[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 128 (Thursday, July 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38021-38022]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15630]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Combined Notice of Filings

    Take notice that the Commission has received the following Natural
Gas Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings:

Filings Instituting Proceedings

    Docket Numbers: RP14-1055-000.
    Applicants: Constellation ProLiance, LLC, Constellation NewEnergy--
Gas Divison, Exelon Generation Company, LLC.
    Description: Petition for a Temporary Waiver of Capacity Release
Regulations of Constellation ProLiance, LLC, et al.
    Filed Date: 6/19/14.
    Accession Number: 20140619-5126.
    Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/1/14.

    Docket Numbers: RP14-1056-000.
    Applicants: MIGC LLC.
    Description: Compliance Filing Capacity Purchase Posting to be
effective 7/23/2014.
    Filed Date: 6/23/14.

    Accession Number: 20140623-5057.
    Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 7/7/14.

    The filings are accessible in the Commission's eLibrary system by
clicking on the links or querying the docket number.
    Any person desiring to intervene or protest in any of the above
proceedings must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the
Commission's Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214) on or before 5:00
p.m. Eastern time on the specified comment date. Protests may be
considered, but intervention is necessary to become a party to the
proceeding.
    eFiling is encouraged. More detailed information relating to filing
requirements, interventions, protests, service, and qualifying
facilities filings can be found at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For other information, call<PHONE_NUMBER>
(toll free). For TTY, call<PHONE_NUMBER>.

    Dated: June 24, 2014.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014-15630 Filed 7-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


[Federal Register: July 8, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 130)]
[Notices]
[Page 39244]
[DOCID:fr08jy10-77]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD10-14-000]

Reliability Standards Development and NERC and Regional Entity
Enforcement; Further Notice Concerning Technical Conference

June 30, 2010.
    Take notice that on July 6, 2010, the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission will convene a Commissioner-led technical conference
regarding issues pertaining to the development of mandatory Reliability
Standards for the Bulk-Power System by the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation and the Regional Entities as previously
announced.\1\
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    \1\ Notice of Technical Conference, 75 FR 35,021 (issued June
15, 2010), as supplemented by Supplemental Notice of Technical
Conference, 75 FR 36,385 (issued June 18, 2010).
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    In addition to the rulemaking proceedings where the Commission
acted on March 18, 2010, the discussions at this public conference may
address matters related to the following additional proceedings:

Docket No. RR09-6-000, North American Electric Reliability Corporation
(Directed ERO to develop proposed modification to ERO Rules of
Procedure)
Docket No. RR09-7-000, North American Electric Reliability Corporation
(NERC's Three-Year Performance Assessment Report)
Docket No. RR10-12-000, North American Electric Reliability Corporation
(Reliability Standard Processes Manual Revisions)

    For more information, please contact Sarah McKinley,<PHONE_NUMBER>,
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>for logistical issues, and either Karin Larson
at<PHONE_NUMBER><EMAIL_ADDRESS>or Christopher Young at 202-502-
6403<EMAIL_ADDRESS>for other concerns.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-16557 Filed 7-7-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15635-15641]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06508]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

18 CFR Part 40

[Docket No. RM15-8-000; Order No. 823]

Relay Performance During Stable Power Swings Reliability Standard

AGENCY:  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, DOE.

ACTION:  Final rule.

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SUMMARY:  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves Reliability
Standard PRC-026-1 (Relay Performance During Stable Power Swings),
submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 is designed to ensure that applicable
entities use protective relay systems that can differentiate between
faults and stable power swings.

DATES:  This rule will become effective May 23, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kenneth Hubona (Technical Information), Office of Electric Reliability,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington,
DC 20426,<PHONE_NUMBER><EMAIL_ADDRESS>Kevin Ryan (Legal Information), Office of the General Counsel, Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC
20426,<PHONE_NUMBER><EMAIL_ADDRESS>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Order No. 823

Final Rule

    1. Pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the
Commission approves Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 (Relay Performance
During Stable Power Swings).\1\ The North American Electric Reliability
Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability
Organization (ERO), developed and submitted Reliability Standard PRC-
026-1 for Commission approval. Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 applies
to planning coordinators and to generator owners and transmission
owners that apply certain load-responsive protective relays in
specific, identified circumstances. Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 is
designed to ensure the use of protective relay systems that can
differentiate between faults and stable power swings.
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    \1\ 16 U.S.C. 824o.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. The Commission determines that Reliability Standard PRC-026-1
satisfies the directive in Order No. 733 concerning undesirable relay
operation due to power swings.\2\ The Commission concludes that
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 provides an equally effective and
efficient alternative to the Order No. 733 directive requiring the use
of protective relay systems that can differentiate between faults and
stable power swings and, when necessary, retirement of protective relay
systems that cannot meet this requirement.\3\
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    \2\ Transmission Relay Loadability Reliability Standard, Order
No. 733, 130 FERC ] 61,221, at P 153 (2010), order on reh'g and
clarification, Order No. 733-A, 134 FERC ] 61,127, order on reh'g
and clarification, Order No. 733-B, 136 FERC ] 61,185 (2011).
    \3\ Id. P 150.
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    3. The Commission approves NERC's assigned violation risk factors,
violation

severity levels and implementation plan.

