This NPRR incorporates relevant language from the following PRRs that were approved by the Board between April 2004 and February 2006: PRR573, Mothballed Generation Resource Definition and Time to Service Updates; PRR591, Switchable Unit Declaration; PRR593, Reporting of Net Generation and Load (FKA Behind the â??Fenceâ?? Reporting of Load); and PRR611, Reporting of Operation Reserve Capability Under Severe Gas Curtailments. 

This NPRR also incorporates TPTF determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as discussed by TPTF and documented in the ERCOT Clarification Matrix for Section 1 (11/30/05) and discussed at the 3/28/06 and 3/29/06 TPTF meetings.

This NPRR incorporates relevant language from the following PRRs that were approved by the Board between April 2004 and February 2006: PRR492, Plan to Alleviate Chronic Local Congestion; PRR513, Verification of Operational Model after Recurring Local Congestion Event; PRR576, Disclosure of OOME, OOMC, and RMR Service; PRR596, Mothballed Generation Resource Estimated Return to Service Dates/PRR573, Mothballed Generation Resource Definition and Time to Service Updates; PRR581, Update RMR Language Due to PUC Rule 25.502; PRR627, RMR Transmission Issues and RMR Contract Extension; and PRR633, TSP Data Information Requirements.

PRR307, Controllable Resources, was part of the TNT synchronization because a portion of the PRR language in the current zonal protocols was inadvertently not included in the nodal protocols section 3.17.2(2).

This NPRR also incorporates TPTF determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as documented in the ERCOT Clarification Matrix for Section 3 and discussed by TPTF and 3/29/06, 4/10/06 and 4/11/06.

This NPRR incorporates relevant language from PRR537, Increased Congestion Management Flexibility, approved by the Board on 9/21/04.

This NPRR also incorporates TPTF determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as documented in the ERCOT Clarification Matrix for Section 5 and discussed by TPTF on 1/9/06, 2/6/06, 4/10/06 and 4/11/06.

This NPRR incorporates relevant language from the following PRRs that were approved by the Board between April 2004 and February 2006: PRR468, Frequency Response Requirements and Monitoring; PRR487, Black Start Resources; PRR490, LaaR Annual Testing Description; PRR535, Reactive Testing; PRR542, Clarifying the LaaR Three-Hour Limit; PRR628, ERCOT Operation Performance â?? Non-Spinning Reserve Service Deployments; and PRR644, Ancillary Service Re-qualification.

This NPRR also incorporates TPTF determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as discussed by TPTF and documented in the ERCOT Clarification Matrix for Section 8 on and discussed at the TPTF meeting on 1/9/06.

This NPRR incorporates relevant language from: (1) PRR638, Change Settlement Invoice Due Date from 16 Calendar Days to Five Bank Business Days, that was approved by the Board on 2/21/06; and (2) PRR642, Lower Limit to IDR Meters in MRE for True-Up Settlement IDR Threshold, that was approved by the Board on 3/21/06.

This NPRR also incorporates TPTF determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as discussed by TPTF on 3/6/06, 4/10/06, 4/24/06, 5/8/06, and 6/5/06, and documented in the ERCOT Clarification Matrix for Section 9.

This NPRR incorporates:

(1)   Relevant language from the following PRRs that were the Board between April 2004 and February 2006:

·            PRR468, Frequency Response Requirements and Monitoring

·            PRR487, Black Start Resources

·            PRR496, Block Bidding and Deployment of LaaRs providing Responsive Reserve Service and Non-Spinning Reserve Service

·            PRR499, Eliminate Fuel Shortage Notice

·            PRR513, Verification of Operational Model after Recurring Local Congestion Event

·            PRR531, Load Clarification

·            PRR543, Schedules and Emergency Assistance Over CFE-ERCOT DC Ties 

·            PRR561, Remove Nuclear and Hydroelectric Generators from Automatic Deployment Software

·            PRR611, Reporting of Operation Reserve Capability Under Severe Gas Curtailments

This NPRR incorporates the following:

(1) relevant language from the following PRRs that were approved by the Board between April 2004 and February 2006:

·                     PRR 518, Clarification of Requirements Related to Retail Transactions

·                     PRR 522, Collateral Requirements and Credit Changes

·                     PRR543, Schedules and Emergency Assistance Over CFE-ERCOT DC Ties

·                     PRR 573, Mothballed Generation Resource Definition and Time to Service Updates

·                     PRR 591, Switchable Unit Declaration

·                     PRR625, Clarification of Emergency QSE Language

·                     PRR630, Private Use Networks

(2) TPTF determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as discussed by TPTF and documented in the ERCOT Clarification Matrix for Section 8 on and discussed at the TPTF meeting on 3/6/06.

(3) Incorporation of revisions from the testimony of Shams Siddiqi as required by the PUCT in its Order in Docket No. 31540, Proceeding to Consider Protocols to Implement a Nodal Market in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas Pursuant to Subst. R. §25.501 (4/5/06).

This NPRR incorporates relevant language from the following PRRs that were approved by the Board between April 2004 and February 2006:

PRR555, Modify Number of Sub-QSEs a Single Entity Can Partition;

PRR591, Switchable Unit Declaration;

PRR606, User Security Administrators and Digital Certificates;

PRR625, Clarification of Emergency QSE Language; and

PRR643, Shorten Payment Default Timelines.

This NPRR also incorporates TPTF determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as discussed by TPTF and documented in the ERCOT Clarification Matrix for Section 16 and discussed at the TPTF meeting on 3/6/06.

This NPRR incorporates relevant language from:

•  PRR627, RMR Transmission Issues and RMR Contract Extension, that was approved by the Board on 2/21/06; and
• PRR640, Update Provisions for Capacity and Energy Payments for RMR Service and Add a New Standard Form Agreement for Synchronous Service, that was approved by the Board on 3/21/06.

Revision to Protocol Section 1.3.1.1(w) adds the submittals to ERCOT by affected Entities that are required under the provisions of Protocol Section 10.3.2.3.  This change captures as protected information the descriptions of the metering facilities of all Common Switchyards that contain multiple points of interconnection of Loads (ESIDs) and generation meters (EPS).

Revisions to Protocol Section 3.7.1.1 add the requirement to include within the Resource Parameters submittal the methodology and, if utilized, the values of constants in any underlying net injection calculation for each Resource.

Revision to Protocol Section 6.5.5.2 clarifies that net power output from generation resources may be provided to ERCOT systems as a measured or calculated value.

Revisions to Protocol Section 6.6.3.1, Real-Time Energy Imbalance Payment or Charge at a Resource Node incorporate settlement methodology to be applied in the situation of a net metering installation.

Revisions to Protocol Section 10.3.2.3:

•  memorializes the requirement that affected entities provide to ERCOT metering diagrams; and
• adds the requirement that all Load(s) included in a net metering arrangement for an EPS Metering Facility shall only be electrically connected to the ERCOT grid through the EPS Metering point(s) for such Facility and that these Loads shall not be electrically connected to the ERCOT Grid through electrical connections that are not metered by the EPS metering point(s) for the Facility.

In the nodal Market, Transmission Service Providers (TSPs) need access to an environment of the ERCOT EMS where the following are available for their review and analysis

a)Network operations model,

1. Add definitions for terms used in more than one section

This NPRR revises how QSEs and TSPs communicate with ERCOT in Real-Time.  This Revision Request requires that all Real-Time communications use Inter-Control Center Protocol (ICCP) for all communications.  This will retire the existing RTU infrastructure used by ERCOT and its market participants for data exchange.

