[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 20985-20988] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-10517] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Solicitation of Comments on Proposed Changes to Collection of Monthly Electricity Generation Data; Notice SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) proposes to revise the scope of its monthly data collections [[Page 20986]] to conduct an integrated survey of both electric utilities and nonutility power producers. This would only affect the Form EIA-759, ``Monthly Power Plant Report.'' EIA's objective is to publish monthly summary statistics for both utilities and nonutilities in 1996 including net generation by prime mover and fuel type, fuel consumption, and end-of- the-month fuel stocks. EIA is currently evaluating the two proposed alternatives described in this notice for the collection of monthly generation, fuel consumption, and fuel stocks from utilities and nonutilities. DATES: Written comments must be submitted by no later than May 30, 1995. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contact listed below of your intention to do so as soon as possible. ADDRESSES: Send comments to Howard L. Walton, Director of the Coal and Electric Data and Renewables Division (EI-52), Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternative Fuels, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Mr. Walton can be reached at [email protected] (Internet E-mail), 202-254-6234 or 5765 (fax), or 202-254-5500 (voice). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for additional information or copies of EIA forms and instructions should be directed to Dean A. Fennell at [email protected] (Internet E-mail) or 202-254-5660 (voice). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background II. Current Actions III. Request for Comments I. Background Created by Congress in 1977 as an independent entity within the Department of Energy, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the principal and authoritative source of comprehensive energy data for the Congress, the Federal government, the States, and the public. With the mandate to ``collect, assemble, evaluate, analyze, and disseminate data and information,'' EIA's mission is to:Maintain a comprehensive data and information program relevant to energy resources and reserves, energy production, energy demand, energy technologies, and related financial and statistical information relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet the Nation's demands in the near and longer term future; and Develop and maintain analytical tools and collection and processing systems; provide analyses that are accurate, timely, and objective; and provide information dissemination services. The legal authority for EIA's collection of electric power data is provided by Sections 5(a), 5(b), 13(b), and 52 of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 as amended, Public Law 93-275. EIA's electric power data and analyses have been used extensively in the development and evaluation of today's Federal policies and regulations regarding the electric power industry. Continued support to the Department, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Congress, and the industry is dependent upon EIA's ability to collect and disseminate relevant information about the industry during its transition from a tightly regulated, cost-of service utility industry to an open access, competitively priced power industry. EIA periodically reviews data requirements and survey instruments to determine if information system enhancements are necessary due to changing environments. EIA recently initiated an overall evaluation of its electric power data systems. Results of this effort will, among other things, identify improvements to survey forms, respondent mailing lists, automated data processing methodologies, publication formats, and electronic dissemination methods. As currently scheduled, revised electric power forms will be published in the Federal Register for public comments in late Spring of 1995. When approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), these revised forms will be mailed to electric power respondents--utilities and nonutilities--in late 1995 and early 1996. EIA's electric power data requirements review was started in late 1994, and consists of (1) reviewing what electric power data are currently collected by EIA and other Federal agencies, (2) identifying those data that are needed by the Department of Energy, other Federal departments, and the public to monitor the electric power industry, (3) evaluating how well current information systems satisfy identified requirements, and (4) proposing better ways of collecting and disseminating electric power data. Primary objectives of the requirements review are to ensure that data user requirements are being met to the extent practicable, ensuring that data are not being collected unless needed, and minimizing respondent burden. As part of the requirements review, EIA has interviewed about 30 Federal offices that use EIA electric power information and made site visits to 15 utilities and nonutilities providing electric power data to EIA. EIA also conducted a workshop on November 2, 1994 at the conclusion of the first Department of Energy--National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (DOE-NARUC) National Electricity Forum held in Washington, D.C. A similar workshop is scheduled for April 21, 1995 at the second DOE-NARUC Forum to be held in Providence, Rhode Island. Additionally, EIA and the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) have formed a data coordination task force to streamline the collection of electric power reliability data. One of the earliest findings of the requirements review was that monthly electricity production statistics published by EIA are incomplete. Generation and fuel consumption data are currently collected from nonutility power producers only annually so that EIA monthly electric statistics systematically understate U.S. electricity production by about 10 percent. This situation is expected to grow worse in the future as the electric power industry becomes more competitive and its composition more diverse. The primary EIA publications that contain monthly electric power information are the Electric Power Monthly (EPM), the Monthly Energy Review (MER), and the Short-Term Energy Outlook (quarterly data). The Form EIA-759 is a monthly census of all operators of electric utility