
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 77 (Wednesday, April 22, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 22444-22449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09228]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 40

[Docket No. RM15-9-000]


Protection System, Automatic Reclosing, and Sudden Pressure 
Relaying Maintenance Reliability Standard

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Power Act, the Commission proposes to 
approve a revised Reliability Standard,

[[Page 22445]]

PRC-005-4 (Protection System, Automatic Reclosing and Sudden Pressure 
Relaying Maintenance), developed and submitted by the North American 
Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). In addition, the Commission 
proposes to approve one new definition and four revised definitions 
referenced in the proposed Reliability Standard, as well as NERC's 
proposed violation risk factors, violation severity levels, and 
implementation plan. Consistent with Order No. 758, the proposed 
Reliability Standard requires applicable entities to test and maintain 
certain sudden pressure relays as part of a protection system 
maintenance program.

DATES: Comments are due June 22, 2015.

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 comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and 
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Comment 
Procedures Section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
Tom Bradish (Technical Information), Office of Electric Reliability, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, 
DC 20426, (301) 665-1391, Tom.Bradish@ferc.gov.

Julie Greenisen (Legal Information), Office of the General Counsel, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, 
DC 20426, (202) 502-6362, julie.greenisen@ferc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA),\1\ the 
Commission proposes to approve a revised Reliability Standard, PRC-005-
4 (Protection System, Automatic Reclosing and Sudden Pressure Relaying 
Maintenance), developed and submitted by the North American Electric 
Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric 
Reliability Organization (ERO). In addition, the Commission proposes to 
approve one new definition and four revised definitions referenced in 
the proposed Reliability Standard, as well as NERC's proposed violation 
risk factors, violation severity levels, and implementation plan. 
Consistent with Order No. 758,\2\ the proposed Reliability Standard 
requires applicable entities to test and maintain certain sudden 
pressure relays as part of a protection system maintenance program.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 824o (2012).
    \2\ Interpretation of Protection System Reliability Standard, 
Order No. 758, 138 FERC ] 61,094, clarification denied, 139 FERC ] 
61,227 (2012).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I. Background

A. Regulatory Background

    2. Section 215 of the FPA requires a Commission-certified ERO to 
develop mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards, subject to 
Commission review and approval.\3\ Once approved, the Reliability 
Standards may be enforced by the ERO subject to Commission oversight, 
or by the Commission independently.\4\ In 2006, the Commission 
certified NERC as the ERO pursuant to FPA section 215.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ 16 U.S.C. at 824o(c) and (d).
    \4\ See id. at 824o(e).
    \5\ North American Electric Reliability Corp., 116 FERC ] 
61,062, order on reh'g & compliance, 117 FERC ] 61,126 (2006), aff'd 
sub nom. Alcoa, Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d 1342 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. In 2007, the Commission approved an initial set of Reliability 
Standards submitted by NERC, including initial versions of four 
protection system and load-shedding-related maintenance standards: PRC-
005-1, PRC-008-0, PRC-011-0, and PRC-017-0.\6\ In addition, the 
Commission directed NERC to develop a revision to PRC-005-1 
incorporating a maximum time interval during which to conduct 
maintenance and testing of protection systems, and to consider 
combining into one standard the various maintenance and testing 
requirements for all of the maintenance and testing-related standards 
for protection systems, underfrequency load shedding (UFLS) equipment 
and undervoltage load shedding (UVLS) equipment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk Power System, 
Order No. 693, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 31,242, at PP 1474, 1492, 1497, 
and 1514, order on reh'g, Order No. 693-A, 120 FERC ] 61,053 (2007).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. In February 2012, the Commission issued Order No. 758 in 
response to NERC's request for approval of its interpretation of 
Requirement R1 of the then-current version of the protection system 
maintenance standard, Reliability Standard PRC-005-1. In that order, 
the Commission accepted NERC's proposed interpretation of Requirement 
R1, which interpretation provided guidance on the types of protection 
system equipment to which the Reliability Standard did or did not 
apply. In reviewing NERC's interpretation, the Commission raised 
several concerns about potential gaps in the coverage of PRC-005-1, 
including a concern that the standard as written may not include all 
components that serve in some protective capacity.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ See Order No. 758, 138 FERC ] 61,094 at P 12. NERC has 
addressed the Commission's concerns stated in Order No. 758 through 
a series of projects modifying the PRC-005 standard. See Protection 
System Maintenance Reliability Standard, Order No. 793, 145 FERC ] 
61,253 (2013) (approving Reliability Standard PRC-005-2, which 
incorporated specific minimum maintenance activities and maximum 
time intervals for maintenance of individual components of the 
protection systems and load shedding equipment affecting the bulk 
electric system); Protection System Maintenance Reliability 
Standard, Order No. 803,150 FERC ] 61,039 (2015) (approving PRC-005-
3 and directing NERC to develop a modification to include 
maintenance and testing of supervisory relays associated with 
relevant autoreclosing relay schemes).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. NERC Petition and Proposed Standard PRC-005-4