Market transactions using XML and/or MIS, and RTU communications between Market Participants and their field equipment, will remain unchanged.

This NPRR incorporates the following topics:

1.      Moving definition of Counter-Party from Section 16, Registration and Qualification of MPs, to Section 2, Definitions and Acronyms.

2.      Validation and enforcement of credit constraints at the Counter-Party level in the DAM and CRR Auctions.

3.      Provision of separate credit limit for DAM and CRR Auctions.

4.      Clarification on calculating credit exposure and Available Credit Limit on Business Days.

5.      Clarification on the language regarding Today’s Value of PTP Obligation, PTP Option and Flow Gate Rights.

6.      Clarification on the terminology for pricing components of Mark to Market Value for Flow Gate Rights

7.      Clarification on the flexibility to modify weighting factors associated with pricing components of Mark to Market Value for PTP Obligation, PTP Option and Flow Gate Rights.

8.      Tracking Payment Breach, Late Payment by Market Participants instead of by Counter-Party.

9.  Moving and clarifying language about forfeiture of CRRs from Section 9.9.1 to a new sub-section on “Declaration of forfeit of CRRs” in the Payment Breach section.

The proposed clarifications:

1)     Eliminate 4.2.2(6) because of inconsistency with Protocol language in 3.9.1(7), Current Operating Plan (COP) Criteria (“A QSE representing a Wind-Powered Generation Resource (WGR) must enter an HSL value that is less than or equal to the amount for that Resource from the most recent Wind-Powered Generation Resource Production Potential provided by ERCOT”);

2)     Eliminate 4.2.2(7) because the settlement information is described in 5.7.4.1, Capacity Shortfall Ratio Share; and

3)     Revise 5.7.4.1.1 to clarify how to do the settlements.

NPRR061 revises the ERCOT Nodal Protocols to provide for a scarcity pricing mechanism as required by subsection (g) of P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.505, Resource Adequacy in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas Power Region. 

3.19, Constraint Competitiveness Tests

This NPRR Clarifies the sections that dealing with whether a Resource is Eligible for startup compensation in the Day-Ahead and Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) Make-Whole payment calculations; modifies the definition of the hours used in calculating the RUC Decommitment Payment in Section 5.7.3; and Corrects the parentheses in three formulas in Section 5.7.1.1.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) changes the requirement for DAM clearing to start at 1000 in the Day-Ahead Market to allow time for submission validations.  This NPRR incorporates the TPTF discussions for Allocation of McCamey Flowgate Rights (MCFRIs) in Day-Ahead.

This NPRR modifies the Day-Ahead Make-Whole Payment calculation such that an Amount data cut is not calculated for an eligible Reliability Must Run (RMR) Unit; consistent with the Protocol requirement prohibiting RMR Units from receiving payment through the Day-Ahead Make Whole Payment. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR):

1.      Clarifies the contents of the various invoices.

2.      Clarifies the payment dates for the various invoices.

3.      Corrects the list of Day Ahead Market (DAM) Settlement Charge Types.

4.      Specifies contents and timing of Reat Time Market (RTM) Uplift Invoices

This NPRR  revises Section 5.6.4.1.1 to clarify that the Capacity Shortfall Ratio Share includes DC Tie imports and exports; modifies the definition of the variable HASLADJ (High Ancillary Service Limit) used in calculating the Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) Capacity Shortfall Ratio Share in Section 5.7.4. ; and modifies the definition of the variable LSL to reflect that its value is the same as the Low Sustained Limit (LSL) in the Current Operating Plan (COP).

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds:

(1) A provision to Section 3.19 that all transmission constraints are treated as non-competitive constraints during an initial 45 Operating Day period, beginning with the Texas Nodal Market Implementation Date (TNMID).

(2) New Section 4.4.11.2, which requires that the System-Wide Offer Cap (SWCAP) be set to the higher of $180 per MWh or 18 mmBtu per MWh times the Fuel Index Price (FIP) during an initial 45 Operating Day period, beginning with the TNMID, provided that a Market Participant who burns fuel oil rather than natural gas may dispute the use of $180 per MWh or 18 mmBtu heat rate per MWh times FIP if the Generation Resource’s Settlement Point Price does not cover the cost incurred by the Market Participant to provide energy or Ancillary Services.  This new section also establishes an Energy Offer Curve floor adjusted to -$50 per MWh.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) incorporates relevant concepts from the TAC Approved EMS and MMS Business Requirements and Conceptual Design Documentation to bring Section 8 AS Qualification Testing and Performance Monitoring in to conformance with the current nodal market AS deployment design.  Additionally changes are made to make Section 8 properly reflect the role of the IMM and to delineate the concept of market compliance vs. reliability compliance for the purposes of the TRE.  This NPRR also incorporates Transition Plan Task Force (TPTF) determinations regarding ERCOT Staff clarification questions as discussed by TPTF as discussed at the 12/3/06 and 12/18/06 TPTF meetings.

This NPRR incorporates the disclosure requirements pursuant to P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.505, Resource Adequacy in the Electric Reliability of Texas Power Region, paragraph (f), adopted under P.U.C. Project No. 33490, Rulemaking Proceeding to Address Pricing Safeguards in the Markets Operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) proposes two revisions in the table in Section 3.1.5.3(1):

 The first revision proposes changing “three” to “four” to make the timeline internally consistent.  The current wording could require approval of an Outage six hours prior to its submission.

 The second revision proposes increasing the “approval window” for the 45-day timeline from five days to 15 days (as it is in Zonal Protocols).

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) changes the use of the defined term “Outage” to generic “outage” to clarify that the Protocol language regarding outages in the CIM model includes known normal operating status outages, not Outages as defined in Section 2.1, Definitions.  .

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds the requirement to post Annual Planning Models and Congestion Revenue Rights (CRR) Network Models in the Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSS/E)format.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds clarifications to the variables that are used in settling McCamey flowgates.  This NPRR proposes corrections to flowgate formulae and clarifying variables and subscripts.  The NPRR also proposes revisions that streamline the OBLRACT and OPTRACT calculations, but maintain the intent of the original calculations.  With this revision, less data is required from Market Management System (MMS) and a complicated calculation is avoided.  This revision came about during interface discussions with MMS.

Implementing this Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) will support the interim settlement of all provisioned Advanced Meters using actual fifteen minute data, the same way Interval Data Recorder (IDR) meters are settled today, until the long-term solution developed by Project 34610, Implementation Project Relating to Advanced Metering, or future rulemakings is implemented.

1. Congestion Revenue Right’s (CRR’s) future exposure is represented by Future Credit Exposure (FCE) calculations. Including the CRR Invoices in Daily DA Liability Extrapolated (DALE) and Average Daily Transaction Extrapolated (ADTE) calculations result in calculating the future exposure more than once for CRR activity. Hence the CRR activity needs to be excluded from DALE and ADTE calculations.
2. Eliminate the “two day” requirement for prepays.  Invoices will be removed from the exposure calculation the day after they are paid.
3. If the Day Ahead Market (DAM) is executed but specific DAM Settlement Point Prices are not available, ERCOT may use the appropriate auction clearing prices instead.
4. 90% was mentioned twice, once in Available Credit Limit (ACL) definition and once in CRR auction credit limit. The intention is to apply 90% to ACL only once. Hence the 90% is removed from the ACL definition.

