Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725X); Comment Request; Extension, 16590-16591 [2021-06504]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 59 / Tuesday, March 30, 2021 / Notices
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426,
in accordance with Rules 211 and 214
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Anyone filing a motion to
intervene or protest must serve a copy
of that document on the Applicant.
Notice is hereby given that the
deadline for filing protests with regard
to the applicant’s request for blanket
authorization, under 18 CFR part 34, of
future issuances of securities and
assumptions of liability, is April 13,
2021.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper, using the
FERC Online links at https://
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service, persons with internet access
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eRegistration link. Select the eFiling
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intervention or protests.
Persons unable to file electronically
may mail similar pleadings to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20426. Hand delivered submissions in
docketed proceedings should be
delivered to Health and Human
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Rockville, Maryland 20852.
In addition to publishing the full text
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Enter the docket number excluding the
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by the President on March 13, 2020. For
assistance, contact the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call
toll-free, (886) 208–3676 or TYY, (202)
502–8659.
Dated: March 24, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021–06501 Filed 3–29–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
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17:59 Mar 29, 2021
Jkt 253001
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. IC21–12–000]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–725X); Comment
Request; Extension
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of information collection
and request for comments.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
(Commission or FERC) is soliciting
public comment on the currently
approved information collection, FERC
725X (Mandatory Reliability Standards:
Voltage and Reactive (VAR) Standards).
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due June 1, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit copies of
your comments (identified by Docket
No. IC21–12–000) by one of the
following methods: Electronic filing
through https://www.ferc.gov, is
preferred.
• Electronic Filing: Documents must
be filed 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 USPS mail or by hand (including
courier) delivery.
• Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only:
Addressed to: Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426.
• Hand (including courier) delivery:
Deliver to: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue,
Rockville, MD 20852.
Instructions: All submissions must be
formatted and filed in accordance with
submission guidelines at: https://
www.ferc.gov. For user assistance,
contact FERC Online Support by email
at ferconlinesupport@ferc.gov, or by
phone at (866) 208–3676 (toll-free).
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Brown may be reached by email
at DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone
at (202) 502–8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC 725X, Mandatory
Reliability Standards: Voltage and
Reactive (VAR).
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Standards OMB Control No.: 1902–
0278.
Type of Request: Three-year extension
of the FERC–725X information
collection requirements with no changes
to the current reporting requirements.
Abstract: Pursuant to Section 215 of
the Federal Power Act (FPA),1 North
American Electric Reliability
Corporation (NERC) established the
Voltage and Reactive (‘‘VAR’’) group of
Reliability Standards, which consists of
two continent-wide Reliability
Standards, VAR–001–5 and VAR–002–
4.1. NERC conducts periodic reviews of
Reliability Standards in accordance
with Section 317 of the NERC Rules of
Procedure and Section 13 of the NERC
Standard Processes Manual. In
accordance with these authorities and
the NERC Reliability Standards
Development Plan: 2017–2019, NERC
recently completed Project 2016–EPR–
02 Enhanced Periodic Review of Voltage
and Reactive Reliability Standards. This
project conducted a periodic review of
mandatory and enforceable Reliability
Standards VAR–001–4.1 (Voltage and
Reactive Control) 2 and VAR–002–4
(Generator Operation for Maintaining
Network Schedules).3 These two
standards were designed to maintain
voltage stability on the Bulk-Power
System, protect transmission,
generation, distribution, and customer
equipment, and support the reliable
operation of the Bulk-Power System.
Voltage stability is the ability of a power
system to maintain acceptable voltage
levels throughout the system under
normal operating conditions and
following a disturbance. Failure to
maintain acceptable voltage levels (i.e.,
voltage levels become too high or too
low) may cause violations of System
Operating Limits (‘‘SOLs’’) and
Interconnection Reliability Operating
Limits (‘‘IROLs’’), result in damage to
Bulk-Power System equipment, and
thereby threaten the reliable operation
of the Bulk-Power System.
Reliability Standard VAR–001–5
This Reliability Standard requires
Transmission Operators to:
1 16
U.S.C. 824o (2012).
Commission approved Reliability Standard
VAR–001–4 (Voltage and Reactive Control) on
August 1, 2014. See North American Electric
Reliability Corp., Docket No. RD14–11–000 (Aug. 1,
2014) (delegated letter order). The Commission
approved errata version VAR–001–4.1 on November
13, 2015. See North American Electric Reliability
Corp., Docket No. RD15–6–000 (Nov. 13, 2015)
(delegated letter order).
