[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 97 (Thursday, May 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31623-31629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11911]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Extension With Changes
AGENCY: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice and request for OMB review and comment.
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SUMMARY: EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and with
the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, intends to extend
for 3 years, with changes, the following forms:
Form EIA-63B, ``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report,''
Form EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program
Report,''
Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue
Report with State Distributions,'' (discontinued form to be replaced by
Form EIA-861M),
Form EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report,''
Form EIA-860M, ``Monthly Update to the Annual Electric
Generator Report,''
Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report,''
Form EIA-861S, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report
(Short Form),''
Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly Electric Power Industry Report''
(replaces Form EIA-826),
Form EIA-923, ``Power Plant Operations Report,'' and
Form EIA-930, ``Balancing Authority Operations Report.''
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 July 18, 2016. If you anticipate difficulty in
submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Rebecca Peterson. To ensure receipt of the
comments by the due date, email is recommended
([email protected]). The postal mailing address is U.S.
Department of Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Mail Stop
EI-23, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC
20585.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Ms. Peterson at the email address listed above.
Alternatively, Ms. Peterson may be contacted on (202) 586-4509. The
proposed forms and instructions, along with related information on this
clearance package, can be viewed at http://www.eia.gov/survey/changes/electricity/solar/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request contains
the following:
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-63B,
``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report.''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
(4) Purpose: The Form EIA-63B tracks photovoltaic module
manufacturing, shipments, technology types, revenue and related
information. The data collected on this form appear in various EIA
publications. The data are used by the U.S. Department of Energy, the
Congress, other government and non-government entities, and the public
to monitor the current status and trends of the photovoltaic industry
and to evaluate the future of the industry.
(4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
Change the title of the survey to Form EIA-63B,
``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report.''
Change the reporting period from annual to monthly.
Reduce the monthly frame to include only `large' producers
with the intent of capturing at least 90% of peak kilowatts shipped.
Respondents reporting total shipments of at least 100,000 peak
kilowatts (kWp) during the previous year will be surveyed monthly.
Survey the entire frame of all known U.S. producers
annually with a short version of the form that collects data only on
Schedule 1, Contact Information, Schedule 4, Photovoltaic Module Source
and Disposition, and Schedule 7, Comments.
In Schedule 3, Industry Status, add Part E, Production
Capacity for Manufacturing Photovoltaic Modules, in order to collect
current and planned maximum annual production capacity
[[Page 31624]]
to manufacture photovoltaic modules in peak kilowatts.
In Schedule 3, delete the words ``system'' and ``cells''
throughout the schedule and only collect data relating to ``modules''.
The following are two examples. On Schedule 3, Part A, change ``cell
and/or module manufacturing'' to ``module manufacturing''; change
``module and/or system design'' to ``module design.''
Change the name of Schedule 4 from ``Photovoltaic
Shipments Status'' to ``Photovoltaic Modules Source and Disposition.''
Collect the inventory of photovoltaic modules at the beginning of the
monthly reporting period (monthly or annually, depending on if the
respondent is a monthly or annual respondent) instead of collecting the
inventory carried forward from the previous year.
Delete Schedule 4, Part A, Photovoltaic Cell Data, which
collected cell data pertaining to inventory, shipments, and revenue.
Delete Schedule 4, Part B, question (e), Energy Conversion
Efficiency, which collected the percent of power converted per peak
kilowatt.
Delete the portion of Schedule 6, Part B, U.S. Shipments
(sales within the United States excluding sales for resale) by State,
Sector and End Use, which collected data on photovoltaic module
shipments by sector and by end use.
(5) Number of Survey Respondents: Currently the estimated number of
respondents is 76. Under the new proposed framework, there would be 16
monthly respondents and 60 annual respondents.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: Under the current
form, there are 76 annual responses. Under the proposed new framework,
the number of responses would be 252 responses, including 192 monthly
and 60 annually.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The current annual
estimated burden is 885 hours. Under the proposed changes, the
estimated burden would be reduced to 563 hours, which represents a
reduction of 322 burden hours from the prior renewal of this
collection. The burden reduction is the result of the change to a
monthly collection (accounting for 90 percent of the data) with
remaining respondents reporting annually; in addition, questions
related to photovoltaic cells are being removed.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $40,547 (563 burden hours times $72.02
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating,
maintaining and providing the information.