power plants and is used to collect monthly data on net generation by prime mover and fuel-type combination; consumption of coal, petroleum, and natural gas; and end-of-the-month stocks of coal and petroleum for each plant. Summary statistics from the Form EIA-759 are published in EIA's Electric Power Monthly (EPM), Electric Power Annual (EPA), Monthly Energy Review (MER), and the Annual Energy Review (AER). These reports present aggregated data for electric utilities at the U.S., Census division levels and NERC levels. Prior to 1935, the Bureau of the Census and the U.S. Geological Survey collected, compiled, and published data on the electric power industry. In 1936, the Federal Power Commission (FPC) assumed all data collection and publication responsibilities for the electric power industry and implemented the FPC Form 4, ``Monthly Power Plant Report.'' The Federal Power Act, Sections 311 and 312, and FPC Order 141 define the legislative authority to collect power production data. The Form EIA-759 replaced the [[Page 20987]] FPC Form 4 in January 1982. EIA's collection authority for the Form EIA-759 is provided by the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-275), sections 5(a), 5(b), 13(b), and 52. Prior to 1980, the FPC Form 4 collected monthly data from all U.S. electric power plants operated by utilities and about 250 industrial power plants of 10 megawatts or more. In this timeframe, nonutilities consisted primarily of industrial manufacturers that produced electricity mainly for internal consumption. Due to the decreasing importance of nonutility generation, collection of monthly generation, fuel consumption, and fuel stocks from industrial power plants was discontinued in January 1981. The role of nonutility power producers in the Nation's electricity supply has grown significantly since 1981 and reflects the emerging competition within the wholesale electric power markets. The near monopoly of electric generation by regulated electric utilities has ended, as many new industry participants generate and sell electric power to electric utilities, thus changing long-established institutional relationships. In 1993, net generation by nonutilities was over 300 billion kilowatthours (kWh) or about 10 percent of the total 3,200 billion kWh generated in the United States. The outlook is for greater participation by nonutility power producers in wholesale power supply. The changing roles and relationships between utilities and nonutilities in the Nation's electric power industry prompted EIA to reinstitute data collection from nonutilities in 1989. The Form EIA- 867, ``Annual Nonutility Power Producer Report,'' was implemented to collect generation, fuel consumption, and other electricity-related data from nonutility power plants with a generating capacity of 1 megawatt or more. Data reported on the mandatory Form EIA-867 are considered confidential and summary statistics published by EIA from the Form EIA-867 are aggregated in a way to protect the confidentiality of individual respondents. Data reported on the Form EIA-759 are not confidential. II. Current Actions To overcome the lack of monthly data from nonutilities--generation, fuel consumption, and fuel stocks--EIA is considering two data collection alternatives. Alternative 1--Electric Control Area Reporting The first alternative is to acquire monthly electronic data from U.S. electric control area operators. A control area is an electric power system or combination of electric power systems to which a common automatic generation control scheme is applied in order to: (1) Match, at all times, the power output of the generators within the electric power system(s) and capacity and energy purchased from entities outside the electric power system(s), with the load within the electric power system(s); (2) maintain scheduled interchange with other Control Areas; (3) maintain the frequency of the electric power system(s) within reasonable limits; and (4) provide sufficient generating capacity to maintain operating reserves. There are about 150 electric control areas operating in the United States each with a unique computer and telecommunication system for monitoring and controlling the generators and external interconnections in its area. Typically, remote meter readings are electronically transmitted every few seconds or minutes to the electric control area computers so that system performance can be continuously assessed and controlled. The real-time data acquired and maintained by electric control area operators represents a potential new data source for EIA's monthly electric power statistics. Instead of surveying thousands of power plants each month, this alternative envisions electric control area operators providing electronic summaries of operational data for generators and power plants each month. Under this reporting scheme, real-time data for utility and nonutility generators (or plants) would be aggregated each month and transmitted electronically to EIA. Data file transfer could be accomplished using Internet, commercial E-mail systems, or modem-to-modem communication protocols. EIA would develop one or more standard formats that electric control area operators could use for the monthly filings. If this alternative is technically feasible and will significantly reduce monthly respondent burden, implementation could begin in 1996. EIA would continue to use the Form EIA-759 until electric control area operators are filing monthly and the data have been validated for consistency. Implementation activities would include developing standard file formats, establishing electronic communication procedures, ensuring the completeness and accuracy of data to be submitted, and working with respondents to overcome any technical challenges. EIA would consider conducting 1-day regional workshops for electric control area personnel to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of this alternative. There would be a phase-in period in which the Form EIA-759 could be used for any power plants not monitored by electric control area operators. Alternative 2--Form EIA-759 Sample The second alternative is to revise the coverage of the current Form EIA-759 and sample both utilities and nonutility power producers. Nonutilities would receive the Form EIA-759 by mail and be required to report monthly generation provided to the electric grid by each prime mover and fuel combination, fuel consumption by each prime mover, and end-of-month fuel stocks. Current procedures of preprinting