18 CFR - Conservation of Power and Water Resources

Notice is provided of the Commission's regulatory program fees and schedule of water charges for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018.

This document contains corrections to the final rule (RM18-7-000) which published in the Federal Register of Wednesday, May 23, 2018.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) in this order on clarification and rehearing grants in part Edison Electric Institute's request for clarification or, in the alternative, rehearing of Order No. 833, and denies rehearing of that order, which amends the Commission's regulations to implement provisions of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act pertaining to the designation, protection, and sharing of Critical Energy/Electric Infrastructure Information.

In this final action, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is amending the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Procedures and the pro forma Large Generator Interconnection Agreement to improve certainty, promote more informed interconnection, and enhance interconnection processes. The reforms are intended to ensure that the generator interconnection process is just and reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing a process that will allow it to determine which jurisdictional natural gas pipelines may be collecting unjust and unreasonable rates in light of the recent reduction in the corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and changes to the Commission's income tax allowance policies following the United Airlines, Inc. v. FERC decision.

This document contains rules that amend the regulations of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (Commission) to codify the Commission's Access to Records Policy providing rules and procedures for the public to request and receive the Commission's public records.

In accordance with the Commission's regulations, the Commission, by its designee, the Executive Director, issues this annual update to the fee schedule in the appendix to the part, which lists per-acre rental fees by county (or other geographic area) for use of government lands by hydropower licensees.

Pursuant to the authority delegated by the Commission's regulations, the Director of the Office of Energy Projects (OEP) computes and publishes the project cost and annual limits for natural gas pipelines blanket construction certificates for each calendar year.

The Commission proposes to adopt a more accurate title of Withdrawal of pleadings (Rule 216), for Rule 216 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. The Commission also proposes to clarify the text of the Rule.

Take notice that on February 1, 2018, pursuant to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) Rules of Practice and Procedure, Airlines for America and the National Propane Gas Association submit this Petition for Rulemaking (Petition), and respectfully request that the Commission issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking expanding its affiliate Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers regulations to the crude oil, natural gas liquid, and petroleum product pipeline industry, as more fully explained in the petition.

This document contains corrections to the final rule (RM11-6-000) which published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 (82 FR 12717). The Final Rule provided the annual update to the fee schedule in Appendix A to Part 11, which lists per-acre rental fees by county (or other geographic area) for use of government lands by hydropower licensees and updated Appendix A to Part 11 with the fee schedule of per-acre rental fees by county (or other geographic area) from October 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017 (Fiscal Year 2017).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve supply chain risk management Reliability Standards CIP-013-1 (Cyber Security—Supply Chain Risk Management), CIP-005-6 (Cyber Security—Electronic Security Perimeter(s)) and CIP-010-3 (Cyber Security—Configuration Change Management and Vulnerability Assessments). The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization, submitted the proposed Reliability Standards for Commission approval in response to a Commission directive. In addition, the Commission proposes that NERC develop and submit certain modifications to the supply chain risk management Reliability Standards.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves Emergency Preparedness and Operations (EOP) Reliability Standards EOP-004-4 (Event Reporting), EOP-005-3 (System Restoration from Blackstart Resources), EOP-006-3 (System Restoration Coordination), and EOP-008-2 (Loss of Control Center Functionality).

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is proposing to amend its regulations that govern floating cabins located on the Tennessee River and its tributaries. The mooring of floating cabins on the TVA reservoir system has increased, and TVA has determined that this poses an unacceptable risk to navigation, safety, and the environment. Left unaddressed, floating cabins convert the public waters under TVA's management to private use. The proposed amendments would re-define nonnavigable houseboats and floating cabins using one term—“floating cabins”—and prohibit new floating cabins on TVA-managed reservoirs after December 16, 2016. The proposed amendments also include limited mooring standards, limitations on expansions of floating cabins, and requirements for owners to register their floating cabins. Additional health, safety, and environmental standards for floating cabins will be addressed in a later rulemaking once TVA has had the opportunity to discuss such standards with various stakeholders. In addition, and separate from the updated rule amendments for floating cabins, these proposed amendments contain a minor changes to clarify when TVA will allow some water-use facilities ( e.g., docks) to be as large as 1,800 square feet.

In accordance with the Commission regulations, the Commission issues this update of its filing fees. This notice provides the yearly update using data in the Commission's Financial System to calculate the new fees. The purpose of updating is to adjust the fees on the basis of the Commission's costs for Fiscal Year 2017.