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-411,
``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program Report.''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
(4) Purpose: The Form EIA-411 collects information relating to the
reliability of the electric power system in the lower 48 states,
including regional electricity supply and demand projections for a 10-
year advance period, the characteristics and frequency of outages
occurring on the Bulk Electric System, and other information on the
transmission system and supporting facilities. The data are collected
from the regional reliability entities by the North American Electric
Reliability Corp. (NERC),\1\ which then organizes and edits the
information and submits the data to EIA.
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\1\ NERC is the official North American Electric Reliability
Corporation as designated by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. EIA has
had a long-standing relationship with NERC and its predecessor for
the collection of the EIA-411 data.
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(4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
Discontinue the collection of historical information
associated with demand, capacity, transactions, and reserve margins in
Schedule 3. EIA proposes to delete Line Numbers 2a through 2d in
Schedule 3 Part A, Projected Demand and Capacity--Summer, and Part B,
Projected Demand and Capacity--Winter, relating to direct control load
management, interruptible load, critical peak pricing with control, and
load as a capacity resource. EIA also proposes to delete Line Number 4
in Part A and Part B that collects information on Total Demand
Response. EIA proposes to delete Line Number 7 in Part A and Part B
that collects information on the peak hour demand plus available
reserves. EIA proposes to delete Line Numbers 10a through 10c that
collect information on capacity transfers relating to imports and to
delete Line numbers 11a through 11c that collect information on
capacity transfers relating to exports in both Part A and Part B. EIA
also proposes to delete Line Number 16 that collects information on
``Target Reserve Margin.''
One of the goals of collecting this historical information
on Schedule 3 was to provide a context to evaluate the adequacy of
planned reserve margins from prior survey submissions. However,
significant differences between operational reserve margins and planned
reserve margins has rendered this historical information less
meaningful than originally intended. Until a more comprehensive
framework for making such comparisons is identified, EIA is proposing
not to collect this historical information.
EIA currently collects the names of planned transmission
line terminal locations in Schedule 6, Part B, Characteristics of
Projected Transmission Line Additions. The instructions for Line 5,
Terminal Location (From) and Line 6, Terminal Location (To) will now
ask the respondent to report the state and county, in addition to the
name of the terminal. This is a more standard way of reporting
locations.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: Nine respondents (the
eight NERC regional entities and NERC Headquarters).
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is 9.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated
burden is 1,098 hours, which represents no change in burden hours from
the prior renewal of this collection.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $79,078 (1,098 burden hours times $72.02
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating,
maintaining and providing the information.
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-826, ``Monthly
Electric Sales and Revenue with State Distributions Report.'' See
``Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly
Electric Power Industry Report'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-860, ``Annual
Electric Generator Report.''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
[[Page 31625]]
(4) Purpose: Form EIA-860 collects data on existing and planned
electric generation plants and associated equipment including
generators, boilers, cooling systems, and environmental control
systems. Data are collected from all existing units and from planned
units scheduled for initial commercial operation within 10 years of the
specified reporting period (depending on the type of plant).
(4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
Collect additional information on utility-scale
electricity storage (primarily batteries). Specifically, in Schedule 2,
Power Plant Data, EIA proposes to add question 15, which asks if the
facility has energy storage capabilities. Currently, EIA collects the
same design and operational data from energy storage applications as it
does from conventional generators, despite the fundamental differences
between them. The rapid growth in the number and capacity of energy
storage applications along with their unique operational
characteristics is an important consideration for collecting
information that is relevant to the electric power markets. Based on
analysis from the Sandia National Laboratory, EIA developed prospective
data elements and performed cognitive testing on the ability of the
industry to report this information.
On Schedule 2, EIA proposes to add questions 16a, 16b,
16c, and 16d regarding deliveries of natural gas. If a facility has a
connection to a local distribution company (LDC), question 16a asks for
the name of the LDC. If the facility has a pipeline connection other
than to an LDC, question 16b asks for the name(s) of the owner or
operator of each pipeline that connects directly to the facility or
that connects to a lateral pipeline owned by this facility. Question
16c asks if the facility has on-site storage of natural gas and, if so,
question 16d asks if the facility has the capability to store the
natural gas in the form of liquefied natural gas. The increasing
reliance on natural gas as an energy source for electricity requires a
better understanding of how natural gas is distributed to electric
generation facilities and if storage is possible.
