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  • https://www.naes.com/news/texas-deep-freeze-of-2021/
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In the News

Home Communications In the News Texas Deep Freeze of 2021

4.15.2021

Texas Deep Freeze of 2021

By John Branch, Power Market Compliance Services Specialist

 

Texas Cold Snap

In 2011 Texas experienced an extreme cold weather event however, 2021 proved to be a forced to be reckoned with for Texas and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) this past February. Texas is usually known for their extreme heat and mild winter but with the country’s ever-changing climate, it was definitely unexpected that Texas would experience a deep freeze and see their coldest temperatures in more than 50 years.

On February 10, 2021 the state of Texas experienced extremely cold temperatures in their region. ERCOT is the states grid operator was not expecting the impacts on how these temps were going to affect grid reliability. Due to gas pipeline issues and generators including wind turbines (icing over) not being able to start, more than 40,000 MW of generation in Texas was offline. As a result, millions of customers were without power for days as “rotating outages” were not able to be shifted to other sections of the grid while transmission and distribution utilities wanted to keep power going for critical facilities such as hospitals.

With system collapse looming ERCOT had to make some difficult decisions, perform rotating blackouts. The demand of energy was far outweighing the supply in the region. So much so power pricing in ERCOT skyrocketed to $9,000 MWH. On one hand if you are a generator that was able to generate megawatts at that price point then you were well “in the money”. However, if you are a utility customer participating in a variable rate program, your monthly bill potentially increased by 1,000 percent.

During the cold weather event last month, ERCOT had 52,277 megawatts of maximum generation capacity forced out at any given time compared to 14,702 megawatts in 2011. Some other noticeable differences were duration of load shed request hours 70.5 hours in 2021 and 7.5 hours in 2011 and cumulative number of generators on outage through the event were 356 in2021 and 156 in 2011.

NERC Data Retention Hold Request and Outage Reporting Request

Due to the cold crisis in Texas, Texas RE as well as ReliabilityFirst (RF), Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO), and SERC Reliability Corporation (SERC) requested a Data Retention Hold for all registered entities under sections 807 and 808 of the NERC Rules of Procedure. Registered Entities are required upon request to produce data requested (operator logs, curtailments, fuel availability, and other items listed in the request) by Texas RE, RF, MRO and SERC. Texas RE, RF, SERC. FERC and NERC will review extreme cold conditions leading up to and through the time frame of February 8, 2011 through February 21, 2021.

Texas RE has been performing gap analysis on Wind GADS data over the past 2 years to ensure members have been submitting their data into the NERC Wind Gads Submission portal quarterly in a timely manner.

What Happens Next

Currently ERCOT and their board have been through a number of hearings explaining the root cause analysis behind the cold weather event. In addition to the hearings and the data requests mentioned above, this cold weather event will more than likely spell out new changes for ERCOT and their winterization requirements. Generators will have to put new procedures in place as it relates to cold weather to ensure that they are able to handle the next extreme cold wave that could potentially hit that region in the future.

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    CAISO Generator Modeling Process and Data Requirements

    Don’t wait until the last minute. You should allow time for at least one iteration with CAISO so that you are complete and deemed compliant before your deadline.

    On August 1, 2018, CAISO introduced a revised Business Practice Manual for Transmission Planning Process (BPM), which includes new data requirements for interconnected generation resources within the ISO’s footprint. Section 10 of the BPM establishes revised data requirements and compliance procedures for all participating generators including non-NERC registered entities. While additional requirements have been placed on larger NERC registered facilities, these changes may pose an even greater burden to entities that have been exempt from NERC mandated modeling and protection requirements.

    New data requirements include voltage and frequency protection models, power flow models, and in some cases, sub-synchronous resonance models. These models must be verified using criteria listed in the BPM, which can only be performed by entities with modeling software and knowledge of modeling practices.

    NAES is prepared to assist entities with data aggregation, modeling, and testing to ensure compliance with CAISO’s data requests. The following links will allow entities to determine when to expect their individual data requests (phase) and what data will be required (category).

    Business Practice Manual (BPM)

    Entity Category and Phase Listing

    CAISO Transmission Planning Website

    TPL-007

    TPL-007 establishes planning criteria for induced currents caused by geomagnetic disturbances. The standard is applicable to facilities using transformer(s) with a high side, wye grounded winding operated above 200 kV and can require both submittal of general geomagnetic data (R2) and thermal impact assessments (R6) depending on results of Planning Coordinator analysis.

    VOLTAGE AND REACTIVE (VAR) STANDARDS

    VAR-501-WECC

    VAR-501-WECC requires applicable entities within the WECC region to confirm performance settings and characteristics of Power System Stabilizers (PSS). NAES provides physical testing and reporting services to address WECC’s specific PSS requirements.

    PERSONNEL PERFORMANCE, TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

    PER-006

    PER-006 requires Generator Operators to provide training to personnel who are responsible for the Real-time control of a generator. NAES has developed specific protection system training materials suitable for compliance with the Standard and provides this training both on and off site

    PROTECTION AND CONTROL (PRC) STANDARDS

    PRC-001

    PRC-001 requires entities to coordinate protection system changes with other affected parties. NAES offers both procedural documentation and engineering services to establish the required coordination for both PRC-001 and PRC-027.

    PRC-002

    PRC-002 requires the installation and operation of disturbance monitoring equipment (DME) for applicable entities. NAES can assist with the design and installation of DME as well as ongoing compliance support.

    PRC-019

    PRC-019 requires applicable entities to show coordination between voltage regulating controls, limiters, equipment capabilities, and protection settings. NAES produces PRC-019 specific coordination studies for both traditional generators and renewable projects to establish compliance with the Standard.

    PRC-023

    PRC-023 requires load responsive protective relays be set according to criteria within the Standard to ensure settings do not limit transmission loadability. NAES provides full engineering analyses to maintain compliance with this Standard.

    PRC-024

    PRC-024 requires applicable entities to ensure generator protective relays do not trip within predefined frequency and voltage limits. NAES can complete protection settings analyses and provide compliance documentation that clearly identifies protection settings as they relate to NERC’s “no trip” zones.

    PRC-025

    PRC-025 establishes minimum settings requirements for load-responsive relays protecting generators, step up transformers, and auxiliary transformers. NAES utilizes predefined calculation options as well as simulations to determine a facility’s compliance status and development of new relay settings if required.

    PRC-026

    PRC-026 requires applicable entities to perform load responsive relay settings analyses based on criteria identified within the Standard. Entities are typically notified by the Planning Coordinator when an analysis is required. NAES performs all required studies to establish compliance.

    MODELING, DATA, AND ANALYSIS (MOD) STANDARDS

    MOD-025

    MOD-025 requires Real and Reactive Power capability testing for individual generating units over 20 MVA or facilities with over 75 MVA of generation capacity. NAES offers site specific test procedures and/or complete onsite testing services to meet the requirements of this standard.

    MOD-026

    MOD-026 requires verification of excitation or volt/var control dynamic models through utilization of either system disturbances or physical testing. NAES offers full testing and modeling services to meet the requirements of this standard.

    MOD-027

    MOD-027 requires verification of governor or active power/frequency control dynamic models through utilization of either system disturbances or physical testing. NAES offers full testing and modeling services to meet the requirements of this standard.