Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q); Comment Request; Extension, 34384-34386 [2019-15294]
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34384
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 138 / Thursday, July 18, 2019 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC19–22–000]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC Form Nos. 1, 1–F, and
3–Q); Comment Request; Extension
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information
collections and request for comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) is soliciting
public comment on the currently
approved information collections FERC
Form Nos. 1 (Annual Report of Major
Electric Utilities, Licensees, and
Others), 1–F (Annual Report for
Nonmajor Public Utilities and
Licensees), and 3–Q (Quarterly
Financial Report of Electric Utilities,
Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies),
and submitting the information
collections to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review. Any
interested person may file comments
directly with OMB and should address
a copy of those comments to the
Commission as explained below. On
May 7, 2019, the Commission published
a Notice in the Federal Register in
Docket No. IC19–22–000 requesting
public comments. The Commission
received one public comment and will
indicate that in its submittals to OMB.
DATES: Comments on the collections of
information are due August 19, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB,
identified by OMB Control Nos.: 1902–
0021 (FERC Form No. 1), 1902–0029
(FERC Form No. 1–F), and 1902–0205
(FERC Form No. 3–Q) should be sent via
email to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs: oira_submission@
omb.gov. Attention: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer.
A copy of the comments should also
be sent to the Commission, in Docket
No. IC19–22–000, by either of the
following methods:
• eFiling at Commission’s website:
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
efiling.asp.
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SUMMARY:
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• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Secretary of the Commission, 888 First
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
Instructions: All submissions must be
formatted and filed in accordance with
submission guidelines at: https://
www.ferc.gov/help/submissionguide.asp. For user assistance, contact
FERC Online Support by email at
ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by phone
at: (866) 208–3676 (toll-free), or (202)
502–8659 for TTY.
Docket: Users interested in receiving
automatic notification of activity in this
docket or in viewing/downloading
comments and issuances in this docket
may do so at https://www.ferc.gov/docsfiling/docs-filing.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown by email at
DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone at
(202) 502–8663, and fax at (202) 273–
0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Titles: FERC Form Nos. 1 (Annual
Report of Major Electric Utilities,
Licensees, and Others), 1–F (Annual
Report for Nonmajor Public Utilities and
Licensees), and 3–Q (Quarterly
Financial Report of Electric Utilities,
Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies).
OMB Control Nos.: 1902–0021 (FERC
Form No. 1), 1902–0029 (FERC Form
No. 1–F), and 1902–0205 (FERC Form
No. 3–Q).
Type of Request: Three-year
extensions of the FERC Form Nos. 1, 1–
F, and 3–Q with no changes to the
current reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.1
FERC Form No. 1, Annual Report of
Major Electric Utilities, Licensees, and
Others
Abstract: The FERC Form No. 1 is a
comprehensive financial and operating
report submitted annually for electric
rate regulation, market oversight
analysis, and financial audits by Major
electric utilities, licensees and others.
Major is defined as having in each of the
last three consecutive calendar years,
sales or transmission services that
1 FERC Form Nos. 1, 1–F, and 3–Q are part of the
‘‘Forms Refresh’’ effort, which is a separate activity
and not addressed here. See Revisions to the Filing
Process for Commission Forms, Order No. 859, 167
FERC ¶ 61,241 (2019) (started in Docket No. AD15–
11 and ongoing in Docket No. RM19–12).
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exceed one of the following: (1) One
million megawatt-hours of total sales;
(2) 100 megawatt-hours of sales for
resale; (3) 500 megawatt-hours of power
exchanges delivered; or (4) 500
megawatt-hours of wheeling for others
(deliveries plus losses).2
The FERC Form No. 1 is designed to
collect financial and operational
information and is made available to the
public. The FERC Form No. 1 includes
a basic set of financial statements:
• Comparative Balance Sheet,
• Statement of Income,
• Statement of Retained Earnings,
• Statement of Cash Flows,
• Statements of Accumulated
Comprehensive Income,
• Comprehensive Income, and
Hedging Activities, and
• Notes to Financial Statements.
