Improving the Quality and Scope of EIA Data
uly 27, 2011
Executive Summary
Section 805(a) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Public Law 110-1401, requires the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to establish a five-year plan to enhance "the quality and scope of its data collection necessary to ensure that the scope, accuracy, and timeliness of the information needed for efficient functioning of energy markets and related financial operations."
In establishing the plan under section 805(a), EIA is to pay particular attention to six areas of data:
- data series terminated because of budget constraints;
- data on demand response;
- timely data series of State-level information;
- improvements in the area of oil and gas data;
- improvements in data on solid byproducts from coal-based energy-producing facilities; and
- the ability to meet applicable deadlines under Federal law (including regulations) to provide data required by Congress.
This report is in response to section 805(b) of EISA which calls on EIA to submit to Congress the plan established under subsection (a), "including a description of any improvements needed to enhance the ability of the Administrator to collect and process energy information in a manner consistent with the needs of energy markets."