I. Background

A. Mandatory Reliability Standards and Order No. 733 Directives

    4. Section 215 of the FPA requires a Commission-certified ERO to
develop mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards, subject to
Commission review and approval.\4\ Pursuant to section 215 of the FPA,
the Commission established a process to select and certify an ERO,\5\
and subsequently certified NERC.\6\
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    \4\ 16 U.S.C. 824(d) and (e).
    \5\ Rules Concerning Certification of the Electric Reliability
Organization; and Procedures for the Establishment, Approval, and
Enforcement of Electric Reliability Standards, Order No. 672, FERC
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,204, order on reh'g, Order No. 672-A, FERC
Stats. & Regs. ] 31,212 (2006).
    \6\ North American Electric Reliability Corp., 116 FERC ]
61,062, order on reh'g and compliance, 117 FERC ] 61,126 (2006),
aff'd sub nom. Alcoa, Inc. v. FERC, 564 F.3d 1342 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
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    5. On March 18, 2010, the Commission approved Reliability Standard
PRC-023-1 (Transmission Relay Loadability) in Order No. 733. The
Commission also directed NERC to develop a new Reliability Standard
that required the use of protective relay systems that can
differentiate between faults and stable power swings and, when
necessary, the retirement of protective relay systems that cannot meet
this requirement.\7\ In Order No. 733, the Commission cited the
findings of both NERC and the U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task
Force on the causes of the 2003 Northeast Blackout, explaining that the
cascade during this event was accelerated by zone 2 and zone 3 relays
that tripped facilities out of service because these devices could not
distinguish between a dynamic, but stable, power swing and an actual
fault.\8\ While the Commission recognized that addressing stable power
swings is a complex issue, Order No. 733 observed that there was no
Reliability Standard to address relays tripping for stable power swings
despite their contribution to the 2003 Northeast Blackout. Accordingly,
the Commission directed NERC to develop a Reliability Standard to
address undesirable relay operation due to stable power swings.\9\
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    \7\ Order No. 733, 130 FERC ] 61,221 at P 150.
    \8\ Id. PP 3-4, 130 (citing U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task
Force, Final Report on the August 14, 2003 Blackout in the United
States and Canada: Causes and Recommendations, at 80 (2004); and
August 14, 2003 Blackout: NERC Actions to Prevent and Mitigate the
Impacts of Future Cascading Blackouts, at 13 (2004)).
    \9\ Id. P 153.
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    6. On February 17, 2011, the Commission denied rehearing in Order
No. 733-A, stating that ``[w]e continue to believe that not addressing
stable power swings constitutes a gap in the current Reliability
Standards and must be addressed.'' \10\ Accordingly, the Commission
affirmed the directive in Order No. 733 that NERC develop a Reliability
Standard addressing stable power swings.\11\ The Commission clarified
that it did not require a Reliability Standard containing an absolute
obligation to prevent protection relays from operating unnecessarily
during stable power swings or an across-the-board elimination of all
zone 3 relays; the Commission only required the development of a
Reliability Standard that addresses protection systems that are
vulnerable to stable power swings (resulting from Category B and
Category C contingencies from the NERC Planning Standards in place at
that time) that result in inappropriate tripping.\12\ In Order No. 733-
B, the Commission denied further clarification on this issue.
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    \10\ Order No. 733-A, 134 FERC ] 61,127 at P 104.
    \11\ Id.
    \12\ Id. P 107.
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B. NERC Petition and Reliability Standard PRC-026-1

