[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 135 (Friday, July 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42451-42452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15162]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. IC22-13-000]


Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-914) Comment 
Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments.

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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-914 (Cogeneration and Small Power 
Production--Tariff Filings), which will be submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

DATES: Comments on collections of information are due August 15, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on FERC-914 (IC22-13-000) to OMB 
through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, Attention: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. Please identify the OMB Control 
Number 1902-0231 (Cogeneration and Small Power Production--Tariff 
Filings) in the subject line. Your comments should be sent within 30 
days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
    Please submit copies of your comments (identified by Docket No. 
IC22-13-000) to the Commission as noted below. 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 to: Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.
    Instructions: OMB submissions must be formatted and filed in 
accordance with submission guidelines at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Using the search function under the ``Currently Under Review 
field,'' select Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; click ``submit'' 
and select ``comment'' to the right of the subject collection. FERC 
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 [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 http://www.ferc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by email at 
[email protected] and telephone at (202) 502-8663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: FERC-914, Cogeneration and Small Power Production--Tariff 
Filings.
    OMB Control No.: 1902-0231.
    Type of Request: Three-year extension of the FERC-914 information 
collection requirements with no changes to the current reporting 
requirements.
    Abstract: The Commission published a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register on May 2, 2022.\1\ The Commission received no comments. 
Section 205(c) of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16 U.S.C. 824d(c)) and 
18 CFR 292 require that every public utility have all its 
jurisdictional rates and tariffs on file with the Commission and make 
them available for public inspection, within such time and in such form 
as the Commission designates. Section 205(d) of the FPA (16 U.S.C. 
824d(d)) requires that every public utility must provide notice to the 
Commission and the public of any changes to its jurisdictional rates 
and tariffs, file such changes with the Commission, and make them 
available for public inspection as directed by the Commission. In 
addition, FPA section 206 (16 U.S.C. 82e) requires the Commission, upon 
complaint or its own motion, to modify existing rates or services that 
are found to be unjust, unreasonable, unduly discriminatory, or 
preferential. FPA section 207 (16 U.S.C. 824f) requires the Commission 
upon complaint by a state commission and a finding of insufficient 
interstate service, to order the rendering of adequate interstate 
service by public utilities, the rates for which would be filed in 
accordance with FPA sections 205 and 206.
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    \1\ Federal Register citation: 87 FR 25634: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/05/02/2022-09347/commission-information-collection-activities-ferc-914-comment-request-extension.
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    In Order Nos. 671 and 671-A,\2\ the Commission revised its 
regulations that govern qualifying small power production and 
cogeneration facilities. The Commission eliminated certain exemptions 
from rate regulation that were previously available to qualifying 
facilities (QFs). New QFs may need to make tariff filings if they do 
not meet the exemption requirements.
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    \2\ Revised Regulations Governing Small Power Production and 
Cogeneration Facilities, Order No. 671, 71 FR 7852 (2/15/2006), FERC 
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,203 (2006); and Revised Regulations Governing 
Small Power Production and Cogeneration Facilities, Order 671-A, 71 
FR 30585 (5/30/2006), in Docket No. RM05-36.
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    FERC implemented the Congressional mandate of the Energy Policy Act 
of 2005 (EPAct 2005) to establish criteria for new qualifying 
cogeneration facilities by: (1) amending the exemptions available to 
qualifying facilities from the FPA and from Public Utility Holding 
Company Act (PUHCA) [resulting in the burden imposed by FERC-914, the 
subject of this notice]; (2) ensuring that these facilities are using 
their thermal output in a productive and beneficial manner; that the 
electrical, thermal, chemical and mechanical output of new qualifying 
cogeneration facilities is used fundamentally for commercial, 
residential or industrial purposes; and there is continuing progress in 
the development of efficient electric energy generating technology; (3) 
amending the FERC Form No. 556 \3\ to reflect the criteria for new 
cogeneration QFs; and (4) eliminating ownership limitations for 
cogeneration and small power production QFs. The Commission satisfied 
the statutory mandate and its continuing obligation to review its 
policies encouraging cogeneration and small power production, energy 
conservation, efficient use of facilities and resources by electric 
utilities, and equitable rates for energy customers.
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    \3\ The FERC Form 556 (Certification of Qualifying Facility (QF) 
Status for a Small Power Production or Cogeneration Facility) is 
cleared separately as OMB Control No. 1902-0075 and is not a subject 
of this notice.
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    Type of Respondents: New QFs and small power producers that do not 
meet Commission exemption criteria.

[[Page 42452]]

    Estimate of Annual Burden: \4\ The Commission estimates the annual 
public reporting burden and cost \5\ for the information collection as:
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    \4\ Burden is the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or 
provide information to a Federal agency. For further explanation of 
what is included in the information collection burden, refer to 5 
Code of Federal Regulations 1320.3.
    \5\ FERC staff estimates that industry costs for salary plus 
benefits are similar to Commission costs. The cost figure is the 
FY2021 FERC average annual salary plus benefits ($180,702/year or 
$87/hour).

                                            FERC-914--Cogeneration and Small Power Production--Tariff Filings
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                                                       Annual number                                                Total annual burden
                                         Number of     of responses    Total number of    Average burden hours &   hours & total annual      Cost per
                                        respondents   per respondent      responses       cost ($) per response          cost ($)         respondent ($)
                                                 (1)             (2)    (1) * (2) = (3)  (4)....................  (3) * (4) = (5).......       (5) / (1)
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FPA Section 205 Filings.............              40               1                 40  185 hrs.; $16,095......  7,400 hrs.; $643,800..         $16,095
Electric Quarterly Reports..........              35               4                140  6 hrs.; $522...........  840 hrs,; $73,080.....           2,088
Change of Status....................              10               1                 10  3 hrs.; $261...........  30 hrs.; $2,610.......             261
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    Total...........................  ..............  ..............                190  .......................  8,270 hrs.; $719,490..  ..............
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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.

    Dated: July 11, 2022.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-15162 Filed 7-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


