Forms; Availability, etc.: Coordinated Regional Bulk Power Supply Program Report

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Forms; Availability, etc.: Coordinated Regional Bulk Power Supply

Program Report

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), DOE.

ACTION: Solicitation of comments on proposed revisions to Form OE-411,

``Coordinated Regional Bulk Power Supply Program Report,'' and its

filing frequency.

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SUMMARY: EIA, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden (required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980,

Public Law No. 96-511, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), conducts a presurvey

consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal

agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing

reporting forms. This program helps to ensure that requested data can

be provided in the desired format, reporting burden is minimized,

reporting forms are clearly understood, and the impact of data

collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

Currently, EIA is soliciting comments concerning proposed revisions to

the Form OE-411, ``Coordinated Regional Bulk Power Supply Program

Report'' and its filing cycle.

Any changes to Form OE-411, determined to be necessary, based on

evaluation of comments received in response to this notice will be

reflected in and apply to the data submission scheduled for April 1,

1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 15, 1994.

If you anticipate that you will submit comments, but cannot do so

within the period of time allowed by this notice, please advise the

contact listed below. An additional 30 days may be allowed.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Dennis K. Taillie, Director, Office of

Emergency Planning, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585

(Phone number (202) 586-3271, FAX (202) 586-1737).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO OBTAIN COPIES OF THE EXISTING FORM AND

INSTRUCTIONS: Requests for additional information or copies of the form

and instructions should be directed to Mr. Taillie at the address

listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

II. Current Actions

III. Request for comments

I. Background

Among the documents currently used to collect U.S. electric power

system data is Form OE-411 (Coordinated Regional Bulk Power Supply

Program Report). Formerly, authority for the Form OE-411 data

collection was delegated to the Office of Emergency Planning and

Operations (OE) within the Department of Energy. The OE organization no

longer exists, but its functions relevant to the Form are now in the

Office of Emergency Planning, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning,

and Program Evaluation; and the Office of Emergency Management,

Director of Nonproliferation and National Security.

EIA also has functions relevant to the Form. In order to fulfill

its responsibilities under the Federal Energy Administration Act of

1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275), and the Department of Energy Organization

Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91), EIA is obliged to carry out a central,

comprehensive, and unified energy data and information program. This

program will collect, evaluate, assemble, analyze, and disseminate data

and information related to energy resource reserves, production, demand

and technology, and related economic and statistical information

relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet demands in the

near and longer term future for the Nation's economic and social needs.

The Form annually collects data needed to assess the adequacy and

reliability of U.S. bulk power supply for a 10-year advance period.

This assessment is necessary for DOE to fulfill the requirements of

section 202(a) of the Federal Power Act, as amended.

Supplemented by additional reports published by the North American

Electric Reliability Council (NERC), EIA and others, the data in the

Form enable DOE to perform its assigned tasks, which include:

Assessment of the adequacy of the U.S. electric power

supply;

Assessment of the vulnerability of the U.S. electric

power supply to disruptions from all causes, and evaluation of the

risks of such disruptions; and

Energy-related support activities designated by the

Federal Response Plan (the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and

Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-228, as amended).

The supplemental additional reports noted above include NERC's 10

year forward reliability assessment and its yearly pre-season and post-

season summer and winter operations assessments.

The Form is filed with the DOE annually on April 1 by each of the

Regional Electric Reliability Councils of NERC in the United States.

There are nine Councils in the contiguous U.S. and one in Alaska. No

Council has been established by the electric utilities in Hawaii. Each

Council files Form OE-411 with DOE and provides copies to the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission and to the Public Service Commission of

each State that is wholly or partly within the Council's boundaries.

The DOE makes the OE-411 reports available to the public for inspection

and copying in its Office of Freedom of Information Reading Room at its

Washington, DC, headquarters, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585.