    5. On December 18, 2014, NERC submitted a petition seeking approval 
of proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4, which would add to the 
applicability of Reliability Standard PRC-005-3 those sudden pressure 
relays that NERC has identified as having a potential effect on the 
reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System.\8\ NERC states that these 
revisions were developed to satisfy NERC's commitment to develop 
modifications to PRC-005 that would address the Commission's concerns, 
as set out in Order No. 758, regarding the lack of maintenance 
requirements for non-electrical sensing relays (such as sudden pressure 
relays) that could affect the reliable operation of the Bulk-Power 
System.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ Proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 is not attached to 
the NOPR; however, the complete text of the proposed Reliability 
Standard is available on the Commission's eLibrary document 
retrieval system in Docket No. RM15-9-000 and is posted on NERC's 
Web site, available at: http://www.nerc.com.
    \9\ See NERC Petition at 3, 9.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    6. NERC states that sudden pressure relays ``are designed to 
quickly detect faults on the Bulk-Power System transformer equipment 
that may remain undetected by other Protection Systems, and can operate 
to limit any potential damage on the equipment.'' \10\ NERC

[[Page 22446]]

states that the ``misoperation of sudden pressure relays that initiate 
tripping in response to fault conditions can impact the reliability of 
the Bulk-Power System,'' and accordingly proposes revisions to PRC-005-
3 that will require entities to document and implement programs for 
maintenance of applicable sudden pressure relays.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ Id. at 3. NERC describes sudden pressure relays as relays 
which ``respond to changes in pressure and are utilized as 
protective devices for power transformers,'' and which may ``detect 
rapid changes in gas pressure, oil pressure, or oil flow that are 
indicative of faults within the transformer equipment.'' Id. at 13. 
NERC notes that in addition to detecting faults, certain sudden 
pressure relays can trip the associated transformer circuitry in 
response to the fault conditions.
    \11\ Id. at 3-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    7. NERC explains that, consistent with Order No. 758, NERC's System 
Protection and Control Subcommittee (SPCS) performed a technical study 
``to determine which devices that respond to non-electrical quantities 
should be addressed within PRC-005 identified devices.'' \12\ NERC 
states that the SPCS considered a broad range of devices that respond 
to non-electrical quantities, starting with the list of ninety-four 
devices included in the IEEE Standard Electrical Power System Device 
Function Numbers, then applying ``multiple layers of analysis to each 
device to select the ones that can affect the reliability of the Bulk-
Power System.'' \13\ The SPCS first determined that only those devices 
that initiate action to clear faults or mitigate abnormal system 
conditions presented a risk to the Bulk-Power System. Next, the SPCS 
eliminated those devices that were ``previously considered as a result 
of the revised definition of Protection System or those that are 
clearly not protective devices, such as primary equipment and control 
devices.'' \14\ Finally, the SPCS conducted an in-depth analysis of the 
remaining devices, and concluded that only one category--sudden 
pressure relays that are utilized in a trip application--should be 
included in the revised PRC-005-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ Id. at 4.
    \13\ Id. at 10.
    \14\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    8. NERC also explains that the SPCS developed a Supplemental Report 
in response to comments and questions about its initial recommendations 
from the Commission staff. These comments and questions focused on 
whether PRC-005 should include turbine generator vibration monitors and 
circuit breaker arc extinguishing systems.\15\ The SPCS Supplemental 
Report, issued on October 31, 2014, examined these two kinds of devices 
and provided information on events during which these devices operated 
or failed to operate. The Supplemental Report concluded that neither 
device affected the reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ NERC Petition at 11, Ex. E, Sudden Pressure Relays and 
Other Devices that Respond to Non-Electrical Quantities: 
Supplemental Information to Support Project 2007-17.3: Protection 
System Maintenance and Testing, NERC SPCS (Oct. 31, 2014) (SPCS 
Supplemental Report).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    9. NERC states that the standard drafting team that was tasked with 
developing the modifications to PRC-005 in response to Order No. 758 
adopted the SPCS Report's recommendations, both as to the scope of 
additional relays included, and as to the required minimum maintenance 
activities and maximum maintenance intervals for these relays.
    10. NERC maintains that proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 
will enhance reliability by extending the coverage of an applicable 
entity's protection system maintenance program to include sudden 
pressure relaying components. NERC further maintains that the proposed 
standard satisfies the Commission's concerns as raised in Order No. 758 
``by including . . . sudden pressure relays that detect [a] fault on 
Bulk-Power System transformer equipment and trip in response to fault 
conditions, as recommended by the SPCS Report.'' \16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \16\ NERC Petition at 12.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    11. NERC explains that proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 has 
been modified to include a new definition for ``Sudden Pressure 
Relaying,'', as well as four revised definitions as part of an 
applicable entity's protection system maintenance program.\17\ NERC 
further explains that the proposed standard would include a sudden 
pressure relay that trips an interrupting device to isolate the 
equipment it is monitoring, but ``does not include other non-electric 
sensing devices, pressure relays that only initiate an alarm, or 
pressure relief devices.'' \18\ In addition, NERC explains that the 
revised standard replaces the term ``Special Protection System'' with 
the term ``Remedial Action Scheme,'' to align the standard with NERC's 
employment of the latter term moving forward, and revises Applicability 
section 4.2.6.1 to address how the largest BES generating unit would be 
determined in circumstances involving a Reserve Sharing Group.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ NERC proposes to modify the definitions of Protection 
System Maintenance Program, Component Type, Component, and Countable 
Event to reflect the addition of sudden pressure relays to the scope 
of a required maintenance program. NERC Petition at 15-16.
    \18\ Id. at 18.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    12. NERC's proposed implementation plan for PRC-005-4 incorporates 
the phased-in implementation period approved for PRC-005-2, which has a 
twelve year phase-in period, with the addition of compliance dates for 
the new requirements for applicable sudden pressure relays. NERC asks 
that PRC-005-4 become effective the first day of the first calendar 
quarter following Commission approval. Reliability Standard PRC-005-3 
would be retired immediately prior to PRC-005-4 becoming effective.
    13. NERC explains that the evidence retention period for PRC-005-4 
is shorter than that required in the preceding versions of the 
standard, as it requires entities to maintain records for one 
maintenance cycle, rather than two cycles, if the interval of the 
maintenance activity is longer than the audit cycle. For maintenance 
activities where the interval is shorter than the audit cycle, 
documentation is to be retained for all maintenance activities since 
the previous audit.
    14. NERC states that the violation risk factors proposed in PRC-
005-4 track those in previous versions of the standard, and that the 
violation severity levels have been revised to include the additional 
component (sudden pressure relays) in a manner consistent with the 
approach taken for PRC-005-3.