In Schedule 3, Part B, add question 22, in order to
collect the ``Reference Unit Power'' (RUP) value for each nuclear
generator as of December 31 of the data collection year. The
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) requested that EIA provide
this information. EIA has primary responsibility to provide U.S. data
to the IAEA. The IAEA needs the RUP for U.S. reactors as it does from
its other IAEA member countries. Currently, EIA does not collect RUP.
EIA proposes to add a question to collect information on RUP to improve
the accuracy of its estimates of RUP, and to improve the United States'
data submissions to the IAEA.
In Schedule 3, Part B, Generator Information--Operable
Generators, EIA proposes to remove question 23 that asks for the
minimum amount of time needed to bring a generator from a non-spinning
reserve status to full load. This has been unduly burdensome to
collect, both on the respondents and on EIA processing staff.
In Schedule 3, Part B, also remove question 29, which asks
for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Obstacle Number assigned
to the turbines. This also has been burdensome to collect.
In Schedule 3, Part B, EIA proposed to add question 30a
and 30b, which asks solar PV generators having fixed tilt technologies
or single-axis technologies for their fixed azimuth angles and fixed
tilt angles. This will allow hourly timing of electric supply to be
better understood.
In Schedule 3, Part B, EIA proposed to add new questions
32 and 33, which asks all solar facilities if they have net metering
agreements or virtual net metering agreements in place associated with
their solar generation. These questions also ask facilities with net
metering or virtual net metering agreements the capacity associated
with these agreements. This expansion will enhance EIA's estimation of
total distributed solar generation in the United States.
In Schedule 6, Part B, Boiler Information--Air Emission
Standards and Control Strategies, plants with a total steam-electric
nameplate capacity of at least 10 MW report their applicable nitrogen
oxides (NOX) and mercury regulations and their existing and
proposed strategies for meeting these regulations; plants with a total
steam-electric nameplate capacity of at least 100 MW report their
applicable sulfur dioxide (SO2) regulations and their
existing and proposed strategies for meeting these regulations. EIA
proposes standardizing reporting by having plants with a total steam-
electric nameplate capacity between 10 and 100 MW also report their
applicable SO2 regulations and their existing and proposed
strategies for meeting these regulations. This expansion will enhance
EIA's estimation of SO2 emissions by electrical power
plants.
In Schedule 6, Part A, Boiler Information--Plant
Configuration and Equipment Information, question 2, EIA proposes to
collect the actual and planned retirement dates of environmental
equipment at electrical power plants. This expansion will allow EIA to
provide a more comprehensive inventory of environmental equipment.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately
4,700 respondents.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is approximately 4,700.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated
burden is 43,883 hours, which represents an increase of 12,789 burden
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The change in burden
is the result of a 42-percent increase in the number of respondents due
to industry developments as well as the addition of questions
concerning storage capacity, solar generators, and several other areas.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $3,160,454 (43,883 burden hours times
$72.02 per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating,
maintaining and providing the information.
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-860M, ``Monthly
Update to the Annual Electric Generator Report''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
(4) Purpose: Form EIA-860M collects data on the status of proposed
new generators scheduled to begin commercial operation within the
forward 12-month period; existing generators scheduled to retire from
service within the forward 12-month period; and existing generators
that have proposed modifications that are scheduled for completion
within one month. The information is needed to ensure a complete and
accurate inventory of the nation's generating fleet, for such purposes
as reliability and environmental analyses.
(4a) Proposed Change:
EIA proposes adding questions 3a through 3d to the end of
Schedule 2, Updates to Proposed New Generators:
[cir] Questions 3a and 3b ask for each newly operational solar
generators if the output from the generator is part of a net metering
agreement and, if so, how much direct current (DC) capacity (in
[[Page 31626]]
MW) is part of the net metering agreement.