Supporting schedules contain:
• Supplementary information and
outlines of corporate structure and
governance,
• Information on formula rates, and
• Description of important changes
during the year.
Other schedules provide:
• Information on revenues and the
related quantities of electric sales and
electricity transmitted,
• Account balances for all electric
operation and maintenance expenses,
• Selected plant cost data, and
• Other statistical information.
Type of Respondent: Major electric
utilities.
Estimate of Annual Burden: 3 The
Commission estimates the annual
burden and cost 4 for FERC Form No. 1
as follows:
2 As detailed in 18 CFR 101 (Uniform System of
Accounts Prescribed for Public Utilities and
Licensees Subject to the Provision of the Federal
Power Act, General Instructions) and 18 CFR 141.1.
3 Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons to
generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide
information to or for a Federal agency. For further
explanation of what is included in the information
collection burden, refer to Title 5 Code of Federal
Regulations 1320.3.
4 The Commission staff believes the FERC FTE
(full-time equivalent) average cost for wages plus
benefits is representative of the corresponding cost
for the industry respondents. The FERC 2018
average salary plus benefits for one FERC FTE is
$164,820/year (or $79.00/hour).
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34385
FERC FORM NO. 1
Number of
respondents
Number of
responses per
respondent
Total number
of responses
Average burden hours & average
cost per response
($)
Total annual burden hours &
total annual cost
($)
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
(2)
(1) × (2) = (3)
(4)
(3) × (4) = (5)
(5) ÷ (1) = (6)
1,168 hrs.; $92,272 ......................
241,776 hrs.; $19,100,304 ...........
207 .........................
1
207
FERC Form No. 1–F, Annual Report for
Nonmajor Public Utilities and Licensees
OMB Control No.: 1902–0029.
Abstract: The FERC Form No. 1–F is
a financial and operating report
submitted annually for electric rate
regulation, market oversight analysis,
and financial audits by Nonmajor
electric utilities and licensees.
Nonmajor is defined as utilities and
licensees that are not classified as
Major, and having total sales in each of
the last three consecutive years of
10,000 megawatt-hours or more.5
The FERC Form No.1–F is designed to
collect financial and operational
information and is made available to the
public. The FERC Form No.1–F includes
a basic set of financial statements:
• Comparative Balance Sheet,
• Statement of Retained Earnings,
• Statement of Cash Flows,
• Statement of Comprehensive
Income and Hedging Activities, and
• Notes to Financial Statements.
Supporting schedules contain:
• Supplementary information and
include revenues and the related
$92,272
quantities of electric sales and
electricity transmitted,
• Account balances for all electric
operation and maintenance expenses,
• Selected plant cost data; and
• Other statistical information.
Type of Respondent: Nonmajor
electric utilities.
Estimate of Annual Burden: The
estimated annual burden and cost
follow. (The estimated hourly cost used
for the FERC Form No. 1–F is $79 (for
wages plus benefits) and is described
above, under the FERC Form No. 1.):
FERC FORM NO. 1–F
Number of
respondents
Number of
responses per
respondent
Total number
of responses
Average burden hours &
average cost per response
($)
Total annual burden hours & total
annual cost
($)
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
(2)
(1) * (2) = (3)
(4)
(3) * (4) = (5)
(5) ÷ (1)
122 hrs.; $9,638 ...........................
610 hrs.; $48,190 .........................
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5 .............................
1
5
$9,638
Comments
One commenter, the Bureau of
Economic Analysis (BEA), filed
comments in response to the 60-day
notice, broadly supporting the
collection, outlining the manner in
which BEA utilizes the FERC Form Nos.
1 and 1–F data, and expressing interest
in additional data.6 There were no
comments filed in opposition to the
collection.
BEA states that it uses FERC
tabulations indirectly, as they are used
to estimate the U.S. Census Bureau’s
Construction Value Put-In Place (VPIP)
for electric utilities. BEA explains that
Census VPIP serves a major source data
input to the national income and
product account (NIP A) structures
investment estimates. According to
BEA, NIPA estimates for electric
structures rely upon the VPIP source
data. As a result, BEA states that
estimates of utility industry structures
investment for the BEA Fixed Assets
Accounts rely in turn upon the NIPA
structures estimates and also directly
upon selected Commission data sets
published by the Energy Information
Administration. BEA notes that while it
uses this information indirectly through
the VPIP program, BEA considers it an
indispensable data source to the NIPA
estimates.
