NERC Blackout Recommendations
- A Focus on Transmission Planning Brian F. Thumm, P.E.
Supervisor – Transmission Planning
Entergy Transmission Planning Summit
July 8, 2004
On August 14, 2003 …
… over 50 million people, in 8 states and two Canadian provinces, were
directly affected by a cascading failure of the transmission grid …
… a blackout, in which nearly 65,000 MW of load was interrupted.
On August 15, 2003, President George W. Bush and Prime-Minister Jean
Chrétien established a joint U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task
Force.
–
–
Investigate the causes
Reduce the possibility of future outages
NERC commissioned an independent study of the Blackout.
NERC Investigation Conclusions
• Entities violated NERC operating policies and planning standards
• Existing process for monitoring and ensuring compliance with NERC
and regional reliability standards inadequate
• Reliability coordinators and control areas adopted differing
interpretations of functions, responsibilities, authorities, and
capabilities
• Problems identified in studies of prior blackouts repeated
– Vegetation management
– Operator training
– Tools to help operators properly visualize system conditions.
NERC Investigation Conclusions
• Data used to model loads and generators inaccurate
– Lack of verification with actual system data and field-testing
• Planning studies, design assumptions, and facilities ratings not
consistently shared / not subject to adequate peer review
• Available system protection technologies not consistently applied to
optimize the ability to slow or stop an uncontrolled cascading failure
• Communications between system operators were not effective
NERC Resolutions
• Receive specific information on all violations of NERC standards,
including the identities of the parties involved;
• Take firm actions to improve compliance with NERC reliability
standards;
• Provide greater transparency to violations of standards, while
respecting the confidential nature of information and need for a fair
and deliberate due process;
• Inform and work closely with the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission and other applicable federal, state, and provincial
regulatory authorities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico as
needed to ensure public interests are met with respect to compliance
with reliability standards.
Blackout Recommendations
NERC Board of Trustees approved 14 recommendations
near term actions – actions that FirstEnergy, PJM, and MISO must
take to remedy deficiencies before this summer (Recommendation #1)
strategic initiatives – actions to strengthen compliance with existing
reliability standards and to track the implementation of recommendations
from this and other outage investigations (Recommendations #2-5)
technical initiatives – actions to prevent or mitigate the impact of
future cascading blackouts. (Recommendations #6-14)
NERC Board Recommendations
issued prior to release of
NERC Blackout Report
Recommendation 1
Correct the direct causes of the August 14, 2003 Blackout
1a. The companies implicated in the blackout are directed to complete specified
remedial actions and certify that these actions have been completed.
1b. NERC will assign experts to help these companies develop plans that
adequately address the issues identified in this report, and for any other
remedial actions for which they require technical assistance.
Near-Term Action
Recommendation 2
Strengthen NERC’s Compliance Enforcement Program
Entergy
2a.
EachStatus:
Region will report all violations of NERC operating policies, planning
standards and regional standards, whether verified or pending investigation.
NERC formed a Compliance Template Task Force, and revised several
2b.
If presented
with evidence
significant
violation,
offending of the
compliance
templates.
Manyofofa these
revision
werethe
a “crisping”
organization must correct the violation within a specified time. If an
existing standards, to make the wording less ambiguous. The new
organization is determined to be non-responsive and presents a reliability
compliance
templates
were
disseminated
to the industry.
Theauthorities.
SERC
risk, NERC
will request
assistance
of the appropriate
regulatory
Region adopted the new templates, and incorporated them into the
2c. NERC will review and update all compliance templates applicable to current
current
year’s
Compliance
and Enforcement Plan.
NERC
reliability
standards.
2d. NERC and ECAR will evaluate violations of NERC and regional standards and
develop recommendations to improve compliance with reliability standards.
Strategic Initiative
Recommendation 3
Initiate Control Area and Reliability Coordinator
Reliability Readiness Audits
Entergy
3a.
NERCStatus:
and the Regions will establish a program to audit all reliability
coordinators and control areas, with immediate attention given to
Entergy made its personnel and facilities available for a NERC Control
addressing the deficiencies identified in the blackout investigation. These
Areaaudits
Readiness
Audit
from May
12three
- 13,years,
2004with
at the
Operations
shall be
completed
within
the System
20 highest
priority
Center.
A
draft
report
with
recommendations
has
been
issued,
and
audits to be completed by June 30, 2004.
Entergy
incorporating
suggestions
by thethat
Audit
3b.