[cir] Questions 3c and 3d ask for each newly operational solar
generators if the output from the generator is part of a virtual net
metering agreement and, if so, how much DC capacity (in MW) is part of
the virtual net metering agreement.
The distinction between net metering and virtual net metering is
specified in the proposed instructions to the form. Responses to these
proposed questions would enhance EIA's estimation of distributed solar
generation in the United States.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: During a typical year
approximately 478 entities will file the form for at least one month.
However, in any given month only about 200 entities fall within the
reporting threshold (i.e., have a new generator that is within 12
months of entering commercial operation) and are therefore required to
file the survey. Most respondents file fewer than 12 forms a year; the
average for 2015 was 5.6 filings per year per respondent. Based on this
historical reporting trend, the burden estimates are sufficient based
on a 12 month reporting cycle.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is 2,677.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated
burden is 830 hours, which represents an increase of 138 burden hours
from the prior renewal of this collection. The increase in burden is
due to a 16-percent increase in the number of respondents who
previously filed an EIA-860M as well as the addition of questions
regarding net metering agreements involving newly operable solar
generators.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $59,777 (830 burden hours times $72.02
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating,
maintaining and providing the information.
(1) OMB No.: 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861, ``Annual
Electric Power Industry Report.''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
(4) Purpose: Form EIA-861 collects annual information on the retail
sale, distribution, transmission and generation of electric energy in
the United States and its territories. The data include related
activities such as energy efficiency and demand response programs. In
combination with the Form EIA-861S short form (see below) and the
monthly Form EIA-861M, this annual survey provides coverage of sales to
ultimate customers of electric power and related activities.
(4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
In Schedule 1, Identification, under the Respondent Type
section, a new respondent type entitled ``Behind the Meter'' will be
added. This respondent type would be for entities that own/operate
renewable energy generating facilities behind the utility meter that
generate power intended for on-site use in a home, office building, or
other commercial facility.
Add a question to Schedule 6, Part A, Energy Efficiency,
which asks a respondent, in the event that they use a Demand Side
Management (DSM) Administrator to report on the respondent's DSM
programs, to select that DSM Administrator from a dropdown menu. Also,
for DSM Administrators respondents, move the location of where the DSM
Administrators list what utilities they are providing services for
(currently in Schedule 9, Footnotes) to Schedule 6, Part A.
In Schedule 7, Part A, Net Metering Programs, add a
question asking for the capacity of small-scale storage associated with
net-metered distributed capacity. Also in Schedule 7, Part B, Non Net-
Metered Distributed Generators add a question on the capacity of small-
scale storage associated with non-net-metered distributed capacity. EIA
has received a number of requests to collect these data.
In Schedule 7, Part A, Net Metering Programs, add a
question asking for the virtual net- metered capacity and virtual net-
metered customer counts of net metering programs. This question would
apply both to resources less than 1 MW and resources in excess of 1 MW.
One of the emerging developments in the solar PV market place are
community solar projects combined with virtual net-metering agreements
utilities have with the customers. Virtual net metering arrangements
allow generation from remotely sited generators to offset customers'
monthly consumption and results in a net bill to the customer. In order
to accurately account for this generation, EIA needs to expand the net
metering data collection to include these situations.
Change title of Schedule 7, Part B from ``Distributed and
Dispersed Generation'' to ``Non-net Metered Distributed Generators.''
Eliminate all questions in Schedule 7B, Distributed and
Dispersed Generation, regarding dispersed generation. Dispersed
generators are commercial and industrial generators not connected/
synchronized to the grid. Dispersed generation questions eliminated
will include number of generators, capacity, and technology type. The
amount of dispersed generation capacity reported is small and the
ability of utilities to accurately report this information is unclear,
since this capacity is not connected to utility grids. In addition, the
terms distributed generation and dispersed generation have been a
source of confusion with respondents and data users.
Add end-use sectors to Schedule 7, Part B, Distributed and
Dispersed Generation, in place of an aggregated total. Also add an
additional technology (fuel cells) to Schedule 7, Part B.
