18 CFR Part 40 - MANDATORY RELIABILITY STANDARDS FOR THE BULK-POWER SYSTEM

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 (Transmission Vegetation Management), submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 expands the applicability of the standard to include overhead transmission lines that are operated below 200 kV, if they are either an element of an Interconnection Reliability Operating Limit or an element of a Major WECC Transfer Path. Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 incorporates a new minimum annual inspection requirement, and incorporates new minimum vegetation clearance distances into the text of the standard. The Commission also approves the related definitions, violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective dates proposed by NERC. The Commission approves the related violation risk factors, except that it directs a revision to the violation risk factor corresponding to one requirement.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-NPCC-1 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding), submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-NPCC-1 applies to generator owners, planning coordinators, distribution providers, and transmission owners in the Northeast Power Coordinating Council Region. Regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-NPCC-1 is designed to ensure the development of an effective automatic underfrequency load shedding (UFLS) program to preserve the security and integrity of the Bulk-Power System during declining system frequency events, in coordination with the NERC continent-wide UFLS Reliability Standard PRC-006-1. The Commission approves the related violation risk factors, violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective dates proposed by NERC.

In this Final Rule, pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves modifications to the currently-effective definition of “bulk electric system” developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. The Commission finds that the modified definition of “bulk electric system” removes language allowing for regional discretion in the currently-effective bulk electric system definition and establishes a bright-line threshold that includes all facilities operated at or above 100 kV. The modified definition also identifies specific categories of facilities and configurations as inclusions and exclusions to provide clarity in the definition of “bulk electric system.” In this Final Rule, the Commission also approves: NERC's revisions to its Rules of Procedure, which create an exception process to add elements to, or remove elements from, the definition of “bulk electric system” on a case-by-case basis; NERC's form entitled “Detailed Information To Support an Exception Request” that entities will use to support requests for exception from the “bulk electric system” definition; and NERC's implementation plan for the revised “bulk electric system” definition.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-SERC-01 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding Requirements), submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-SERC-01 is designed to ensure that automatic underfrequency load shedding protection schemes, designed by planning coordinators and implemented by applicable distribution providers and transmission owners in the SERC Reliability Corporation Region, are coordinated to mitigate the consequences of an underfrequency event effectively. The Commission approves the related violation risk factors, with one modification, violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective date proposed by NERC.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves Reliability Standards PRC-006-1 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding) and EOP-003-2 (Load Shedding Plans), developed and submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Electric Reliability Organization certified by the Commission. In addition, pursuant to section 215(d)(5) of the FPA, the Commission directs NERC to develop a modification to clarify the intent of one provision of the Reliability Standard. The approved Reliability Standards establish design and documentation requirements for automatic underfrequency load shedding programs that arrest declining frequency and assist recovery of frequency following system events leading to frequency degradation. The Commission approves, with modifications, the related Violation Risk Factors and Violation Severity Levels, implementation plan, and effective date proposed by NERC. The Commission also approves the regional variance for the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in Reliability Standard PRC-006-1.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission remands proposed Transmission Planning (TPL) Reliability Standard TPL-002-0b, submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. The proposed Reliability Standard includes a provision that allows for planned load shed in a single contingency provided that the plan is documented and alternatives are considered and vetted in an open and transparent process. The Commission finds that this provision is vague, unenforceable and not responsive to the previous Commission directives on this matter. Accordingly, the Final Rule remands NERC's proposal as unjust, unreasonable, unduly discriminatory or preferential, and not in the public interest.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves eight modified Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Reliability Standards, CIP-002-4 through CIP-009-4, developed and submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Electric Reliability Organization certified by the Commission. The CIP Reliability Standards provide a cybersecurity framework for the identification and protection of “Critical Cyber Assets” to support the reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System. Reliability Standard CIP-002-4 requires the identification and documentation of Critical Cyber Assets associated with “Critical Assets” that support the reliable operation of the Bulk-Power System and introduces “bright line” criteria for the identification of Critical Assets. The Commission approves the related Violation Risk Factors, Violation Severity Levels with modifications, implementation plan, and effective date proposed by NERC.