This Nodal Protocol Revision (NPRR) clarifies that non-public financial information provided to ERCOT is to be treated as Protected Information.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) proposes to correct terms contained in the Settlement equations related to EILS Self-Provision to make the formulas consistent with the verbal description of EILS Self-Provision Settlement and the author’s stated original intent.  Specifically, the formula correction applies to the uplifted costs of EILS as defined in paragraph (3) of Section 6.6.11.2, as follows:

·        Clarifies that uplifted EILS costs are based on final adjusted EILS obligations after accounting for any self-provided EILS.  This is accomplished by establishing and defining a new formula term, EILOF.

·        Adjusts other related formula terms accordingly.

·        Adds a missing subscript term definition that appears in numerous places elsewhere in the Protocols.

·        Adds clarity to certain other equation term definitions.

This NPRR also makes clarifications in language contained in paragraph (8)(d) of Section 3.14.3 related to Qualified Scheduling Entities’ (QSEs’) EILS Self-Provision options in cases where less than 1,000 MW of EILS has been offered, and adds copies of definitions that are applicable to both equations in this Section.

This NPRR also revises language to:

·        Clarify that the first Settlement of the Emergency Interruptible Load Service (EILS) Contract Period shall use a QSE Load Ratio Share (LRS) that is based upon the final Load for each Operating Day in the EILS Contract Period;

·        Introduce a resettlement of EILS Contract Period Settlement utilizing a QSE LRS which is based upon the True-Up Load for each Operating Day in the EILS Contract Period; 

·        Remove conflicting language about EILS disputes;

·        Clarify the timing by which EILS Settlement disputes must be submitted; and

·        Move all language related to the timing of the EILS Settlement process to Section 9.14.5.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) revises existing rules for resubmitting Ancillary Service (AS) offers in the Adjustment Period to provide for resubmitting those AS offers not awarded in the previous markets at the higher of the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) Market Clearing Price for Capacity (MCPC) for the corresponding AS or the Resource’s offer price for the corresponding AS in the DAM.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) synchronizes the Nodal Protocols with Protocol Revision Request (PRR) 697, Posting Requirement Changes, which incorporated disclosure requirement changes resulting from P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.505, Resource Adequacy in the Electric Reliability of Texas Power Region, adopted under P.U.C. Project No. 33490, Rulemaking Proceeding to Address Pricing Safeguards in the Markets Operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.  

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) allows either Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) or Resource Entities to file verifiable costs.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) requires re-registration as a Market Participant (MP) if they transfer Electric Service Identifiers (ESI IDs) from one Competitive Retailer (CR) to another using the Mass Transition process.  

This NPRR creates Section 16.1.1, Re-Registration as a Market Participant, to identify the circumstances in which an MP would have to re-register as an MP.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) modifies the verifiable Startup Cost and verifiable minimum energy cost calculation to include a $.50 adder for the Fuel Index Price (FIP).  This NPRR also allows through the dispute process for the recovery of the difference between the Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) Guarantee based on the actual price paid for delivered natural gas and a fuel price of FIP*1.X.

In lieu of system changes, ERCOT may implement this NPRR by making appropriate adjustments to the verifiable cost procedures to accommodate the $.50 adder.  These procedures will be described in the Verifiable Cost Manual.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) provides clarity in the Nodal Protocol language.  Resources committed by Day-Ahead Market (DAM) are not considered as On-Line by Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) unless a Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) has changed the Resource Status to On-Line in the Current Operating Plan (COP) for that hour.

The purpose of this Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) is to bring the Nodal Protocols in line with the nodal program implementation: 

      * Changes to the regulation reduction calculation to account for movements in generation due to units getting updated Base Points from Load Frequency Control (LFC).

      * The other change is regarding the Regulation Up (Reg-Up)/Regulation Down (Reg-Down) allocation to Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) to take out the constraint for each four-second interval, since the full amount of Reg-Up/Reg-Down responsibility is realizable in five-minutes and compliance is also on a five-minute basis.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) makes the following Nodal Protocol changes:

o       Removes the Section 3.10.3 requirement to hold Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) models static for two months prior to the auction, thus enabling CRR group to perform updates to CRR model until publication of said model.

o       Revises Section 7.1(2)(d) to state that the facilitation of bilateral trades will occur on the Market Information System (MIS) Certified Area, not the Secured Area.

o       Removes the wording in Section 7.1(2)(d) to clarify that bilateral trades of Point- to-Point (PTP) Options with Refund and PTP Obligations with Refund will not occur in Day-Ahead Market (DAM).

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) revises the definition of Fuel Index Price (FIP) to correctly account for the timing difference between ERCOT’s application of the FIP in its systems (midnight to midnight) and the timing of natural gas prices reflected by the index (i.e., 10 AM to 9 AM).  The fuel price index published in Gas Daily, in the Daily Price Survey, under the heading “East-Houston-Katy, Houston Ship Channel” for any particular day reflects natural gas prices available to users from hour ending 10 AM of the particular day to hour ending 9 AM of the next day (i.e., the normal “gas day”).  This NPRR also adds a new definition for the term “Gas Day.”

This NPRR also proposes non-substantive administrative changes, such as correcting acronym and defined term usage and section references.  These are shown below with the author “ERCOT Market Rules.”

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) allows ERCOT to put information, not specifically required in the Protocols but required by market guides, on the Market Information System (MIS) under one of the three classifications, i.e., Public, Secure or Certified. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) incorporates certain definitions and acronyms from the zonal Protocols for terms that are used in the Nodal Protocols but are not defined in Section 2, Definitions and Acronyms.  Some of these definitions have been slightly modified for use in the Nodal Protocols.  This NPRR also makes clarifying revisions to Section 2 that can be categorized as follows:

(1) Reorders certain definitions and acronyms so that Section 2 is in proper alphabetical order;

(2) Within defined terms, spells out full terms rather than using associated acronyms.  This assures defined terms that incorporate a shorter defined term will appear consecutively in Section 2.1.  For example, Competitive Retailer (CR) of Record incorporates the defined term “Competitive Retailer,” but currently the definitions for “Competitive Retailer” and “CR of Record” appear on different pages.  Accordingly, “CR of Record“ will be changed to “Competitive Retailer (CR) of Record“;

(3) Moves certain definitions to appear as secondary definitions that follow the primary defined term (e.g., definition for “Black Start Resource” moved to follow definition of “Resource”), and changes certain secondary definitions to primary definitions (e.g., “EILS Contract Period” no longer a secondary definition of “Emergency Interruptible Load Service (EILS)”).  Only those terms that are types or classes of a primary defined term are listed as secondary definitions (e.g., Forced Outage, which is a type of Outage);

(4) Adds acronyms and abbreviations used in the Nodal Protocols to the list in Section 2.2 if not already contained therein;

(5) Deletes terms that do not need definitions from Section 2.1 (e.g., proper nouns);

(6) Deletes definitions for terms that are not used in the Nodal Protocols;

(7) Adds internal hyperlinks for navigating within Section 2; and

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) modifies the definition for Transmission and/ or Distribution Service Provider (TDSP) to include Entities that were selected to own and operate Transmission Facilities listed in the PUCT Order in Docket 35665, Commission Staff’s Petition for the Selection of Entities Responsible for Transmission Improvements Necessary to Deliver Renewable Energy from Competitive Renewable Energy Zones.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) clarifies the difference between Ancillary Service capacity deployment and energy deployment and how it affects Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED).  This NPRR also proposes non-substantive administrative changes, such as correcting acronym and defined term usage and section references.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) replaces the seasonal testing requirement with unannounced Generation Resource testing and adds a requirement for Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) to seasonally update their Resources’ High Sustainable Limits (HSLs).