In the Form EIA-861 instructions, examples of required
respondents was expanded for clarification to include transmission
owners, transmission operators, and Third Party Owners of solar PV
(TPO). This is being done to more explicitly clarify the types of
electric power industry entities required to submit Form EIA-861.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately
2,300 respondents.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is 2,295.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The total annual
estimated burden is 29,261 hours, which represents an increase of 5,138
burden hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The change in
burden is primarily due to the addition of questions regarding, among
other things, small-scale storage and virtual net metered capacity.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $2,107,377 (29,261 burden hours times
$72.02 per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating,
maintaining and providing the information.
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
[[Page 31627]]
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly
Electric Power Industry Report'' (replaces Form EIA-826). See
``Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-826, Monthly Electric
Sales and Revenue with State Distributions Report'' under Supplementary
Information above.
(3) Type of Request: New Collection.
(4) Purpose: Form EIA-861M will collect monthly information from a
sample of electric utilities, energy service providers, and
distribution companies that sell or deliver electric power to end
users. Data collected on this form includes sales and revenue for all
end-use sectors (residential, commercial, industrial, and
transportation). This survey is the monthly complement to the annual
data collection from the universe of respondents made by the short and
long form versions of the Form EIA-861 survey (see further below).
(4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
Discontinue Form EIA-826 and replace it with new Form EIA-
861M, ``Monthly Electric Power Industry Report.'' Data collected on the
discontinued Form EIA-826 will be collected on the EIA-861M with the
following changes.
In Schedule 1, Identification, under the Respondent Type
section, the respondent types for State and Municipal will be combined
into one category titled ``State--Municipal.'' A new respondent type,
``Behind the Meter,'' will be added. This respondent type would be for
entities that own/operate renewable energy generating facilities behind
the utility meter that generate power intended for on-site use in a
home, office building, or other commercial facility.
EIA proposes to add a new part, Schedule 3, Part A, Net
Metering Programs, which will collect data regarding net-metering
programs, including capacity, installations, storage capacity,
customers, and, if available, energy sold back to the utility. These
data will be reported by state, balancing authority, customer class,
and technology (photovoltaic, wind and other).
EIA also proposes on the new Schedule 3, Part A, Net
Metering Programs, to add virtual net metered capacity and customer
counts both from resources less than 1 Megawatt (MW) and resources 1 MW
or greater. Emerging developments in the solar PV market place include
community solar projects that are combined with ``virtual net
metering'' agreements between utilities and end-use customers. Virtual
net metering arrangements allow generation from remotely sited
generators to offset customers' monthly consumption and results in a
net bill to the customer. In order to accurately account for this
generation, EIA needs to expand the net metering data collection to
include these situations.
EIA proposes to delete the current Schedule 3, Part B, Net
Metering, whose current data elements and additional data elements will
be collected on the new proposed Schedule 3, Part A, Net Metering
Programs. In place of the previous Part B, EIA will add a new Schedule
3, Part B, Non Net-Metered Distributed Generators, which will collect
the number and capacity of non-net-metered distributed generators by
technology and sector. The addition of these data will improve EIA's
ability to make monthly estimates of generation from solar photovoltaic
(PV) resources.
EIA proposes on both Schedule 3, Part A (Net Metering
Programs) and Part B (Non Net-Metered Distributed Generators), to
collect the capacity of small-scale storage associated with net metered
and non-net metered distributed capacity. EIA has received an
increasing number of requests to collect these data.
EIA proposes to eliminate Schedule 3, Part C, Advanced
Metering, relating to advanced utility meters. These data will no
longer be collected on a monthly basis. These data were changing
rapidly in previous years as utilities were participating in American
Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) projects. Currently the data are
not moving rapidly year-over-year and EIA expects a further year-over-
year decline in future years. This eliminates the need to look at it
monthly. These data will continue to be collected annually on Form EIA-
861.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately
620 respondents.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is 7,440.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated
burden is 15,178 hours, which represents an increase of 6,415 burden
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The increase in burden
is due to growth in the number of respondents due to industry
developments and the addition of questions regarding capacity.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $1,093,120 (15,178 burden hours times
$72.02 per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating,
maintaining and providing the information.