    7. On December 31, 2014, NERC submitted a petition seeking approval
of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1, as well as the associated violation
risk factors, violation severity levels and implementation plan.\13\
NERC avers that Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 satisfies the Order No.
733 directive to develop a new Reliability Standard that requires the
use of protective relay systems that can differentiate between faults
and stable power swings. According to NERC, Reliability Standard PRC-
026-1 sets forth requirements that prevent the unnecessary tripping of
bulk electric system elements in response to stable power swings.\14\
NERC further explains that the identification of bulk electric system
elements with protection systems at-risk of operating as a result of a
stable or unstable power swing and the subsequent review by the
applicable generator owner or transmission owner ``provides assurance
that relays will continue to be secure for stable power swings if any
changes in system impedance occur.''\15\
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    \13\ Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 is available on the
Commission's eLibrary document retrieval system in Docket No. RM15-
8-000 and on the NERC Web site, www.nerc.com.
    \14\ See NERC Petition at 4.
    \15\ Id.
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    8. According to NERC, Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 is ``directly
responsive'' to the Order No. 733 directive that NERC develop a
Reliability Standard addressing undesirable relay operation due to
stable power swings.\16\ However, NERC explains that the Reliability
Standard PRC-026-1 ``includes an alternative to the Commission's
approach to require `the use of protective relay systems that can
differentiate between faults and stable power swings and, when
necessary, phases out protective relay systems that cannot meet this
requirement.' '' \17\ NERC notes that in Order No. 733-A, the
Commission clarified that it had not intended ``to prohibit NERC from
exercising its technical expertise to develop a solution to an
identified reliability concern that is equally effective and efficient
as the one proposed in Order No. 733.'' \18\ In support of its
alternative solution, NERC states that ``it is generally preferable to
emphasize dependability over security when it is not possible to ensure
both for all possible system conditions.'' \19\ NERC also avers that
``[p]rohibiting use of certain types of relays, such as those
protective relay systems that cannot differentiate between faults and
stable power swings, may have unintended negative outcomes for Bulk-
Power System reliability.'' \20\
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    \16\ Id. at 23 (citing Order No. 733, 130 FERC ] 61,221 at P
153).
    \17\ Id. (quoting Order No. 733, 130 FERC ] 61,221 at P 162).
    \18\ Id. at 11 (citing Order No. 733-A, 134 FERC ] 61,127 at P
11).
    \19\ Id. at 24.
    \20\ Id.
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    9. Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 has four requirements and two
attachments. NERC explains that Attachment A ``provides clarity on
which load-responsive protective relay functions are applicable'' under
the standard.\21\ Specifically, Attachment A provides that Reliability
Standard PRC-026-1 applies to:
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    \21\ Id. at 31.

any protective functions which could trip instantaneously or with a
time delay of less than 15 cycles on load current (i.e., ``load-
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responsive''). . . .

    According to NERC, the 15 cycle time delay ``is representative of
an expected power swing having a slow slip rate of 0.67 Hertz (Hz) and
is the average time that a stable power swing with that slip rate would
enter the relay's characteristic, reverse direction, and then exit the
characteristic before the time delay expired.'' \22\ NERC states that
the proposed standard does not apply to ``functions that are either
immune to power swings, block power swings, or prevent non-immune
protection function operation due to supervision of

the function.'' \23\ Attachment B contains the criteria for the
evaluation of load-responsive protective relays that are within the
scope of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1.\24\
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    \22\ Id. at 30.
    \23\ Id. at 31.
    \24\ See id. at 35-38.
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    10. Under NERC's proposed implementation plan for Reliability
Standard PRC-026-1, Requirement R1 would become effective 12 months
after Commission approval, and Requirements R2, R3 and R4 become
effective 36 months after Commission approval.

C. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

    11. On September 17, 2015, the Commission issued a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) proposing to approve Reliability Standard
PRC-026-1 as just, reasonable, not unduly discriminatory or
preferential and in the public interest.\25\ The NOPR stated that
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 appears to adequately address the
Commission's directive in Order No. 733 by helping to prevent the
unnecessary tripping of bulk electric system elements in response to
stable power swings. The NOPR also proposed to accept NERC's proposed
approach as an equally effective and efficient method to achieve the
reliability goal underlying the Commission's Order No. 733 directive.
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    \25\ Relay Performance During Stable Power Swings Reliability
Standard, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 80 FR 57549 (Sept. 24,
2015), 152 FERC ] 61,200 (2015).
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    12. In the NOPR, the Commission also expressed concern that NERC's
exclusion of load responsive relays with a time delay of 15 cycles or
greater, as proposed in Attachment A to Reliability Standard PRC-026-1,
could result in a gap in reliability. The Commission explained that,
pursuant to Attachment A, Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 applies to
``any protective functions which could trip instantaneously or with a
time delay of less than 15 cycles on load current (i.e., ``load-
responsive''). . . .'' The Commission further explained that, although
NERC offered a technical rationale for the less than 15 cycle
threshold, explaining that load-responsive relays set to trip
instantaneously or with a ``slight time delay'' are most susceptible to
power swings, NERC did not supply information on the burden of
including relays with a time delay of 15 cycles or greater under
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1.\26\ The Commission stated that the lack
of this information is significant in light of the fact that an entity
would not be required under Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 to
investigate an element identified by a planning coordinator as
potentially susceptible to power swings or investigate an element
following a known power swing trip if the relay(s) involved have a time
delay of 15 cycles or greater.\27\
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    \26\ See NOPR, 152 FERC ] 61,200 at P 14 (citing NERC Petition
at 29-30).
    \27\ Id.
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    13. The NOPR requested comments on the potential burden of
modifying the applicability of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 to
include relays with a time delay of 15 cycles or greater in instances
where either: (1) An element has been identified by a planning
coordinator as potentially susceptible to power swings; or (2) an
entity becomes aware of a bulk electric system element that tripped in
response to a stable or unstable power swing due to the operation of
its protective relay(s), even if the element was not previously
identified by the planning coordinator. The Commission stated that it
may direct NERC to develop modifications to Reliability Standard PRC-
026-1 depending on the response to the questions on the applicability
of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1.
    14. In response to the NOPR, seven entities submitted comments. A
list of commenters appears in Appendix A. The comments have informed
our decision making in this Final Rule.

II. Discussion

    15. Pursuant to section 215(d)(2) of the FPA, we approve
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 as just, reasonable, not unduly
discriminatory or preferential, and in the public interest. We also
approve NERC's proposed violation risk factors, violation severity
levels and implementation plan. While Reliability Standard PRC-026-1
does not prohibit the use of relays that cannot differentiate between
faults and stable power swings, Reliability Standard PRC-026-1
addresses the prevention of unnecessary tripping of bulk electric
system elements in response to stable power swings. Accordingly, we
approve NERC's approach as an equally effective and efficient method to
achieve the reliability goal underlying the Commission's directive in
Order No. 733.
    16. As discussed below, based on the NOPR comments, we conclude
that the potential reliability gap identified in the NOPR, resulting
from the exclusion of load responsive relays with a time delay of 15
cycles or greater as proposed in Attachment A to Reliability Standard
PRC-026-1, is adequately addressed by the provisions of Reliability
Standards TPL-001-4 and PRC-004-4.\28\
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    \28\ As of January 1, 2016, all requirements of Reliability
Standard TPL-001-4 are subject to enforcement. Reliability Standard
PRC-004-4 was approved May 29, 2015 and will be subject to
enforcement July 1, 2016.
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Load Responsive Relays With a Delay of 15 Cycles or Greater

Comments
    17. NERC, Luminant, NAGF, Tri-State, Idaho Power and EEI support
the Commission's proposal to approve Reliability Standard PRC-026-1. In
response to the NOPR's question regarding the burden of expanding the
applicability of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 to include load
responsive relays with a time delay of 15 cycles or greater, NERC and
other commenters offer two responses. First, commenters maintain that
the 15 cycle limitation in Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 does not
result in a reliability gap because of how Reliability Standard PRC-
026-1 interacts with other Reliability Standards to address the
Commission's concern. Second, commenters assert that expanding the
applicability of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 would result in an
unnecessary, significant burden or risk to reliability.
    18. NERC, EEI, Tri-State and Luminant claim that no reliability gap
results from the 15 cycle limitation in Reliability Standard PRC-026-1
because planning assessments required by Reliability Standard TPL-001-4
already address the Commission's concerns regarding relays with a time
delay of 15 cycles or greater in instances where an element has been
identified by a planning coordinator as potentially susceptible to
power swings.\29\ Specifically, NERC explains that a planning
assessment conducted pursuant to Reliability Standard TPL-001-4 ``will
reveal Elements with load-responsive protective relays having time
delays of 15 cycles or greater that trip due to power swings.'' \30\
NERC further contends that, where an element that trips causes a
violation of Reliability Standard TPL-001-4 performance criteria, ``the
Planning Coordinator is required to mitigate these conditions through a
Corrective Action Plan.'' \31\ EEI agrees with NERC's assessment and
identifies Reliability Standard TPL-001-4, Requirement R4, Subpart
4.1.2 and Requirement R2, Subpart 2.7 as the corresponding
requirements.\32\
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    \29\ NERC Comments at 5-6. See also Tri-State Comments at 4;
Luminant Comments at 3.
    \30\ NERC Comments at 6.
    \31\ Id.
    \32\ EEI Comments at 7.

