Office of Electric Reliability (OER)

OER Org Chart

What We Do

The Office of Electric Reliability (OER) will help protect and improve the reliability and security of the nation's bulk power system through effective regulatory oversight as established by Congress and the President in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Oversees the development and review of mandatory reliability and security standards. Oversees compliance with the approved mandatory standards by the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system.

Functions

1. Monitor and participate in the standards development process to help improve the quality of reliability standards proposed to the Commission. Review filed standards to make recommendations as to whether the Commission should approve or remand it, or whether the Commission should direct the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to create a new standard or revise an existing standard.
2. Monitor the compliance of the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system with the reliability standards.
3. Lead or join in periodic and unscheduled reviews and audits of the ERO, Regional Entities, and users, owners, and operators to determine the effectiveness of their reliability programs and their compliance with reliability standards.
4. Lead or join in analysis and investigations concerning complaints, blackouts, near-misses, etc., on the bulk power system to determine if reliability standards were violated, changes to the reliability standards are warranted, or if the reliability standards are adequate for their intended purpose.
5. Oversee the ERO's reliability assessments to identify and investigate constraints on the bulk power system. Oversee other ERO activities to promote reliable and secure planning and operations of the bulk power system, including the NERC business plan, budget, 5-year performance assessment, rules of procedures and its task forces, working groups, committees, stakeholder processes, and guidance to the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system.
6. Engage in the regional planning processes to determine if proposed and approved projects are sufficient to meet the reliability requirements.
7. Coordinate with the applicable Federal agencies; other governments; state agencies and regulators including the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC); the Electric Reliability Organization and Regional Entities (RE); the ISO/RTOs; users, owners and operators of the bulk power system; stakeholders; customers; etc. to facilitate electric reliability and security.
8. Monitor real-time events on the bulk power system, reporting the most significant to the Chairman, Commissioners, and senior staff through a 24/7 emergency reporting system.
9. Work with other internal and external groups to evaluate elements that may impact the bulk power system (such as fuel constraints, generation and transmission siting and permitting, congestion, rate recovery for reliability expenditures, etc.) and cost recovery options for potential solutions.
10. Identify localized constrained areas of the bulk power system and probable regulatory/legislative concerns.
11. Perform independent and collaborative analysis with the ERO to explore, develop, and implement procedures and/or reliability standards to secure the bulk power system, including cyber facilities, against outside attack.
12. Provide electrical engineering support to other Commission offices regarding bulk power system reliability.
     

Division of Operations and Planning Standards

Mission Statement

The Division of Operations and Planning Standards oversees all aspects of operations and planning related matters that affect the bulk power system. Monitor and participate in the development and review of operations and planning mandatory reliability standards, review and advise the Commission on filed operations and planning reliability standards. Oversees compliance with the approved mandatory operations and planning standards by the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system. Oversees and analyzes bulk power system reliability performance. Assesses and advises whether new or modified operations and planning reliability standards are required.

Functions

1. Monitor and participate in the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) and Regional Entities (RE) reliability standards development process to help improve the quality of operations and planning reliability standards proposed to the Commission.
2. Review proposed operations and planning reliability standards to recommend whether the Commission should approve, remand, or direct the ERO revise approved operations and planning reliability standards or develop new standards; includes performing quantitative technical arguments supported by data and analysis, in collaboration with the Division of Engineering and Logistics.
3. Monitor ERO/REs compliance monitoring of users, owners, and/or operators of the bulk power system with the operations and planning reliability standards; includes leading or participating in periodic and/or unscheduled reviews and audits of the ERO/REs, and users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system to determine the effectiveness of programs and compliance with operations and planning reliability standards.
4. Monitor, in conjunction with OE, ERO/REs compliance enforcement of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system with the operations and planning reliability standards; includes tracking and reviewing all alleged violations, mitigation plans, and Notices of Penalty.
5. Conduct, with the Office of Enforcement (OE), operations and planning compliance audits of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system, independent of, or in partnership with, the ERO/REs.
6. Perform analysis of bulk power system events, notifications, requests, or complaints in partnership with OE, as appropriate, to assess adequacy of operations and planning reliability standards; includes compliance and/or alleged violations, identification of gaps, and opportunities to strengthen.
7. Perform analysis of bulk power system events, or of other information, in collaboration with NERC/REs, to identify and inform users, owners, and operators of bulk power system vulnerabilities.
8. Review appeals of ERO compliance registry decisions, with the Office of the General Counsel.
9. Coordinate with the Office of Energy Infrastructure Security (OEIS), Office of Energy Projects (OEP), Office of the General Counsel - General Administrative Law (GAL), applicable Federal agencies, the ERO/REs, stakeholders, and academia on current and emerging bulk power system reliability related issues.
10. Outreach with applicable Federal agencies, the ERO/REs, stakeholders, academia, and vendors to explore, develop, and implement procedures and/or reliability standards to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system.
11. Assess whether operations and planning reliability standards are adequate and whether new or modified operations and planning reliability standards are needed based on its oversight of standards development, implementation and compliance, and its assessment of bulk power system reliability performance and bulk power system trends.
12. Support as necessary, the other divisions' activities and requirements.

Division of Operations and Planning Standards is led by Director Mark Hegerle and Deputy Director Olutayo Oyelade.
 