NERCiswill
establish a set
of baseline made
audit criteria
willTeam.
include evaluation
of reliability
plans,
procedures,
processes,
tools, on
personnel
qualifications,
Entergy
personnel
have
also been
participating
the readiness
audits
and training.
of other
Control Areas.
3c. The Regions, with input from NERC, will audit each control area’s and
reliability coordinator’s readiness to meet these audit criteria.
Strategic Initiative
Recommendation 4
Evaluate Vegetation Management Procedures and Results
Entergy
4a.
NERCStatus:
and the Regions will initiate a program to report all transmission line
trips resulting from vegetation contact.
September,
2003: Entergy
staff drafted
a Transmission
Vegetation
4b.
Each transmission
operator
will submit
an annual report
of all Work
vegetationManagement
Process.
is in the review stage.
related high
voltageThe
linenew
tripsprocess
to its Region.
4c.
transmission
owner shall
make its vegetation
management
procedures
June,Each
2004:
Entergy submitted
a Transmission
Vegetation
Management
Report to
and
documentation
of work
completed
for review
and verification.
FERC,
NERC,
SERC, States.
Another
report isavailable
being prepared
in response
to an
APSC order for all Transmission and Distribution lines and Rights of Way in
Arkansas (due July 16, 2004).
July, 2004: Entergy will begin monthly reporting of vegetation-related outages to
SERC. Entergy has actively participated in the development of a new NERC
vegetation standard through comments on the SAR individually and through EEI
and has nominated a volunteer to serve on the NERC standard drafting team.
Strategic Initiative
Recommendation 5
Establish a Program to Track
Implementation of Recommendations
Entergy
5a.
NERCStatus:
and the Regions will establish a program to document the completion
of recommendations
the August
14 blackout
investigation
Entergy
participates in resulting
SERC at from
the Regional
level
on committees
and and
investigationswhich
of other
outages,
reportsofofprogrammatic
violations of reliability
subcommittees
arehistorical
developing
the types
controls
standards,
results of compliance
and lessons learned from system
required
by Recommendations
5a audits,
and 5b.
disturbances.
5b. NERC will establish a program to evaluate and report on bulk electric system
Compliance
Oversight Group
reliability
performance.
Compliance Review Steering Committee (EC)
Compliance Subcommittee (OC)
Strategic Initiative
Recommendation 6
Improve Operator and Reliability Coordinator Training
6.
All reliability coordinators, control areas, and transmission operators shall
provide at least five days per year of training and drills in system
emergencies for each staff person with responsibility for the real-time
operation or reliability monitoring of the bulk electric system.
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 7
Evaluate Reactive Power and Voltage Control Practices
Entergy
7a.
NERCStatus:
will reevaluate the effectiveness of the existing reactive power and
voltage control standards and how they are being implemented in practice,
The Entergy Transmission Planning Technical Studies group is scoping
and develop recommendations to ensure voltage control and stability issues
studies
on reactiveaddressed.
power planning and voltage stability.
are adequately
7b. ECAR will review its reactive power and voltage criteria and procedures and
verify that its criteria and procedures are being fully implemented in regional
and member studies and operations.
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 8
Improve System Protection to Slow or Limit
the Spread of Future Cascading Outages
Entergy
Status: owners will evaluate the zone 3 relay settings on all transmission lines
8a.
All transmission
at 230 kV and above for the purpose of verifying that each zone 3 relay is
As ofoperating
the week
ending June 25, over one-third of the Zone 3 settings
not set to trip on load under extreme emergency conditions. NERC will review any
haveproposed
been reviewed
tested.
This
to beacompleted
exceptions and
to ensure
they do
notreview
increaseis
theexpected
risk of widening
cascading
by the
second
of August.
failure
of the week
power system.
8b. Each Region will evaluate the feasibility and benefits of installing under-voltage load
Entergy
identified
two
areas
in its
system
that have
theaspotential
shedding
capability
in load
centers
that
could become
unstable
a result of for
being
developing
voltage
problems
and has implemented
deficient in
reactivestability
power following
multiple-contingency
events. Theundervoltage
Regions are to
the installation
of under-voltage
shedding
capabilities within critical
loadpromote
shed programs
to address
these load
extreme
contingencies.
areas that would help to prevent an uncontrolled cascade of the power system.
8c. Evaluate Planning Standard III – System Protection and Control and propose revisions
to adequately address the issue of slowing or limiting the propagation of a cascading
failure. Evaluate the lessons from August 14 regarding relay protection design and
application and offer additional recommendations for improvement.