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    19. In addition, NERC and industry commenters state that
Reliability Standard PRC-004-4 addresses the Commission's concern
regarding situations where a bulk electric system element trips in
response to a stable or unstable power swing due to the operation of
its protective relay(s).\33\ Specifically, NERC explains that tripping
unnecessarily ``due to an actual stable power swing would be classified
as a Misoperation under PRC-004-4 (Protection System Misoperation
Identification and Correction).'' \34\ NERC explains that a ``Generator
Owner and Transmission Owner are required to develop a corrective
action plan to address the cause(s) of the Misoperation, for example,
tripping due to a load-responsive protective relay set with a time
delay of 15 cycles or greater, unless reliability would not be
improved.'' \35\
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    \33\ NERC Comments at 9-10. See also EEI Comments at 8; Tri-
State Comments at 5.
    \34\ NERC Comments at 9.
    \35\ Id.
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    20. Regarding the potential burden of expanding the applicability
of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 to cover relays with a time delay of
15 cycles or greater, NERC and industry commenters state that expanding
the applicability of Requirement R1, Criteria 4 (element has been
identified by a planning coordinator) would increase the burden on
transmission owners and generator owners.\36\ NERC states that there
would be no increase in burden for the planning coordinator because the
planning coordinator is required by Reliability Standard TPL-001-4,
Requirement R4 ``to perform contingency analyses based on computer
simulation models for the Stability portion of the annual Planning
Assessment.'' \37\ As noted above, NERC explains that where an element
that trips during the annual planning assessment causes a violation of
Reliability Standard TPL-001-4 performance criteria, ``the Planning
Coordinator is required to mitigate these conditions through a
Corrective Action Plan.'' \38\
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    \36\ See id. at 7, 9. See also EEI Comments at 6; Luminant
Comments at 4; Idaho Power Comments at 2.
    \37\ NERC Comments at 5.
    \38\ Id.
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    21. NERC, however, states that expanding the applicability of
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 to cover relays with a time delay of 15
cycles or greater would ``place additional burden on the Generator
Owner and Transmission Owner for any Elements that are identified using
Requirement R1, Criteria 4.'' \39\ NERC explains that the additional
burden ``would be determined by the increase in the quantity of load-
responsive protective relays applied to that Element beyond what is
proposed in PRC-026-1 (i.e. load-responsive protective relays with time
delays of 15 cycles or greater).'' NERC continues that the ``increase
in burden could be on the order of two to three times in magnitude to
address zone 2 (not communication-aided) and application of reverse
zone and/or forward zone 4 remote back-up time delayed elements.'' \40\
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    \39\ Id. at 6.
    \40\ Id. at 7.
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    22. EEI contends that the additional burden would ``vary greatly by
entity size and asset configuration, however, the work associated with
this effort would not be inconsequential and would consume significant
dollars for large entities while tying up critical and often scarce
engineering resources across the industry.'' \41\ EEI explains that
even though the Commission proposes to limit the analysis to the two
scenarios identified in the NOPR, the proposal would increase the
number of relay elements evaluated by 100 to 200 percent at impacted
transmission lines, generators and transformer terminals.\42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ EEI Comments at 6.
    \42\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    23. ITC, while not taking a position on the merits of the
particular requirements of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1, argues
``that studies and information now available concerning relay
performance during stable power swings controvert the Commission's at-
the-time reasonable determination in Order No. 733 that a Standard to
address relay performance during stable power swings was warranted.''
\43\ In particular, ITC ``urge[s] the Commission to consider the [NERC
System Protection and Control Subcommittee] Report findings in issuing
its final rule in this proceeding.'' \44\ ITC asserts that the SPSC
Report undercuts the rationale for promulgating Reliability Standard
PRC-026-1 and argues that ``the Commission should reconsider the
necessity of PRC-026-1, particularly in light of the burden NERC has
determined the new Standard would impose.'' \45\
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    \43\ ITC Comments at 3.
    \44\ Id. (referencing NERC System Protection and Control
Subcommittee, ``Protection System Response to Power Swings'' (2013)
(SPSC Report)).
    \45\ Id. at 4.
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Commission Determination