static administrative information on the form would be continued to help respondents complete their submissions by the 10th working day of the month following the reporting month. If monthly electric power data collection is extended to nonutility power producers, the EIA-759 survey methodology would be changed from a census of utility power plants to a statistical sample of utility and nonutility power plants. EIA has determined that a sample of approximately 1,700 power plants would provide sufficient data to accurately estimate U.S. and NERC region monthly electricity generation by fuel type, fuel consumption, and end-of-the-month fuel stocks. Implementation of this sampling methodology means that State and company-level information will no longer be available on a monthly basis. Monthly estimates of net generation aggregated by calendar year would be verified against annual electric power data collected by EIA (e.g., Forms EIA-861 and EIA-867) to ensure the accuracy of statistical estimates. There are about 5,100 power plants of 1 megawatt and greater in the United States--3,000 operated by electric utilities and 2,100 operated by nonutility power producers. Implementation of this alternative would start with the January 1996 reporting period. Implementation activities would primarily consist of combining the utility and nonutility universes of power plants and selecting a statistical sample of about one-third of all power plants. EIA would work with all new Form EIA-759 respondents to [[Page 20988]] ensure that the forms are completed accurately and filed on time. III. Request for Comments Prospective respondents and other interested parties are requested to comment on the alternatives described above and to prepare modifications or refinements deemed useful. The following general questions provide a framework for the preparation of responses and will be used by EIA in its evaluation of the two alternatives. For electric control area operators: 1. Do electric control area operators telemeter each utility and nonutility generators 10 megawatts and over? Is output from generators under 10 megawatts telemetered by individual unit or aggregated by type of unit at each power plant? Are power plants under 1 megawatt telemetered? 2. Do electric control area operators acquire monthly data (either electronic or manual) on fuel consumption by power plant or by generating unit? Is fuel consumption by nonutilities collected on any basis? 3. Do electric control area operators acquire data (either electronically or manually) on fuel stocks at power plants? 4. What format(s) would electric control area operators prefer when providing electronic data to EIA? What facilities/equipment do control area operators have to electronically send data to EIA? 5. How soon after the end of each month could electric control area operators provide electronic data to EIA? Manually prepared data? 6. What modifications to electric control area computer systems would be necessary to provide monthly electronic data on generation from all generators 10 megawatts and over? What length of time would be necessary to implement those modifications? How much would these modifications cost? 7. What modifications to systems and/or manual procedures would be necessary to provide monthly data on fuel consumption from all generators 10 megawatts and over? What length of time would be necessary to implement these modifications? How much would these modifications cost? 8. What modifications to systems and/or manual procedures would be necessary to provide monthly data on power plant fuel stocks. What length of time would be necessary to implement these modifications? How much would these modifications cost? 9. What is the estimated monthly burden in person-hours to provide electronic data on electricity output from all generators 10 megawatts and more? Fuel consumption by generating unit? Plant fuel stocks? 10. Is monthly electricity output by generator, monthly fuel consumption by generating unit, or plant fuel stocks considered confidential? Why? For nonutility power producers: 11. Do nonutility power producers maintain monthly records on electricity output by generator, fuel consumption by generating unit, and plant fuel stocks? Are these data currently recorded in an electronic format? 12. What format(s) would nonutilities prefer when providing generation, fuel consumption, and fuel stock data to EIA? What facilities/equipment do nonutilities have to electronically send data to EIA? 13. How soon after the end of each month could nonutility power producers provide generation and fuel consumption by unit, and plant fuel stock data to EIA? 14. What modifications to systems and/or manual procedures would be necessary to provide monthly generation and fuel consumption by unit, and plant fuel stock data to EIA? 15. What is the estimated monthly burden in person-hours to provide generation and fuel consumption by unit, and plant fuel stocks data to EIA? 16. Are monthly generation, fuel consumption, or fuel stock data considered confidential? Why? For data users: 17. Does the lack of monthly electricity output from nonutility producers adversely impact your use of EIA data? Lack of monthly fuel consumption data from nonutilities? Lack of fuel stock data from nonutilities? How? 18. What level of accuracy do you need for monthly U.S. electricity generation and fuel consumption by the electric power industry? 19. Do you need generation, fuel consumption, or fuel stock data by unit, plant, or company? What level(s) of aggregation are useful to you? 20. For what purposes do you or would you use monthly generation, fuel consumption and/or fuel stock data? Please be specific. 21. What are the weaknesses and strengths of the data collection alternatives under consideration by EIA? Please be specific as it relates to your use of the data. 22. Would a determination by EIA that generation, fuel consumption, or fuel stock data by plant are confidential affect your use of the data? Comments submitted in response to this notice will become a matter of public record. Statutory Authorities: Section 2(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (Pub. L. No. 96-511), which amended Chapter 35 of Title 44 of the United States Code [See 44 U.S.C. Sec. 3506(a) and (c)(1)]. Issued in Washington, DC, April 24, 1995. Yvonne M. Bishop, Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information Administration. [FR Doc. 95-10517 Filed 4-27-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P