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OMB Control No: 1902-0262	ICR Reference No: 202002-1902-004
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201409-1902-008
Agency/Subagency: FERC	Agency Tracking No: FERC-922
Title: FERC-922, [AD19-16] Performance Metrics for ISOs, RTOs, and Utilities in Regions Outside ISOs and RTOs
Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 04/21/2020
	Date Received in OIRA: 03/03/2020
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three years.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	04/30/2023	36 Months From Approved
Responses	18	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	2,144	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: In September 2008, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report recommending that the Commission, among other actions, work with Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), Independent System Operators (ISOs), stakeholders, and other experts to develop standardized metrics to track the performance of RTO/ISO operations and markets and publicly report those metrics. In accordance with the 2008 GAO Report, Commission staff developed a set of standardized metrics (the Common Metrics), sought and received OMB approval to collect information on those metrics from RTOs/ISOs, and later non-RTO/ISO utilities, and ultimately issued five public reports (Common Metrics Reports). In December 2017, the GAO issued a report on the RTOs/ISOs with centralized capacity markets. Among other recommendations, the GAO found that the Commission should take steps to improve the quality of the data collected for its Common Metrics Reports, such as implementing improved data quality checks and, where feasible, ensuring that RTOs/ISOs report consistent metrics over time by standardizing definitions. Furthermore, the GAO recommended that the Commission develop and document an approach to regularly identify, assess, and respond to risks that capacity markets face. In response to the 2017 GAO Report, Commission staff has proposed changes to the Common Metrics information collection. First, Commission staff proposes to improve the data collection process by creating a standardized information collection Input Spreadsheet (i.e., the reporting form) and an updated, more detailed User Guide, which will provide guidance on completing the information collection request, including information about who should respond; the timeline for responses; the metrics being collected, including important definitions and a description of the types of metrics and their structure in the information collection; and how to properly use the reporting form. Also, Commission staff proposes to update the list of Common Metrics to focus on centrally-organized energy markets and capacity markets, which involves adding capacity market metrics. The update eliminates previously-collected metrics on reliability, RTO/ISO billing controls and customer satisfaction, interconnection and transmission processes, and system lambda. Commission staff proposes eliminating these metrics because they provide limited information, do not significantly help Commission staff or the public draw any conclusions regarding the benefits of an RTO/ISO, and to reduce the reporting burden for respondents. The revised data collection, after additions and deletions, consists of twenty-nine Common Metrics. Without information allowing for a comparison of performance between ISOs/RTOs and regions outside of ISOs/RTOs, the Commission will not have the information necessary to identify the benefits of ISOs/RTOs based on actual performance of ISOs/RTOs and regions outside of ISOs/RTOs over the same time periods. Furthermore, as noted above, the GAO report specifically criticized the Commission's initial measures for evaluating ISO/RTO performance as "not comprehensive" because they "do not compare performance between RTO and non-RTO regions." Consequently, the Commission is seeking information from RTOs, ISOs and entities outside RTO and ISO regions.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 824e Name of Law: Federal Power Act
US Code: 16 USC 824d Name of Law: Federal Power Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	84 FR 32908	07/10/2019
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 5418	01/30/2020
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
RTO/ISO and Non-RTO/ISO Reporting Requirements	FERC-922

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	18	18
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	2,144	2,144
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: In September 2008, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report recommending that the Commission, among other actions, work with Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), Independent System Operators (ISOs), stakeholders, and other experts to develop standardized metrics to track the performance of RTO/ISO operations and markets and publicly report those metrics. In accordance with the 2008 GAO Report, Commission staff developed a set of standardized metrics (the Common Metrics), sought and received OMB approval to collect information on those metrics from RTOs/ISOs, and later non-RTO/ISO utilities, and ultimately issued five public reports (Common Metrics Reports). In response to the 2017 GAO Report, Commission staff has proposed changes to the Common Metrics information collection. First, Commission staff proposes to improve the data collection process by creating a standardized information collection Input Spreadsheet (i.e., the reporting form) and an updated, more detailed User Guide, which will provide guidance on completing the information collection request, including information about who should respond; the timeline for responses; the metrics being collected, including important definitions and a description of the types of metrics and their structure in the information collection; and how to properly use the reporting form. Also, Commission staff proposes to update the list of Common Metrics to focus on centrally-organized energy markets and capacity markets, which involves adding capacity market metrics.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $80,023

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Darren Sheets 202 502-8742 darren.sheets@ferc.gov

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