    24. We find that Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 addresses the
Commission's directive in Order No. 733 by providing measures to
mitigate the unnecessary tripping of bulk electric system elements in
response to stable power swings. While it does not prohibit the use of
relays that cannot differentiate between faults and stable power
swings, we conclude that Reliability Standard PRC-026-1's approach is
an equally effective and efficient method to achieve the reliability
goal underlying the Commission's directive in Order No. 733.
    25. While ITC asks that the Commission reconsider the necessity of
PRC-026-1 in light of the SPSC Report, the Commission continues to
believe in the necessity of a Reliability Standard that addresses the
performance of relays during stable power swings. In response to ITC's
comments, the recommendations from the 2013 SPSC Report were used in
the development of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1. As noted by NERC,
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 ``is based on and is consistent with the
recommendations found in the [SPSC] Report.'' \46\ Accordingly, we
conclude that Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 reflects the
recommendations outlined in the SPSC Report.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \46\ NERC Petition at 15-16.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    26. Based on the NOPR comments, we are persuaded that the potential
reliability gap identified in the NOPR, resulting from the exclusion of
load responsive relays with a time delay of 15 cycles or greater as
proposed in Attachment A to Reliability Standard PRC-026-1, is
adequately addressed by requirements of Reliability Standards TPL-001-4
(Transmission System Planning Performance Standards) and PRC-004-4
(Protection System Misoperation Identification and Correction). We
agree with commenters that these Reliability Standards adequately
address the risk posed by load responsive relays with a time delay of
15 cycles or greater in the two cases identified in the NOPR.
Accordingly, we do not direct any modifications to Reliability Standard
PRC-026-1 at this time.
    27. First, where an element has been identified by a planning
coordinator as potentially susceptible to power swings, Reliability
Standard TPL-001-4 addresses the NOPR's concern by requiring applicable
entities to both (1) identify elements with load-responsive protective
relays having time delays of 15 cycles or greater that trip due to
power swings and (2) mitigate through a corrective action plan where
Reliability Standard TPL-001-4 performance criteria are not met.
Specifically, Reliability Standard TPL-001-4 sets forth the parameters
for

certain studies associated with the annual planning assessment that are
intended to identify, among other things, situations where a
transmission system element trips due to an impedance swing resulting
from a generator pulling out of synchronization.\47\ An element that
trips due to the criteria in Requirement R4, Subpart 4.1.2 fails to
meet the performance requirements in Table 1 of Reliability Standard
TPL-001-4. When an element fails to meet the performance requirements
in Table 1, the planning coordinator is required to develop a
``Corrective Action Plan(s) addressing how the performance requirements
will be met.'' \48\ Therefore, Reliability Standard TPL-001-4 addresses
the concerns raised in the NOPR regarding the exclusion of load
responsive relays with a time delay of 15 cycles or greater from
Requirement R1 of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \47\ See Reliability Standard TPL-001-4 (Transmission System
Planning Performance Requirements), Requirement R4, Subpart 4.1.2.
    \48\ Id., Requirement R2, Subpart 2.7.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    28. Second, where an entity becomes aware of a bulk electric system
element that tripped in response to a stable or unstable power swing
due to the operation of its protective relay(s), we agree with
commenters that the tripping would be classified as a misoperation
under Reliability Standard PRC-004-4.\49\ Therefore, the generator
owner or transmission owner would be required to develop a corrective
action plan to address the cause(s) of the misoperation, which in this
case would be tripping due to a load-responsive protective relay set
with a time delay of 15 cycles or greater, unless the transmission
owner or generation owner ``explains in a declaration why corrective
action plans are beyond the entity's control or would not improve BES
reliability.'' \50\ Specifically, Reliability Standard PRC-004-4
requires entities to investigate and mitigate, through a corrective
action plan, any misoperation.\51\ A misoperation under Reliability
Standard PRC-004-4 includes, in pertinent part, unnecessary trips for
non-fault conditions resulting from power swings.\52\ Therefore,
Reliability Standard PRC-004-4 addresses the concerns raised in the
NOPR regarding the exclusion of load responsive relays with a time
delay of 15 cycles or greater from Requirement R2, Part 2.2 of
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1.
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    \49\ See, e.g., NERC Comments at 9-10, EEI Comments at 8.
    \50\ Reliability Standard PRC-004-4 (Protection System
Misoperation and Correction), Requirement R5.
    \51\ See id.
    \52\ Id., Application Guidelines at 22.
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    29. Finally, concerns with the potential burden of expanding the
applicability of Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 to cover relays with a
time delay of 15 cycles or greater in order to address the potential
reliability gap identified in the NOPR are moot given our determination
above that the potential reliability gap identified in the NOPR is
adequately addressed by existing Reliability Standard requirements.

