ERCOT Nodal Protocols
Section 6: Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations
October 1, 2014
PUBLIC
Section 6: Table of Contents
6Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations
6.1Introduction
6.2Market Timeline Summary
6.3Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations Timeline
6.3.1Activities for the Adjustment Period
6.3.1Activities for the Adjustment Period
6.3.2Activities for Real-Time Operations
6.3.3Real-Time Timeline Deviations
6.3.4ERCOT Notification of Validation Rules for Real-Time
6.4Adjustment Period
6.4.1Capacity Trade, Energy Trade, Self-Schedule, and Ancillary Service Trades
6.4.2Output Schedules
6.4.2.1Output Schedules for Resources Other than Dynamically Scheduled Resources
6.4.2.2Output Schedules for Dynamically Scheduled Resources
6.4.2.3Output Schedule Criteria
6.4.2.4Output Schedule Validation
6.4.2.5DSR Load
6.4.3Real-Time Market (RTM) Energy Bids and Offers
6.4.3.1RTM Energy Bids
6.4.3.1.1RTM Energy Bid Criteria
6.4.3.1.2RTM Energy Bid Validation
6.4.4Energy Offer Curve
6.4.4.1Energy Offer Curve for RUC-Committed Resources
6.4.4.2Energy Offer Curve for On-Line Non-Spinning Reserve Capacity
6.4.5Incremental and Decremental Energy Offer Curves
6.4.6Resource Status
6.4.7QSE-Requested Decommitment of Resources and Changes to Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility of Resources
6.4.7.1QSE Request to Decommit Resources in the Operating Period
6.4.7.2QSE Request to Decommit Resources in the Adjustment Period
6.4.8Notification of Forced Outage of a Resource
6.4.9Ancillary Services Capacity During the Adjustment Period and in Real-Time
6.4.9.1Evaluation and Maintenance of Ancillary Service Capacity Sufficiency
6.4.9.1.1ERCOT Increases to the Ancillary Services Plan
6.4.9.1.2Replacement of Undeliverable Ancillary Service Due to Transmission Constraints
6.4.9.1.3Replacement of Ancillary Service Due to Failure to Provide
6.4.9.2Supplemental Ancillary Services Market
6.4.9.2.1Resubmitting Offers for Ancillary Services in the Adjustment Period
6.4.9.2.2SASM Clearing Process
6.4.9.2.3Communication of SASM Results
6.5Real-Time Energy Operations
6.5.1ERCOT Activities
6.5.1.1ERCOT Control Area Authority
6.5.1.2Centralized Dispatch
6.5.2Operating Standards
6.5.3Equipment Operating Ratings and Limits
6.5.4Inadvertent Energy Account
6.5.5QSE Activities
6.5.5.1Changes in Resource Status
6.5.5.2Operational Data Requirements
6.5.6TSP and DSP Responsibilities
6.5.7Energy Dispatch Methodology
6.5.7.1Real-Time Sequence
6.5.7.1.1SCADA Telemetry
6.5.7.1.2Network Topology Builder
6.5.7.1.3Bus Load Forecast
6.5.7.1.4State Estimator
6.5.7.1.5Topology Consistency Analyzer
6.5.7.1.6Breakers/Switch Status Alarm Processor and Forced Outage Detection Processor
6.5.7.1.7Real-Time Weather and Dynamic Rating Processor
6.5.7.1.8Overload Alarm Processor
6.5.7.1.9Contingency List and Contingency Screening
6.5.7.1.10Network Security Analysis Processor and Security Violation Alarm
6.5.7.1.11Transmission Network and Power Balance Constraint Management
6.5.7.1.12Resource Limits
6.5.7.1.13Data Inputs and Outputs for the Real-Time Sequence and SCED
6.5.7.2Resource Limit Calculator
6.5.7.3Security Constrained Economic Dispatch
6.5.7.3.1Determination of Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Price Adder
6.5.7.4Base Points
6.5.7.5Ancillary Services Capacity Monitor
6.5.7.6Load Frequency Control
6.5.7.6.1LFC Process Description
6.5.7.6.2LFC Deployment
6.5.7.7Voltage Support Service
6.5.7.8Dispatch Procedures
6.5.7.9Compliance with Dispatch Instructions
6.5.7.10WGR Ramp Rate Limitations
6.5.8Verbal Dispatch Instructions
6.5.9Emergency Operations
6.5.9.1Emergency and Short Supply Operation
6.5.9.2Failure of the SCED Process
6.5.9.3Communication under Emergency Conditions
6.5.9.3.1Operating Condition Notice
6.5.9.3.2Advisory
6.5.9.3.3Watch
6.5.9.3.4Emergency Notice
6.5.9.4Energy Emergency Alert
6.5.9.4.1General Procedures Prior to EEA Operations
6.5.9.4.2EEA Levels
6.5.9.4.3Restoration of Market Operations
6.5.9.5Block Load Transfers between ERCOT and Non-ERCOT Control Areas
6.5.9.5.1Registration and Posting of BLT Points
6.5.9.5.2Scheduling and Operation of BLTs
