Commission Information Collection Activities (Ferc-555); Comment Request; Extension
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 the cur...
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 the currently approved information collection, FERC-555: Preservation of Records for Public Utilities and Licensees, Natural Gas and Oil Pipeline Companies (OMB Control No. 1902-0098) which will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a review of the information collection requirements. There are no proposed changes to the record keeping requirements. The 60-day notice period ended on September 8, 2026, with no comments received.
DATES:
Comments on the collection of information are due October 16, 2026.
Please submit a copy of your comments to the Commission via email to
DataClearance@FERC.gov.
You must specify the Docket No. (IC26-32-000) and the FERC Information Collection number (FERC-555) 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.
Type of Request:
Three-year extension of the FERC-555 information collection requirements with no changes to the record keeping requirements.
Title:
Preservation of Records for Public Utilities and Licensees, Natural Gas Companies, and Oil Pipeline Companies.
OMB Control No.:
1902-0098.
Abstract:
The Commission collects the information to carry out its responsibilities described in sections 301, 304, and 309 of the Federal Power Act (FPA),[1]
sections 8, 10, and 16 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA),[2]
and in the Interstate Commerce Act (ICA).[3]
The regulations for preservation of records at 18 CFR parts 125, 225, and 356 establish retention periods and other requirements for applicable records. These requirements apply to the public utilities, licensees, natural gas companies, and oil pipeline companies that are subject to the Commission's jurisdiction. In general, FERC's regulations require jurisdictional companies to maintain the following types of records:
Corporate;
Information Technology Management;
General Accounting;
Personnel and Payroll;
Transportation;
Tariffs and Rates;
Insurance;
Operations and Maintenance;
Plant and Depreciation;
Purchase and Stores;
Revenue Accounting and Collection;
Tax;
Treasury; and
Miscellaneous.
Regulated entities use these records as the basis for required rate filings and reports to the Commission. The Commission's audit staff may use the records during compliance reviews, and the Commission's enforcement staff may use the information during investigations. In addition, the Commission's staff may use the records for special analyses on subjects such as jurisdictional entities' responses to extreme weather events.
Types of Respondents:
Electric utilities, licensees, natural gas companies, and oil pipeline companies.
Estimate of Annual Burden:[4]
The Commission estimates the annual burden and cost for the information collection as follows.
Number of
respondents
Annual
number of
responses per
respondent
Total
number of
responses
Average burden hrs. & cost per response 5
Total annual burden hours & total annual cost
Cost per
respondent
($)
(1)
(2)
(1) * (2) = (3)
(4)
(3) * (4) = (5)
(5) ÷ (1)
Preservation of Records 6
667
1
667
5,218.5 hrs.; $532,287
3,480,740 hrs.; $355,035,480
$532,287
Total
667
3,480,740 hours; $355,035,480
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.
4.
Burden is defined as the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a federal agency. See 5 CFR 1320 for additional information on the definition of information collection burden.
5.
FERC estimates that industry hourly costs are similar to the Commission FY 2026 average salary plus benefits of $213,003 per year (or $102/hour).
6.
The estimate of annual burden incorporates an additional 0.5 hr per respondent annual estimated burden approved by the Commission in
Policy Statement on Project-Area Wage Standards in the Labor Cost Component of Cost-of-Service Rates,
186 FERC ¶ 61,190 at P 20 (2024) (” entities seeking to include project-area wage standards in cost-of-service rates should maintain and preserve records, including books of account or records for work performed by employees, contractors or subcontractors, sufficient to demonstrate that claimed project-area wages were actually paid.”). The 60-day
Federal Register
Notice correctly stated that there are no proposed changes to the record keeping requirements. However, the additional burden associated with the previously approved Project Area Wages Record Retention was inadvertently omitted from the 60-day
Federal Register
Notice.
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRA/icrPublicCommentRequest?ref_nbr=202607-1902-008
elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search
18 CFR parts 125
16 U.S.C. 825