Electricity Regulation: Factors Affecting the Processing of Electric Power Applications
RCED-93-168
Published: Jul 23, 1993. Publicly Released: Aug 24, 1993.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) application processing for the approval of proposed wholesale electricity transactions, focusing on: (1) factors that affect application processing times; (2) the impact of new legislation on the FERC workload; and (3) potential procedural changes to enhance application processing.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Energy Regulatory Commission | To further improve FERC processing of electric power applications, the Chair, FERC, should upgrade the FERC management information system to retain data: (1) reflecting starting and completion dates of when applications moved through the stages of the application review process; and (2) indicating the number of incomplete applications and the length of time needed for applicants to supply missing information. |
Closed – Implemented
FERC sent a letter to GAO dated June 21, 1995, to update the status of this open recommendation. According to this letter, FERC has designed a replacement for the computer software that was the focus of this recommendation. FERC will incorporate this recommendation in this revised software. FERC will implement the replacement software following the completion of other higher-priority efforts including moving the agency into new office space and converting its mainframe computer system to a local area network.
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| Federal Energy Regulatory Commission | To further improve FERC processing of electric power applications, the Chair, FERC, should systematically gather data on incomplete applications, through deficiency letters and telephone calls regarding filing requirements, and periodically assess this information to determine if revisions to FERC filing requirements, policy statements, or other strategies could be used to eliminate or reduce the number of recurring problems. |
Closed – Implemented
FERC sent a letter to GAO on June 21, 1995, to update the status of this open recommendation. According to this letter, FERC's Office of Electric Power has completed two efforts to reduce the number of deficient filings. First, FERC published a guide for its customers that discusses common filing problems and how customers can avoid these problems. Second, FERC developed a deficiency tracking system that categorizes and tracks the most common filing deficiencies and allows FERC to update their filing guide as appropriate.
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| Federal Energy Regulatory Commission | To further improve FERC processing of electric power applications, the Chair, FERC, should expedite the adoption of a policy, as required by the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act, allowing for the use of additional alternative settlement procedures. |
Closed – Implemented
FERC sent a letter to GAO on June 21, 1995, to update the status of this open recommendation. According to this letter, FERC issued a final rule on April 12, 1995 to implement the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act and other forms of consensual resolution of FERC proceedings.
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