BEA offers that it would like to
explore receiving line items from Forms
1 and 1–F aggregated to industry totals,
similar to the method and timing used
to provide information to the Census
Bureau. According to BEA, these
tabulations would be used by BEA for,
among other things, estimating industry
gross output and changes in
intermediate inputs. BEA explains that
it would use the aggregated FERC data
as well for the fixed asset account
nonresidential structure investment,
capital stock, and ultimately for
consumption of fixed capital
(depreciation) estimates that depend
upon the NIPA structures estimates.
BEA states that it has in the past used
items such as plant in service by type
of utility; subsidiary and nonutility
investments; allowance for funds used
during construction; plant held for
future use; plant leased to others;
construction work in progress;
depreciation; and other plant-related
schedules because they are useful in
estimating total industry plant-inservice. BEA further states that, in
general, income statement and balance
sheet data support utility industry
investment by industry estimates. BEA
notes that tabulations by legal form of
ownership are also useful in the
estimation of investment by legal form
of organization for utility industries.
BEA also expressed interest in plant-inservice separately identified for electric
generation (by type of generation—
hydro, nuclear, etc.), transmission, and
distribution.
BEA requests that the Commission
consider the inclusion of additional
questions on the electric utility survey
forms. Specifically, BEA suggests
offering new questions that ask for
capital expenditures for new versus
replacement fixed assets, intangibles,
and equipment and structures
separately (excluding land). According
to BEA, these questions would provide
additional useful information to BEA
that would lead to improved estimates
5 As detailed in 18 CFR 101 (Uniform System of
Accounts Prescribed for Public Utilities and
Licensees Subject to the Provision of the Federal
Power Act, General Instructions) and 18 CFR 141.2.
6 The BEA comment is posted in FERC’s eLibrary
at https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/
OpenNat.asp?fileID=15275219.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 138 / Thursday, July 18, 2019 / Notices
of capital spending at BEA and for
Census/VPIP.
Finally, BEA offers that more detailed
information about equipment and
structures leased from others under
operating leases would be useful for
statistical purposes.
Commission Response
As discussed above, the public
utilizes the data in FERC Form Nos. 1
and 1–F to assist in monitoring the
rates, the financial condition of entities
and in assessing energy markets. BEA’s
comments in support of the collection of
the FERC Form Nos. 1 and 1–F data
provide tangible examples of this
utilization and reflect the public benefit
of reporting this information. As further
discussed above, the instant request to
review and approve contains no changes
to the reporting requirements for the
existing information collections.
FERC Form No. 3–Q, Quarterly
Financial Report of Electric Utilities,
Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies
OMB Control No.: 1902–0205.
Abstract: The FERC Form No. 3–Q is
a quarterly financial and operating
report for rate regulation, market
oversight analysis, and financial audits
which supplements the (a) FERC Form
Nos. 1 and 1–F, for the electric industry,
or the (b) FERC Form No. 2 (Annual
Report for Major Natural Gas
Companies; OMB Control No. 1902–
0028) and FERC Form No. 2–A (Annual
Report for Nonmajor Natural Gas
Companies; OMB Control No. 1902–
0030), for the natural gas industry. The
FERC Form No. 3–Q is submitted for all
Major and Nonmajor electric utilities,
licensees, and natural gas companies.7
FERC Form No. 3–Q includes a basic
set of financial statements:
• Comparative Balance Sheet,
• Statement of Income and Statement
of Retained Earnings,
• Statement of Cash Flows,
• Statement of Comprehensive
Income and Hedging Activities, and
• Supporting schedules containing
supplementary information.
Electric respondents report:
• Revenues and the related quantities
of electric sales and electricity
transmitted,
• Account balances for all electric
operation and maintenance expenses,
• Selected plant cost data; and
• Other statistical information.
