Agency information collection activities: Submission for OMB review; comment request,

[Federal Register: August 26, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 165)]

[Notices]

[Page 45474-45475]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr26au98-48]

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[FERC-718 IC98-718-000]

Proposed Information Collection and Request for Comments

August 24, 1998. AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Request for Office of Management and Budget Emergency Processing of proposed information collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of Section 3507(j)(1)of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13), and 5 CFR 1320.13 of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Federal Energy Regulatory (Commission) is providing notice of its request to OMB for emergency processing of a proposed collection of information and soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.

DATES: The Commission requests that responses to this proposed information collection be filedwith the Commission by early September 1998. Comments on the proposed information collection request will be due by August 26, 1998. FERC-718 responses should be filedwith the Office of the Secretary and should refer to Docket No. [IC98-718-000].

Because the Commission has requested OMB to process the proposed collection of information in Docket No. IC98-718-000 on an emergency basis, comments on this collection of information should be filedwith OMB, attention FERC Desk Officer, as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William A. Meroney, Office of Economic Policy, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 208-1069. G. Patrick Rooney, Office of Electric Power Regulation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 501-5546.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the Federal Register, the Commission also provides all interested persons an opportunity to inspect or copy the contents of this document during normal business hours in the Public Reference Room at 888 First Street, N.E., Room 2A, Washington, D.C. 20426.

The Commission Issuance Posting System (CIPS) provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission. CIPS can be accessed via Internet through FERC's Homepage (http://www.ferc.fed.us) using the CIPS Link or the Energy Information Online icon. The full text of this document will be available on CIPS in ASCII and WordPerfect 6.1 format. User assistance is available at 202-208-2474 or by E-mail to CipsMaster@FERC.fed.us. CIPS is also available through the Commission's electronic bulletin board service at no charge to the user and may be accessed using a personal computer with a modem by dialing 202-208-1397, if dialing locally, or 1-800-856-3920, if dialing long distance. To access CIPS, set your communications software to 19200, 14400, 12000, 9600, 7200, 4800, 2400, or 1200 bps, full duplex, no parity, 8 data bits and 1 stop bit. User assistance is available at 202-208-2474.

This document is also available through the Commission's Records and Information Management System (RIMS), an electronic storage and retrieval system of documents submitted to and issued by the Commission after November 16, 1981. Documents from November 1995 to the present can be viewed and printed. RIMS is available in the Public Reference Room or remotely via Internet through FERC's Homepage using the RIMS link or the Energy Information Online icon. User assistance is available at 202-208-2222, or by E-mail to RimsMaster@FERC.fed.us.

Finally, the complete text on diskette in WordPerfect format may be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, La Dorn Systems Corporation. La Dorn Systems Corporation is located in the Public Reference Room at 888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426.

Background

During the week of June 22, 1998, unprecedented electric price increases occurred in the Midwest. As a result of these ``price spikes'', petitions for emergency relief were filedwith the Commission under Docket No. EL98-53-000. The information collected under the requests of FERC-718 ``Sales and Purchase Information during Midwest Price Spike'' (OMB Control No. to be assigned) is in response to those petitions and will be used by the Commission to determine how the wholesale electric markets were affected by price increases. The information obtained from this information collection request will be used as part of the Commission's efforts to monitor and facilitate the electric industry's transition from a regulated to a competitive market. The hourly data reflected in the proposed request will identify the sellers and buyers, the actual price and amount of energy purchased and sold and whether there were any attempts on the part of some market participants to manipulate the market during late June.

The Commission's role is to lead the electric power industry through the revolutionary transition to greater competitiveness and fewer regulatory guarantees, which will also entail a change from one style of regulation based on accounting costs to one which relies on a flourishing competitive market to discipline wholesale generation prices. It is critical that the Commission ensure a fair and orderly transition from regulation to competition. The Commission is authorized to implement the statutory provisions of the Federal Power Act, (16 U.S.C. 791a-825r). Under the FPA, the Commission oversees wholesale electric rates and service standards, as well as transmission of electricity in interstate commerce. The Commission uses its ratemaking authority to ensure that wholesale power rates and transmission rates are just and reasonable and not

[[Page 45475]]

unduly discriminatory or preferential. Section 311 of the Act authorizes the Commission to conduct investigations regarding the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electric energy however produced, throughout the United States in order to collect information that will serve as a basis for recommending legislation. The information collected by the Commission will be the basis of a report to be used in part at Congressional hearings scheduled for late September 1998.

Information Collection Statement

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implementing regulations at 5 CFR 1320.10 require OMB to approve certain reporting and recordkeeping requirements (collections of information) imposed by a federal agency. Upon approval of a collection of information, OMB will assign an OMB control number and an expiration date.

The proposed information collection request will be done under a temporary data collection, FERC-718, ``Sales and Purchase Information during Midwest Price Spike'' (OMB Control No. To be assigned). The respondents will be public utilities, power marketers and members of a nonprofit utility organization. Responses to the information collection request will be voluntary.

Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated as:

Number of

responses Average Total annual Number of respondents annually per burden hours burden hours respondent per response

(1)

(2)

(3) (1)x(2)x(3)

80............................

1

16

1,280

Estimated cost burdens to respondents: The Commission estimates that it will cost each respondent $800.00 to respond to this information collection request for a total of $64,000 (80 x $800).

The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide the information including: (1) reviewing instructions; (2) developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, maintaining, disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; (4) training personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5) searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the information.

The estimate of cost for respondents is based upon salaries for professionals and clerical support, as well as direct and indirect overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly attributable to providing this information, such as administrative costs and the cost for information technology.

Indirect or overhead costs are costs incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs apply to activities which benefit the whole organization rather than any one particular function or activity.

Comments are invited on: (1) whether the proposed 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 of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses. The proposed collection of information is being submitted to OMB for review. Because the Commission needs to present its finding before Congressional hearings, the Commission has requested responses to this proposed information collection request by early September 1998. Accordingly, the Commission has requested OMB to provide for emergency processing of this proposed information collection by August 26, 1998. Comments on the collection of information, therefore should be filedwith OMB as soon as possible to provide OMB with sufficient time for its review. For copies of the OMB submission, contact Michael Miller at (202) 208-1415. Interested persons may send comments regarding the burden estimates or any other aspect on the proposed information collection, including suggestions for reductions of burden, to the Desk Officer FERC, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10202 NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, phone (202) 395-3087 or via the Internet at Erik__K.__Godwin@omb.eop.gov. A copy of any comments filedwith OMB should also be sent to Michael Miller, Office of the Chief Information Officer, CI-1, 888 First Street N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426. Michael Miller may also be reached by fax at (202) 273-0873, and by e-mail at michael.miller@ferc.fed.us. Linwood A. Watson, Jr., Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-22982Filed8-25-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

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