Press Release, RM13-19 and RM14-3

March 20, 2014
News Media Contact
Craig Cano | 202-502-8680
Docket Nos. RD14-2-000, RM13-16-000, RM1319-000, RM14-3-000 and RM13-5-001

FERC Refines Bulk Electric System Definition to Bolster Reliability
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today approved further revisions to the definition of the bulk
electric system (BES) to provide greater clarity, consistency and improved reliability by focusing on core facilities that
are necessary for operating the interconnected transmission network.
In December 2012, FERC approved a proposal by the North American Electric Reliability Corp (NERC) to replace the
then-existing BES definition that allowed for regional discretion with a 100-kilovolt “bright-line” threshold, a list of
specifically included and excluded facilities, and a case-by-case exception process to add or remove facilities. That
decision, Order No. 773, also directed NERC to propose further revisions.
Today’s order approves NERC’s proposal to refine the exclusions for radial facilities and local networks. Additionally,
today’s order approves revisions clarifying that all forms of generation, including variable generation resources, are
included in the bulk electric system and that certain generator interconnection facilities also are included in the bulk
electric system.
In other actions taken today on reliability standards, FERC:
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R-14-13

Approved five standards requiring generators owners, and in some cases, transmission owners, to provide
verified data for certain power system planning and operational studies, which will improve the accuracy of
the studies and enhance the coordination of protection system settings.
Proposed to approve a new standard on Generator Relay Loadability designed to prevent generators from
tripping offline prematurely or unnecessarily during a system disturbance, and NERC’s proposed revisions to an
existing standard on Transmission Relay Loadability.
Granted clarification in part and denied rehearing of Order No. 791, which approved version 5 of the Critical
Infrastructure Protection standards.

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