Natural gas respondents include:
• Monthly and quarterly quantities of
gas transported and associated revenues,
• Storage, terminaling and processing
services,
• Natural gas customer accounts and
details of service, and
• Operational expenses, depreciation,
depletion and amortization of gas plant.
Type of Respondent: Major and
nonmajor electric utilities, licensees,
and natural gas companies.
Estimate of Annual Burden: The
estimated annual burden and cost (as
rounded) follow. (The estimated hourly
cost used for the FERC Form No. 3–Q
is $79 (for wages plus benefits) and is
described above, under the FERC Form
No. 1.):
FERC FORM NO. 3–Q
Number of
respondents
Annual
number of
responses per
respondent
Total number
of responses
Average burden hours
& cost per response
Total annual burden hours
& total annual cost
Annual
cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
(2)
(1) * (2) = (3)
(4)
(3) * (4) = (5)
(5) ÷ (1)
FERC 3–Q (electric) .............
FERC 3–Q (natural gas) ......
212
165
3
3
636
495
168 hrs.; $13,272 ................
167 hrs.; $13,193 ................
106,848 hrs.; $8,440,992 .............
82,665 hrs.; $6,530,535 ...............
$39,816
39,579
Total for FERC 3–Q ......
........................
........................
1,131
.............................................
189,513 hrs.; $14,971,527 ...........
........................
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Comments: Comments are invited on:
(1) Whether the collections of
information are necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of the agency’s
estimates of the burden and cost of the
collections of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the
information collections; and (4) ways to
minimize the burden of the collections
of information on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–0269; FRL 9993–47–
OMS]
Information Collection Request
Submitted to OMB for Review and
Approval; Comment Request;
Transportation Conformity
Determinations for Federally Funded
and Approved Transportation Plans,
Programs and Projects
(Reinstatement)
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR),
Transportation Conformity
Determinations for Federally Funded
and Approved Transportation Plans,
7 18 CFR 260.1(b) states that for natural gas
companies as defined by the Natural Gas Act, Major
pertains to a company whose combined gas
transported or stored for a fee exceed 50 million Dth
in each of the three previous calendar years. 18 CFR
260.2(b) states that for natural gas companies as
defined by the Natural Gas Act, Nonmajor pertains
to a company not meeting the filing threshold for
Dated: July 11, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019–15294 Filed 7–17–19; 8:45 am]
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SUMMARY:
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Programs, and Projects (EPA ICR
Number 2130.06, OMB Control Number
2060–0561), to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and approval in accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a
proposed reinstatement of the ICR,
which was approved through March 31,
2019. Public comments were previously
requested via the Federal Register on
November 19, 2018 during a 60-day
comment period. This notice allows for
an additional 30 days for public
comments. A fuller description of the
ICR is given below, including its
estimated burden and cost to the public.
DATES: Additional comments may be
submitted on or before August 19, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
referencing Docket ID Number EPA–
HQ–OAR–2007–0269, to (1) EPA online
using www.regulations.gov (our
preferred method) or by mail to: EPA
FERC Form No. 2, but having total gas sales or
volume transactions exceeding 200,000 Dth in each
of the three previous calendar years.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34384-34386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15294]
[[Page 34384]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC19-22-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC Form Nos. 1,
1-F, and 3-Q); Comment Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved
information collections FERC Form Nos. 1 (Annual Report of Major
Electric Utilities, Licensees, and Others), 1-F (Annual Report for
Nonmajor Public Utilities and Licensees), and 3-Q (Quarterly Financial
Report of Electric Utilities, Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies),
and submitting the information collections to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review. Any interested person may file comments
directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the
Commission as explained below. On May 7, 2019, the Commission published
a Notice in the Federal Register in Docket No. IC19-22-000 requesting
public comments. The Commission received one public comment and will
indicate that in its submittals to OMB.
DATES: Comments on the collections of information are due August 19,
2019.
ADDRESSES: Comments filed with OMB, identified by OMB Control Nos.:
1902-0021 (FERC Form No. 1), 1902-0029 (FERC Form No. 1-F), and 1902-
0205 (FERC Form No. 3-Q) should be sent via email to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs: [email protected]. Attention:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Desk Officer.