The Form collects numerical and descriptive information concerning

regional electric power supply systems. The numerical information

consists of historic data and data projected for a 10-year advance

period. The descriptive data consist of each Council's assessment of

the projected reliability of the bulk power supply in its region over

the next five years, and material concerning planning and operating

practices of the Council.

Form OE-411 originated as ``Appendix A'' of Order 383-2, issued by

the then Federal Power Commission on April 10, 1970. Since then, the

Form has been incrementally revised from time-to-time and transferred

to the jurisdiction of several groups within DOE, being variously

designated as ERA-411, EP-411, IE-411 and currently OE-411. The title

``Coordinated Regional Bulk Power Supply Program Report'' has not been

changed, as it reflects the continuing focus and purpose of the

document.

The concept of regional electric power supply, coordinated for the

purposes of reliability and adequacy on a regional scale by electric

utilities working in the cooperative setting provided by the Regional

Councils, was developed by the industry and the Federal Power

Commission in the aftermath of the November 9, 1965, Northeast

Blackout. That event made clear the need for neighboring interconnected

electric utilities to coordinate their planning and operation in the

interests of electric power supply reliability. Accordingly, the

electric power industry, with the assistance and encouragement of the

Federal Power Commission, organized Regional Electric Reliability

Councils to improve inter-utility coordination of system planning and

operation. These Councils provide an institutional mechanism for the

activities needed to assure region-wide planning and operation of power

system facilities, establishment of appropriate standards for the

improvement of interconnected system operation and response to

contingencies, and other relevant matters.

Form OE-411 provides a mechanism for recording in a single compact

volume the basic data and practices resulting from regionally

coordinated efforts by electric utilities to assure adequate,

continuous and reliable electric power supply. The Form annually

provides, in convenient, form basic information needed by the Federal

government, State agencies, electric utilities and the public to assess

the reliability and adequacy of electric bulk power supply as projected

for a decade ahead.

II. Current Actions

Since the predecessor of Form OE-411 was initiated in 1970,

significant changes have occurred in the technology of electric power

generation, transmission, distribution and use which have been

accompanied by reduced growth of electric demand. Coupled with changes

in the national economy, the structure of the electric power industry,

new Federal energy legislation and changes in Federal and State

regulatory practices, it is appropriate to reconsider Form OE-411 at

this time with respect to: Frequency of reporting, scope and content,

duplicate reporting of data, and administrative arrangements.

Administrative Arrangements

The Survey Management Division, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric

and Alternate Fuels of the EIA is assuming responsibility for

administration of the Form. EIA will be responsible for preparing the

blank Form, sending it to the Reliability Councils (in hard copy,

diskette or by other means), receiving the completed Form from each

Council, entering the data into an electronic database readily

accessible to government agencies and the public, and providing a hard

copy of each Council's Form to the DOE Freedom of Information Reading

Room for inspection and copying by the public.

EIA also will be responsible for making changes to the Form, if

revisions are found to be needed, after consultation with DOE's Office

of Emergency Planning and Office of Emergency Management, the North

American Electric Reliability Council (acting for the Regional

Councils) and other interested parties. If this change in

administrative responsibility is implemented, the designation of the

Form will become EIA-411. Response to Form OE-411 and its predecessors

was voluntary. It is now proposed that response to Form EIA-411 will be

mandatory.

Frequency of Reporting

The Department of Energy is considering reducing the filing

frequency for the new Form (EIA-411) to biennially instead of annually.

Accordingly, the 1995 filing would be required, but the next filing

would not be due until 1997. When the Form's predecessor was initiated

in 1970 the demand for electric power was exhibiting a high rate of

annual increase and the planning and construction of electric system

facilities was correspondingly rapid. Annual reporting was appropriate

at that time so that assessment of reliability could be based on the

latest data, which changed rapidly. The present annual growth rate of

electricity demand is approximately half of what it was in the late

1960's and early 1970's. It appears probable that the growth rate will

not increase greatly in the foreseeable future. The pace of facilities

construction has slowed correspondingly and it seems appropriate to

reduce the frequency of data reporting.

