FERC Yawns: Gas Pipeline Reports Get Three More Years of Snooze
Published Date: 12/31/2025
Notice
Summary
FERC is extending the current rules that require interstate natural gas pipelines to report their flow and capacity data for another three years—no changes or extra paperwork needed. This helps keep natural gas markets fair and clear for everyone. Pipeline companies should note that comments on this extension are due by March 2, 2026, but there’s no new cost or burden involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Three-Year Extension of FERC-551 Reporting
FERC is extending the FERC-551 rule for another three years with no changes to the reporting or record retention requirements. Interstate natural gas pipelines must continue daily postings of flow, volume, and capacity data that are available for download for at least 90 days and retained by the pipeline for three years. Stakeholders may submit comments on this extension by March 2, 2026.
Estimated Annual Hours and Dollar Burden
FERC estimates 178 interstate pipeline respondents will post 365 times per year (64,970 total responses). Each response averages 0.5 hours, totaling 32,485 annual burden hours; that equals about 182.5 hours and $12,593 in annual cost per respondent and a total annual cost of $2,241,465.
Continued Market Transparency for Consumers
FERC uses the pipelines' FERC-551 postings to promote price transparency, fair competition, and protection of consumers. The rule requires daily postings that must be downloadable for at least 90 days and retained for three years, which FERC says helps ensure jurisdictional prices are just and reasonable.
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