The Federal Power Act requires hydropower licensees to recompense the United States for the use, occupancy, and enjoyment of federal lands. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) assesses annual charges for the use of federal lands through its regulations concerning charges for the use of government lands. In this Final Rule, the Commission revises the per-acre land value component of its methodology for calculating these annual charges for hydropower projects located in Alaska. Pursuant to the Final Rule, the Commission will calculate a statewide per-acre land value for hydropower lands in Alaska. The Commission will use this statewide per-acre land value, rather than a regional per-acre land value, to calculate annual charges for use of federal lands for all hydropower projects in Alaska, except those located in the Aleutian Islands Area.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is withdrawing its proposal to amend its regulations to require that each regional transmission organization and independent system operator incorporate market rules that meet certain requirements when pricing fast-start resources.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to direct the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization, to develop and submit modifications to the NERC Reliability Standards to improve mandatory reporting of Cyber Security Incidents, including incidents that might facilitate subsequent efforts to harm the reliable operation of the bulk electric system.

On October 10, 2017, the Department of Energy (the Department or DOE) published a proposed Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule for final action by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC). Secretary of Energy Rick Perry (the Secretary) directed FERC either to publish an immediately-effective interim rule or to take final action on the proposed rule within 60 days of publication, thereby establishing a deadline of December 11, 2017. By letter dated December 7, 2017, the Commission requested an extension of the proposed rule's deadline. By letter dated December 8, 2017, the Secretary granted the Commission's request. The Secretary's letter is set forth in full below.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve Reliability Standards PRC-027-1 (Coordination of Protection Systems for Performance During Faults) and PER-006-1 (Specific Training for Personnel) submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The purpose of proposed Reliability Standard PRC-027-1 is to maintain the coordination of protection systems installed to detect and isolate faults on bulk electric system elements, such that those protection systems operate in the intended sequence during faults. The purpose of proposed Reliability Standard PER-006-1 is to ensure that personnel are trained on specific topics essential to reliability to perform or support real-time operations of the bulk electric system. In addition, the Commission proposes to direct NERC to develop certain modifications to proposed Reliability Standard PRC-027-1.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve Reliability Standards PRC-027-1 (Coordination of Protection Systems for Performance During Faults) and PER-006-1 (Specific Training for Personnel) submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The purpose of proposed Reliability Standard PRC-027-1 is to maintain the coordination of protection systems installed to detect and isolate faults on bulk electric system elements, such that those protection systems operate in the intended sequence during faults. The purpose of proposed Reliability Standard PER-006-1 is to ensure that personnel are trained on specific topics essential to reliability to perform or support real-time operations of the bulk electric system. In addition, the Commission proposes to direct NERC to develop certain modifications to proposed Reliability Standard PRC-027-1.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is granting in part and denying in part requests for rehearing and clarification of its determinations in Order No. 831, which amended its regulations to address incremental energy offer caps in markets operated by regional transmission organizations and independent system operators.

The Tennessee Valley Authority issues this final rule amending its Privacy Act (PA) regulation to redesignate section numbering.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is inviting comments on the proposed rule published on October 10, 2017 in the Federal Register by the Commission at the direction of the Department of Energy.

This document contains proposed rules that would codify in the regulations and strengthen the Susquehanna River Basin Commission's (Commission) Access to Records Policy providing rules and procedures for the public to request and receive the Commission's public records.

Pursuant to the Department of Energy Organization Act (DOE Act), the Secretary of Energy (Secretary) is proposing a rule for final action by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC). The Secretary is proposing the Commission exercise its authority under the Federal Power Act (FPA) to establish just and reasonable rates for wholesale electricity sales. Under the proposal, the Commission will impose rules on Commission-approved independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission organizations (RTOs) to ensure that certain reliability and resilience attributes of electric generation resources are fully valued. The Secretary is directing the Commission to take final action on this proposal within 60 days of publication of this proposed rule in the Federal Register or, in the alternative, to issue the rule as an interim final rule immediately, with provision for later modifications after consideration of public comments. The Secretary further directs that any final rule adopting this proposal take effect within 30 days of publication of such final rule in the Federal Register and proposes that each ISO and RTO subject to the rule shall submit a compliance filing within 15 days of the effective date of such final rule.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves Reliability Standard PRC-012-2 (Remedial Action Schemes) submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. The purpose of Reliability Standard PRC-012-2 is to ensure that remedial action schemes do not introduce unintentional or unacceptable reliability risks to the bulk electric system.