Per-004-1

Standard PER-004-1 — Reliability Coordination — Staffing

A. Introduction
1.

Title:

Reliability Coordination — Staffing

2.

Number:

PER-004-1

3.

Purpose:
Reliability Coordinators must have sufficient, competent staff to perform the
Reliability Coordinator functions.

4.

Applicability
4.1. Reliability Coordinators.

5.

Effective Date:

January 1, 2007

B. Requirements
R1.

Each Reliability Coordinator shall be staffed with adequately trained and NERCcertified Reliability Coordinator operators, 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

R2.

All Reliability Coordinator operating personnel shall each complete a minimum of five
days per year of training and drills using realistic simulations of system emergencies,
in addition to other training required to maintain qualified operating personnel.

R3.

Reliability Coordinator operating personnel shall have a comprehensive understanding
of the Reliability Coordinator Area and interactions with neighboring Reliability
Coordinator Areas.

R4.

Reliability Coordinator operating personnel shall have an extensive understanding of
the Balancing Authorities, Transmission Operators, and Generation Operators within
the Reliability Coordinator Area, including the operating staff, operating practices and
procedures, restoration priorities and objectives, outage plans, equipment capabilities,
and operational restrictions.

R5.

Reliability Coordinator operating personnel shall place particular attention on SOLs
and IROLs and inter-tie facility limits. The Reliability Coordinator shall ensure
protocols are in place to allow Reliability Coordinator operating personnel to have the
best available information at all times.

C. Measures
M1. The Reliability Coordinator shall have and provide upon request training records that

confirm that each of its operating personnel has completed a minimum of five days per
year of training and drills using realistic simulations of system emergencies, in addition
to other training required to maintain qualified operating personnel, as specified in
Requirement 2.
M2. Each Reliability Coordinator shall have and provide upon request evidence that could

include but is not limited to, a documented training program and individual training
records for each of its operating personnel or other equivalent evidence that will be
used to confirm that it meets Requirements 3 and 4.
D. Compliance
1.

Compliance Monitoring Process

Adopted by Board of Trustees: November 1, 2006
Effective Date: January 1, 2007

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Standard PER-004-1 — Reliability Coordination — Staffing

1.1. Compliance Monitoring Responsibility

Regional Reliability Organizations shall be responsible for compliance
monitoring.
1.2. Compliance Monitoring and Reset Time Frame

One or more of the following methods will be used to assess compliance:
- Self-certification (Conducted annually with submission according to
schedule.)
- Spot Check Audits (Conducted anytime with up to 30 days notice given to
prepare.)
- Periodic Audit (Conducted once every three years according to schedule.)
- Triggered Investigations (Notification of an investigation must be made
within 60 days of an event or complaint of noncompliance. The entity will
have up to 30 days to prepare for the investigation. An entity may request an
extension of the preparation period and the extension will be considered by
the Compliance Monitor on a case-by-case basis.)
The Performance-Reset Period shall be 12 months from the last finding of noncompliance.
1.3. Data Retention

Each Reliability Coordinator shall keep evidence of compliance for the previous
two calendar years plus the current year.
If an entity is found non-compliant the entity shall keep information related to the
noncompliance until found compliant or for two years plus the current year,
whichever is longer.
Evidence used as part of a triggered investigation shall be retained by the entity
being investigated for one year from the date that the investigation is closed, as
determined by the Compliance Monitor,
The Compliance Monitor shall keep the last periodic audit report and all requested
and submitted subsequent compliance records.
1.4. Additional Compliance Information

None.
2.

Levels of Non-Compliance for a Reliability Coordinator
2.1. Level 1: Not applicable.
2.2. Level 2: Not applicable.
2.3. Level 3: Not applicable.
2.4. Level 4: There shall be a separate Level 4 non-compliance, for every one of the

following requirements that is in violation:

Adopted by Board of Trustees: November 1, 2006
Effective Date: January 1, 2007

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Standard PER-004-1 — Reliability Coordination — Staffing

2.4.1

One or more of its shift operating personnel did not complete a minimum
of five days per year of training and drills using realistic simulations of
system emergencies in the past year. (R2)

2.4.2

No evidence operating personnel have a comprehensive understanding of
the Reliability Coordinator Area and interactions with neighboring
Reliability Coordinator Areas. (R3)

2.4.3

No evidence operating personnel have an extensive understanding of the
Balancing Authorities, Transmission Operators, and Generation Operators
within the Reliability Coordinator Area. (R4)

E. Regional Differences

None identified.

1.

Version History
Version

Date

Action

Change Tracking

0

April 1, 2005

Effective Date

New

0

August 8, 2005

Removed “Proposed” from Effective
Date

Errata

1

November 1,
2006

Adopted by Board of Trustees

Revised

Adopted by Board of Trustees: November 1, 2006
Effective Date: January 1, 2007

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