This document contains corrections to the final rule (RM12-4-000) which was published in the Federal Register of Thursday, March 28, 2013 (78 FR 18817). The regulations established procedures with regard to filing and other requirements the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) needs to submit when modifying certain Reliability Standards.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve Reliability Standard MOD-028-2, submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. NERC proposes one modification to the currently-effective Reliability Standard MOD-028-1, pertaining to the information a transmission service provider must include when calculating Total Transfer Capability using the area interchange methodology for the on-peak and off-peak intra-day and next day time periods. The Commission also proposes to approve NERC's proposed implementation plan and retirement of the currently-effective standard.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 (Transmission Vegetation Management), submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 expands the applicability of the standard to include overhead transmission lines that are operated below 200 kV, if they are either an element of an Interconnection Reliability Operating Limit or an element of a Major WECC Transfer Path. Reliability Standard FAC-003-2 incorporates a new minimum annual inspection requirement, and incorporates new minimum vegetation clearance distances into the text of the standard. The Commission also approves the related definitions, violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective dates proposed by NERC. The Commission approves the related violation risk factors, except that it directs a revision to the violation risk factor corresponding to one requirement.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-NPCC-1 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding), submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-NPCC-1 applies to generator owners, planning coordinators, distribution providers, and transmission owners in the Northeast Power Coordinating Council Region. Regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-NPCC-1 is designed to ensure the development of an effective automatic underfrequency load shedding (UFLS) program to preserve the security and integrity of the Bulk-Power System during declining system frequency events, in coordination with the NERC continent-wide UFLS Reliability Standard PRC-006-1. The Commission approves the related violation risk factors, violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective dates proposed by NERC.

In this Final Rule, pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves modifications to the currently-effective definition of “bulk electric system” developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. The Commission finds that the modified definition of “bulk electric system” removes language allowing for regional discretion in the currently-effective bulk electric system definition and establishes a bright-line threshold that includes all facilities operated at or above 100 kV. The modified definition also identifies specific categories of facilities and configurations as inclusions and exclusions to provide clarity in the definition of “bulk electric system.” In this Final Rule, the Commission also approves: NERC's revisions to its Rules of Procedure, which create an exception process to add elements to, or remove elements from, the definition of “bulk electric system” on a case-by-case basis; NERC's form entitled “Detailed Information To Support an Exception Request” that entities will use to support requests for exception from the “bulk electric system” definition; and NERC's implementation plan for the revised “bulk electric system” definition.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-SERC-01 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding Requirements), submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-SERC-01 is designed to ensure that automatic underfrequency load shedding protection schemes, designed by planning coordinators and implemented by applicable distribution providers and transmission owners in the SERC Reliability Corporation Region, are coordinated to mitigate the consequences of an underfrequency event effectively. The Commission approves the related violation risk factors, with one modification, violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective date proposed by NERC.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), 1 the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-NPCC-1 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding). The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) submitted the proposed regional Reliability Standard to the Commission for approval. The proposed regional Reliability Standard applies to generator owners, planning coordinators, distribution providers, and transmission owners in the Northeast Power Coordinating Council Region and is designed to ensure the development of an effective automatic underfrequency load shedding (UFLS) program to preserve the security and integrity of the Bulk-Power System during declining system frequency events, in coordination with the NERC continent-wide UFLS Reliability Standard PRC-006-1. The Commission also proposes to approve the associated violation risk factors and violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective dates proposed by NERC. 1 16 U.S.C. 824(o) (2006).

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve regional Reliability Standard PRC-006-SERC-01 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding Requirements) submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Regional Reliability Standard, PRC-006-SERC-01, is designed to ensure that automatic underfrequency load shedding protection schemes designed by planning coordinators and implemented by applicable distribution providers and transmission owners in the SERC Reliability Corporation (SERC) Region are coordinated to effectively mitigate the consequences of an underfrequency event. The Commission also proposes to approve the related violation risk factors, with one modification, and violation severity levels, implementation plan, and effective date proposed by NERC.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve a modification to the currently-effective definition of “bulk electric system” developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. The revised definition of “bulk electric system” removes language allowing for regional discretion in the currently-effective bulk electric system definition. The revised definition establishes a bright-line threshold that includes all facilities operated at or above 100 kV. The modified definition also identifies specific categories of facilities and configurations as inclusions and exclusions to provide clarity in the definition of “bulk electric system.” The Commission also proposes to approve: (1) NERC's contemporaneously filed revisions to its Rules of Procedure, which creates an exception procedure to add elements to, or remove elements from, the definition of “bulk electric system” on a case-by-case basis; (2) NERC's proposed form entitled “Detailed Information To Support an Exception Request” that entities will use to support requests for exception from the “bulk electric system” definition; and (3) NERC's proposed implementation plan for the revised “bulk electric system” definition.

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) approves Reliability Standards PRC-006-1 (Automatic Underfrequency Load Shedding) and EOP-003-2 (Load Shedding Plans), developed and submitted to the Commission for approval by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Electric Reliability Organization certified by the Commission. In addition, pursuant to section 215(d)(5) of the FPA, the Commission directs NERC to develop a modification to clarify the intent of one provision of the Reliability Standard. The approved Reliability Standards establish design and documentation requirements for automatic underfrequency load shedding programs that arrest declining frequency and assist recovery of frequency following system events leading to frequency degradation. The Commission approves, with modifications, the related Violation Risk Factors and Violation Severity Levels, implementation plan, and effective date proposed by NERC. The Commission also approves the regional variance for the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in Reliability Standard PRC-006-1.