
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46781-46782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18893]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RD14-11-000]


Proposed Agency Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Energy.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) invites 
public comment in Docket No. RD14-11-000 on a proposed change to a 
collection of information that the Commission is developing for 
submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 
the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) 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; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be 
received on or before October 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by docket number, may be filed in the 
following ways:
     Electronic Filing through http://www.ferc.gov. Documents 
created electronically using word processing software should be filed 
in native applications or print-to-PDF format and not in a scanned 
format.
     Mail/Hand Delivery: Those unable to file electronically 
may mail or hand-deliver an original of their comments to: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First 
Street NE., Washington, DC 20426.

[[Page 46782]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
DataClearance@FERC.gov, telephone at (202) 502-8663, and fax at (202) 
273-0873.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed information collection changes 
in Docket No. RD14-11-000 relate to the proposed Reliability Standards 
VAR-001-4 (Voltage and Reactive Control) and VAR-002-3 (Generator 
Operation for Maintaining Network Voltage Schedules), developed by the 
North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), and submitted 
to the Commission for approval. The Commission received NERC's petition 
to approve the proposed Reliability Standards on June 9, 2014.
    NERC summarizes the VAR group of standards as follows:

    The Voltage and Reactive (``VAR'') group of Reliability 
Standards, which consists of two continent-wide Reliability 
Standards, VAR-001-3 and VAR-002-2b, is 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.\1\
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    \1\ NERC Petition at 3.

    In its petition, NERC also summarizes the proposed Reliability 
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Standards' applicability and requirements:

    In general, proposed Reliability Standard VAR-001-4 sets forth 
the requirements applicable to Transmission Operators for 
scheduling, monitoring, and controlling Reactive Power resources in 
the Real-time Operations, Same-day Operations, and Operational 
Planning time horizons to regulate voltage and Reactive Power flows 
for the reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System. Proposed 
Reliability Standard VAR-002-3 sets forth the requirements 
applicable to Generator Operators and Generator Owners for providing 
the necessary reactive support and voltage control necessary to 
maintain reliable operations. Generators are the largest and most 
reliable Reactive Power resource and play an integral role in 
maintaining voltage stability on the Bulk-Power System. 
Collectively, the proposed Reliability Standards are designed to 
prevent voltage instability and voltage collapse on the Bulk-Power 
System.\2\
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    \2\ Id. at 4.

    Finally, NERC also states that the proposed Reliability Standards 
improve reliability, clarify requirement language and eliminate 
redundant or unnecessary requirements.\3\
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    \3\ Id. at 15.
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    Burden Statement: Commission staff analyzed the proposed and 
currently enforced standards and has concluded that while information 
collection requirements have been deleted, added, and/or changed, the 
overall paperwork burden and applicable respondent universe remains 
unchanged. However, the Commission intends to submit a request for 
approval to OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) related to the 
proposed Reliability Standards because there are substantive changes to 
information collection requirements. For PRA purposes, the information 
collection requirements in proposed Reliability Standards VAR-001-4 and 
VAR-002-3 are identified as FERC-725A and OMB Control Number 1902-0244.

    Dated: July 31, 2014.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-18893 Filed 8-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