3 The Commission approved Reliability Standard
VAR–002–4, which clarified the applicability of the
VAR–002 standard to dispersed generation
resources, on May 29, 2015. See North American
Electric Reliability Corp, 151 FERC ¶ 61,186 (May
29, 2015).
2 The
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 59 / Tuesday, March 30, 2021 / Notices
• Specify a system-wide voltage
schedule (which is either a range or a
target value with an associated tolerance
band) as part of its plan to operate
within SOLs and IROLs, and to provide
the voltage schedule to its Reliability
Coordinator and adjacent Transmission
Operators upon request (Requirement
R1);
• Schedule sufficient reactive
resources to regulate voltage levels
(Requirement R2);
• Operate or direct the operation of
devices to regulate transmission voltage
and reactive flows (Requirement R3);
• Develop a set of criteria to exempt
generators from certain requirements
under Reliability Standard VAR–002–
4.1 related to voltage or Reactive Power
schedules, automatic voltage
regulations, and notification
(Requirement R4);
• Specify a voltage or Reactive Power
schedule (which is either a range or a
target value with an associated tolerance
band) for generators at either the high or
low voltage side of the generator stepup transformer, provide the schedule to
the associated Generator Operator,
direct the Generator Operator to comply
with that schedule in automatic voltage
control mode, provide the Generator
Operator the notification requirements
for deviating from the schedule, and, if
requested, provide the Generator
Operator the criteria used to develop the
schedule (Requirement R5); and
• Communicate step-up transformer
tap changes, the time frame for
completion, and the justification for
these changes to Generator Owners
(Requirement R6).
Reliability Standard VAR–002–4.1
This Reliability Standard includes an
information collection activity for
‘‘Requirement R1’’ and a separate
information collection activity for
‘‘Requirements R2 through R6.’’
This Reliability Standard requires
Generator Operators to:
• Operate each of its generators
connected to the interconnected
transmission system in automatic
voltage control mode or in a different
control mode as instructed by the
Transmission Operator, unless the
Generator Operator (1) is exempted
pursuant to the criteria developed under
VAR–001–5, Requirement R4, or (2)
makes certain notifications to the
Transmission Operator specifying the
reasons it cannot so operate
(Requirement R1);
• Maintain the Transmission
Operator’s generator voltage or Reactive
Power schedule, unless the Generator
Operator (1) is exempted pursuant to the
criteria developed under VAR–001–5,
Requirement R4, or (2) complies with
16591
the notification requirements for
deviations as established by the
Transmission Owner pursuant to VAR–
001–5, Requirement R5 (Requirement
R2);
• Notify the Transmission Operator of
a change in status of its voltage
controlling device within 30 minutes,
unless the status is restored within that
time period (Requirement R3); and
• Notify the Transmission Operator of
a change in reactive capability due to
factors other than those described in
VAR–002–4.1, Requirement R3 within
30 minutes unless the capability has
been restored during that time period
(Requirement R4).
• Provide information on its step-up
transformers and auxiliary transformers
within 30 days of a request from the
Transmission Operator or Transmission
Planner (Requirement R5); and
• Comply with the Transmission
Operator’s step-up transformer tap
change directives unless compliance
would violate safety, an equipment
rating, or applicable laws, rules or
regulations (Requirement R6).
Type of Respondents: Generator
owners and transmission operators.
Estimate of Annual Burden: 4 The
Commission estimates the annual public
reporting burden for the information
collection as:
FERC–725X, MANDATORY RELIABILITY STANDARDS: VOLTAGE AND REACTIVE (VAR) STANDARDS
VAR–001–5 (Requirements R1–
R6).
VAR–002–4.1 (Requirement R1)
VAR–002–4.1 (Requirements
R2–R6).
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Total ...................................
Number of
respondents 5
Annual number
of responses
per respondent
Total number
of responses
Average burden & cost
per response 6
Total annual burden hours &
total annual cost
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
(2)
(1) * (2) = (3)
(4)
(3) * (4) = (5)
(5) ÷ (1)
167 (TOP) ........
1
167
160 hrs.; $11,721.73 ....
26,887 hrs.; $1,887,198.53 .......
$11,721.73
937 (GOP) ........
937 (GOP) ........
1
1
937
937
80 hrs.; $5,615.20 ........
120 hrs.; $8,422.80 ......
