Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725X); Comment Request; Extension, 67079-67081 [2024-18525]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 160 / Monday, August 19, 2024 / Notices
Dated: August 13, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
information and navigate Commission
processes. For public inquiries and
assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for
rehearing, the public is encouraged to
contact OPP at (202) 502–6595 or OPP@
ferc.gov.
[FR Doc. 2024–18526 Filed 8–16–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Dated: August 12, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[FR Doc. 2024–18467 Filed 8–16–24; 8:45 am]
Combined Notice of Filings
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
Take notice that the Commission has
received the following Natural Gas
Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings:
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Filings Instituting Proceedings
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Docket Numbers: RP24–966–000.
Applicants: National Grid LNG, LLC.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: 2024–
08–09 NGLNG Operational Purchase
and Sale Tariff Filing to be effective 9/
9/2024.
Filed Date: 8/9/24.
Accession Number: 20240809–5124.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 8/21/24.
Docket Numbers: RP24–967–000.
Applicants: Northern Natural Gas
Company.
Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing:
20240812 Carlton Flow Obligation to be
effective 11/1/2024.
Filed Date: 8/12/24.
Accession Number: 20240812–5043.
Comment Date: 5 p.m. ET 8/26/24.
Any person desiring to intervene, to
protest, or to answer a complaint in any
of the above proceedings must file in
accordance with Rules 211, 214, or 206
of the Commission’s Regulations (18
CFR 385.211, 385.214, or 385.206) on or
before 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the
specified comment date. Protests may be
considered, but intervention is
necessary to become a party to the
proceeding.
The filings are accessible in the
Commission’s eLibrary system (https://
elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/
fercgensearch.asp) by querying the
docket number.
eFiling is encouraged. More detailed
information relating to filing
requirements, interventions, protests,
service, and qualifying facilities filings
can be found at: https://www.ferc.gov/
docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For
other information, call (866) 208–3676
(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659.
The Commission’s Office of Public
Participation (OPP) supports meaningful
public engagement and participation in
Commission proceedings. OPP can help
members of the public, including
landowners, environmental justice
communities, Tribal members and
others, access publicly available
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:07 Aug 16, 2024
Jkt 262001
[Docket No. IC24–25–000]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–725X); Comment
Request; Extension
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
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.
There were no changes made to the
reporting requirements for this
information collection.
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due October 18, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit copies of
your comments (identified by Docket
No. IC24–25–000) 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, not in
scanned or picture format.
• For those unable to file
electronically, comments may be filed
by USPS mail or by other delivery
methods:
Æ Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only:
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Secretary of the Commission, 888 First
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
Æ All other delivery services: Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, Office
of the Secretary, 12225 Wilkins Avenue,
Rockville, MD 20852.
Instructions: All submissions must be
formatted and filed in accordance with
submission guidelines at: https://
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
67079
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:
Doug Reimel may be reached by email
at DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone
at (202) 502–6461.
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
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
E:\FR\FM\19AUN1.SGM
19AUN1
67080
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 160 / Monday, August 19, 2024 / Notices
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. The number
of manhours for VAR–001–5 and VAR–
002–4.1 will remain the same, but the
type of job responsibilities to follow the
requirements will be split between an
engineer and record-keeper, instead of
just an engineer. This results in a
decrease of the cost of compliance and
record-keeping for these two standards.
Reliability Standard VAR–001–5
This Reliability Standard requires
Transmission Operators to:
• 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
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 Compliance and
record-keeping.
VAR–002–4.1 Compliance and
record-keeping.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
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)
165 (TOP) ........
1
165
160 hrs.; $11,307.20 ....
26,400 hrs.; $1,865,688 ............
$11,307.20
1,028 (GOP) .....
1
1,028
200 hrs.; $14,134 .........
205,600 hrs.; $14,529,752 ........
14,134
..........................
..........................
1,193
.......................................