The NPRR also leverages existing emergency operations Settlement functionality to provide a mechanism to compensate a Generation Resource for the additional energy above the pre-test Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) Base Point during the unannounced Generation Resource test period.

This NPRR synchronizes the Nodal Protocols with the process added to the zonal Protocols pursuant to Protocol Revision Request (PRR) 750, Unannounced Generation Capacity Testing.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) would provide guidance to ERCOT to use the peak Load forecast posted pursuant to P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.505, Resource Adequacy in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas Power Region, for the next 12 months for the Reliability Must-Run (RMR) study, except with respect to the Load in the RMR local area.  This aligns the Load forecast period with the RMR contract period and ensures that the Load forecast used for the analysis is one with a reasonable probability of occurrence.

This NPRR also proposes non-substantive administrative changes, shown with the author “ERCOT Market Rules.”

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) would provide that ERCOT may deselect units from Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) processes.  The NPRR also creates the term “RUC Notification” to refer to an ERCOT instruction preceding a Resource’s startup time.  The NPRR enables the Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) to self-commit, a Resource after receiving a RUC Notification but before the Resource’s startup time.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) specifies that Energy Trades representing firm physical products that are entered and confirmed through ERCOT must be submitted by 1430 in the Day-Ahead for the Operating Day, and that Energy Trades representing firm physical products that are executed during the adjustment period and confirmed through ERCOT must be submitted prior to the next Hourly Reliability Unit Commitment (HRUC) execution.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) changes the way default amounts (amounts owed to ERCOT by defaulting Counter-Party 180 days after the default occurs) in the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) and Real-Time Market (RTM) are allocated.  This NPRR assigns a share of the default to each Counter-Party based on the greatest of the Counter-Party’s MWh activity in either the CRR market or DAM or RTM at the Counter-Party level for the calendar month prior to the month in which the default occurs.  The Counter-Party share of the default is invoiced to the Counter-Party’s Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) or Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) Account Holders, pro rata based on each of the Counter-Party QSE’s or Counter-Party CRR Account Holder’s share of the Counter-Party’s maximum MWh activity.  The level of MWh activity in the CRR market and DAM is measured as the greater of the MWh purchases or sales in that market and the level of MWh activity in the RTM is measured as the greater of the Counter-Party’s MWh Load or generation, excluding generation from Reliability Must-Run (RMR) Resources and other Resources during Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC)-Committed Intervals.  Language that currently exists in Sections 9.4.3 and 9.7.3 was consolidated and used to create new Section 9.19.

This NPRR also accelerates the DAM Invoice payment due date by one day.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) removes a reporting requirement. There are no specific reporting requirements from the Independent Market Monitor (IMM) and Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) for ERCOT to provide a nightly report. Based on IMM requirements, a nightly report is not required.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) removes the use of Dynamic Rating for Annual Planning Models.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) provides the option for the election of standard Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs as a component of Startup Costs and minimum energy costs in place of filing verifiable costs through January 1, 2012.

Additional non-substantive administrative revisions, such as correcting acronym and defined term usage, are shown with the author “ERCOT Market Rules.”

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) synchronizes the Nodal Protocols with the language in the zonal Protocols pursuant to Protocol Revision Request (PRR) 822, Termination of Access Privileges to Restricted Computer Systems, Control Systems and Facilities formerly  Removing of Access to Restricted Computer Systems, Control Systems, and Facilities. PRR822 was approved by the ERCOT Board on 10/21/09.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) revises the Nodal Protocol language to include a description of the treatment and Settlement of Combined Cycle Generation Resources in the ERCOT Day-Ahead, reliability and Real-Time systems.  The design change for the Combined Cycle upgrades are described in the documents located at the following URLs:

“Combined Cycle Plants”, http://nodal.ercot.com/docs/pd/ida/sig/SIG0003/sig0003_combined_cycle_plants_v5_0.doc;

“Transmission Constraint Modeling for RT CCP Dispatch”,

http://nodal.ercot.com/docs/pd/ida/sig/SIG0022/sig0022_trans_constraint_mod_RT_ccp_disp_v4.doc;

“Combined-Cycle Unit Modeling in the Nodal Design”,

http://nodal.ercot.com/docs/pd/ida/wp/ccum/ida003_combined_cycle_unit_modeling_in_the_nodal_design_v3.doc. 

 The Combined Cycle Train design change described in the above documentation has extensive impacts on ERCOT systems and processes in the areas of Registration, Management Activities (COP and Outage Scheduler), the Day-Ahead Market (DAM), the Supplemental Ancillary Services Market (SASM) and the Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) processes; and Settlements and Billing.  This NPRR adds clarifying language to explain the “as built” system implementation of the conceptual elements of the Combined Cycle Train design change consistent with the existing Protocol treatment of all other Generation Resource types.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) removes ERCOT’s ability to submit Three-Part Supply Offer curves for any Generation Resource providing Reliability Must-Run (RMR) Service from participation in the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) and the Day-Ahead Reliability Unit Commitment (DRUC) process.  However, ERCOT will still have the ability to use an RMR Resource to resolve local congestion issues through Verbal Dispatch Instruction (VDI).

 This NPRR also proposes non-substantive administrative changes, such as correcting acronym and defined term usage.  These are shown below with the author “ERCOT Market Rules.”

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) resolves Alignment Items A36 and A131 by clarifying Market Information System (MIS) posting requirements and validation of Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) telemetry for Ancillary Services Resource Responsibility and clarifies Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) initialization to data bases.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) states that the Entity with decision making authority over how a Resource or Split Generation Resource is offered or scheduled shall be responsible for all offers associated with each Resource, including offers represented by a proxy Energy Offer Curve.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR):

1.    Updates AIL calculation to reflect Max (Average Daily Transaction Extrapolated (ADTE) during the previous 60-day period) instead of ADTE to match Estimated Aggregate Liability (EAL) calculation.

2.    Removes Flowgate Rights-related Credit Monitoring and Management Reports.

3.    Corrects Credit Monitoring and Management Reports format from Extensible Markup Language (XML) to Microsoft Excel (XLS) format.

4.    Updates the posting requirements of Future Credit Exposure (FCE) Details Reports.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) creates Section 19.8, Retail Market Testing, incorporating the retail market testing process into Section 19, Texas Standard Electronic Transaction, thereby eliminating the need for Section 23, Texas Test Plan Team - Retail Market Testing.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) synchronizes the Nodal Protocols with Protocol Revision Request (PRR) 845, Definition for IDR Meters and Optional Removal of IDR Meters at a Premise Where an Advanced Meter Can be Provisioned, which clarifies the meaning of an Interval Data Recorder (IDR) Meter and provides for optional removal of IDR Meters under certain conditions for Premises where an Advanced Meter can be provisioned by the Transmission and/or Distribution Service Provider (TDSP).   

This NPRR also inserts grey boxed language for reporting requirements in Sections 18.6.1 and 18.6.2, to be implemented post Texas Nodal Market Implementation Date, that were removed from PRR845 due to the impact on Nodal systems and therefore deemed “Not Needed for Go-Live” by the CEO Revision Request Review process.  