6.5.9.6Black Start
6.6Settlement Calculations for the Real-Time Energy Operations
6.6.1Real-Time Settlement Point Prices
6.6.1.1Real-Time Settlement Point Price for a Resource Node
6.6.1.2Real-Time Settlement Point Price for a Load Zone
6.6.1.3Real-Time Settlement Point Price for a Hub
6.6.1.4Load Zone LMPs
6.6.1.5 Hub LMPs
6.6.2Load Ratio Share
6.6.2.1ERCOT Total Adjusted Metered Load
6.6.2.2QSE Load Ratio Share for a 15-Minute Settlement Interval
6.6.2.3QSE Load Ratio Share for an Operating Hour
6.6.3Real-Time Energy Charges and Payments
6.6.3.1Real-Time Energy Imbalance Payment or Charge at a Resource Node
6.6.3.2Real-Time Energy Imbalance Payment or Charge at a Load Zone
6.6.3.3Real-Time Energy Imbalance Payment or Charge at a Hub
6.6.3.4Real-Time Energy Payment for DC Tie Import
6.6.3.5Real-Time Payment for a Block Load Transfer Point
6.6.3.6Real-Time Energy Charge for DC Tie Export Represented by the QSE Under the Oklaunion Exemption
6.6.4Real-Time Congestion Payment or Charge for Self-Schedules
6.6.5Base Point Deviation Charge
6.6.5.1Resource Base Point Deviation Charge
6.6.5.1.1General Generation Resource and Controllable Load Resource Base Point Deviation Charge
6.6.5.2IRR Generation Resource Base Point Deviation Charge
6.6.5.3Generators Exempt from Deviation Charges
6.6.5.4Base Point Deviation Payment
6.6.6Reliability Must-Run Settlement
6.6.6.1RMR Standby Payment
6.6.6.2RMR Payment for Energy
6.6.6.3RMR Adjustment Charge
6.6.6.4RMR Charge for Unexcused Misconduct
6.6.6.5RMR Service Charge
6.6.7Voltage Support Settlement
6.6.7.1Voltage Support Service Payments
6.6.7.2Voltage Support Charge
6.6.8Black Start Capacity
6.6.8.1Black Start Hourly Standby Fee Payment
6.6.8.2Black Start Capacity Charge
6.6.9Emergency Operations Settlement
6.6.9.1Payment for Emergency Power Increase Directed by ERCOT
6.6.9.2Charge for Emergency Power Increases
6.6.10Real-Time Revenue Neutrality Allocation
6.6.11Emergency Response Service Capacity
6.6.11.1Emergency Response Service Capacity Payments
6.6.11.2Emergency Response Service Capacity Charge
6.7Real-Time Settlement Calculations for the Ancillary Services
6.7.1Payments for Ancillary Service Capacity Sold in a Supplemental Ancillary Service Market
6.7.2Charges for Ancillary Service Capacity Replaced Due to Failure to Provide
6.7.3Adjustments to Cost Allocations for Ancillary Services Procurement
6.7.4Real-Time Ancillary Service Imbalance Payment or Charge
6.7.5Real-Time Ancillary Service Imbalance Revenue Neutrality Allocation
ERCOT Nodal Protocols –October 1, 2014
PUBLIC
Section 6: Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations
6Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations
6.1Introduction
(1)This Section addresses the following components: the Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations, including Emergency Operations.
(2)The Adjustment Period provides each Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) the opportunity to adjust its trades, Self-Schedules, and Resource commitments as more accurate information becomes available under Section 6.4, Adjustment Period. During the Adjustment Period, ERCOT continues to evaluate system sufficiency and security by use of Hour-Ahead Reliability Unit Commitment (RUC) processes, as described in Section 5, Transmission Security Analysis and Reliability Unit Commitment. Under certain conditions during the Adjustment Period, ERCOT may also open one or more Supplemental Ancillary Service Markets (SASMs), as described in Section 6.4.9.2, Supplemental Ancillary Services Market.
(3)During Real-Time operations,ERCOT dispatches Resources under normal system conditions and behavior based on economics and reliability to match system Load with On-Line generation while observing Resource and transmission constraints. The Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) process produces Base Points for Resources. ERCOT uses the Base Points from the SCED process and uses the deployment of Regulation Up (Reg-Up), Regulation Down (Reg-Down), Responsive Reserve (RRS), and Non-Spinning Reserve (Non-Spin) to control frequency and solve potential reliability issues.