A copy of the comments should also be sent to the Commission, in
Docket No. IC19-22-000, by either of the following methods:
eFiling at Commission's website: https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426.
Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in
accordance with submission guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. For user assistance, contact FERC Online Support
by email at [email protected], or by phone at: (866) 208-3676
(toll-free), or (202) 502-8659 for TTY.
Docket: Users interested in receiving automatic notification of
activity in this docket or in viewing/downloading comments and
issuances in this docket may do so at https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/docs-filing.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown by email at
[email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202)
273-0873.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Titles: FERC Form Nos. 1 (Annual Report of Major Electric
Utilities, Licensees, and Others), 1-F (Annual Report for Nonmajor
Public Utilities and Licensees), and 3-Q (Quarterly Financial Report of
Electric Utilities, Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies).
OMB Control Nos.: 1902-0021 (FERC Form No. 1), 1902-0029 (FERC Form
No. 1-F), and 1902-0205 (FERC Form No. 3-Q).
Type of Request: Three-year extensions of the FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-
F, and 3-Q with no changes to the current reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ FERC Form Nos. 1, 1-F, and 3-Q are part of the ``Forms
Refresh'' effort, which is a separate activity and not addressed
here. See Revisions to the Filing Process for Commission Forms,
Order No. 859, 167 FERC ] 61,241 (2019) (started in Docket No. AD15-
11 and ongoing in Docket No. RM19-12).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC Form No. 1, Annual Report of Major Electric Utilities, Licensees,
and Others
Abstract: The FERC Form No. 1 is a comprehensive financial and
operating report submitted annually for electric rate regulation,
market oversight analysis, and financial audits by Major electric
utilities, licensees and others. Major is defined as having in each of
the last three consecutive calendar years, sales or transmission
services that exceed one of the following: (1) One million megawatt-
hours of total sales; (2) 100 megawatt-hours of sales for resale; (3)
500 megawatt-hours of power exchanges delivered; or (4) 500 megawatt-
hours of wheeling for others (deliveries plus losses).\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ As detailed in 18 CFR 101 (Uniform System of Accounts
Prescribed for Public Utilities and Licensees Subject to the
Provision of the Federal Power Act, General Instructions) and 18 CFR
141.1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FERC Form No. 1 is designed to collect financial and
operational information and is made available to the public. The FERC
Form No. 1 includes a basic set of financial statements:
Comparative Balance Sheet,
Statement of Income,
Statement of Retained Earnings,
Statement of Cash Flows,
Statements of Accumulated Comprehensive Income,
Comprehensive Income, and Hedging Activities, and
Notes to Financial Statements.
Supporting schedules contain:
Supplementary information and outlines of corporate
structure and governance,
Information on formula rates, and
Description of important changes during the year.
Other schedules provide:
Information on revenues and the related quantities of
electric sales and electricity transmitted,
Account balances for all electric operation and
maintenance expenses,
Selected plant cost data, and
Other statistical information.
Type of Respondent: Major electric utilities.
Estimate of Annual Burden: \3\ The Commission estimates the annual
burden and cost \4\ for FERC Form No. 1 as follows:
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\3\ Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. For
further explanation of what is included in the information
collection burden, refer to Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations
1320.3.
\4\ The Commission staff believes the FERC FTE (full-time
equivalent) average cost for wages plus benefits is representative
of the corresponding cost for the industry respondents. The FERC
2018 average salary plus benefits for one FERC FTE is $164,820/year
(or $79.00/hour).
[[Page 34385]]
FERC Form No. 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Cost per
Number of respondents responses per Total number Average burden hours & average Total annual burden hours & respondent
respondent of responses cost per response ($) total annual cost ($) ($)
(1) (2) (1) x (2) = (4)........................... (3) x (4) = (5)............... (5) / (1) =
(3) (6)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
207..................................... 1 207 1,168 hrs.; $92,272........... 241,776 hrs.; $19,100,304..... $92,272
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC Form No. 1-F, Annual Report for Nonmajor Public Utilities and
Licensees
OMB Control No.: 1902-0029.