II. Discussion

    15. Pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the FPA, the Commission 
proposes to approve Reliability Standard PRC-005-4, as well as the new 
definition of Sudden Pressure Relaying, the four revised definitions 
referenced in the proposed standard, the assigned violation risk 
factors and violation severity levels, and the proposed implementation 
plan. We believe that proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 will 
enhance reliability by requiring the inclusion of sudden pressure 
relays of certain criteria that are utilized in a trip application as 
part of the protection system maintenance program, and by requiring 
entities to undertake minimum required maintenance activities at 
maximum defined maintenance intervals.
    16. NERC has relied on the SPCS's determination that the only non-
electrical sensing devices that can impact reliable operation of the 
Bulk-Power System are the sudden pressure relays that can detect rapid 
changes in gas pressure, oil pressure, or oil flow that are indicative 
of faults within the transformer equipment, and can trip associated 
transformer circuitry to isolate the transformer and limit the 
potential damage of the equipment. We agree that these relays should be 
included in an adequate protection system maintenance program.
    17. However, we continue to have some concern that the misoperation 
of other types of non-electrical sensing relays or devices, such as 
pressure

[[Page 22447]]

sensing devices associated with air blast or SF6 circuit breaker arc 
extinguishing systems, could affect the reliable operation of the Bulk-
Power System. These non-electrical sensing devices are utilized in this 
context to give an indication that the circuit breaker may be unable to 
operate as designed on the Bulk-Power System. With regard to these 
types of devices, the SPCS stated that, ``there is no operating 
experience in which misoperation of a density switch or sensor [i.e, 
pressure sensing device] in response to a system disturbance has 
contributed to a cascading event.'' \19\ However, we expect Commission 
staff to continue exploring this issue with NERC, particularly in light 
of the findings in NERC's 2014 and 2013 State of Reliability reports 
that AC substation equipment failures remain among the leading causes 
of Bulk Power System problems.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ SPCS Supplemental Report at 4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Information Collection Statement