III. Information Collection Statement

    30. The FERC-725G \53\ information collection requirements
contained in this Final Rule are subject to review by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) regulations under section 3507(d) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).\54\ OMB's regulations require
approval of certain informational collection requirements imposed by
agency rules.\55\ Upon approval of a collection(s) of information, OMB
will assign an OMB control number and an expiration date. Respondents
subject to the filing requirements of a rule will not be penalized for
failing to respond to these collections of information unless the
collections of information display a valid OMB control number.
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    \53\ The requirements in the RM15-8-000 NOPR were submitted to
OMB within FERC-725G3 (OMB Control Number 1902-0285). FERC-725G3 is
a temporary collection that enabled timely submission to OMB. The
requirements are now being submitted to the information collection
intended for these requirements, specifically FERC-725G (OMB Control
No. 1902-0252).
    \54\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
    \55\ 5 CFR 1320.11.
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    31. The Commission solicited 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. Specifically, the Commission asked
that any revised burden or cost estimates submitted by commenters be
supported by sufficient detail to understand how the estimates are
generated. The Commission did not receive any comments on the estimates
in the NOPR.
    Public Reporting Burden: The Commission approves Reliability
Standard PRC-026-1. Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 will impose new
requirements for the notification of particular bulk electric system
elements from planning coordinator to generator owners and
transmissions owners based on given criteria. Generator owners and
transmissions owner will evaluate those bulk electric system elements
and load-responsive protective relay(s) according to Attachment B
criteria and, if a load-responsive protective relay does not meet the
Attachment B criteria, the generator owner/transmission owner must
develop a corrective action plan. Our estimate below regarding the
number of respondents is based on the NERC Compliance Registry as of
June 26, 2015. According to the NERC Compliance Registry, NERC has
registered 318 transmission owners, 884 generator owners, and 68
planning coordinators. However, under NERC's compliance registration
program, entities may be registered for multiple functions, so these
numbers incorporate some double counting. The total number of unique
entities that may be identified as a notification provider (e.g.
applicable entity) in accordance with proposed Reliability Standard
PRC-026-1 will be approximately 1,074 entities registered in the United
States as a transmission owner and/or generator owner. The total number
of unique entities that may be identified as evidence retention
entities (e.g. applicable entity) in accordance with proposed
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 will be approximately 1,092 entities
registered in the United States as a transmission owner, generator
owner and/or planning coordinator. The Commission estimates the annual
reporting burden and cost as follows:

                                      RM15-8-000 (Mandatory Reliability Standards--Reliability Standard PRC-026-1)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Total annual
                                                             Number of     Annual number   Total number   Average burden  burden hours &     Cost per
                                                            respondents    of responses    of responses     & cost per     total annual   respondent ($)
                                                                          per respondent                     response          cost
                                                                     (1)             (2)     (1) * (2) =             (4)     (3) * (4) =       (5) / (1)
                                                                                (3)                             (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notifications to GO/TO per Requirement R1...............           1,074               1           1,074      8, $485.28           8,592         $485.28
                                                                                \56\        $521,191
Evidence Retention GO/TO/PC.............................           1,092               1           1,092     12, $450.00          13,104          450.00
                                                                                \57\        $491,400
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...............................................  ..............  ..............           2,166  ..............          21,696  ..............
                                                                                $1,012,591
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Title: FERC-725G, Mandatory Reliability Standards: Reliability
Standard PRC-026-1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \56\ The estimates for cost per response are derived using the
following formula:
    Average Burden Hours per Response * $60.66 per Hour = Average
Cost per Response. The hourly average of $60.66 assumes equal time
is spent by the manager, electrical engineer, and information and
record clerk. The average hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is:
$37.50 for information and record clerks (occupation code 43-4199),
$78.04 for a manager (occupation code 11-0000), and $66.45 for an
electrical engineer (occupation code 17-2071). (The figures are
taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2014 figures at
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm.)
    \57\ The average hourly cost (salary plus benefits) is $37.50.
The BLS wage category code is 34-4199. This figure is also taken
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2014 figures at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics2_22.htm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Action: Collection of Information.
    OMB Control No: 1902-0252.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit
institutions.
    Frequency of Responses: One time and on-going.
    Necessity of the Information: Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 will
implement the Congressional mandate of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to
develop mandatory and enforceable Reliability Standards to better
ensure the reliability of the nation's Bulk-Power System. Specifically,
the Reliability Standard will address undesirable relay operation due
to power swings.
    32. Internal review: The Commission has reviewed the requirements
pertaining to the Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 and made a
determination that the requirements of this standard are necessary to
implement section 215 of the FPA. These requirements conform to the
Commission's plan for efficient information collection, communication
and management within the energy industry. The Commission has assured
itself, by means of its internal review, that there is specific,
objective support for the burden estimates associated with the
information requirements.
    33. Interested persons may obtain information on the reporting
requirements by contacting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
Office of the Executive Director, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426 [Attention: Ellen Brown, email<EMAIL_ADDRESS>phone:
(202) 502-8663, fax:<PHONE_NUMBER>].
    34. Comments concerning the information collections approved in
this Final Rule and the associated burden estimates, should be sent to
the Commission in this docket and may also be sent to the Office of
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
[Attention: Desk Officer for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
phone:<PHONE_NUMBER>, fax:<PHONE_NUMBER>]. For security reasons,
comments should be sent by email to OMB at the following email address:
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Please reference the docket number of this
Final Rule (Docket No. RM15-8-000) in your submission.