Abstract: The FERC Form No. 1-F is a financial and operating report
submitted annually for electric rate regulation, market oversight
analysis, and financial audits by Nonmajor electric utilities and
licensees. Nonmajor is defined as utilities and licensees that are not
classified as Major, and having total sales in each of the last three
consecutive years of 10,000 megawatt-hours or more.\5\
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\5\ As detailed in 18 CFR 101 (Uniform System of Accounts
Prescribed for Public Utilities and Licensees Subject to the
Provision of the Federal Power Act, General Instructions) and 18 CFR
141.2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FERC Form No.1-F is designed to collect financial and
operational information and is made available to the public. The FERC
Form No.1-F includes a basic set of financial statements:
Comparative Balance Sheet,
Statement of Retained Earnings,
Statement of Cash Flows,
Statement of Comprehensive Income and Hedging Activities,
and
Notes to Financial Statements.
Supporting schedules contain:
Supplementary information and include revenues and the
related quantities of electric sales and electricity transmitted,
Account balances for all electric operation and
maintenance expenses,
Selected plant cost data; and
Other statistical information.
Type of Respondent: Nonmajor electric utilities.
Estimate of Annual Burden: The estimated annual burden and cost
follow. (The estimated hourly cost used for the FERC Form No. 1-F is
$79 (for wages plus benefits) and is described above, under the FERC
Form No. 1.):
FERC Form No. 1-F
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Cost per
Number of respondents responses per Total number Average burden hours & Total annual burden hours & respondent
respondent of responses average cost per response ($) total annual cost ($) ($)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (4)........................... (3) * (4) = (5)............... (5) / (1)
(3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5....................................... 1 5 122 hrs.; $9,638.............. 610 hrs.; $48,190............. $9,638
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments
One commenter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), filed
comments in response to the 60-day notice, broadly supporting the
collection, outlining the manner in which BEA utilizes the FERC Form
Nos. 1 and 1-F data, and expressing interest in additional data.\6\
There were no comments filed in opposition to the collection.
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\6\ The BEA comment is posted in FERC's eLibrary at https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/common/OpenNat.asp?fileID=15275219.
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BEA states that it uses FERC tabulations indirectly, as they are
used to estimate the U.S. Census Bureau's Construction Value Put-In
Place (VPIP) for electric utilities. BEA explains that Census VPIP
serves a major source data input to the national income and product
account (NIP A) structures investment estimates. According to BEA, NIPA
estimates for electric structures rely upon the VPIP source data. As a
result, BEA states that estimates of utility industry structures
investment for the BEA Fixed Assets Accounts rely in turn upon the NIPA
structures estimates and also directly upon selected Commission data
sets published by the Energy Information Administration. BEA notes that
while it uses this information indirectly through the VPIP program, BEA
considers it an indispensable data source to the NIPA estimates.
BEA offers that it would like to explore receiving line items from
Forms 1 and 1-F aggregated to industry totals, similar to the method
and timing used to provide information to the Census Bureau. According
to BEA, these tabulations would be used by BEA for, among other things,
estimating industry gross output and changes in intermediate inputs.
BEA explains that it would use the aggregated FERC data as well for the
fixed asset account nonresidential structure investment, capital stock,
and ultimately for consumption of fixed capital (depreciation)
estimates that depend upon the NIPA structures estimates.
BEA states that it has in the past used items such as plant in
service by type of utility; subsidiary and nonutility investments;
allowance for funds used during construction; plant held for future
use; plant leased to others; construction work in progress;
depreciation; and other plant-related schedules because they are useful
in estimating total industry plant-in-service. BEA further states that,
in general, income statement and balance sheet data support utility
industry investment by industry estimates. BEA notes that tabulations
by legal form of ownership are also useful in the estimation of
investment by legal form of organization for utility industries. BEA
also expressed interest in plant-in-service separately identified for
electric generation (by type of generation--hydro, nuclear, etc.),
transmission, and distribution.
BEA requests that the Commission consider the inclusion of
additional questions on the electric utility survey forms.