    18. The following collection of information contained in this 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is subject to review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under section 3507(d) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).\20\ OMB's regulations require approval of 
certain information collection requirements imposed by agency 
rules.\21\ Upon approval of a collection(s) of information, OMB will 
assign an OMB control number and an expiration date. Respondents 
subject to the filing requirements of a rule will not be penalized for 
failing to respond to these collections of information unless the 
collections of information display a valid OMB control number.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \20\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d) (2006).
    \21\ 5 CFR 1320.11 (2012).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    19. We solicit comments on the Commission's need for this 
information, whether the information will have practical utility, the 
accuracy of the burden estimates, ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected or retained, and any 
suggested methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including the use 
of automated information techniques. Specifically, the Commission asks 
that any revised burden or cost estimates submitted by commenters be 
supported by sufficient detail to understand how the estimates are 
generated.
    20. The Commission proposes to approve Reliability Standard PRC-
005-4, which will replace PRC-005-3 (Protection System and Automatic 
Reclosing Maintenance). The proposed Reliability Standard expands the 
existing standard to cover sudden pressure relays that meet certain 
criteria, thereby imposing mandatory minimum maintenance activities and 
maximum maintenance intervals for the applicable relays. Because the 
specific requirements were designed to reflect common industry 
practice, entities are not expected to experience a meaningful change 
in actual maintenance and documentation practices. However, each 
applicable entity will have to perform a one-time review of sudden 
pressure relays that detect rapid changes in gas pressure, oil 
pressure, or oil flow that are indicative of faults within transformer 
equipment, and, if it has applicable sudden pressure relay devices, 
review current maintenance programs to ensure that they meet the 
requirements of proposed standard PRC-005-4. Accordingly, all 
additional information collection costs are expected to be limited to 
the first year of implementation of the revised standard.
    21. Proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 reduces the evidence 
retention requirements approved in previously-approved versions of the 
standard, and now requires entities to maintain documentation of 
maintenance activities for only one maintenance cycle (a maximum of 
twelve years) if the maintenance interval is longer than the audit 
cycle. For maintenance activities where the interval is shorter than 
the audit cycle, documentation is to be retained for all maintenance 
activities since the previous audit. While the potential data retention 
requirement exceeds the three-year period that is routinely allowed for 
regulations requiring record retention under the OMB regulations 
implementing the PRA,\22\ the maximum evidence retention period has 
been reduced from 24 years to a maximum of 12 years as a result of the 
Commission's prior request for comment on the reasonableness of the 
evidence retention period in earlier versions of the standard, and 
appears to reflect the minimum time needed to ensure compliance with 
maintenance requirements.\23\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \22\ See 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)(iv).
    \23\ See Order No. 803, 150 FERC ] 61,039 at PP 37-38.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    22. Public Reporting Burden: Affected entities must perform a one-
time review of their existing sudden pressure relay schemes and 
associated maintenance programs to ensure that the programs contain at 
a minimum the activities required by Reliability Standard PRC-005-4. If 
the existing maintenance program does not meet the criteria in 
Reliability Standard PRC-005-4, the entity will have to make certain 
adjustments to the program.
    23. Our estimate below assumes that the number of unique applicable 
entities (distribution providers, generator owners and transmission 
owners, or a combination of those) in the United States is 
approximately 1,287 \24\ and the time required to do the one-time 
review will be approximately eight hours. The estimate further assumes 
that the one-time review would be performed by an engineer at a rate of 
$65.34 per hour.\25\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \24\ This figure reflects the generator owners, transmission 
owners, and distribution providers identified in the NERC Compliance 
Registry as of February 27, 2015.
    \25\ The figure is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at 
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm; Occupation Code: 17-
2071).

                                      RM15-9-000 (Mandatory Reliability Standards: Reliability Standard PRC-005-4)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                           Total annual
                                                             Number of     Annual number   Total number   Average burden   burden hours      Cost per
                                                            respondents    of responses    of responses    (hours) cost    total annual   respondent ($)
                                                                          per respondent                   per response        cost
                                                                     (1)             (2)   (1)*(2) = (3)             (4)   (3)*(4) = (5)       (5) / (1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One-time review of sudden pressure relay maintenance               1,287               1           1,287               8          10,296            $523
 program and adjustment.................................                                                            $523        $673,101
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 22448]]