Division of Cyber Security

Mission Statement

The Division of Cyber Security oversees all aspects of cyber security related matters that affect the bulk power system. Monitor and participate in the development and review of Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) mandatory reliability standards, review and advise the Commission on filed cyber security reliability standards. Oversees compliance with the approved mandatory cyber security standards by the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system. Assesses and advises whether new or modified cyber security reliability standards are required.

Functions

1. Monitor and participate in the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) and Regional Entities (RE) reliability standards development process to help improve the quality of cyber security reliability standards proposed to the Commission.
2. Review proposed cyber security reliability standards to recommend whether the Commission should approve, remand, or direct the ERO revise approved cyber security reliability standards or develop new standards; includes performing quantitative technical arguments supported by data and analysis, in collaboration with the Division of Engineering and Logistics.
3. Monitor ERO/REs compliance monitoring of users, owners, and/or operators of the bulk power system with the cyber security reliability standards; includes leading or participating in periodic and/or unscheduled reviews and audits of the ERO/REs, and users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system to determine the effectiveness of cyber security programs and compliance with cyber security reliability standards.
4. Monitor, in conjunction with OE, ERO/REs compliance enforcement of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system with the cyber security reliability standards; includes tracking and reviewing all cyber security alleged violations, mitigation plans, and Notices of Penalty.
5. Conduct, with the Office of Enforcement (OE), cyber security compliance audits of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system, independent of, or in partnership with, the ERO/REs.
6. Perform analysis of bulk power system events, notifications, requests, or complaints in partnership with OE, as appropriate, to assess adequacy of cyber security reliability standards; includes compliance and/or alleged violations, identification of gaps, and opportunities to strengthen.
7. Perform analysis of cyber security events, or of other information, in collaboration with NERC/REs, to identify and inform users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system of cyber security vulnerabilities.
8. Coordinate with the Office of Energy Infrastructure and Security (OEIS), Office of Energy Projects (OEP), Office of the General Counsel - General and Administrative Law (GAL), applicable Federal agencies, the ERO/REs, stakeholders, and academia on current and emerging cyber security related issues.
9. Outreach with applicable Federal agencies, the ERO/REs, stakeholders, academia, and vendors to explore, develop, and implement procedures and/or CIP reliability standards to protect the cyber security of the bulk power system.
10. Assess whether cyber security reliability standards are adequate and whether new or modified cyber security reliability standards are needed based on its oversight of standards development, implementation and compliance, and its assessment of BPS security and emerging security requirements.
11. Support as necessary, the other divisions' activities and requirements.

Division of Cyber Security is led by Director Cynthia Pointer and Deputy Director Kal Ayoub.
 

Division of Engineering and Logistics

Mission Statement

The Division of Engineering and Logistics analyzes, monitors and addresses issues concerning the nation's bulk power system performance. It monitors the bulk power system in real-time, providing assessments of events. It also performs longer-term assessments of resource adequacy and reliability. Actively provides technical support and leadership as part of reviewing reliability-related actions occurring throughout the Commission, with a focus on evaluating relevant engineering subject matter and potential reliability impacts to the bulk power system. Support ERO oversight through reviewing the annual budget, following stakeholder processes, reviewing ERO assessments, and processing other non-standards related ERO filings and matters.

Functions

1. Oversee review of non-standards related NERC activities, including the business plan and budget, the five-year performance assessment, Rules of Procedure changes, among others. Coordinate staff oversight and review of NERC guidelines, lessons learned, and other non-regulatory activities.
2. Review electric rate filings to determine those with reliability implications. Actively support Office of Energy Market Regulation-led teams, making certain that such filings are evaluated for their reliability/engineering aspects and potential impacts to the bulk power system.
3. Lead technical and engineering analyses for input into electric orders in order to meet the Commission's goal of protecting and improving the reliability of the bulk power system.
4. Validate simultaneous transmission import limit studies related to FPA Section 205 market-based rate applications and FPA Section 203 merger applications.
5. Provide technical and engineering support to the Office of Energy Policy and Innovation (OEPI) on reliability in the development of the Commission's policy initiatives. Also provide technical analysis and support to the Office of Enforcement (OE) in reviewing and analyzing transmission issues resulting from hotline calls and investigations.
6. Monitor and participate in regional and interregional planning processes to determine if proposed and approved projects are sufficient to meet reliability requirements.
7. Provide support to the Office of Energy Projects for the invocation of backstop siting authority when required.
8. Oversee the ERO's resource adequacy assessments to identify and investigate constraints on the bulk power system.
9. Provide the Commission with informed analysis of the bulk power system's real-time operations and planning studies through the review of ERO seasonal and long-term studies and through independent analysis.
10. Operate a 24/7 emergency message notification system to monitor the integrity of the bulk power system and provide timely information to the Commission during emergencies, system disturbances involving natural or other causes.
11. Coordinate fact-gathering analyses of events and disturbances prior to event analyses or compliance investigations.
12. Provide the Commission with informed analysis of emerging reliability issues.
13. Participate in industry meetings that manage, define and contribute to the NERC guidelines development process.
14. Support as necessary, the other divisions' activities and requirements.

Division of Engineering and Logistics is led by Director Deepak Ramlatchan.