232,000 hrs.; $16,395,440 ........
........................
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
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. These values were derived from the
NERC Compliance data of April 16, 2024, using
only unique United States registered entities.
6 The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits)
is a combination based on the Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS), as of 2024, for 75% of the average
of an Electrical Engineer (17¥2071) $79.31/hr.,
79.31 × .75 = 59.4825 ($59.48-rounded) ($59.48/
hour) and 25% of an Information and Record Clerk
(43¥4199) $44.74/hr., $44.74 × .25% = 11.185
($11.19 rounded) ($11.19/hour), for a total ($59.48
+ $11.19 = $70.67/hour).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:07 Aug 16, 2024
Jkt 262001
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\19AUN1.SGM
19AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 160 / Monday, August 19, 2024 / Notices
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: August 13, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024–18525 Filed 8–16–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP24–507–000]
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC; Notice of Request
Under Blanket Authorization and
Establishing Intervention and Protest
Deadline
Take notice that on August 1, 2024,
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC (Transco), Post Office
Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251, filed
in the above referenced docket, a prior
notice request pursuant to sections
257.205 and 157.216 of the
Commission’s regulations under the
Natural Gas Act (NGA), and Transco’s
blanket certificate issued in Docket No.
CP82–426–000, for authorization to
abandon an existing 2.19-mile-long, 12inch-diameter natural gas pipeline and
appurtenant facilities, all located in
Potter County, Pennsylvania (Wharton
Extension Lateral Abandonment
Project). Transco states that these
facilities have not been used during the
previous 12 months and therefore, the
project will allow Transco to reduce
long-term costs associated with the
required maintenance of the facilities
that are no longer needed for
transportation service. The estimated
cost for the project is $2.13 million, all
as more fully set forth in the request
which is on file with the Commission
and open to public inspection.
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 (https://
www.ferc.gov). 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,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:07 Aug 16, 2024
Jkt 262001
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.
User assistance is available for
eLibrary and the Commission’s website
during normal business hours from
FERC 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.
Any questions concerning this request
should be directed to Georgia Clark,
Regulatory Analyst, Sr.,
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Company, LLC, Post Office Box 1396,
Houston, Texas 77251, or by email at
georgia.clark@williams.com.
Public Participation
There are three ways to become
involved in the Commission’s review of
this project: you can file a protest to the
project, you can file a motion to
intervene in the proceeding, and you
can file comments on the project. There
is no fee or cost for filing protests,
motions to intervene, or comments. The
deadline for filing protests, motions to
intervene, and comments is 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time on October 11, 2024. How
to file protests, motions to intervene,
and comments is explained below.
The Commission’s Office of Public
Participation (OPP) supports meaningful
public engagement and participation in
Commission proceedings. OPP can help
members of the public, including
landowners, environmental justice
communities, Tribal members and
others, access publicly available
information and navigate Commission
processes. For public inquiries and
assistance with making filings such as
interventions, comments, or requests for
rehearing, the public is encouraged to
contact OPP at (202) 502–6595 or OPP@
ferc.gov.
Protests
Pursuant to section 157.205 of the
Commission’s regulations under the
NGA,1 any person 2 or the Commission’s
staff may file a protest to the request. If
no protest is filed within the time
allowed or if a protest is filed and then
withdrawn within 30 days after the
allowed time for filing a protest, the
proposed activity shall be deemed to be
authorized effective the day after the
CFR 157.205.
include individuals, organizations,
businesses, municipalities, and other entities. 18
CFR 385.102(d).
time allowed for protest. If a protest is
filed and not withdrawn within 30 days
after the time allowed for filing a
protest, the instant request for
authorization will be considered by the
Commission.
Protests must comply with the
requirements specified in section
157.205(e) of the Commission’s
regulations,3 and must be submitted by
the protest deadline, which is October
11, 2024. A protest may also serve as a
motion to intervene so long as the
protestor states it also seeks to be an
intervenor.