    Title: FERC-725P1,\26\ Mandatory Reliability Standards: Reliability 
Standard PRC-005-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \26\ The FERC-725P1 is a temporary collection established so the 
Commission can submit this proposed rulemaking to OMB on time. 
However, the burden contained in this rulemaking should be contained 
in FERC-725G (OMB Control No. 1902-0252). Commission staff plans 
eventually to move this burden to FERC-725G.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Action: Proposed Collection of Information.
    OMB Control No: To be determined.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Frequency of Responses: One time.
    Necessity of the Information: The proposed Reliability Standard 
PRC-005-4, if adopted, would implement the Congressional mandate of the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 to develop mandatory and enforceable 
Reliability Standards to better ensure the reliability of the nation's 
Bulk-Power System. Specifically, the proposal would ensure that 
transmission and generation protection systems affecting the 
reliability of the bulk electric system are maintained and tested.
    24. Internal review: The Commission has reviewed revised 
Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 and made a determination that approval 
of this standard is necessary to implement section 215 of the FPA. The 
Commission has assured itself, by means of its internal review, that 
there is specific, objective support for the burden estimates 
associated with the information requirements.
    25. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting 
requirements by contacting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
Office of the Executive Director, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 
20426 [Attention: Ellen Brown, email: DataClearance@ferc.gov, phone: 
(202) 502-8663, fax: (202) 273-0873].
    26. Comments concerning the information collections proposed in 
this NOPR and the associated burden estimates should be sent to the 
Commission in this docket and may also be sent to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs 
[Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission]. 
For security reasons, comments should be sent by email to OMB at the 
following email address: oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Please reference 
the docket number of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket No. 
RM15-9-000) in your submission.

IV. Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis

    27. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \27\ generally 
requires a description and analysis of Proposed Rules that will have 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
Proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 is expected to impose an 
additional, one-time burden on 1,287 entities (distribution providers, 
generator owners, and transmission owners, or a combination thereof). 
Comparison of the applicable entities with FERC's small business data 
indicates that approximately 789 of the 1,287 entities are small 
entities, or 61.31 percent of the respondents affected by this proposed 
Reliability Standard.\28\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \27\ 5 U.S.C. 601-12. The number of small distribution providers 
required to comply with PRC-005-4 may decrease significantly. In 
March 2015, the Commission approved revisions to the NERC Rules of 
Procedure to implement NERC's ``risk based registration'' program, 
which raised the registry threshold for distribution providers from 
a 25 MW to 75 MW peak load. North American Electric Reliability 
Corp., 150 FERC ] 61,213 (2015).
    \28\ The Small Business Administration sets the threshold for 
what constitutes a small business. Public utilities may fall under 
one of several different categories, each with a size threshold 
based on the company's number of employees, including affiliates, 
the parent company, and subsidiaries. For the analysis in this NOPR, 
we are using a 500 employee threshold for each affected entity. Each 
entity is classified as Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control 
(NAICS code 221121).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    28. On average, each small entity affected may have a one-time cost 
of $523, representing a one-time review of the program for each entity, 
consisting of 8 man-hours at $65.34/hour, as explained above in the 
information collection statement. We do not consider this cost to be a 
significant economic impact for small entities. Accordingly, the 
Commission certifies that proposed Reliability Standard PRC-005-4 will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. The Commission seeks comment on this certification.

V. Environmental Analysis

    29. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental 
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may 
have a significant adverse effect on the human environment.\29\ The 
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from this 
requirement as not having a significant effect on the human 
environment. Included in the exclusion are rules that are clarifying, 
corrective, or procedural or that do not substantially change the 
effect of the regulations being amended.\30\ The actions proposed 
herein fall within this categorical exclusion in the Commission's 
regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \29\ Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, Order No. 486, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 30,783 (1987).
    \30\ 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Comment Procedures

    30. The Commission invites interested persons to submit comments on 
the matters and issues proposed in this notice to be adopted, including 
any related matters or alternative proposals that commenters may wish 
to discuss. Comments are due June 22, 2015. Comments must refer to 
Docket No. RM15-9-000, and must include the commenter's name, the 
organization they represent, if applicable, and address.
    31. The Commission encourages comments to be filed electronically 
via the eFiling link on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov. The Commission accepts most standard word processing 
formats. Documents created electronically using word processing 
software should be filed in native applications or print-to-PDF format 
and not in a scanned format. Commenters filing electronically do not 
need to make a paper filing.
    32. Commenters that are not able to file comments electronically 
must send an original of their comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20426.
    33. All comments will be placed in the Commission's public files 
and may be viewed, printed, or downloaded remotely as described in the 
Document Availability section below. Commenters on this proposal are 
not required to serve copies of their comments on other commenters.

VII. Document Availability

    34. 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 (http://www.ferc.gov) and 
in the Commission's Public Reference Room during normal business hours 
(8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time) at 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    35. 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, 
printing, and/or downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, type 
the docket number of this

[[Page 22449]]

document excluding the last three digits in the docket number field.
    36. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission's 
Web site during normal business hours from the Commission's 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.

    By direction of the Commission.

    Issued: April 16, 2015.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-09228 Filed 4-21-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


