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NERC Cold Weather Project Update

By Shaun Rohret, Senior NERC Reliability Specialist

Here is an update and summary of the latest information provided by NERC:

On March 22, 2021, the Board acted without a meeting to direct the completion of proposed Reliability Standards under Project 2019-06 Cold Weather by June 2021. The shortened comment period will allow for up to two additional comment and ballot periods. The goal is to achieve consensus on the proposed standards while still meeting the June 2021 development deadline. Should only one additional comment and ballot period prove necessary, the proposed standards would be submitted to the Board for adoption at its June 11, 2021 meeting.

An email ballot will be sent to the Standards Committee (SC) on March 29, 2021. It will request action by April 1, 2021 to consider the waiver request. The SC will be asked to approve the following resolution:

  • Approve a waiver to reduce the length of the additional formal comment and ballot period from 45 days to 25 days, with ballot(s) conducted during the last 10 days of the comment period.
  • The results of the vote, along with any approved waiver, will be posted to the NERC website.

The formal comment period, initial ballots, and non-binding polls concluded last month at 8 p.m. Eastern, Friday, March 12, 2021 for changes to the following:

  • EOP-011-2 – Emergency Preparedness

Includes a new requirement for Generator Owners (GO) to develop cold weather preparedness plans for its generating units. The requirement includes minimum protection measures, annual maintenance and inspection, cold weather data specifications and awareness training.

  • IRO-010-4 – Reliability Coordinator Data Specification and Collection

Adds provisions for notification of BES generating unit-specific design specification or minimum historical performance during cold weather, and expected BES generating unit operation limitations during local forecasted cold weather for Reliability Coordinators (RC).

  • TOP-003-5 – Operational Reliability Data

Would add provisions for notification of BES generating unit-specific design specification or minimum historical performance during cold weather, and expected BES generating unit operation limitations during local forecasted cold weather for Transmission Operators (TOP).