FERC Notice on Information Collection for Reliability Standards

Content

ACTION:

Notice of information collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on proposed revisions of the currently approved information collection, FERC-725N, (Mandatory
Reliability Standards: TPL Reliability Standards). The 60-day notice for RD25-4 comment period ended on March 2, 2026 with
no comments received.

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information are due April 16, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on FERC-725N to OMB through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202504-1902-006. You can also visit https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain and use the drop-down under “Currently under Review” to select the “Federal Energy Regulatory Commission” where you can see
the open opportunities to provide comments. Comments should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice.

Please submit a copy of your comments to the Commission via email to DataClearance@FERC.gov. You must specify the Docket No. (RD25-4-000) and the FERC Information Collection number (FERC-725N in your email. If you are
unable to file electronically,

     comments may be filed by USPS mail or by hand (including courier) delivery:

• Mail via U.S. Postal Service only: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426.

• All other delivery methods: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852.

Docket: To view comments and issuances in this docket, please visit https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search. Once there, you can also sign-up for automatic notification of activity in this docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kayla Williams may be reached by email at DataClearance@FERC.gov, or by telephone at (202)502-6468.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: FERC-725N, (Mandatory Reliability Standards: TPL Reliability Standards.

OMB Control No.: FERC-725N (1902-0264).

Type of Request: On December 17, 2024, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) submitted a petition seeking approval of
proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1 (Transmission System Planning Performance Requirements for Extreme Temperature Events). (1) Further, NERC seeks approval of the associated implementation plan, violation risk factors, and violation severity levels.
NERC also seeks approval of a proposed definition of “extreme temperature assessment” for inclusion in the NERC Glossary of
Terms Used in NERC Reliability Standards (NERC Glossary). (2) For the reasons discussed below, pursuant In Order No. 896, the Commission directed NERC to submit a new or modified Reliability
Standard that addresses the Commission's identified concerns pertaining to transmission system planning for extreme heat and
cold weather events that impact the Reliable Operation of the Bulk-Power System. (3) Specifically, the Commission directed NERC to develop a new or modified Reliability Standard that requires the following:
(1) development of benchmark planning cases based on major prior extreme heat and cold weather events and/or meteorological
projections; (2) planning for extreme heat and cold weather events using steady state and transient stability analyses expanded
to cover a range of extreme weather scenarios including the expected resource mix's availability during extreme heat and cold
weather conditions; and (3) development of corrective action plans that mitigate certain instances where performance requirements
for extreme heat and cold weather events are not met. (4)

The FERC-725N information collection requirements are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under
section 3507(d) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. OMB's regulations require approval of certain information collection
requirements imposed by agency rules. Upon approval of a collection of information, OMB will assign an OMB control number
and expiration date. Respondents subject to the filing requirements will not be penalized for failing to respond to these
collections of information unless the collections of information display a valid OMB control number. The Commission solicits
comments on the need for this information, whether the information will have practical utility, the accuracy of the burden
estimates, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected or retained, and any suggested
methods for minimizing respondents' burden, including the use of automated information techniques. The Commission bases its
paperwork burden estimates on the additional paperwork burden presented by the proposed new Reliability Standard TPL-008-1.
The new defined term “extreme temperature assessment” is not expected to generate any new burden as it is a definition used
within the body of Reliability Standards. Reliability Standards are objective-based and allow entities to choose compliance
approaches best tailored to their systems. Additionally, proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1, Requirement R1 identifies
each responsible entity that shall complete its responsibilities such that the extreme temperature assessment is completed
at least once every five calendar years. The NERC Compliance Registry, as of November 20, 2024, identifies unique U.S. entities
that are subject to mandatory compliance with proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1, as 62 planning coordinators (PC) and
204 transmission planners (TP). Based on these assumptions, we estimate the following reporting burden:

| Reliability standard | Type and

           number of entity 5 | Number
           of annualresponsesper entity | Total number
           of responses | Average number of
           burden hours
           per response 6 | Total burden hours |

| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | (1) | (2) | (1) * (2) = (3) | (4) | (3) * (4) = (5) |
| Annual Collection TPL-008-1 FERC-725N | | | | | |
| Annual review and record retention | 62 (PC)
204 (TP) | 1
1 | 62
204 | 88 hrs., $70.67/hrs
56 hrs., $70.67/hrs | 5,456 hrs., $385,576.
11,424 hrs., $807,334. |
| Total for TPL-008-1 | | | 266 | | 16,880 hrs., $1,192,910. |
The annual

  responses and burden hours for proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1 will be 266 responses: 16,880 hours.

Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit institutions; not-for-profit institutions.

Frequency of Responses: On occasion.

Necessity of the Information: This order approves the Reliability Standard pertaining to transmission system planning performance requirements for

  extreme temperature events. As discussed above, the Commission proposes to approve proposed Reliability Standard TPL-008-1
  pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the FPA because it establishes transmission system planning performance requirements to help
  ensure that the Bulk-Power System will operate reliably during extreme heat and extreme cold temperature events.

Internal Review: The Commission has reviewed the proposed Reliability Standard and made a determination that its action is necessary to implement
section 215 of the FPA.

Comments: Comments are invited on: (1) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the Commission, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate
of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms
of information technology.

Dated: March 12, 2026. Carlos D. Clay, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2026-05159 Filed 3-16-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P

Footnotes

(1) Petition at 1.

(2) Id. at 16.

(3) Transmission Sys. Plan. Performance Requirements for Extreme Weather, Order No. 896, 183 FERC ¶ 61,191 (2023).

(4) Id. at P 6.

(5) Number of entities data taken from the NERC compliance registry, dated November 20, 2024.

(6) The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is a combination based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2024,
for 75% of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17-2071) $79.31/hr., 79.31 × .75 = 59.4825 ($59.48-rounded) ($59.48/hour)
and 25% of an Information and Record Clerk (43-4199) $44.74/hr., $44.74 × .25% = 11.185 ($11.19 rounded) ($11.19/hour), for
a total ($59.48 + $11.19 = $70.67/hour).

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