74,960 hrs.; $5,261,442.4 .........
112,440 hrs.; $7,892,163.6 .......
5,615.20
8,422.80
..........................
..........................
2,041
.......................................
214,287 hrs.; $15,040,804.53.
Comments: Comments are invited on:
(1) Whether the collection of
information is 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 estimate
of the burden and cost of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information collection;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of
4 The Commission defines burden 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:59 Mar 29, 2021
Jkt 253001
the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including the use
of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Dated: March 24, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[Docket No. RM19–12–000]
[FR Doc. 2021–06504 Filed 3–29–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Revisions to the Filing Process for
Commission Forms; Notice of Eforms
Updates, Termination of Visual Foxpro
Filings, and Extension of Filing
Deadlines
As provided for in the July 17, 2020
Order on Technical Conference, notice
information collection burden, reference 5 Code of
Federal Regulations 1320.3.
5 TOP = transmission operator; GOP = generator
operators. Respondent counts based of the NERC
Compliance Registry numbers February 5, 2021.
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
6 The estimate for hourly cost is $70.19/hour.
This figure is the average salary plus benefits for an
electrical engineer (Occupation Code: 17–2071)
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at https://
www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16590-16591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06504]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC21-12-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725X); Comment
Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or
FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved
information collection, FERC 725X (Mandatory Reliability Standards:
Voltage and Reactive (VAR) Standards).
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 1, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket
No. IC21-12-000) by one of the following methods: Electronic filing
through https://www.ferc.gov, is preferred.
Electronic Filing: Documents must be filed 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 USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery.
Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Addressed to: Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
Hand (including courier) delivery: Deliver to: Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD
20852.
Instructions: All submissions must be formatted and filed in
accordance with submission guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov. For user
assistance, contact FERC Online Support by email at
[email protected], or by phone at (866) 208-3676 (toll-free).
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at
[email protected], telephone at (202) 502-8663.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: FERC 725X, Mandatory Reliability Standards: Voltage and
Reactive (VAR).
Standards OMB Control No.: 1902-0278.
Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-725X information
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting
requirements.
Abstract: Pursuant to Section 215 of the Federal Power Act
(FPA),\1\ North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)
established the Voltage and Reactive (``VAR'') group of Reliability
Standards, which consists of two continent-wide Reliability Standards,
VAR-001-5 and VAR-002-4.1. NERC conducts periodic reviews of
Reliability Standards in accordance with Section 317 of the NERC Rules
of Procedure and Section 13 of the NERC Standard Processes Manual. In
accordance with these authorities and the NERC Reliability Standards
Development Plan: 2017-2019, NERC recently completed Project 2016-EPR-
02 Enhanced Periodic Review of Voltage and Reactive Reliability
Standards. This project conducted a periodic review of mandatory and
enforceable Reliability Standards VAR-001-4.1 (Voltage and Reactive
Control) \2\ and VAR-002-4 (Generator Operation for Maintaining Network
Schedules).\3\ These two standards were designed to maintain voltage
stability on the Bulk-Power System, protect transmission, generation,
distribution, and customer equipment, and support the reliable
operation of the Bulk-Power System. Voltage stability is the ability of
a power system to maintain acceptable voltage levels throughout the
system under normal operating conditions and following a disturbance.
Failure to maintain acceptable voltage levels (i.e., voltage levels
become too high or too low) may cause violations of System Operating
Limits (``SOLs'') and Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits
(``IROLs''), result in damage to Bulk-Power System equipment, and
thereby threaten the reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 16 U.S.C. 824o (2012).
\2\ The Commission approved Reliability Standard VAR-001-4
(Voltage and Reactive Control) on August 1, 2014. See North American
Electric Reliability Corp., Docket No. RD14-11-000 (Aug. 1, 2014)
(delegated letter order). The Commission approved errata version
VAR-001-4.1 on November 13, 2015. See North American Electric
Reliability Corp., Docket No. RD15-6-000 (Nov. 13, 2015) (delegated
letter order).
