[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 72 (Friday, April 16, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20133-20135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07868]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC21-16-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-582); Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of information collection and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Federal

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Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public 
comment on the currently approved information collection, FERC-582 
(Electric Fees, Annual Charges, Waivers, and Exemptions).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information are due June 15, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket 
No. IC21-16-000) by one of the following methods: Electronic filing 
through http://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:
    [cir] Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: Addressed to: Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First 
Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.
    [cir] 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: http://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 http://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-582, Electric Fees, Annual Charges, Waivers, and 
Exemptions.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0132.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-582 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The information required by FERC-582 is contained in 
Title 18 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) parts 381 \1\ and 382. \2\
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    \1\ 18 CFR, Sections 381.105, 381.106, 381.108, 381.302, and 
381.305.
    \2\ 18 CFR, Sections 382.102, 382.103, 382.105, 382.106, and 
382.201.
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    The Commission uses the FERC-582 to implement the statutory 
provisions of the Independent Offices Appropriation Act of 1952 (IOAA) 
\3\ which authorizes the Commission to establish fees for its services. 
In addition, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (OBRA) \4\ 
authorizes the Commission to assess and collect fees and annual charges 
in any fiscal year in amounts equal to all the costs incurred by the 
Commission in that fiscal year.
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    \3\ 31 U.S.C. 9701.
    \4\ 42 U.S.C. 7178.
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    To comply with the FERC-582, respondents submit to the Commission 
the sum of the megawatt-hours (MWh) of all unbundled transmission 
(including MWh delivered in wheeling transactions and MWh delivered in 
exchange transactions) and the megawatt-hours of all bundled wholesale 
power sales (to the extent the bundled wholesale power sales were not 
separately reported as unbundled transmission). The data collected in 
the FERC-582 are drawn directly from the FERC Form 1(Annual Report of 
Major Electric Utilities, Licensees and Others) \5\ transmission data. 
The Commission sums the costs of its electric regulatory program and 
subtracts all electric regulatory program filing fee collections to 
determine the total collectible electric regulatory program costs. 
Then, the Commission uses the data submitted under FERC-582 to 
determine the total megawatt-hours of transmission of electric energy 
in interstate commerce. Respondents (public utilities and power 
marketers) subject to these annual charges must submit FERC-582 data to 
the Commission by April 30 of each year. \6\ The Commission issues 
bills for annual charges to respondents. Then, respondents must pay the 
charges within 45 days of the Commission's issuance of the bill.
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    \5\ OMB Control No. 1902-0021, described in 18 CFR 141.1.
    \6\ 18 CFR 382.201.
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    Respondents file requests for waivers and exemptions of fees and 
charges \7\ based on need. The Commission's staff uses the filer's 
financial information to evaluate the request for a waiver or exemption 
of the obligation to pay a fee or an annual charge.
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    \7\ 18 CFR parts 381 and 382.
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    Estimate of Annual Burden: \8\ Due to the reduction in respondents 
the Commission estimates the burden and cost \9\ for this information 
collection as follows.
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    \8\ Burden is defined 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, refer to 5 CFR part 1320.
    \9\ The Commission staff estimates that the average respondent 
for this collection is similarly situated to the Commission, in 
terms of salary plus benefits. Based on FERC's 2020 annual average 
of $172,329 (for salary plus benefits), the average hourly cost is 
$83/hour.

                                                  FERC-582, Electric Fees, Annual Charges, Waivers, and Exemptions Docket No. IC21-16-000 \10\
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                                            Annual number
          Number of respondents              of responses    Total number          Average burden & cost  per response                  Total annual burden  hrs. & cost             Cost per
                                            per respondent   of responses                                                                                                           respondent
(1)                                                    (2)     (1) x (2) =  (4)..............................................  (3) * (4) = (5)..................................     (5) / (1) =
                                                                       (3)                                                                                                                   (5)
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53.......................................                1              53  2.39 hrs.;.......................................  126.67 hrs.;.....................................         $198.37
                                                                            $198.37..........................................  $10,513.61.......................................
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    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.
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    \10\ This includes requirements of 18 CFR 381.105 (methods of 
payment), 381.106 (waiver), 381.108 (exemption), 381.302 
(declaratory order), 381.303 (review of DOE remedial order), 381.304 
(DOE denial of adjustment), and 381.305 (OGC interpretation).


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    Dated: April 9, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-07868 Filed 4-15-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