Biennial preparation of Form EIA-411 will reduce the reporting

burden on the utility industry (which provides the data to the

Councils) and on the Councils (which aggregate the data, prepare the

response and make distribution to the Department of Energy, the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission and State Public Service Commissions).

Since year-to-year changes are smaller than previously, the validity of

adequacy assessments based on the biennial reports is not likely to be

affected significantly.

Elimination of Duplication

Some data on utility-owned generating units are currently reported

by utilities twice: To EIA on Form EIA-860 (Annual Electric Generator

Report) and also on Form OE-411. Currently, data on the mode of

transportation of fuel to these units are reported on Form OE-411 but

not on Form EIA-860; however, EIA intends to modify Form EIA-860 to

include reporting of the fuel transportation data. Also, electric

utility, unauthorized planned new generators are reported on Form OE-

411 but not on Form EIA-860. EIA will modify Form EIA-860 to include

electric utility, unauthorized planned new generators. Once this is

done, Form EIA-860 will include all of the utility-owned generating

unit data required, and the duplicative work of the Councils in

preparing a separate list of utility-owned generating unit data

(including mode of fuel transportation) for Form EIA-411 will become

unnecessary.

However, complete and accurate generating unit data will be needed

in Form EIA-411 to make it a ``stand-alone'' document. Therefore, EIA

will furnish to each Council the data (reported on Form EIA-860)

concerning the utility-owned units in that Council, to be incorporated

by the Council in its response to Form EIA-411. The procedure to do

this will be developed jointly by EIA and the Councils to assure that

the data reported in Form EIA-411 are complete, accurate and correctly

reflect the generating capacity owned by utilities and non-utility

generators (NUGs) within the Council boundaries. Data concerning non-

utility generating capacity will be obtained by utilities as is done

currently, will be reported by the utilities to the Councils and will

be reported by each Council in its response to Form EIA-411.

Content of Proposed Form EIA-411

The following discussion lists items being considered for inclusion

in proposed Form EIA-411. A brief justification for each proposed

change from Form OE-411 is also provided.

Item No.

1. Projected energy and peak demand for ten years and actual data

for the previous year.

No change is proposed for this item.

2A. Existing generating capacity.

No change is proposed for the content of this item. The method by

which the data are to be obtained is discussed above under the heading

``Elimination of Duplication.''

2B. Projected Generating Capacity Installations, Changes and

Removals.

No change is proposed for this item. The method by which the data

are to be obtained is discussed above under the heading ``Elimination

of Duplication.''

2C. Projected capacity purchases and sales.

It is proposed to add to this item, for the peak hour of each month

of the preceding year, the actual purchases and sales of capacity

resulting from transactions with sources external to the Council area.

Justification: For some Councils, purchased capacity is a

significant portion of the total available and significantly affects

the adequacy of regional power supply. No means now exist for tracking

this information in Form OE-411.

3A. Projected capacity and demand for ten years.

No change is proposed for this item.

3B. Five-year assessment of adequacy by the Council.

No change is proposed for this item.

3C. Regional generating capacity unavailability.

Only data on utility-owned generating capacity are currently

reported. It is proposed that unavailability data for non-utility (NUG)

generator capacity be added to this item to the extent that it is made

available by NUG entities.

Justification: As NUG capacity becomes a larger portion of total

installed capacity in a Council area, it becomes more important to be

able to assess its reliability.

New Item 3D. Regional Demand Projections.

Discuss the forecasting method and basic assumptions employed by

the Council in reaching aggregate demand and energy projections,

tabulated in Item 3A, for normal weather. Also discuss how the Council

plans to meet contingencies caused by extreme weather.

Justification: The discussion will provide a basis, not currently

available, for understanding the forecasts.

4A. Bulk Power Transmission System Maps.

No change is proposed for this item.

4B. Projected Bulk Power Transmission Line Additions.

No change is projected for this item.

5A. Near-term Transmission Adequacy.

