MIS LOG IN

NPRR473

Summary

Title Process for Submission of Generation Resource Weatherization Information
Next Group
Next Step
Status Approved on 12/11/2012
Effective Dates
01/01/2013

Action

Date Gov Body Action Taken Next steps
12/11/2012 BOARD Approved
11/29/2012 TAC Recommended for Approval Board Consideration
11/15/2012 PRS Recommended for Approval TAC Consideration
10/18/2012 PRS Recommended for Approval PRS IA Review
08/23/2012 PRS Deferred/Tabled PRS Language Consideration

Voting Record

Date Gov Body Motion Result
12/11/2012 BOARD To approve NPRR473 as recommended by TAC in the11/29/12 TAC Report Passed
11/29/2012 TAC To recommend approval of NPRR473 as recommended by PRS in the 11/15/12 PRS Report. All Market Segments were present for the vote Passed
11/15/2012 PRS To endorse and forward the 10/18/12 PRS Report as revised by PRS and the Impact Analysis to TAC Passed
10/18/2012 PRS To recommend approval of NPRR473 as amended by the 10/9/12 ERCOT comments and as revised by PRS Passed
08/23/2012 PRS To table NPRR473 and to refer the issue to WMS Passed

Background

Status: Approved
Date Posted: Aug 8, 2012
Sponsor: ERCOT
Urgent: No
Sections: 1.3.1.1, 3.21 (new), 22K (new)
Description: This Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) creates a process to accommodate the legislatively mandated submission of generator emergency operations plans. (See Texas Utilities Code § 186.007(f) Weather Emergency Preparedness Report - ("An electric generation entity within the ERCOT power region shall provide the entity’s [emergency operations] plan to ERCOT in its entirety.")). ERCOT has previously requested these plans pursuant to its authority under paragraph (i)(2)(H) of P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.362, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Governance , which requires ERCOT to provide "[a]n assessment of the reliability and adequacy of the ERCOT system during extremely cold or extremely hot weather conditions, including information regarding steps to be taken by power generation companies and utilities to prepare their assets for extreme weather events." Based on its authority under this statute and rule, ERCOT believes it appropriate to create a formal process for submission of emergency operations plans and plan updates; to recognize the confidential status of information contained in these plans. ERCOT also proposes to require separate submission of weatherization plans for each Generation Resource, as the bulk of the emergency operations plans previously submitted do not pertain to weatherization, and requiring ERCOT to sort through lengthy plans to identify parts that may or may not be intended to apply to weatherization procedures imposes a substantial administrative burden. ERCOT expects that some Resource Entities may prefer to simply extract and submit the existing weatherization portions of existing emergency operations plans, while other Resource Entities may wish to create new plans providing greater detail of weatherization practices. Furthermore, in order to fulfill its regulatory obligation to assess ERCOT System reliability in extreme weather conditions, ERCOT must ensure that plant operators are in fact following the weatherization procedures described in the submitted weatherization plans. ERCOT therefore proposes a semi-annual weatherization declaration to determine ERCOT System preparedness. This declaration would represent that the Resource Entity (or other Entity responsible for the physical operation of a Generation Resource) has completed all weatherization preparations for the upcoming summer and winter season. Finally, in addition to expanding the categories of Protected Information to include emergency operations plans and weatherization plans, ERCOT proposes revisions to paragraph (p) of Section 1.3.1.1 to clarify that all information designated as Protected Information is considered Protected Information, unless it is expressly deemed otherwise by Section 1.3.1.2, Items Not Considered Protected Information, or is no longer confidential, as provided by Section 1.3.3, Expiration of Confidentiality. Existing language could be read to provide that any information a Market Participant is required to submit is not considered Protected Information. Also, the express exclusion of information provided in support of a Reliability Must-Run (RMR) application is redundant of an identical exclusion in paragraph (f) of Section 1.3.1.2.
Reason: ERCOT is obligated by statute and by P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.362 to collect emergency operations plans and to assess reliability of the ERCOT System during extreme weather. This NPRR removes the need for future Market Notices and will provide greater transparency of ERCOT’s collection and intended use of this information.

Key Documents

Related Content