IV. Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis

    35. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (RFA) \58\ generally
requires a description and analysis of this Final Rule that will have
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 sets forth requirements that prevent the
unnecessary tripping of bulk electric system elements in response to
stable power swings. As shown in the information collection section, an
estimated 1,092 entities are expected to evaluate bulk electric system
elements and load-responsive protective relay(s) according to
Attachment B criteria of PRC-026-1. Comparison of the applicable
entities with the Commission's small business data indicates that
approximately 661 are small entities \59\ or 60.53 percent of the
respondents affected by Reliability Standard PRC-026-1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \58\ 5 U.S.C. 601-612.
    \59\ The Small Business Administration sets the threshold for
what constitutes a small business. Public utilities may fall under
one of several different categories, each with a size threshold
based on the company's number of employees, including affiliates,
the parent company, and subsidiaries. For the analysis in this rule,
we apply a 500 employee threshold for each affected entity. Each
entity is classified as Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control
(NAICS code 221121).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    36. As discussed above, Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 will serve
to enhance reliability by imposing mandatory requirements governing
generator relay loadability, thereby reducing the likelihood of
premature or unnecessary tripping of generators during system
disturbances. The Commission estimates that each of the small entities
to whom the Reliability Standard PRC-026-1 applies will incur paperwork
and record retention costs of $935.28 per entity (annual ongoing).
    37. The Commission does not consider the estimated costs per small
entity to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of
small entities. Accordingly, the Commission certifies that Reliability
Standard PRC-026-1 will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. Accordingly, no regulatory
flexibility analysis is required.

V. Environmental Analysis

    38. The Commission is required to prepare an Environmental
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement for any action that may
have a significant adverse effect on the human environment.\60\ The
Commission has categorically excluded certain actions from this
requirement as not having a significant effect on the human
environment. Included in the exclusion are rules that are clarifying,
corrective,

or procedural or that do not substantially change the effect of the
regulations being amended.\61\ The actions herein fall within this
categorical exclusion in the Commission's regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \60\ Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, Order No. 486, FERC Stats. & Regs. ] 30,783 (1987).
    \61\ 18 CFR 380.4(a)(2)(ii) (2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Effective Date and Congressional Notification

    39. This Final Rule is effective May 23, 2016. The Commission has
determined, with the concurrence of the Administrator of the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, that this rule is not a
``major rule'' as defined in section 351 of the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This Final Rule is being
submitted to the Senate, House, and Government Accountability Office.

VII. Document Availability

    40. In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
Internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) and
in the Commission's Public Reference Room during normal business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time) at 888 First Street NE., Room 2A,
Washington, DC 20426.
    41. From the Commission's Home Page on the Internet, this
information is available on eLibrary. The full text of this document is
available on eLibrary in PDF and Microsoft Word format for viewing,
printing, and/or downloading. To access this document in eLibrary, type
the docket number of this document, excluding the last three digits, in
the docket number field.
    42. User assistance is available for eLibrary and the Commission's
Web site during normal business hours from the Commission's Online
Support at<PHONE_NUMBER> (toll free at 1-866-208-3676) or email at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or the Public Reference Room at (202) 502-
8371, TTY<PHONE_NUMBER>. Email the Public Reference Room at
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
    By the Commission.

    Issued: March 17, 2016.
Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr.,
Deputy Secretary.

    Note: The following Appendix will not appear in the Code of
Federal Regulations.

Appendix

                               Commenters
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Abbreviation                          Commenter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EEI..................................  Edison Electric Institute.
Idaho Power..........................  Idaho Power Company.
ITC..................................  International Transmission
                                        Company.
Luminant.............................  Luminant Generation Company LLC.
NERC.................................  North American Electric
                                        Reliability Corporation.
NAGF.................................  North American Generator Forum.
Tri-State............................  Tri-State Generation and
                                        Transmission Association, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2016-06508 Filed 3-23-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P