(4)Under Emergency Conditions, as described in Section 6.5.9, Emergency Operations, ERCOT may implement manual procedures and must keep the Market Participants informed of the status of the system.
(5)Real-Time energy settlements use Real-Time Settlement Point Prices that are calculated for Resource Nodes, Load Zones, and Hubs for a 15-minute Settlement Interval, using the Locational Marginal Prices (LMPs) from all of the executions of SCED in the Settlement Interval. In contrast, the Day-Ahead Market (DAM) energy settlements will use DAM Settlement Point Prices that are calculated for Resource Nodes, Load Zones, and Hubs for a one-hour Settlement Interval.
(6)To the extent that the ERCOT CEO or designee determines that Market Participant activities have produced an outcome inconsistent with the efficient operation of the ERCOT-administered markets as defined in subsection (c)(2) of P.U.C. Subst. R. 25.503, Oversight of Wholesale Market Participants, ERCOT may prohibit the activity by Notice for a period beginning on the date of the Notice and ending no later than 45 days after the date of the Notice. ERCOT may issue subsequent Notices on the same activity. The ERCOT CEO may deem any Nodal Protocol Revision Request (NPRR) designed to correct the activity or issues affecting the activity as Urgent pursuant to Section 21.5, Urgent Nodal Protocol Revision Requests.
ERCOT Nodal Protocols – October 1, 20141
PUBLIC
Section 6: Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations
6.2Market Timeline Summary
The figure below is a high-level summary of the overall market timeline:
6.3Adjustment Period and Real-Time Operations Timeline
(1)The figure below highlights the major activities that occur in the Adjustment Period and Real-Time operations:
(2)Activities for the Adjustment Period begin at 1800 in the Day-Ahead and end one full hour before the start of the Operating Hour. The figure above is intended to be only a general guide and not controlling language, and any conflict between this figure and another section of the Protocols is controlled by the other section.
(3)ERCOT shall monitor Real-Time Locational Marginal Prices (LMPs), Supplemental Ancillary Services Market (SASM) Market Clearing Prices for Capacity (MCPCs), and Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, including Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves and Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, for errors and if there are conditions that cause the price to be questionable, ERCOT shall notify all Market Participants that the Real-Time LMPs, SASM MCPCs, and Real-Time Settlement Point Prices are under investigation as soon as practicable.
[NPRR626: Replace paragraph (3) above with the following upon system implementation:](3)ERCOT shall monitor Real-Time Locational Marginal Prices (LMPs), Supplemental Ancillary Services Market (SASM) Market Clearing Prices for Capacity (MCPCs), and Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, including Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Price Adders, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Prices, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves and Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, for errors and if there are conditions that cause the price to be questionable, ERCOT shall notify all Market Participants that the Real-Time LMPs, SASM MCPCs, and Real-Time Settlement Point Prices are under investigation as soon as practicable.
(4)ERCOT shall correct prices when: (i) a market solution is determined to be invalid, (ii) invalid prices are identified in an otherwise valid market solution, or (iii) the Base Points received by Market Participants are inconsistent with the Base Points of a valid market solution, unless accurate prices cannot be determined. The following are some reasons that may cause these conditions.
(a)Data Input error: Missing, incomplete, stale, or incorrect versions of one or more data elements input to the market applications may result in an invalid market solution and/or prices.
(b)Data Output error: These include: (i) incorrect or incomplete data transfer, (ii) price recalculation error in post-processing, and (iii) Base Points inconsistent with prices due to the Emergency Base Point flag remaining activated even when the Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) solution is valid.
(c)Hardware/Software error: These include unpredicted hardware or software failures, planned market system or database outages, planned application or database upgrades, software implementation errors, and failure of the market run to complete.
(d)Inconsistency with the Protocols or Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) Substantive Rules: Pricing errors may occur when specific circumstances result in prices that are in conflict with such Protocol language or the PUCT Substantive Rules.
(5)If it is determined that any Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, Settlement Point LMPs, Electrical Bus LMPs, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, and/or constraint Shadow Prices are erroneous, ERCOT shall correct the prices before the prices are considered final in paragraph (6) below. Specifically:
(a)If it is determined that correcting the Real-Time Settlement Point Prices will not affect the Base Points that were received by Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs), then ERCOT shall correct the prices before the prices are considered final in paragraph (6) below.
(b)If it is determined that correcting the Real-Time Settlement Point Prices will affect the Base Points that were received by QSEs, then ERCOT shall correct the prices before the prices are considered final and settle the SCED executions as failed in accordance with Section 6.5.9.2, Failure of the SCED Process.