\3\ The Commission approved Reliability Standard VAR-002-4,
which clarified the applicability of the VAR-002 standard to
dispersed generation resources, on May 29, 2015. See North American
Electric Reliability Corp, 151 FERC ] 61,186 (May 29, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reliability Standard VAR-001-5
This Reliability Standard requires Transmission Operators to:
[[Page 16591]]
Specify a system-wide voltage schedule (which is either a
range or a target value with an associated tolerance band) as part of
its plan to operate within SOLs and IROLs, and to provide the voltage
schedule to its Reliability Coordinator and adjacent Transmission
Operators upon request (Requirement R1);
Schedule sufficient reactive resources to regulate voltage
levels (Requirement R2);
Operate or direct the operation of devices to regulate
transmission voltage and reactive flows (Requirement R3);
Develop a set of criteria to exempt generators from
certain requirements under Reliability Standard VAR-002-4.1 related to
voltage or Reactive Power schedules, automatic voltage regulations, and
notification (Requirement R4);
Specify a voltage or Reactive Power schedule (which is
either a range or a target value with an associated tolerance band) for
generators at either the high or low voltage side of the generator
step-up transformer, provide the schedule to the associated Generator
Operator, direct the Generator Operator to comply with that schedule in
automatic voltage control mode, provide the Generator Operator the
notification requirements for deviating from the schedule, and, if
requested, provide the Generator Operator the criteria used to develop
the schedule (Requirement R5); and
Communicate step-up transformer tap changes, the time
frame for completion, and the justification for these changes to
Generator Owners (Requirement R6).
Reliability Standard VAR-002-4.1
This Reliability Standard includes an information collection
activity for ``Requirement R1'' and a separate information collection
activity for ``Requirements R2 through R6.''
This Reliability Standard requires Generator Operators to:
Operate each of its generators connected to the
interconnected transmission system in automatic voltage control mode or
in a different control mode as instructed by the Transmission Operator,
unless the Generator Operator (1) is exempted pursuant to the criteria
developed under VAR-001-5, Requirement R4, or (2) makes certain
notifications to the Transmission Operator specifying the reasons it
cannot so operate (Requirement R1);
Maintain the Transmission Operator's generator voltage or
Reactive Power schedule, unless the Generator Operator (1) is exempted
pursuant to the criteria developed under VAR-001-5, Requirement R4, or
(2) complies with the notification requirements for deviations as
established by the Transmission Owner pursuant to VAR-001-5,
Requirement R5 (Requirement R2);
Notify the Transmission Operator of a change in status of
its voltage controlling device within 30 minutes, unless the status is
restored within that time period (Requirement R3); and
Notify the Transmission Operator of a change in reactive
capability due to factors other than those described in VAR-002-4.1,
Requirement R3 within 30 minutes unless the capability has been
restored during that time period (Requirement R4).
Provide information on its step-up transformers and
auxiliary transformers within 30 days of a request from the
Transmission Operator or Transmission Planner (Requirement R5); and
Comply with the Transmission Operator's step-up
transformer tap change directives unless compliance would violate
safety, an equipment rating, or applicable laws, rules or regulations
(Requirement R6).
Type of Respondents: Generator owners and transmission operators.
Estimate of Annual Burden: \4\ The Commission estimates the annual
public reporting burden for the information collection as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ The Commission defines burden 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, reference 5 Code of Federal
Regulations 1320.3.
\5\ TOP = transmission operator; GOP = generator operators.
Respondent counts based of the NERC Compliance Registry numbers
February 5, 2021.
\6\ The estimate for hourly cost is $70.19/hour. This figure is
the average salary plus benefits for an electrical engineer
(Occupation Code: 17-2071) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm.
FERC-725X, Mandatory Reliability Standards: Voltage and Reactive (VAR) Standards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number Total annual
Number of of responses Total number Average burden & cost per burden hours & Cost per
respondents \5\ per respondent of responses response \6\ total annual cost respondent ($)
(1)................. (2) (1) * (2) = (4)......................... (3) * (4) = (5)... (5) / (1)
(3)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VAR-001-5 (Requirements R1-R6). 167 (TOP)........... 1 167 160 hrs.; $11,721.73........ 26,887 hrs.; $11,721.73
$1,887,198.53.
VAR-002-4.1 (Requirement R1)... 937 (GOP)........... 1 937 80 hrs.; $5,615.20.......... 74,960 hrs.; 5,615.20
$5,261,442.4.
VAR-002-4.1 (Requirements R2- 937 (GOP)........... 1 937 120 hrs.; $8,422.80......... 112,440 hrs.; 8,422.80
R6). $7,892,163.6.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... .................... ............... 2,041 ............................ 214,287 hrs.;
$15,040,804.53.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of
information is 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 estimate of the burden and
cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Dated: March 24, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-06504 Filed 3-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