Specifically, BEA suggests offering new questions that ask for capital
expenditures for new versus replacement fixed assets, intangibles, and
equipment and structures separately (excluding land). According to BEA,
these questions would provide additional useful information to BEA that
would lead to improved estimates
[[Page 34386]]
of capital spending at BEA and for Census/VPIP.
Finally, BEA offers that more detailed information about equipment
and structures leased from others under operating leases would be
useful for statistical purposes.
Commission Response
As discussed above, the public utilizes the data in FERC Form Nos.
1 and 1-F to assist in monitoring the rates, the financial condition of
entities and in assessing energy markets. BEA's comments in support of
the collection of the FERC Form Nos. 1 and 1-F data provide tangible
examples of this utilization and reflect the public benefit of
reporting this information. As further discussed above, the instant
request to review and approve contains no changes to the reporting
requirements for the existing information collections.
FERC Form No. 3-Q, Quarterly Financial Report of Electric Utilities,
Licensees, and Natural Gas Companies
OMB Control No.: 1902-0205.
Abstract: The FERC Form No. 3-Q is a quarterly financial and
operating report for rate regulation, market oversight analysis, and
financial audits which supplements the (a) FERC Form Nos. 1 and 1-F,
for the electric industry, or the (b) FERC Form No. 2 (Annual Report
for Major Natural Gas Companies; OMB Control No. 1902-0028) and FERC
Form No. 2-A (Annual Report for Nonmajor Natural Gas Companies; OMB
Control No. 1902-0030), for the natural gas industry. The FERC Form No.
3-Q is submitted for all Major and Nonmajor electric utilities,
licensees, and natural gas companies.\7\
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\7\ 18 CFR 260.1(b) states that for natural gas companies as
defined by the Natural Gas Act, Major pertains to a company whose
combined gas transported or stored for a fee exceed 50 million Dth
in each of the three previous calendar years. 18 CFR 260.2(b) states
that for natural gas companies as defined by the Natural Gas Act,
Nonmajor pertains to a company not meeting the filing threshold for
FERC Form No. 2, but having total gas sales or volume transactions
exceeding 200,000 Dth in each of the three previous calendar years.
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FERC Form No. 3-Q includes a basic set of financial statements:
Comparative Balance Sheet,
Statement of Income and Statement of Retained Earnings,
Statement of Cash Flows,
Statement of Comprehensive Income and Hedging Activities,
and
Supporting schedules containing supplementary information.
Electric respondents report:
Revenues and the related quantities of electric sales and
electricity transmitted,
Account balances for all electric operation and
maintenance expenses,
Selected plant cost data; and
Other statistical information.
Natural gas respondents include:
Monthly and quarterly quantities of gas transported and
associated revenues,
Storage, terminaling and processing services,
Natural gas customer accounts and details of service, and
Operational expenses, depreciation, depletion and
amortization of gas plant.
Type of Respondent: Major and nonmajor electric utilities,
licensees, and natural gas companies.
Estimate of Annual Burden: The estimated annual burden and cost (as
rounded) follow. (The estimated hourly cost used for the FERC Form No.
3-Q is $79 (for wages plus benefits) and is described above, under the
FERC Form No. 1.):
FERC Form No. 3-Q
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Annual number Total annual burden Annual cost
Number of of responses Total number Average burden hours & hours & total annual per
respondents per respondent of responses cost per response cost respondent ($)
(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (4)..................... (3) * (4) = (5)........ (5) / (1)
(3)
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FERC 3-Q (electric).................. 212 3 636 168 hrs.; $13,272....... 106,848 hrs.; $39,816
$8,440,992.
FERC 3-Q (natural gas)............... 165 3 495 167 hrs.; $13,193....... 82,665 hrs.; $6,530,535 39,579
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Total for FERC 3-Q............... .............. .............. 1,131 ........................ 189,513 hrs.; ..............
$14,971,527.
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Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collections of
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the Commission, including whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the
burden and cost of the collections of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the information collections; and
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information on
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Dated: July 11, 2019.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-15294 Filed 7-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