(1)OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-861S, ``Annual
Electric Power Industry Report (Short Form).''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
(4) Purpose: Form EIA-861S collects a limited set of information
annually from 1,100 small companies involved in the retail sale of
electricity. A complete set of annual data are collected from 2,300
larger companies on the Form EIA-861(long form) and monthly data are
collected on the Form EIA-861M (see above). The smaller utilities that
currently report on the EIA-861S are required to complete the EIA-861
(long form) once every five years to provide updated information for
the statistical estimation of uncollected data.
(4a) Proposed Change:
EIA plans to extend the time interval in which small
utilities on the EIA-861S (short form) must complete the EIA-861 (long
form) from 5 years to 8 years. EIA has conducted a statistical analysis
of this proposal and the results indicate that the reporting interval
can be extended to 8 years without adversely affecting the statistical
estimation of uncollected data, i.e., sector level (residential,
commercial, industrial, and transportation) sales, revenue, and
customer count by state. The change will also reduce burden on smaller
utilities.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately
1,100 respondents.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is 1,100.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated
burden is 833 hours, which represents a reduction of 3 burden hours
from the prior renewal of this collection.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $59,993 (833 burden hours times $72.02
per hour). Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for
[[Page 31628]]
generating, maintaining and providing the information.
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-923, ``Power
Plant Operations Report.''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
(4) Purpose: Form EIA-923 collects information from electric power
plants in the United States. Data collected include electric power
generation, energy source consumption, end of reporting period fossil
fuel stocks, as well as the quality and cost of fossil fuel receipts.
(4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
On Schedule 2, Cost and Quality of Fuel Purchases--Plant
Level, Part A, Contract Information, Purchases and Cost, and Part B,
Quality of Fuel and Transportation, change the way natural gas receipts
are collected. Currently this information is collected by supplier and
individual contract. EIA proposes to collect receipts data by pipeline
for all individual pipelines servicing a plant. In the case of Part A,
respondents would break down their costs into total delivered costs
excluding fixed charges, and pipeline capacity reservation and other
fixed charges. The object of this change is to collect more useful
information and to reduce the reporting burden.
On Schedule 4, Part A, Fossil Fuel Stocks at the End of
the Reporting Period for Coal, Petroleum Coke, Distillate Fuel Oil, and
Residual Fuel Oil, remove the data protection for coal and petroleum
stocks held at power plants and related facilities. Plant-level stocks
data would be publicly released (as is other plant-specific data, such
as generation) seven weeks after the end of the reporting month. The
passage of time during the seven week time period between collection
and publication limits any competitive harm that would result from
releasing the data, and its release will provide more detailed market
information to policy-makers and industry analysts.
On Schedule 4, Part A, Fossil Fuel Stocks at the End of
the Reporting Period for Coal, Petroleum Coke, Distillate Fuel Oil, and
Residual Fuel Oil, institute the same reporting thresholds, generator
nameplate capacity with a primary fuel of coal greater than 50 MW or
total generator nameplate capacity with a primary fuel of any
combination of natural gas, residual fuel oil, distillate fuel oil, or
petroleum coke greater than 200 MW, as on Schedule 2, Costs and Quality
of Fuel Purchases--Plant Level. This change will make the fuel receipts
data (Schedule 2) and stock data (Schedule 4) consistent with each
other and create a single respondent pool for the two schedules. The
number of plants reporting on Schedule 4, Part A will be reduced. The
change will also increase the quality of fuel stocks data collected on
Schedule 4, Part A because the fuel stocks data that is reported by
plants falling under the Schedule 2 threshold tends to be difficult to
quality check. Also to achieve consistency across schedules, kerosene
and jet fuel stocks will no longer be collected on Schedule 4.
On Schedule 8, Part D, Monthly Cooling System Information,
collect the cooling system information data on a monthly rather than an
annual basis. The survey currently collects 12 months of cooling water
operating data once a year. Under this proposal, monthly respondents
would provide cooling system information data monthly, rather than
providing 12 months of cooling data on the 923 supplemental form. The
change is not expected to affect reporting burden.
Additionally, EIA plans to reduce the current monthly
sample via a more efficient model-based cutoff design. It will
significantly reduce the number of monthly respondents (from 2,108
respondents to 1,323) while maintaining the ability to effectively
estimate data for out-of-sample power plants, i.e. power plants that
only report data on an annual basis. This will also reduce the number
of supplemental respondents from 1,632 to 1,056. The new sample design
is expected to lower the overall burden and still produce aggregate
statistics that meet EIA publication standards.
