News Release: September 20, 2017
Docket Nos. RM16-13-000, RM16-20-000, RM17-12-000
Item Nos. E-1, E-2, E-3
Order No. 836 | Order No. 837 | NOPR
FERC Issues Final Rules to Enhance Bulk Electric System Resilience, Reliability The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today approved two final rules and issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) addressing mandatory standards intended to support the resilience and reliability of the nation’s bulk electric system.
One final rule approves revised reliability standards on Balancing Authority Control (BAL-005-1) and Facility Interconnection Requirements (FAC-001-3) that clarify and consolidate existing requirements related to frequency control. The revised standards will support more accurate and comprehensive calculation of Reporting Area Control Error.
The second final rule approves a revised reliability standard on Remedial Action Schemes (PRC-012-2) to ensure that remedial action schemes do not introduce unintentional or unacceptable reliability risks to the grid. It establishes a centralized process to review new or modified remedial action schemes before implementation by requiring periodic evaluations, tests and operational analyses of each remedial action scheme and an annual update of an area-wide remedial action scheme database. The final rule also assigns specific responsibilities to the appropriate functional entities.
Today’s NOPR proposes to approve revised Emergency Preparedness and Operations reliability standards covering Event Reporting (EOP-004-4), System Restoration from Blackstart Resources (EOP-005-3), System Restoration Coordination (EOP-006-3) and Loss of Control Center Functionality (EOP-008-2). The proposed standards are intended to:
- Provide accurate reporting of events to the North American Electric Reliability Corp’s event analysis group to examine the impact on reliability of the grid;
- Delineate the roles and responsibilities of entities that support system restoration from blackstart resources;
- Clarify the procedures and coordination requirements for reliability coordinator personnel to execute system restoration processes; and
- Refine the required elements of an operating plan used to continue reliable operation of the grid if primary control functionality is lost.
The final rules take effect, and comments on the NOPR are due, 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. R-17-32
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