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) synchronizes the Nodal Protocols with Protocol Revision Request (PRR) 758, Clarification of Language Related to Generation Netting for ERCOT Polled Settlement Meters, approved by the ERCOT Board on 4/15/08.   

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR):

 (1)   Synchronizes the Nodal Protocols with Protocol Revision Request (PRR) 824, Primary Frequency Response from WGRs and PRR833, Primary Frequency Response Requirement from Existing WGRs;

 (2)   Refines and clarifies the definition of Generation Resource Energy Deployment Performance (GREDP);

 (3)   Moves the definition of Measurable Event to Section 2.1; and

 (4)   Proposes a definition for Dead Band as defined in Section 6.2.1.4, Definitions, of the zonal Operating Guides. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds language to specify that for a new Point of Interconnection (POI), Generation Resources must comply with provisions of Other Binding Documents (OBDs), Section 3.15, Voltage Support, and Nodal Operating Guide Section 2.9, Voltage Ride-Through Requirements for Generation Resources, based upon the execution date of the most recent Standard Generation Interconnection Agreement (SGIA). For existing Generation Resources with more than one POI, compliance with these requirements is based on the execution of the SGIA relative to the POI where the Generation Resource is electrically connected. This NPRR also revises the definition of POI to clarify that the POI is determined by the voltage level and substation, rather than the location, of the relevant interconnection.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) removes references to pseudo devices from the Nodal Protocols.

The Generation Resource Status of “ONTEST” was originally created in the Protocols to recognize generation unit test operations that could not be dispatched by Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED).  These operations included testing of the unit for economic performance, emissions compliance, qualification for provision of Ancillary Services, voltage/MVaR management, and other unit testing activities.  This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) expands the use of this Resource Status to provide for Generation Resource operations during start up and shut down of the unit as well as unit testing requirements.

The Resource Status “ONTEST” will allow for Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) to indicate to ERCOT through telemetry that the Resource is operating in a start-up or shut-down sequence and is being manually dispatched by the QSE in addition to the original purpose to indicate that the Generation Resource is performing a test of its operations either manually dispatched by the QSE or by ERCOT as part of the testing.  This Resource Status will be recognized by the current nodal systems design and will cause the SCED output Base Point to be set equal to the net real power telemetry of the Resource at the time of SCED execution.

The Resource Status “ONTEST” will also be recognized in Settlements and considered a Base Point Deviation charge exemption.  Resource Status will replace the Low Sustained Limit (LSL)/ High Sustained Limit (HSL) telemetry as an input to the TELHSLFLAG due to system limitations.

Consistent with the additional uses of the Resource Status code, its description has been revised to remove the requirement that an Output Schedule is required when this Resource Status is assigned by the QSE.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request adds a Market Information System (MIS) Public Area posting requirement for the database load schedule.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) removes changes that were made to the Low Dispatch Limit (LDL) calculation within the Resource Limit Calculator (RLC) as part of NPRR119, Resource Limit Calculator.  The language in this NPRR will ensure that a Resource’s Dispatch limits are calculated taking into consideration the Resource’s current net MW output and ramp rates.  This NPRR also changes the Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) Up and Down Ramp Rate calculation (SURAMP and SDRAMP) to reduce the amount of ramp rate that is reserved for Regulation Service.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) proposes several modifications to the Nodal Protocols relating to EILS.  The four changes proposed in this NPRR that ERCOT considers to be most important are as follows:

·        Amends Section 3.14.3, specifically paragraphs (8)(b), (c) and (d), and Sections 6.6.11.1 and 6.6.11.2 to correct a Settlement inequity for Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) providing EILS through Self-Provision.

·        Amends Section 8.1.3.1, specifically paragraph (2)(b), to provide ERCOT with an important option for accommodating EILS Loads potentially consisting of large aggregations of Customers with Advanced Meters.

·        Amends paragraph (7)(f) of Section 3.14.3 to remove the requirement that EILS capacity offers must be submitted in whole MW amounts.

·        Adds a new paragraph (5)(e) to Section 8.1.3.1 to define a mechanism for ERCOT to reduce the payment for an EILS Load that fails two consecutive Load-shed tests in an EILS Contract Period. 

In addition, this NPRR proposes additional modifications related to EILS that ERCOT considers to be clarifying in nature.

For additional detail regarding the revisions proposed in this NPRR, please see “Comments” section of NPRR submission form (Key Documents tab).

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) provides that an exception to the Generation Resource Base Point Deviation Charge for any 15-minute Settlement Interval which includes a Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) interval that is less than four minutes in duration.  Additional changes are proposed to Base Point Deviation Charges for over- and under-generation, to be effective upon system implementation.  This NPRR also removes the Base Point Deviation Charge for all Intermittent Renewable Resources (IRRs) until corrections to the Nodal systems can be implemented so that the charge applies to IRRs only when there is clear indication that the Base Point received needs to be followed.

A flag will be sent by ERCOT to the Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) for each Resource indicating SCED has Dispatched a Generation Resource below the High Dispatch Limit (HDL) used by SCED.  This flag will be used by the Settlement system to determine when the IRR Generation Resource Base Point Deviation Charge will apply.

In addition, the calculations are changed to apply the charge whether the Settlement Point Price is negative or positive.

As ERCOT has worked through improvements in development of the Load distribution factor values used in the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) and Network Model validation process, this Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) has been created to allow the Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) Auction process to leverage use of this alternative Load distribution factor for monthly CRR Auctions.  In this manner, the monthly CRR Auction and DAM are more operationally accurate and aligned.  This NPRR also includes a change to Section 7.3 to clarify that the Flowgate Revenue Rights, which ERCOT is required to auction, are those flowgates defined and described in accordance with Section 7.3.1, Flowgates. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) defines the process for Mass Transition of Electric Service Identifiers (ESI IDs) from one Competitive Retailer (CR) to another CR when transitioning due to an acquisition, the process for switch hold indicator addition and removal, and other various changes deemed to be implemented with Texas Standard Electronic Transaction (TX SET) version 4.0.    

This NPRR revises the language in Section 4.4.10 to match the implemented DAM credit exposure calculations for Three-Part Supply Offers as they relate to combined cycle and to PTP bid calculations currently identified in paragraph (6)(d) of Section 4.4.10; right size the credit exposure calculation for DAM transactions submitted via the use of an energy-only bid curve to equate to the maximum exposure; and right size the credit exposure calculation for DAM PTP bids where a qualified expiring Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) offsets cleared DAM exposure.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) revises the frequency for the ERCOT Internal Audit Department to perform audits from an annual basis to a periodic basis.  This NPRR impacts:

 (1)       Three annual ERCOT Internal Audit Department-performed audits that are required by paragraph (2) of Section 1.4.3.1:

(a)       Ethics Compliance Audit – Compliance with Code-of-Conduct and Ethics Corporate Standard

(b)       Confidentiality Compliance Audit – Compliance with Confidentiality and Protected Information Provisions of Protocols

(c)        Independence Verification Audit – ERCOT Administration of Protocols is Independent of Market Participants.

 The ERCOT Internal Audit Department has performed the above three audits annually since 2008.

 (2)       One independent audit required by paragraph (5) of Section 3.10:

(a)       Audit of Consistent Information in Operations Models

 This is a new Nodal Protocol required audit and is being performed for the first time in 2011 by the ERCOT Internal Audit Department.

 (3)       One audit required by Section 17.3.3:

(a)       Audit of ERCOT Market Monitoring Data Handling Processes

 This is a new Nodal Protocol required audit and is being performed for the first time in 2011 by the ERCOT Internal Audit Department.

