Comment filed on
proposed rule; agency to address at final rule stage.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
03/31/2013
36 Months From Approved
03/31/2013
1,439
0
1,439
1,281,450
0
1,281,450
134,766,955
0
134,766,955
FERC implemented the Electricity
Modernization Act of 2005 which added a new section 215 to the
Federal Power Act. FERC approved 83 of 107 proposed Reliability
Standards, including six of the eight regional differences, and the
Glossary of Terms Used in Reliability Standards as developed by the
North American Electric Reliability Council, on behalf of its
wholly-owned subsidiary, the North American Electric Reliability
Corporation (NERC). FERC certified NERC as the Electric Reliability
Organization (ERO) responsible for developing and enforcing
mandatory reliability standards. Bulk-Power System means facilities
and control systems necessary for operating an interconnected
electric energy transmission network and electric energy from
generating facilities needed to maintain transmission system
reliability. In Docket RM09-25-000 (NOPR)the Commission proposes to
approve two new Reliability Standards, PER-004-2 and PER-005-1
governing training. These standards will replace currently
effective Reliability Standards PER-002-0 and PER-004-1 approved by
the Commission in Order No. 693. Rather than creating entirely new
training requirements, the proposed Reliability Standard PER-005-1
instead modifies and improves the existing Reliability Standards
governing personnel training. This proposed rulemaking does not
impose entirely new burdens on the effected entities. For example,
the currently effective training Reliability Standard, PER-002-0,
requires transmission operators and balancing authorities to create
training program objectives, develop a plan for the initial and
continued training, and maintain training records. Similarly,
proposed training Reliability Standard, PER-005-1, which supersedes
PER-002-0, requires transmission operators, balancing authorities
and reliability coordinators to establish a training program (using
a systematic approach to training), verify the trainees
capabilities to perform task for which they receive training, and
maintain training records. Accordingly, the recordkeeping
requirements imposed by proposed Reliability Standard PER-005-1,
are more specific but not necessarily more expansive than currently
effective Reliability Standard PER-002-0s recordkeeping
requirements. However, proposed Reliability Standard PER-005-1 does
enlarge the scope of the affected entities to include reliability
coordinators.
The Blackout of August 14, 2003
affected significant portions of the Midwest and Northeast United
States, and Ontario, Canada including an estimated 50 million
people and 61,800 megawatts of electric load. The subsequent
investigation and report reviewed several previous major North
American outages and concluded that inadequate training of
operating personnel was among the factors that the August 14
Blackout had in common with previous outages. The Blackout Report
recommended [i]mprov[ing] near-term and long-term training and
certification requirements for operators, reliability coordinators,
and operator support staff. The Task Force suggested that NERC
require training for planning staff at control areas and
reliability coordinators concerning power system characteristics
and load, VAR, and voltage limits to enable them to develop rules
for operating staff to follow. Personnel training is important to
ensuring the reliability of the Bulk-Power System, as recognized in
Order No. 693 and the Blackout Report. The ERO has proposed changes
to the training standard on many issues, including: (1) the
Systematic Approach to Training, (2) tailoring training for each
job function, (3) simulation training, and (4) performance metrics.
In several of these areas, the Commission is seeking clarification
from the ERO and/or industry comment on specific matters and
proposing improvements that can be made to the Standards to further
enhance operator training.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
PER-005-1.pdf
F725AombjustRM09-25-000.doc
Mandatory Reliability Standards for Bulk-Power System