No change is projected for this item.

5B. Future Critical Bulk Power Transmission Facilities That Will

Not Be In Service When Required.

It is proposed to replace this item by a new item 5B requesting:

(1) Summary data on actual inter-Council purchase and sale

transactions which took place during the seasonal (summer and winter)

peak load periods of the preceding year and (2) a discussion of the

extent to which the magnitude of these transactions approached the

transfer capacity of the inter-Council transmission facilities under

conditions then existing.

Justification: Industry reports claim that some U.S. transmission

facilities are approaching their capacity transfer limits but do not

support these claims with quantitative information. The data requested

will provide an understanding of the ability of transmission facilities

to transfer the capacity purchases and sales reported in item 3A among

Councils.

5C. System Evaluation Criteria.

It is proposed to enlarge this item to include discussion of the

effects of non-utility generating sources and increased access by

independent power producers to transmission facilities as they

specifically relate to reliability of supply in the Council's area.

Justification: Increasing non-utility generation and the issues

associated with integrating that generation into the utility network

may have effects on system reliability that are not thoroughly explored

elsewhere.

6A. Coordination of Operations.

No change is proposed for this item.

6B. Load preservation program.

It is proposed to add to this item requests for: (1) description of

the voltage reduction procedures employed by the utilities in the

Council area, their effectiveness in reducing peak demands and the

effects on customer equipment; and (2) discussion of conditions and

practices related to reduction of peak demand under control of or at

the request of the system operator. These practices are usually

described by such terms as ``direct load control,'' ``interruptible

load,'' or ``load management.'' The terminology used should be defined.

Justification: Load preservation practices and procedures differ

among Councils. Further information is necessary to understand their

potential for preserving load.

7. Additional Information.

No change is proposed for this item.

III. Request for Comments

Prospective respondents and other interested parties are requested

to comment on the proposed revisions discussed above and to propose

such other modifications as they deem useful. The following general

questions are provided to assist in the preparation of responses:

For the potential respondent and user:

A. Are current instructions and definitions in Form OE-411 clear

and sufficient? If not, what changes do you suggest?

B. Can the information requested be submitted consistent with

the existing definitions? (Note: It is intended to adopt, if

possible, the definitions in the ``Glossary of Terms For NERC

Publications'' to be published by the North American Electric

Reliability Council on June 9, 1994.)

C. Can the information requested be submitted within the

response time specified in the instructions?

D. For Form OE-411 as currently constituted, public reporting

burden is estimated to average 13 hours per response for the

utilities that provide the basic information and 1000 hours for each

Reliability Council respondent. How much time, including time for

reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering

and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the

collection of information, do you estimate would be required to

complete Form EIA-411 if it should be promulgated as proposed in

this Notice?

E. What specific changes do you suggest?

F. If you know of any Federal, State or local governmental

agency that collects identical data in the same single volume

format, specify the agency and a reference citation.

G. For what purposes would you use the EIA-411 report? Please be

specific.

H. What are the deficiencies and strengths of any alternate

source of numerical and descriptive information that you use?

EIA also is interested in receiving comments regarding the need for

the information provided in Form OE-411 (existing) or Form EIA-411

(proposed).

Comments will become a matter of public record.

The Office Of Emergency Planning and EIA will review and evaluate

all comments received as a result of this Notice in the context of best

serving the interests of the public, the electric utility industry,

State governments and the Federal government. A statement will be

prepared integrating the views expressed above with the comments

received in response to this notice. If appropriate after review by

these offices, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be

requested to authorize use of Form EIA-411 for the period 1995-1997.

Statutory Authorities: Sec. 2(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1980, (Public Law No. 96-511), which amended Chapter 35 of Title

44 United States Code. [See 44 U.S.C. 3506(a) and (c)(1)].

Issued in Washington, DC June 9, 1994.

Yvonne M. Bishop,

Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information

Administration.

[FR Doc. 94-14554 Filed 6-14-94; 8:45 am]

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