Interventions
Any person has the option to file a
motion to intervene in this proceeding.
Only intervenors have the right to
request rehearing of Commission orders
issued in this proceeding and to
subsequently challenge the
Commission’s orders in the U.S. Circuit
Courts of Appeal.
To intervene, you must submit a
motion to intervene to the Commission
in accordance with Rule 214 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure 4 and the regulations under
the NGA 5 by the intervention deadline
for the project, which is October 11,
2024. As described further in Rule 214,
your motion to intervene must state, to
the extent known, your position
regarding the proceeding, as well as
your interest in the proceeding. For an
individual, this could include your
status as a landowner, ratepayer,
resident of an impacted community, or
recreationist. You do not need to have
property directly impacted by the
project in order to intervene. For more
information about motions to intervene,
refer to the FERC website at https://
www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/
intervene.asp.
All timely, unopposed motions to
intervene are automatically granted by
operation of Rule 214(c)(1). Motions to
intervene that are filed after the
intervention deadline are untimely and
may be denied. Any late-filed motion to
intervene must show good cause for
being late and must explain why the
time limitation should be waived and
provide justification by reference to
factors set forth in Rule 214(d) of the
Commission’s Rules and Regulations. A
person obtaining party status will be
placed on the service list maintained by
the Secretary of the Commission and
will receive copies (paper or electronic)
of all documents filed by the applicant
and by all other parties.
1 18
2 Persons
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
67081
3 18
CFR 157.205(e).
CFR 385.214.
5 18 CFR 157.10.
4 18
E:\FR\FM\19AUN1.SGM
19AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 160 (Monday, August 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67079-67081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18525]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. IC24-25-000]
Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725X); Comment
Request; Extension
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
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. There were no changes made to the
reporting requirements for this information collection.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due October 18,
2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket
No. IC24-25-000) 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, not in scanned or picture format.
For those unable to file electronically, comments may be
filed by USPS mail or by other delivery methods:
[cir] Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426.
[cir] All other delivery services: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, Office of the Secretary, 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: Doug Reimel may be reached by email at
[email protected], telephone at (202) 502-6461.
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
[[Page 67080]]
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. The
number of manhours for VAR-001-5 and VAR-002-4.1 will remain the same,
but the type of job responsibilities to follow the requirements will be
split between an engineer and record-keeper, instead of just an
engineer. This results in a decrease of the cost of compliance and
record-keeping for these two standards.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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:
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.
These values were derived from the NERC Compliance data of April 16,
2024, using only unique United States registered entities.
\6\ The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is a
combination based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of
2024, for 75% of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17-2071)
$79.31/hr., 79.31 x .75 = 59.4825 ($59.48-rounded) ($59.48/hour) and
25% of an Information and Record Clerk (43-4199) $44.74/hr., $44.74
x .25% = 11.185 ($11.19 rounded) ($11.19/hour), for a total ($59.48
+ $11.19 = $70.67/hour).
FERC-725X, Mandatory Reliability Standards: Voltage and Reactive (VAR) Standards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number Total annual
Number of of responses Total number Average burden & cost per burden hours & Cost per
respondents \5\ per respondent of responses response \6\ total annual cost respondent ($)
(1)................. (2) (1) * (2) = (4)......................... (3) * (4) = (5)... (5) / (1)
(3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VAR-001-5 Compliance and record- 165 (TOP)........... 1 165 160 hrs.; $11,307.20........ 26,400 hrs.; $11,307.20
keeping. $1,865,688.
VAR-002-4.1 Compliance and 1,028 (GOP)......... 1 1,028 200 hrs.; $14,134........... 205,600 hrs.; 14,134
record-keeping. $14,529,752.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... .................... ............... 1,193 ............................ 232,000 hrs.; ..............
$16,395,440.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
[[Page 67081]]
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: August 13, 2024.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-18525 Filed 8-16-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