 The ERCOT Internal Audit Department tentatively plans to perform the above five audits no less than once every three years.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR):

• Clarifies the COP reporting requirements for a Quick Start Generation Resource (QSGR) that is providing Off-Line Non-Spinning Reserve (Non–Spin) Service in an amount that is greater than High Sustained Limit (HSL) minus Low Sustained Limit (LSL); and
• Removes the requirement for a Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) to contact the ERCOT Operator to request a "manual override" when a QSGR it represents is first deployed by Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) from a zero Base Point to a Base Point that is less than the QSGR’s physical LSL. Emergency operations Settlement provisions for QSGR deployments by SCED will be managed internally by ERCOT.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) removes a redundant requirement for ERCOT to produce a report regarding equipment Ratings.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) deducts the amount collected for the shortfall charges for Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) Owners from the amount received on all Real-Time Market (RTM) Invoices prior to prorating the payout to the RTM Invoice Recipients. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) details the process for notifying Market Participants of market outcomes in the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) and Real-Time Market (RTM) that are inconsistent with the “efficient operation of the market” in the ERCOT Region, as that term is defined in paragraph (c)(2) of P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.503, Oversight of Wholesale Market Participants.  This NPRR gives ERCOT discretion to implement corrective measures and advise Market Participants to discontinue practices that are inconsistent with efficient operation of the ERCOT-administered markets.  This NPRR allows the ERCOT CEO to deem any NPRR designed to correct such activity as Urgent.  

 It is assumed that prior to taking actions allowed by NPRR342, ERCOT shall consult with the Independent Market Monitor (IMM) and Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) Staff regarding actions that are inconsistent with the efficient operation of ERCOT-administered markets.

This NPRR would remove the ability to bid for CRRs in the CRR auction or bid for PTP Obligations in the DAM that exist entirely within a station.

For the DAM, the implementation would be in two phases:

(1)   Initial implementation phase where ERCOT manually posts the disallowed Electrically Similar Settlement Points, and programmatically removes those transactions before running the DAM; and

(2)   Phase after system implementation for automated posting of Electrically Similar Settlement Points built from the 0600 DAM study (supporting Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSS/E) file postings in NPRR290, ERCOT Publication of DAM PSS/E Files) – the DAM solution engine would not award those transactions inclusive of any outages received by 1000 – and automated post-DAM disclosure of the final list of Electrically Similar Settlement Points applicable to the DAM solution.

As such, the DAM language contains grey-boxed language to clarify how this would be handled in the two different phases.

For CRRs, the implementation for disallowing PTP Obligation bids for Electrically Similar Settlement Points would be in two phases:

(1)   Initial implementation phase where ERCOT manually identifies and removes each Electrically Similar Settlement Point PTP Obligation bid submitted to the CRR Auction prior to the market optimizations; and

(2)   Final implementation phase where the CRR application detects and prevents Electrically Similar Settlement Point PTP Obligation bids when the CRR Auction bid portfolio is entered by the Market Participant.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) proposes invoicing activity at the Counter-Party level based on the net amount of each Counter-Party’s Qualified Scheduling Entitie’s (QSE’s) and Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) Account Holder’s charges and credits.

This NPRR also combines the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) and the Real-Time Market (RTM) Invoices into a single daily Settlement Invoice for these activities. The Settlement Invoice posting on a Business Day includes Operating Days for which a DAM Statement or RTM Statement is posting on the same Business Day. The Settlement Invoice due date is three Bank Business Days after the Settlement Invoice posts.

To align with the concept of a single daily Settlement Invoice, this NPRR also requires: (a) adaptation of the language for partial payments and late fees; (b) adaptation of the language for the Default Uplift Invoice; (c) changes to related credit formulas; and (d) automation of the minimum collateral calculation given an increase in the frequency of the calculation.

Also, since with this change, Real-Time Settlement Statements will generally be invoiced between three to ten days sooner, this NPRR also proposes reducing the average daily transaction extrapolated

multiplier from 40 days to 35 days based on the median reduction in exposure of approximately five days

As part of this Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR), Protocol language concerning the use of the "ONTEST" Resource Status during Start-Up and Shut-Down has been removed. Language has been added to address the Start-Up and Shut-Down processes.

For Start-Up, language is added so that Resources are exempt from Base-Point Deviation Charges and Generation Resource Energy Deployment Performance (GREDP) metrics when the Resources average base-point value is below the average telemetered Low Sustainable Limit (LSL). The expectation is that when a Resource is receiving base-points below its LSL, the Resource is starting up/shutting down and not necessarily responding to Security Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) instructions.

For Shut-Down, a new Resource Status is created called "SHUTDOWN". This status will be used by the Resource Limit Calculator (RLC) to calculate dispatch limits for SCED which ramp a Resource down to 0 MW according to the Resource’s provided ramp rate. Again, a Resource will be exempt from Base-Point Deviation Charges and GREDP metrics when the Resource’s average base-point is below the average telemetered LSL.

Using the inputs specified in this Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR), ERCOT will calculate prices and base points over the next hour, using an hour-long optimization instead of a five-minute optimization.  These calculated prices and base points will initially be non-binding, although it is anticipated that these will become binding as Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) Look-Ahead progresses in future phases.

Not covered by this NPRR are the larger pieces of SCED Look-Ahead, like Real-Time commitment of generators and Load Resources (possibly replacing or eliminating the Non-Spinning Reserve (Non-Spin) product), Real-Time co-optimization of energy and Ancillary Services (including determining when the co-optimization occurs), whether to charge make-whole charges and to whom they should be charged to, and how these revisions will support the overall market design and Resource adequacy requirements.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) removes the energy-weighting in the current calculation for the Real-Time Settlement Point Price (RTSPP) for a Load Zone. It also adds a new RTSPP for a Load Zone that is energy-weighted (Real-Time Settlement Point Price Energy-Weighted (RTSPPEW)) and adjusts the appropriate formulas that use these prices. This NPRR also corrects the Real-Time Price for the Energy Metered for each Resource meter at bus (RTRMPR _b) in the event that the Energy at bus near Real-Time (EBNRT) is less than or equal to zero.

This NPRR also includes several minor, non-substantive corrections.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) creates a new posting for the sum of High Dispatch Limit (HDL) and the sum of Low Dispatch Limit (LDL) and any Generation Resource instances of manual overrides of HDL or LDL to the Market Information System (MIS) Public Area after every Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) run.

This NPRR also adds the requirement to post any Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) instances of manual overrides of HDL and LDL for a Generation Resource to the MIS Certified Area after every SCED run.

