Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: proposed collection;

comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting

comments concerning the proposed modifications and extensions of the

following Electric Power Forms:

EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program Report;''

EIA-412, ``Annual Report of Public Electric Utilities;''

EIA-417R, ``Electric Power Systems Emergency Report;''

EIA-759, ``Monthly Power Plant Report;''

EIA-767, ``Steam-Electric Plant Operation and Design Report;''

EIA-826, `` Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue Report with

State

Distributions;''

EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report;''

EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Utility Report;''

EIA-867, ``Annual Nonutility Power Producer Report;'' and

EIA-900, ``Monthly Nonutility Sales for Resale Report.''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 31, 1998.

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 DOE contact listed below of your intention to do

so as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to John G. Colligan, Energy Information

Administration, Electric Power Division, EI-53, U.S. Department of

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0650;

telephone (202) 426-1174; e-mail [email protected]; and FAX (202)

426-1311.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of forms and instruction sets should be directed to John

Colligan at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

II. Current Actions

III. Request for Comments

I. Background

In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Federal Energy

Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275) and the Department of

Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91), the EIA is obliged to carry

out a central, comprehensive, and unified energy data and information

program. As part of this program, EIA collects, evaluates, assembles,

analyzes, and disseminates 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 EIA, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden (required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(Pub. L. 104-13)), 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 collection requirements on respondents

can be properly assessed. Also, EIA will later seek approval by the

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the collections under Section

3507(h) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, Title

44, U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Confidentiality Notice

The issue of the confidential treatment of data collected on any of

the forms listed above is being addressed and will be resolved as a

separate matter under other Federal Register notices. Whatever final

confidentiality procedures are implemented will be applied to each of

the EIA survey forms above as appropriate.

II. Current Actions

The EIA will request (a) a 3-year extension, through December 31,

2001, for all forms listed, and (b) modifications to the specific forms

as described below. The proposed changes the EIA is requesting through

this action reflect the current state of the electric power industry.

Additional changes may be required, prior to the new expiration

date, in order to be up-to-date with the rapidly changing industry.

Form EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program,'' Propose

changing planning projections period (Items 1, 2, and 4) from 10 years

to 5 years. The form and instructions will be modified to show this

changes.

Form EIA-412, ``Annual Report of Public Electric Utilities,''

Propose changing the reporting threshold from 120,000 MWh to 150,000

MWh. The instructions will be modified to show this change.

Form EIA-417R, ``Annual Summary of Emergency Occurrences,'' no

change.

Form EIA-759, ``Monthly Power Plant Report,'' no change.

Form EIA-767, ``Steam-Electric Plant Operation and Design Report,''

no change.

Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue Report

with State Distributions.'' Propose adding

[[Page 35583]]

two new data tables: (1) the distribution company will be asked to

provide data about the monthly bill if they are billing the consumer

for another energy service provider; and (2) the energy service

provider will report data if billing is done by them or a third party

other than the distribution company. The form and instructions will be

modified to show these changes.

Form EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report,'' two changes are

proposed: (1) the survey form designation and name will be altered to,

Form EIA-860-A, ``Annual Electric Generator Report--Utility;'' and (2)

the planning projection period (Schedule II and Schedule III) will be

changed from 10 years to 5 years. The form and instructions will be

modified to show these changes.

Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Utility Report.'' Three changes are

proposed: (1) Item 5 on Schedule II indicating new plant intention(s)

will be deleted; (2) Schedule IV will require energy service providers

to report the total dollars paid by the consumer(s) whether or not the

energy service provider issues the bill; and (3) the Demand Side

Management (Schedule V) threshold will be raised from 120,000 MWh to

150,000 MWh. The form and instructions will be modified to show these

changes.

Form EIA-867, ``Annual Nonutility Power Producer Report.'' Three

changes are proposed: (1) the form name and number will be changed to,

Form EIA-860-B ``Annual Electric Generator Report--Nonutility''; (2)

Item 3(a) estimated useful thermal output and 3(b) thermal output used

will be added to Schedule IVB. The form and instructions will be

modified to show these changes.

Form EIA-900, ``Monthly Nonutility Sales for Resale Report.'' Six

changes are proposed: (1) the survey name will be changed to ``Monthly

Nonutility Power Report;'' three new data elements on (2) fuel type,

(3) gross generation (kWh), and (4) fossil fuel consumption will be

added; and (5) sales for resale and (6) sales to other end users will

be deleted. The form and instructions will be modified to show these

changes.

III. Request for Comments

Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment

on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are

provided to assist in the preparation of responses. Please indicate to

which form(s) your comments apply.

General Issues

A. Are the proposed collections of information necessary for the

proper performance of the functions of the agency? Does the information

have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the actual

usefulness of information to or for an agency, taking into account its

accuracy, adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the agency's ability

to process the information it collects.

B. What enhancements can EIA make to the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

A. Are the instructions and definitions clear and sufficient? If

not, which instructions require clarification?

B. Can data be submitted by the due date?

C. Public reporting burden estimates for each form collection are

shown below. Burden includes the total time, effort, or financial

resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or

provide the information.

EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program Report,''--15.50 hrs.

per response (previous estimate was 20.7 hrs.)

EIA-412, ``Annual Report of Public Electric Utilities,''--30.3 hrs. per

response (no change from previous estimate)

EIA-417R, ``Electric Power Systems Emergency Report and Annual Summary

of Emergency Occurrences,''--2.89 hrs. per response (no change from

previous estimate). Note: The frequency, magnitude, and duration of

emergency occurrences are hard to predict, therefore making reporting

times hard to predict.

EIA-759, ``Monthly Power Plant Report,''--1.4 hrs. per response (no

change from previous estimate)

EIA-767, ``Steam-Electric Plant Operation and Design Report,'' 84 hrs.

per response for plants of 100 MW or more, and 4 hrs. for plants from

10 MW but less than 100 MW. (no change from previous estimate)

EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue Report with State

Distributions,''--1.5 hrs. per response (previous estimate was 1.4

hrs.)

EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report,''--15.0 hrs. per response

(previous estimate was 15.3 hrs)

EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Energy Industry Report,''--7.5 hrs per

response (previous estimate was 7.9 hrs.)

EIA-867, ``Annual Nonutility Power Producer Report,''--2.12 hrs. per

response (no change from previous estimate)

EIA-900, ``Monthly Nonutility Sales for Resale Report,''--.25 hrs. per

response (no change from previous estimate).

Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimates and (2) how the

agency could minimize the burden of the collections of information,

including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

D. EIA estimates that respondents will incur no additional costs

for reporting other than the hours required to complete the

collections. What is the estimated: (1) total dollar amount annualized

for capital and start-up costs, and (2) recurring annual costs of

operating and maintaining and purchasing service costs associated with

these data collections?

E. Do you know of any other Federal, State, or local agency that

collects similar data? If you do, specify the agency, the data

element(s), and the methods of collection.

As a Potential User

A. Can you use data at the levels of detail indicated on the forms?

B. For what purpose would you use the data? Be specific.

C. Identify any alternate sources of data. Do you use them? If so,

what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized

and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also

will become a matter of public record.

Statutory Authority: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13).

Issued in Washington, DC, June 24, 1998.

Lynda T. Carlson,

Director, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy Information

Administration.

[FR Doc. 98-17371 Filed 6-29-98; 8:45 am]

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