EIA also proposes to collect data from plants whose
operating status is TS, ``operating under test conditions (not in
commercial service)'' if those plants are in fact collecting revenues
from the sale of electricity. This change would allow EIA get more
complete data on U.S. generation and sales.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: There are approximately
7,328 respondents. The monthly form is filed by 1,323 respondents; the
annual form is filed by 6,005 respondents; and the supplemental form is
filed by 1,056 respondents. (Those same 1,056 supplemental respondents
also file the monthly form and are included in the 1,323 respondents on
the monthly form).
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is 22,937.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated
burden is 55,283 hours, which represents a reduction of 16,029 burden
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The change in burden
is primarily due to the removal of questions related to cooling water
and frame modification resulting in fewer respondents.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden hours. The information is maintained in
the normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the
respondents is estimated to be $3,981,482 (55,283 burden hours times
$72.02 per hour. Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA
estimates that there are no additional costs for generating,
maintaining and providing the information.
(1) OMB No. 1905-0129.
(2) Information Collection Request Title: Form EIA-930, ``Balancing
Authority Operations Report''
(3) Type of Request: Extension, with changes, of a currently
approved collection.
(4) Purpose: Form EIA-930 collects hourly electric power operating
data from Balancing Authorities in the contiguous United States.\2\ The
data include:
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\2\ A Balancing Authority is ``The responsible entity that
integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-
generation balance within a Balancing Authority Area, and supports
Interconnection frequency in real time.'' (NERC, Glossary of Terms
Used in NERC Reliability Standards, December 21, 2012.) In most, but
not all cases, a balancing authority is an electric utility company
or a Regional Transmission Organization
Hourly demand
Hourly next-day demand forecast
Hourly net generation
Hourly actual interchange with each interconnected Balancing
Authority
The purpose of this survey is to enable EIA to make available a
comprehensive set of the current day's system demand data on an hourly
basis and the prior day's basic hourly electric system operating data
on a daily basis. Besides providing a basic measure of the current
status of electric systems and the United States electric industry as a
whole, the data can be used to compare actual system demand with the
day-ahead forecast thereby providing a measure of the accuracy of the
forecasting used to commit resources. In addition, the EIA-930 data are
key in addressing smart grid related issues such as integrating wind
and solar generation, improving the coordination of natural gas and
electric short-term
[[Page 31629]]
operations, and expanding the use of demand response, storage, and
electric vehicles in electric system operations.
(4a) Proposed Changes: EIA proposes to:
Change the amount of time within which the respondents
must report. Currently respondents must submit their data within 60
minutes of the end of the data hour. The proposal is to change that to
within 30 minutes of the end of the data hour. This change would be
consistent with the observed reporting capabilities of the respondents.
Require respondents to report hourly sub-regional actual
demand when these values are produced in the normal course of business
within a month of the operating day.
Require respondents to report hourly net generation by
standard fuel type categories.
Also, EIA requests comments on whether it should continue its
current policy of limited withholding of small Balancing Authority data
for two days.
(5) Estimated Number of Survey Respondents: The annual estimated
number of respondents is 66.
(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: The annual
estimated number of total responses is 24,090.
(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: The annual estimated
burden is 3,960 hours, which represents an increase of 1,618 burden
hours from the prior renewal of this collection. The increase in burden
is due to the expansion of the form to collect net generation by
standard fuel type.
(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden:
Additional costs to respondents are not anticipated beyond costs
associated with response burden. The information is maintained in the
normal course of business. The cost of burden hours to the respondents
is estimated to be $285,199 (3,960 burden hours times $72.02 per hour).
Therefore, other than the cost of burden hours, EIA estimates that
there are no additional costs for generating, maintaining and providing
the information.
Statutory Authority: Section 13(b) of the Federal Energy
Administration Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-275, codified at 15 U.S.C.
772(b).
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 12, 2016.
Nanda Srinivasan,
Director, Office of Survey Development and Statistical Integration,
U.S. Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-11911 Filed 5-18-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P