Current Protocols require that forecasted and actual wind power production be posted hourly. This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) is twofold: 

1. Adds a new public report to be posted every five minutes that provides, on both a system-wide and regional basis, the five-minute actual wind power production for a rolling historical 60-minute period.   (Note that this includes the current Real-Time value along with a rolling 60-minute history of five-minute actual values.)
2. Changes the existing hourly report for Actual and Forecast Regional Wind Report to provide the following information on both a system-wide and regional basis:  
   1. Aggregate Wind-powered Generation Resource (WGR) Power Output
   2. Aggregate Short-term Wind Power Forecast (STWPF)
   3. Aggregate Wind-powered Generation Resource Production Potential (WGRPP)
   4. Aggregate Current Operating Plan (COP) High Sustained Limits (HSLs) for On-Line WGRs 

These reports will compliment the new Public Aggregated Wind Dashboard proposed in System Change Request (SCR) 765, Public Aggregated Wind Dashboard. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) improves the operational value of Emergency Interruptible Load Service (EILS); and strengthens and clarifies a number of performance criteria for EILS by:

•  Providing ERCOT Operators with enhanced flexibility for managing grid conditions during an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) by requiring dispatch of EILS prior to or in conjunction with dispatch of Load Resources providing Responsive Reserve (RRS) in EEA Level 2;
•  Improving dispatch of EILS by expanding the Dispatch Instruction to include an XML message in addition to the current Verbal Dispatch Instruction (VDI).  This would make EILS dispatch consistent with Load Resource dispatch and would remove any potential ambiguity about dispatch status;
• Strengthening the 10-minute deployment requirement for EILS by establishing more specific metrics for both Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) and EILS Load-level performance during the first interval of the deployment event, and affirming that a failure to meet the 10-minute requirement constitutes a violation of the Protocols; 
• Establishing an availability “settlement weighting factor” that places higher emphasis on an EILS Load’s event performance over availability in an EILS Contract Period where EILS is deployed.  For settlement purposes, availability would be weighted at 25% in an EILS Contract Period in which EILS was deployed but not exhausted.  Availability would be weighted at between 0% and 25% in a Contract Period in which EILS was exhausted, via a sliding scale based on how early in the Contract Period EILS was exhausted;
• Allowing an EILS Load to be reassigned to a default baseline type if it was assigned to the alternate baseline prior to an EILS Contract Period due to a lack of sufficient historical meter data; 
• Changing the event performance criteria for EILS Loads assigned to the alternate baseline to parallel the event performance calculation used for EILS Loads on a default baseline;
• Establishing conditions under which an EILS Load that falls short of an event performance factor of 0.95, yet demonstrably performs in an EILS deployment event, may avoid a six-month suspension.  In such cases the payment to the QSE will be based on the actual event performance factor; these provisions apply to suspensions only;
•  Simplifying availability requirements and settlement calculations for EILS by combining an EILS Load’s Time Period availability factors into a unified Load-weighted and time-weighted availability factor for a Contract Period;
•  Adding clarity to QSE portfolio performance criteria;
• Establishing a list of QSE-specific documents that ERCOT shall be required to post to the Market Information System (MIS) Certified Area; and
• Making additional clarifying changes to EILS.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) clarifies language that supports system changes proposed in System Change Request (SCR) 766, Load Zone and Hub LMPs Distributed by ICCP (formerly "Load Zone Price Distributed by ICCP"). SCR766 should provide quicker distribution of the Load Zone prices and the Hub prices that are available with each Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) execution.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) clarifies that for hydro Generation Resources operating in the synchronous condenser fast-response mode to provide Responsive Reserve (RRS), the initiation setting of the automatic under frequency relay setting shall not be lower than 59.80 Hz.  It also includes language to address the instances when a hydro Generation Resource operating in synchronous condenser fast-response mode is triggered by an under frequency relay device without a corresponding RRS deployment by ERCOT. 

Additionally, this NPRR is a companion to Nodal Operating Guide Revision Request (NOGRR) 068, Hydro-Responsive Reserve, and has been prepared in coordination with ERCOT Staff.

 Changes to revise the use of “hydro-powered Resource” to “hydro Generation Resource” and revisions to Section 3.8 references are also proposed in this NPRR.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) clearly defines the Reactive Power capability requirements for Wind-powered Generation Resources (WGRs) that commenced operation on or after February 17, 2004, and have a signed Standard Generation Interconnection Agreement (SGIA) on or before December 1, 2009 (Existing Non-Exempt WGRs).  These Existing Non-Exempt WGRs will fall into two categories:

(1)  Those whose current design allows them to meet the Reactive Power capability requirement described in paragraph (3) of Section 3.15.  In these cases, the Reactive Power profile is depicted graphically as a rectangle.  

(2)  Those whose current design does not allow them to meet the Reactive Power capability requirement described in paragraph (3) of Section 3.15.  These WGRs must conduct engineering studies using the Summer/Fall 2010 Voltage Profiles to determine their actual Reactive Power capability and must, at a minimum, provide Reactive Power proportional to the real power output (a Reactive Power profile depicted graphically as a triangle).

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) clarifies the ability to request refund option Pre-Assigned Congestion Revenue Rights (PCRRs) across high voltage Direct Current Ties (DC Ties).

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) shortens the posting timeline for the Real-Time Initial Statement by one Business Day, and shortens cash clearing for the Settlement Invoices in which it will be included by one Bank Business Day. This NPRR also eliminates the option of making payments using Automated Clearing House (ACH) funds.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) provides for a credit review on preliminary CRR Auction results before CRR Auction results are finalized and posted to ensure that post auction collateral requirements under Section 16, Registration and Qualification of Market Participants, for the proposed CRR awards are within a Counter-Party’s Available Credit Limit (ACL).  If a Counter-Party does not have or provide the required Financial Security, this NPRR provides for voiding that Entity’s bids and offers and rerunning the CRR Auction without that Entity’s bids and offers.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) requires that a) the Future Credit Exposure (FCE) component of the collateral calculation and b) the CRR Auction credit limit be collateralized with cash, letter of credit or a surety bond.  Unsecured credit and unsecured credit through guarantees will no longer be available for this.  This NPRR also eliminates netting of FCE with Current Credit Exposure (CCE) for all Counter-Parties.  To accomplish the above ERCOT considered the approaches listed below:

(1)       Establish separate collateral “pools” for Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) and CRR activities (similar to zonal); and

(2)       Continue with a combined collateral pool, but providing sublimits for activity that must be secured.

ERCOT has used the second approach in the NPRR as it provides the most flexibility and ability to maximize use of collateral.

The NPRR addresses three areas:

(1)       Splits the Total Potential Exposure (TPE) into two portions:

(a)       Total Potiential Exposure Secured (TPES) is the TPE that must be secured with cash, letter of credit or surety bond; and

(b)       Total Potential Exposure Any (TPEA) is the TPE that may be secured with any form of collateral.  TPEA will include all exposure not included in TPES.

(2)       Defines subcomponents of Financial Security and establishes additional requirements to maintain adequate secured collateral:

(a)       Secured Collateral (cash, letter of credit  or surety bond)

(b)       Remainder Collateral (Financial Security minus TPES minus Net Positive Exposure of approved CRR Bilateral Trades)

(3)       Redefines Available Credit Limit(ACL) and provides for separate calculations of ACL for the Day Ahead (DAM) (ACLD) and CRR (ACLC) markets.  ACL for CRRs must be collateralized with Secured Collateral.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds language to require posting of current and previously effective credit parameters to the Market Information System (MIS) Certified Area.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) requires Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) action that routinely releases certain On-Line Non-Spinning Reserve (Non-Spin) energy to Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) without the need for ERCOT to issue a Non-Spin deployment instruction.  The changes in Section 6.5.7.6.2.3 do not invalidate any other existing requirements contained in this section.  Those Generation Resources not subject to the provisions contained in paragraph (5) of Section 6.5.7.6.2.3 must respond to any Non-Spin deployment or recall instruction issued by ERCOT Operators in accordance with the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)-approved Non-Spinning Reserve Service Deployment and Recall Procedure.

There will not be any validation rules to verify the requirements added by this NPRR.  The onus is on all QSEs to make the submission/telemetry changes needed to implement these new requirements.