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 9
Clarify Reliability Coordinator and Control Area Functions,
Responsibilities, Capabilities
9.
The NERC Operating Committee shall perform the following:
– More clearly define the characteristics and capabilities necessary to
enable prompt recognition and effective response to system
emergencies.
– Ensure the accurate and timely sharing of outage data necessary to
support real-time operating tools such as state estimators, real-time
contingency analysis, and other system monitoring tools.
– Establish the consistent application of effective communications
protocols, particularly during emergencies.
– The operating policies must be clarified to remove ambiguities
concerning the responsibilities and actions appropriate to reliability
coordinators and control areas.
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 10
Establish Guidelines for Real-Time Operating Tools
10.
Evaluate the real-time operating tools necessary for reliable operation and
reliability coordination, including backup capabilities and report both
minimum acceptable capabilities for critical reliability functions and a guide
of best practices.
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 11
Evaluate Lessons Learned During System Restoration
11a.
Evaluate
the black start and system restoration performance following the
Entergy
Status:
outage of August 14 and develop recommendations for improvement.
Entergy is represented on the SERC Operations Planning Subcommittee and
11b.
All Regions
reevaluate
and of
plans
to assure
an effective
participated
in thewill
April
13, SERCtheir
OPSprocedures
annual review
blackstart
plans.
An
andtorestoration
their region. capability between
effort blackstart
is underway
determine capability
the statuswithin
of synchronization
the companies in SERC. The OC OPS committee expects to present a new SERC
Blackstart Plan Appendix for approval at an OC meeting listing availability of
control area to control area synchronization points in the near future.
Internally, Entergy's blackstart team performs a thorough annual review of all
aspects of the plans for each Transmission Operation Center, and, on a seasonal
basis updates and refreshes information such as emergency and operations
contacts, document owners, team members, feeder priority lists, testing
schedules and synchronization.
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 12
Install Additional Time-Synchronized
Recording Devices as Needed
Entergy
Status:
12a.
Define
regional criteria for the application of synchronized recording
devices in power plants and substations and facilitate the installation of the
Entergy is in its third year of a six-year program of modernizing and
devices to allow accurate recording of system disturbances and to facilitate
replacing
DFRs with
technology
benchmarking
of new
simulation
studies.units that will synchronize using
satellite clocks. Presently, 43 of Entergy’s 70 DFRs are synchronized. Of
12b. Facility owners will upgrade existing dynamic recorders to include GPS time
the twenty-seven
DFRs
are not time
ten are
installed
synchronization
and, that
as necessary,
installsynchronized,
additional dynamic
recorders.
at nine substations that tie to other companies.
Entergy is implementing new technologies to facilitate a good
understanding of the dynamic behavior of eastern interconnection, such
as the EIPP and the the WAMS programs. The expected completion
date is Fall 2004; eleven total installations are planned by October 2004.
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 13
Reevaluate System Design, Planning and Operating Criteria
Entergy
Status:
13a.
Evaluate
operations planning and operating criteria and recommend
revisions.
Entergy participates at in SERC at the Regional level on committees and
13b.
ECAR will reevaluate
itsdeveloping
planning andthe
study
procedures
and on
practices
to
subcommittees
which are
follow-up
reports
blackout
ensure they are in compliance with NERC standards, ECAR Document No.1,
lessons learned. Entergy will continue to participate at the Regional
and other relevant criteria; and that ECAR and its members’ studies are
level being
to have
input into as
the
process.
implemented
required.
13c.Reevaluate the criteria, methods and practices used for system design,
planning and
analysis.
This review shall include an evaluation of
Reliability
Review
Subcommittee
transmission facility ratings methods and practices, and the sharing of
Operations
Plannng Subcommittee
consistent ratings information.
Security Coordinators’ Subcommittee
Technical Initiative
Recommendation 14
Improve System Modeling Data and Data Exchange Practices
Entergy
Status:
14.
Establish
and implement criteria and procedures for validating data used in
power flow models and dynamic simulations by benchmarking model data
The SERC Region has commissioned a Model Validation Task Force to
with actual system performance. Validated modeling data shall be
implement
Recommendation
14. Entergy
will be reliable
represented
the task
exchanged
on an inter-regional
basis to support
systemon
planning
force and
by members
operation. of the VAST and VST study groups.
Entergy also participates in the SERC Regional modeling efforts by
remaining active in the VST, which is responsible for the development of
the base case models that will ultimately be validated.
Technical Initiative
Questions