(c)If the Base Points received by QSEs are inconsistent with the Real-Time Settlement Point Prices reduced by the Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves averaged over the 15-minute Settlement Interval, then ERCOT shall consider those Base Points as due to manual override from the ERCOT Operator and settle the relevant Settlement Interval(s) in accordance with Section 6.6.9, Emergency Operations Settlement.
[NPRR626: Replace paragraph (5) above with the following upon system implementation:](5)If it is determined that any Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, Settlement Point LMPs, Electrical Bus LMPs, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Price Adders, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Prices, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, and/or constraint Shadow Prices are erroneous, ERCOT shall correct the prices before the prices are considered final in paragraph (6) below. Specifically:
(a)If it is determined that correcting the Real-Time Settlement Point Prices will not affect the Base Points that were received by Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs), then ERCOT shall correct the prices before the prices are considered final in paragraph (6) below.
(b)If it is determined that correcting the Real-Time Settlement Point Prices will affect the Base Points that were received by QSEs, then ERCOT shall correct the prices before the prices are considered final and settle the SCED executions as failed in accordance with Section 6.5.9.2, Failure of the SCED Process.
(c)If the Base Points received by QSEs are inconsistent with the Real-Time Settlement Point Prices reduced by the sum of the Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Prices and the Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves averaged over the 15-minute Settlement Interval, then ERCOT shall consider those Base Points as due to manual override from the ERCOT Operator and settle the relevant Settlement Interval(s) in accordance with Section 6.6.9, Emergency Operations Settlement.
(6)All Real-Time LMPs, Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders and SASM MCPCs are final at 1600 of the second Business Day after the Operating Day.
(a)However, after Real-Time LMPs, Real Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders and SASM MCPCs are final, if ERCOT determines that prices are in need of correction and seeks ERCOT Board review of such prices, it shall notify Market Participants and describe the need for such correction as soon as practicable but no later than 30 days after the Operating Day. Failure to notify Market Participants within this timeline precludes the ERCOT Board from reviewing such prices. However, nothing in this section shall be understood to limit or otherwise inhibit any of the following:
(i)ERCOT’s duty to inform the PUCT of potential or actual violations of the ERCOT Protocols or PUCT Rules and its right to request that the PUCT authorize correction of any prices that may have been affected by such potential or actual violations;
(ii)The PUCT’s authority to order price corrections when permitted to do so under other law; or
(iii)ERCOT’s authority to grant relief to a Market Participant pursuant to the timelines specified in Section 20, Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedure.
(b)The ERCOT Board may review and change Real-Time LMPs, Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders and SASM MCPCs if ERCOT gave timely notice to Market Participants and the ERCOT Board finds that such prices are significantly affected by an error.
(c)In review of Real-Time LMPs, Real Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Addersand SASM MCPCs, the ERCOT Board may rely on the same reasons identified in paragraph (4) above to find that the prices are significantly affected by an error.
[NPRR626: Replace paragraph (6) above with the following upon system implementation:](6)All Real-Time LMPs, Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Price Adders, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Prices,Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders and SASM MCPCs are final at 1600 of the second Business Day after the Operating Day.
(a)However, after Real-Time LMPs, Real Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Price Adders, Real-Time On- Line Reliability Deployment Prices, Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders and SASM MCPCs are final, if ERCOT determines that prices are in need of correction and seeks ERCOT Board review of such prices, it shall notify Market Participants and describe the need for such correction as soon as practicable but no later than 30 days after the Operating Day. Failure to notify Market Participants within this timeline precludes the ERCOT Board from reviewing such prices. However, nothing in this section shall be understood to limit or otherwise inhibit any of the following:
(i)ERCOT’s duty to inform the PUCT of potential or actual violations of the ERCOT Protocols or PUCT Rules and its right to request that the PUCT authorize correction of any prices that may have been affected by such potential or actual violations;
(ii)The PUCT’s authority to order price corrections when permitted to do so under other law; or
(iii)ERCOT’s authority to grant relief to a Market Participant pursuant to the timelines specified in Section 20, Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedure.
(b)The ERCOT Board may review and change Real-Time LMPs, Real-Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Price Adders, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Prices,Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Adders and SASM MCPCs if ERCOT gave timely notice to Market Participants and the ERCOT Board finds that such prices are significantly affected by an error.
(c)In review of Real-Time LMPs, Real Time Settlement Point Prices, Real-Time prices for energy metered, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Price Adders, Real-Time On-Line Reliability Deployment Prices,Real-Time Reserve Prices for On-Line Reserves, Real-Time Reserve Prices for Off-Line Reserves, Real-Time On-Line Reserve Price Adders, Real-Time Off-Line Reserve Price Addersand SASM MCPCs, the ERCOT Board may rely on the same reasons identified in paragraph (4) above to find that the prices are significantly affected by an error.
6.3.1Activities for the Adjustment Period