This NPRR adds a requirement for the Energy Offer Curve to be set at the System-Wide Offer Cap (SWCAP) for the capacity reserved for Responsive Reserve (RRS) Service Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility and Regulation Up (Reg-Up) Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility because of the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) or Supplemental Ancillary Services Market (SASM) Ancillary Service awards, or Self-Arranged Ancillary Service Quantity.

If RRS and/or Reg-Up Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility is reassigned to a Generation Resource during the Adjustment Period in accordance with Protocol Section 6.4.6, QSE-Requested Decommitment of Resources and Changes to Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility of Resources, it is expected that the Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) shall submit an Energy Offer Curve that meets the requirements of Section 6.4.3.2. Energy Offer Curve for Responsive Reserve and Regulation Up Capacity, for the Generation Resource newly assigned Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility for RRS and/or Reg-Up prior to the end of the Adjustment Period.

 If the Ancillary Resource Responsibility for RRS and/or Reg-Up is reassigned in accordance with Protocol Section 6.4.6 from a Generation Resource that experiences a Forced Outage, Derate, or Startup Loading Failure during the Operating Period, it is expected that the QSE shall submit an Energy Offer Curve that meets the requirements of Section 6.4.3.2 as soon as reasonably practicable after the event.  

QSE updates to an Energy Offer Curve entered at the end of the Adjustment Period become effective in ERCOT systems at the next Operating Period.  Therefore, if RRS or Reg-Up Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility is moved from one Generation Resource to another in the QSE's portfolio during an Operating Hour, any change to the Energy Offer Curve will be effective in the next Operating Period.

There will not be any validation rule put in to verify the rules added by the new Protocol language. The onus is on QSE’s to make the submission/telemetry changes needed to implement the new Protocol language.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds a requirement for the Energy Offer Curve to be at or above $120 for On-Line Non-Spinning Reserve (Non-Spin) capacity and at or above $180 for Off-Line Non-Spin capacity.  If Non-Spin Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility is reassigned to a Generation Resource during the Adjustment Period in accordance with Section 6.4.6, QSE-Requested Decommitment of Resources and Changes to Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility of Resources, the Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) shall submit an Energy Offer Curve that meets the requirements of Section 6.4.3.1 for the Generation Resource newly assigned Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility for Non-Spin prior to the end of the Adjustment Period.

 If the Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility for Non-Spin is reassigned in accordance with Section 6.4.6 from a Generation Resource that experiences a Forced Outage, Derate, or Startup Loading Failure during the Operating Period, the QSE shall submit an Energy Offer Curve that meets the requirements of Section 6.4.3.1 as soon as reasonably practicable after the event.

 QSE updates to an Energy Offer Curve entered at the end of the Adjustment Period become effective in ERCOT systems at the next Operating Period.  Therefore, if Non-Spin is moved from one Generation Resource to another in the QSE's portfolio during an Operating Hour, any change to the Energy Offer Curve will be effective in the next Operating Period.  

 There will not be any validation rules to verify the requirements added by this NPRR. The onus is on all QSEs to make the submission/telemetry changes needed to implement these new requirements.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) proposes a unique status for Revision Requests to designate ERCOT Board priority action items – Board Priority Revision Request.  A Board Priority Revision Request would be the result of a vote from the ERCOT Board to direct ERCOT staff to develop a Revision Request that would address a specific issue raised at the ERCOT Board, to officially designate that NPRR as a Board Priority NPRR that will be processed similar to an NPRR with Urgent status, and to request that a resolution of the issue be worked through the Market Participant process by a specific time.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) institutes parameters governing ERCOT’s utilization of emergency authority under Section 6.5.1.1 when ERCOT seeks to deploy Resources to maintain ERCOT System reliability when Emergency Conditions are anticipated.  The NPRR provides a process for ERCOT to procure and deploy Resources that may be used to alleviate anticipated Emergency Conditions in a manner not otherwise delineated in the Protocols and Operating Guides, and requires that such procurements be made only upon approval of the ERCOT Board.

In addition to establishing procedural steps for such procurements, the NPRR includes steps to minimize impacts on the broader market.  These steps include prohibiting such Resources from being offered into the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) or used solely to reduce local congestion.  The proposed market protections also include steps to ensure that the Resources deployed pursuant to this NPRR would be among the last in line for economic Dispatch, so as not to displace Resources that are On-Line and offering into the market. 

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds a requirement for the Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) of a Generation Resource committed by the Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) process to submit an Energy Offer Curve that prices all energy from Low Sustained Limit (LSL) to High Sustained Limit (HSL) at the System-Wide Offer Cap (SWCAP) for RUC committed intervals.  When Generation Resources are committed in the Day Ahead or during the Adjustment Period in the RUC process, the QSE shall submit an Energy Offer Curve for the Generation Resource that meets the above requirements no later than the end of the Adjustment Period immediately preceding the Operating Period that includes an Operating Hour coincident with the first hour of the RUC Dispatch Instruction.

QSE updates to an Energy Offer Curve entered at the end of the Adjustment Period become effective in ERCOT systems at the start of the next Operating Period.  Therefore, if a Generation Resource is committed by an ERCOT Operator issued Verbal Dispatch Instruction(VDI) for the Operating Hour in the immediate Operating Period, then it is expected that the QSE shall submit an Energy Offer Curve that meets the requirements described above as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of the VDI.

ERCOT systems will not validate that the Energy Offer Curve for RUC-committed Generation Resources meet the requirements described above.  QSEs are solely responsible to make the submission changes needed to implement the Protocol requirements described in this NPRR.

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) will provide flexibility for Counter-Parties to increase the credit limit available for the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) on the day the DAM is running by posting additional Financial Security under certain circumstances after ERCOT has already set a daily credit limit.  

This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) adds the following requirements for Reliability Must-Run (RMR) Units that ERCOT has made available for commitment in accordance with Section 4.4.8:

(1)       A requirement for the RMR Unit’s Energy Offer Curve to be set at the System-Wide Offer Cap (SWCAP) for Generation Resources providing  RMR Service; and

(2)       A requirement for ERCOT to construct a Mitigated Offer Cap curve for Resources contracted for capacity pursuant to paragraph (2) of Section 6.5.1.1, ERCOT Control Area Authority, such that those Resources are not mitigated in Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) and hence will be Dispatched for local constraints only if the prices are higher than or equal to SWCAP.

The Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) revises the process approved in NPRR432, Deployment of Resources to Alleviate Anticipated Emergency Conditions, for execution of contracts with Resources to alleviate anticipated Emergency Conditions.  Consistent with the ERCOT Board’s discussion at its February 2012 meeting, this NPRR provides that such contracts may be executed by ERCOT, subject to the Notice provisions already included in NPRR432.

This NPRR adds language that ERCOT will provide notice to the ERCOT Board of executed contracts at the first ERCOT Board meeting after the contract is signed.  This provision is consistent with the notice to the ERCOT Board provided for Reliability Must Run (RMR) Agreements under Section 3.14.1.3, ERCOT Report to Board on Signed RMR Agreements.

This NPRR also proposes revisions to remove the limitation in the procurement of Loads under NPRR432 to Loads that are currently registered with ERCOT as Load Resources.

This NPRR is required to implement the provisions of the newly revised P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.507, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Emergency Interruptible Load Service (EILS).  Project 39948, Rulemaking to Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Emergency Interruptible Load Service (EILS), was adopted by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) on March 22, 2012.