The NERC Reliability Standards course includes the following learning activities. CEH awarded are 34 Standards, 34 Operating Topics and 18 EOP.
ILA #1
State & describe the function of NERC emphasizing NERC’s role with respect to system operators.
1. Describe the purpose & functions of NERC including a description of the Functional Model.Topics addressed include the purpose of NERC, a description of the NERC organization, & a description of the roles of the different entities as described in the Functional Model.2. Describe the process by which Reliability Standards are developed & review the content areas of a typical Reliability Standard.Topics addressed include a description of the development process for a typical Reliability Standard from SAR to final NERC approval & a sample Reliability Standard is presented & content areas described.3. Describe the NERC System Operator Certification program including a description of the System Operator testing process.Topics addressed include a description of the 4 possible certification credentials & a description of the content areas addressed in the certification exams.
ILA #2
Describe & illustrate the content of the BAL series of Reliability Standards.
1. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard BAL-001-1.Topics addressed include a description of the energy balance concept, the concept & types of operating reserves, the governor control process, the AGC process, a description of CPS1, CPS2, supplemental & overlap regulation services.2. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard BAL-002-1.Topics addressed include the DCS & the concept of reliability based control (RBC).3. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard BAL-003-0.
Topics addressed include a description of the frequency response characteristic (FRC), the frequency bias, the constant frequency, constant interchange & tie-line bias AGC modes, governor droop & deadband, dynamic schedules & pseudo ties.
4. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard BAL-004-1.
5. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard BAL-005-0.Topics addressed include a description of the time error control process.
6. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard BAL-006-1.Topics addressed include a description & demonstration of the usage of the tie-line bias ACE equation.
Topics addressed include a description of the inadvertent interchange calculation & payback process, the difference between primary & secondary inadvertent, inadvertent accounting principles & the AIE survey process.
ILA #3
Describe & illustrate the content of the CIP, COM & EOP series of Reliability Standards.
1. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard CIP-001-1.
Topics addressed include a description of possible sabotage scenarios & a system operator’s responsibilities for reporting sabotage.
2. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards CIP-002-4 through CIP-009-4.
Topics addressed include an explanation of the need for cyber security standards, operating entities responsibilities for preventing cyber security violations, definition of critical assets, definition of critical cyber assets & a description of the concept of physical & electronic security perimeters.
3. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards COM-001-1 & COM-002-2.
Topics addressed include an explanation of the importance of telecommunication in power system operations & a demonstration of the process of 3-way communications.
4. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard EOP-001-2.
Topics addressed include a definition of capacity & energy emergencies & a description of the typical content of an emergency operating plan.
5. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard EOP-002-3.
Topics addressed include a description of each level of Energy Emergency Alerts & FERC’s transmission system priority concept.
6. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard EOP-003-2.
Topics addressed include a description of the design & operation of manual & automatic (UVLS & UFLS) load shedding.
7. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard EOP-004-1.
Topics addressed include a description of NERC’s & FERC’s disturbance reporting requirements.
8. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards EOP-005-2, EOP-007-0 & EOP-009-0.
Topics addressed include an explanation of the need for blackstart generation, a description of how blackstart resources are used in a restoration event & a description of NERC’s blackstart requirements.
9. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard EOP-006-2.
Topics addressed include a description of the need for a system restoration plan, a description of typical content of a restoration plan & a description of NERC’s requirements for a restoration plan.
10. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard EOP-008-1.
Topics addressed include a description of the requirements for backup control center functionality.
ILA #4
Describe & illustrate the content of the FAC, MOD & NUC series of Reliability Standards.
1. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards FAC-001-0, FAC-002-0 & FAC-003-1.
Topics addressed include a description of the need for facility connection requirements, a description of the items addressed in NERC’s facility connection requirements, an explanation of the need for vegetation management procedures & a description of NERC’s vegetation management requirements.
2. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards FAC-008-1, FAC-009-1, FAC-010-2, FAC-011-2, FAC-012-1, FAC-013-2 & FAC-014-2.
Topics addressed include an explanation of the need for facility limits & a description of NERC’s facility limits methodology requirements, an explanation of the need for system operating limits (SOLs) & a description of NERC’s SOL methodology requirements, an explanation of the need for transfer limits & a description of NERC’s transfer limits methodology requirements.
3. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards MOD-001-1, MOD-004-1, MOD-008-1, MOD-028-1, MOD-029-1 & MOD-030-2.
Topics addressed include an explanation & illustration of the concepts of ATC, TTC, TRM & CBM.
4. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards MOD-010-0, MOD-011-0, MOD-012-0, MOD-013-1, MOD-014-0, MOD-015-0, MOD-016-1, MOD-017-0, MOD-018-0, MOD-019-0, MOD-020-0, MOD-021-1, MOD-024-1 & MOD-025-1.
Topics addressed include a description of how computer models are used to simulate the behavior of power systems & a description of the dynamic & steady state data used in these computer models.
5. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard NUC-001-1.
Topics addressed include the importance of documenting nuclear plant interface requirements & the role of the Transmission Entities associated with the nuclear plant.
ILA #5
Describe & illustrate the content of the INT series of Reliability Standards.
1. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards INT-001-3, INT-003-2 & INT-004-2.
Topics addressed include a description of the purpose & usage of E-Tag, explain the concepts of vertical & horizontal stacking, illustrate how interchange transactions result in interchange schedules, describe the difference between scheduled path & RTO scheduling methods, describe & illustrate how the actual energy flow differs from the billed/scheduled energy flow, define block accounting, illustrate the concept of an RTO, define system lambda, describe the tagging process for a dynamic transfer.
2. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards INT-005-3, INT-006-3, INT-007-1, INT-008-3, INT-009-1 & INT-010-1.
Topics addressed include a description of the 4-step process (arrange, assess, confirm & implement) used to ensure interchange transactions are created in a reliable manner, describe the role of the Interchange Authority in the interchange process, describe the role of the BA in the interchange process, describe the role of the Transmission Service Provider (TSP) in the interchange process, describe how INT Standards are interpreted during emergency conditions, describe how reliability entities may modify interchange transactions under certain conditions.
ILA #6
Describe & illustrate the content of the IRO, PER, TPL & PRC series of Reliability Standards.
1. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards IRO-001-1, IRO-002-2, IRO-003-2, IRO-004-2 & IRO-005-3.
Topics addressed include the role of the RC in maintaining a reliable system, a description of the data & tools an RC needs to perform its function, the need for an RC to have a “wide area view” of its area, a description of the issues that an RC studies on a day-before basis, the RCs authority to issue directives, a description of the current-day normal duties performed by an RC.
2. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard IRO-006-5.
Topics addressed include a description of the congestion management process, a description of the various TLR processes used in the different interconnections, a description & illustration of the distribution factor concept.
3. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards IRO-008-1, IRO-009-1, IRO-010-1, IRO-014-1, IRO-015-1 & IRO-016-1.
Topics addressed include a general description of the computer tools used by RCs to evaluate system conditions, the RCs responsibilities to respond to IROL violations, the importance for the RCs in an interconnection to coordinate their activities, a description of the data exchanged by RCs.
4. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards PER-001-0, PER-002-0, PER-003-0, PER-004-1 & PER-005-1.
Topics addressed include the importance of documenting the responsibilities & authority of a system operator, a description of the certification requirements for system operators, a description of the methods used to develop a system operator training program.
5. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards TPL-001-0, TPL-002-0, TPL-003-0, TPL-004-2, TPL-005-1 & TPL-006-0.
Topics addressed include a description of the factors considered in setting operating limits such as thermal, voltage, & stability limits, a description of NERC’s concept of “N-1”.
6. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards PRC-001-0, PRC-002-1, PRC-003-1, PRC-004-2, PRC-005-1 & PRC-018-1
Topics addressed include the need to coordinate protection between adjacent transmission & generation facilities, the need to analyze protection system mis-operations, the need for protective system maintenance & testing, the need to collect & analyze disturbance events after the fact.
7. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Reliability Standards PRC-006-1, PRC-007-0, PRC-008-0 & PRC-009-0.
Topics addressed include a description of the purpose, design & operation of UFLS systems & a description of NERCs requirements with respect to UFLS.
8. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards PRC-010-0, PRC-011-0, PRC-020-1, PRC-021-1 & PRC-022-1.
Topics addressed include a description of the purpose, design & operation of UVLS systems & a description of NERCs requirements with respect to UVLS.
9. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards PRC-012-0, PRC-013-0, PRC014-0, PRC-015-0, PRC-016-0 & PRC-017-0.
Topics addressed include a description of the purpose, design & operation of special protection systems (SPS) & a description of NERCs requirements with respect to SPS.
10. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard PRC-023-1.
Topics addressed include the concept of loadability & a description of how protective relay operation can contribute to a cascading outage.
ILA #7
Describe & illustrate the content of the TOP & VAR series of Reliability Standards.
1. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards TOP-001-1 & TOP-002-2.
Topics addressed include the role of the BA, TOP, & RC in system operations, the importance of developing & maintaining a normal conditions operating plan, the need to determine accurate capability ratings (MW & Mvar) for generators.
2. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards TOP-003-1 & TOP-004-2.
Topics addressed include the importance of scheduling maintenance outages to transmission & generation equipment & the roles of the GOP, BA, TOP & RC in outage scheduling, the concept of SOLs & IROLS & the need to respond to limit violations.
3. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards TOP-005-2 & TOP-006-2.
Topics addressed include a description of the data needed for RC’s TOPs, & BAs to perform their reliability function, the role of the ISN, a description of the typical monitoring duties of a BA, TOP, & RC.
4. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standards TOP-007-0 & TOP-008-1.
Topics addressed include a description of how TOPs & RCs respond to IROL violations & an explanation of the need to respond rapidly & effectively when an IROL is violated.
5. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard VAR-001-2.
Topics addressed include the importance of TOPs maintaining adequate voltage levels & adequate reactive reserves, the roll of equipment (capacitors, reactors, xfmrs, etc.) in voltage control including a generator’s PSS function & the difference between manual & dynamic reactive reserve.
6. Describe & evaluate the impact on system operations of Standard VAR-002-1.
Topics addressed include the role of generators in voltage control including the importance of maintaining the voltage regulator in automatic.
