U.S. Energy Information Administration Independent Statistics & Analysis Electric Power Data Clearance Power Plant Operations Team: Channele Wirman, Ron Hankey, Chris Cassar, Michael Mellish, Diane Kearney, Tyler Hodge, Carrie Milton Power Plant Operations Form EIA-923, Power Plant Operations Report

Overview 2 Power Plant Operations Team Purpose –Review the current collection of information on the operation of power plants on the Form EIA-923, “Power Plant Operations Report,” Schedules 1 through 7. (Schedule 8 included in Environmental Data Team) –Determine whether additional data are needed and if existing data continue to be useful Identify additional data and the potential use Identify source and practicality of collecting additional data Consider data sensitivity (confidentiality issues) Consider outside sources vs. adding elements to existing F923 Recommendations Channele Wirman Washington, DC, April 26, 2012

Data Need: Expansion of Coal Quality Data Channele Wirman Washington, DC, April 26, Add moisture content and chloride content to coal quality data. Currently, sulfur, ash, mercury and heat contents are collected, as well as the origin by mine for coal purchases. Data Use: Stakeholders have requested this information. These coal characteristics may play a role in coal switching (between types of coal) and retrofit decisions especially with respect to the Mercury Air Toxics Standard. May have modeling implications. Data Source: Respondents to Schedule 2 of Form 923, Cost and Quality of Fuel Data Availability: Usually but not universally available in standard fuel quality analysis provided to purchasers of coal. Data Sensitivity: None

Data Need: Natural Gas Pipeline Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: In addition to the fuel supplier, the natural gas pipeline(s) connected to power plants Data Use: Natural Gas Division request to provide accuracy in assessing NG deliveries to the electric power sector (reported by major pipelines on Form 176) Source of data: Respondents to Schedule 2, Fuel Cost and Quality or respondents to Form 860. Data Availability: Readily available. After initial collection, can be pre-populated on form Data sensitivity: None

Data Need: Expanded Fuel Cost Components Channele Wirman, Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Add a component of cost data for “Other Costs” that are not commodity costs or transportation costs. Examples include contract buy out fees, Cash in/Cash out for gas deliveries, and NG storage fees. Data Use: Add clarity to the cost data to enhance analysis of transportation and commodity costs. Current collection allows too much ambiguity and leads to “apples to oranges” comparisons of cost data. Data Source: Current respondents to Schedule 2 on Form 923 Data Availability: Requires careful instructions on the type of cost categories to include in each cost component, commodity, total delivered, and other costs. Data Sensitivity: Confidentiality required.

Data Need: Firm and Interruptible Gas Cost Data Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Categorization of both the supply and capacity costs for NG purchases into firm and interruptible. Currently, only capacity is defined as F and I. Data Use: More accurately allow analysts to characterize the various types of NG transactions in the market. Data Source: Current respondents to Schedule 2 Data Availability: Readily Available and less ambiguous than current set of choices (Spot or Contract) Data Sensitivity: None

Data Need: Relationship of Fuel ‘terminals’ to power plants served Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Identify power plants served by the fuel terminal respondents to Form EIA-923 and the fuel quantities distributed to the plants served. Data Use: Accurate assignment of receipts and fuel stocks reported by fuel terminals to the power plants served Data Source: Current respondents described as “fuel terminals” to Schedules 2 and 4 of Form 923 (Fuel Cost and Quality and Fuel Stocks) Data Availability: Readily available Data Sensitivity: None beyond current confidentiality of stocks and fuel cost data

Data Need: Combined-Cycle Unit Level Data Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Currently, the steam unit level data are collected for fuel use and generation output, but the gas turbines are collected as a sum. Data Use: Collecting unit level data for the gas turbines will enhance analysis and forecasting for the combined cycle segment of the power generation fleet. Current collection allows only a plant level analysis. Data Source: Current respondents to Form 923. A new schedule for only combined cycle data would facilitate accurate reporting for these data. Data Availability: Readily available, and should be easier than the current collection which requires respondents to sum unit level data. Data Sensitivity: None

Data Need: Identification for blended coal for consumption data only (not receipts) Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: New fuel code to identify blended coal as burned, usually a blend of subbituminous and bituminous coals. Data Use: Identify coal products combusted at power plants that cannot be accurately categorized as purely bituminous or subbituminous. Data Availability: Readily available (currently reported with ambiguous fuel codes) Data Source: Current Form 923 respondents Data Sensitivity: None

Data Need: Generation provided under ‘tolling’ agreements Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Volume of net generation provided under the bartering agreements commonly called tolling agreements Data Use: Identify the volume not included in sales for resale that is put on the grid for resale but has no wholesale cost component (collected on Schedule 7) Data Source: Current respondents to Schedule 6 on Form 923, Nonutility Source and Disposition of Power (annually) Data Availability: Readily available Data Sensitivity: None

Data Need: Description of “Other Incoming and Other Outgoing” power Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: A text field description to identify the nature of the power reported as “Other Incoming” and “Other Outgoing” on Schedule 6, Nonutility Source and Disposition of Electricity. Data Use: Enhanced understanding of disposition of electricity by nonutilities. Data Source: Current respondents to Schedule 6 Data Availability: Readily Available Data Sensitivity: None

Data Need: Retail Sales and Revenue from Nonutilities Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Add the data currently collected on Form 861 U to Schedule 6 of Form 923. Data Use: Completes retail sales and revenue by sector for nonutility retail sales – currently a stand alone survey Data Source: Current respondents to Schedule 6 on Form 923 who report retail sales as part of the electricity disposition Data Availability: Readily available (currently collected) Data Sensitivity: None

Data Need: Confidentiality of Revenue data Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Revenue from Sales for Resale should be confidential. Data Use: Currently collected, but not published. Respondents regularly express the sensitive nature of these type of data Data Availability: Readily available, but reluctantly reported due to sensitive nature. Data Source: Current Form EIA-923 respondents Data Sensitivity: Sensitive

Data Need: Confidential Contact Data Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data Need: Declare contact name, , telephone, address, and title for both the primary and supervisory contact as collected on Schedule 1 of the Form 923 confidential data Data Use: Allows our contacts protection from release of their names and other information Data Sensitivity: Very sensitive. Most requests for these data are from vendors seeking to use the mailing list to market products.

Summary of Data Needs Recommendations Channele Wirman Washington DC, April 26, Data to add to the Form EIA-923, Power Plant Operations Report –New Schedule for Combined Cycle data and detailed unit level data for gas turbine portions –Transfer Form 861 U collection of retail sales/revenue/customer count –Enhance Source and Disposition from Nonutilities by breaking out tolling agreement disposition and identification of “Other Incoming” and “Other Outgoing” –Relationship of fuel terminals to plants served and volumes of fuel distribution by plant –Unique identifier for blended coal as burned –Other fuel cost component that is not transportation or commodity costs –Moisture and Chloride content of Coal as delivered (purchased) –NG Pipeline identification and Expanded Firm and Interruptible for both supply and capacity –Confidentiality for Revenue from Sales for Resale and Contact Information