 and 3-Q natural gas, or Form No. 2-A, 
and therefore are subject to the requirements adopted by this rule. 
Most of the natural gas pipelines regulated by the Commission do not 
fall within the RFA's definition of a small entity, which is currently 
defined for natural gas pipelines (NAICS code 486210) as a company 
that, in combination with its affiliates, has total annual receipts of 
$27.5 million or less. For the year 2018, eleven companies not 
affiliated with larger companies had annual revenues in combination 
with its affiliates of $27.5 million or less and therefore could be 
considered a small entity under the RFA. This represents about seven 
percent of the total potential respondents that may have a significant 
burden imposed on them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ The small business size standards are provided in 13 CFR 
121.201. In 13 CFR 121.201, the SBA uses the North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS) codes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    36. Approximately 39 holding companies currently file Form No. 60.

[[Page 1419]]

Commission staff estimates that these companies are not likely to fall 
within the RFA's definition of small \44\ because holding companies of 
public utilities or natural gas pipelines are generally not small 
businesses. Finally, there are approximately 176 balancing authorities 
(NAICS code 221121) that are required to file Form No. 714. Of those 
balancing authorities, 33 percent (or approximately 58) are estimated 
to fall within the RFA's definition of small.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ 5 U.S.C. 601(3), citing to section 3 of the Small Business 
Act, 15 U.S.C. 632. Section 3 of the Small Business Act defines a 
``small business concern'' as a business that is independently owned 
and operated and that is not dominant in its field of operation. 15 
U.S.C. 632. The Small Business Size Standards component of the NAICS 
defines, for example, a small electric utility as one that, 
including its affiliates, is primarily engaged in the generation, 
transmission, and/or distribution of electric energy for sale and 
whose quantity of employees falls under a certain threshold 
dependent on the type of utility and its applicable NAICS code.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    37. Accordingly, the Commission finds that the revised requirements 
set forth in this NOPR will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities, and no regulatory flexibility 
analysis is required.

VI. Comment Procedures

    38. The Commission invites interested persons to submit comments on 
the matters and issues proposed in this NOPR to be adopted, including 
any related matters or alternative proposals that commenters may wish 
to discuss. Comments are due March 6, 2019. Comments must refer to 
Docket No. RM19-12-000, and must include the commenter's name, the 
organization they represent, if applicable, and their address in their 
comments.
    39. The Commission encourages comments to be filed electronically 
via the eFiling link on the Commission's website 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.
    40. 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.
    41. 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.

VII. Document Availability

    42. 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.
    43. 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.
    44. 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. Email the Public Reference Room at 
public.referenceroom@ferc.gov.

List of Subjects

18 CFR Part 141

    Electric power, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

18 CFR Part 385

    Electric power, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    By direction of the Commission.

    Issued: January 17, 2019.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission proposes to amend 
parts 141 and 385 of chapter I, title 18 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations, as follows.

PART 141--STATEMENTS and REPORTS (SCHEDULES)

0
1. The authority citation for part 141 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 79; 15 U.S.C. 717-717z; 16 U.S.C. 791a-
828c, 2601-2645; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 7101-7352.2.

0
2. Amend Sec.  141.2 by revising paragraph (b)(1)(i) to read as 
follows:

Sec.  141.2  FERC Form No. 1-F, Annual report for Nonmajor public 
utilities and licensees.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (i) Generally. Each Nonmajor and each Nonoperating (formerly 
designated as Nonmajor) public utility and licensee as defined in Part 
101 of this chapter, shall prepare and file with the Commission FERC 
Form No. 1-F as prescribed in Sec.  385.2011 of this chapter and as 
indicated in the General Instructions set out in this form, and must be 
properly completed and verified. Filing on electronic media pursuant to 
Sec.  385.2011 of this chapter is required.
* * * * *

PART 385--RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

0
3. The authority citation for part 385 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 551-557; 15 U.S.C. 717-717w, 3301-3432; 16 
U.S.C. 791a-825v, 2601-2645; 28 U.S.C. 2461; 31 U.S.C. 3701, 9701; 
42 U.S.C. 7101-7352, 16441, 16451-16463; 49 U.S.C. 60502; 49 App. 
U.S.C. 1-85 (1988); 28 U.S.C. 2461 note (1990); 28 U.S.C. 2461 note 
(2015).

0
4. Amend Sec.  385.2011 by revising paragraphs (a)(8) and (c)(3) to 
read as follows:

Sec.  385.2011  Procedures for filing on electronic media (Rule 2011).

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (8) FERC Form No. 1-F, Annual report for Nonmajor public utilities 
and licensees.
* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (3) With the exception of the FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, 2, 2-A, 6, 60, 
and 714, the electronic media must be accompanied by the traditional 
prescribed number of paper copies.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2019-00460 Filed 2-1-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P