Agenda

Planning Committee Meeting

116-390 Village Blvd.

Princeton, NJ08540

609.452.8060 |

December 7, 2010 | 1–5 p.m. (EST)

December 8, 2010 | 8 a.m.–noon (EST)

Tampa Marriott Westshore

1001 N. Westshore Blvd.

Tampa, FL 33607

(813) 287-2555

1. / Administrative Matters
*a. / Welcome and introductions - Tom Burgess
*b. / Arrangements – John Seelke
*c. / Parliamentary procedures – John Seelke
d. / Announcement of quorum – John Seelke
*e. / NERC Antitrust Compliance Guidelines – John Seelke
f. / Approve agenda – Tom Burgess
*g. / Future meetings – John Seelke
*2. / Consent Agenda
*a. / Approve September 14–15, 2010draft PC meeting minutes as final minutes
*b. / Approve the November 8, 2010 draft joint OC and PC Web meeting minutes as final minutes
*c. / Approve changes to the PC three-year work plan
3. / Chairman’s Remarks
a. / Report on the November 3–4, 2010 Member Representative Committee and Board of Trustees meetings
4. / Information Only
*a. / Generator Model Validation for Dynamics Simulation – Dmitry Kosterev, Bonneville Power Administration, on behalf of the North American SynchroPhasor Initiative
*b. / Upcoming Planning Committee Special Election – John Seelke
*Background material included

Planning Committee Meeting Agenda1

December 7-8, 2010

5. / Committee Matters
*a. / Provide feedback on the scopes of the Severe Impact Resilience Task Force (SIRTF) and the Cyber Attack Task Force (CATF); status report of the Critical Infrastructure Strategic Initiatives Action Plan– Mark Lauby, Director, Reliability Assessment and Performance Analysis, NERC
*b. / Status report on Frequency Response Initiative– Bob Cummings, Director, System Analysis and Reliability Initiatives, NERC
*c. / Status report on System Modeling Initiative– Bob Cummings, Director, System Analysis and Reliability Initiatives, NERC
*d. / Provide feedback by January 14, 2011ona draft report review and approval process– John Seelke on behalf of the Planning Committee’s Executive Committee
*e. / Discuss NERC strategic issues from the Planning Committee’s perspective – Tom Burgess
*f. / Discuss how the technical committees, in advance of NERC alerts, can contribute to review/advise on the content of such alerts in the future – Tom Burgess
*g. / Provide feedback by December 31, 2010on a concept document addressing technical considerations for a common NERC-wide definition of the Bulk Electric System – Peter Heidrich, Manager of Reliability Standards, FRCC, on behalf of an ad hoc SAR team
6. / Subgroup Reports / PC Action
*a. / Reliability Assessment Subcommittee / Provide feedback on2011 scenario assessment proposals by January 14, 2011.
Approve the RAS proposalfor reporting market areas for reliability assessments.
Provide feedback on proposed changes to the post-seasonal assessments by January 8, 2011.
*1. / Load Forecasting Working Group / None – status report.
*b. / Reliability Metrics Working Group / ApproveRMWG scope change.
Provide feedback by January 8, 2011on refinement to the Severity Risk Index
Approve Metric ALR6-16 – Transmission System Unavailability.
*c. / G&T Reliability Planning Models Task Force / Approve:
  1. The revised the Metrics and Methodology document. The previous version was approved at the September 2010 meeting.
  2. Disbanding the G&T Reliability Models Task Force.

*d. / Integration of Variable Generation Task Force / Approve the report Potential Reliability Impacts of Emerging Flexible Resources by IVGTF Team 1-5.
Provide feedback by January 30, 2010 on the report Methods to Model and Calculate Capacity Contributions of Variable Generation for Resource Adequacy Planning by IVGTF Team 1-2.
*Background material included
6. / Subgroup Reports / PC Action
*e. / Geomagnetic Disturbance Task Force / None – status report.
*f. / Resource Issues Subcommittee / None – status report.
*1. / Loss-of-Load Expectation Working Group / None – status report.
*2. / Generating Availability Data System Task Force / None – status report.
*g. / Transmission Issues Subcommittee / None – status report.
*1. / Model Validation Task Force / Approve the Power System Model ValidationWhite Paper, includingits associated work plan (Appendix C in the white paper).
*h. / System Protection and Control Subcommittee / Approve:
  1. Posting a reliability guideline, Transmission System Phase Backup Protection, for industry comment.
  2. A report to the Planning Committee, NERC SPCS Technical Review of UVLS-Related Standards: PRC-010-0, PRC-020-1, PRC-021-1, and PRC-022-1.
  3. A report to the Planning Committee, Reliability Fundamentals of System Protection

*i. / Data Coordination Subcommittee / None – status report.
*1. / Transmission Availability Data Systems Working Group / Approve the TADSWG recommendation to change the TADS Event Type Number data collection beginning with calendar year 2012 data, as detailed in the TADSWG letter to the PC dated November 12, 2010.
*2. / Demand Response Data Task Force / None – status report.
*3. / Data Coordination Working Group / None – status report.
*4. / Spare Equipment Database Task Force / Approve revised SEDTF scope.
j. / Reliability Fundamentals Working Group / None – the RFWG is suspended until the March 2011 meeting when its status will be re-evaluated.
*k. / Smart Grid Task Force / Approve revised SGTF scope.
*l. / Events Analysis Working Group / None – status report.

*Background material included

Planning Committee Meeting Agenda1

December 7-8, 2010

Agenda Item 1.a

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Welcome and Introductions

Action Required

None – information only

Background

Please see the following:

  1. Attachment 1 – the Planning Committee’s summary roster.
  2. Attachment 2 – the Planning Committee’s full roster with contact information.
  3. Attachment 3 – the Planning Committee’s organizational chart showing all PC subgroups.

Agenda Item 1.g

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Future Meetings

Action Required

None – information only

Background

The future joint meetings of the Operating Committee, Planning Committee, and Critical Infrastructure Protection Committee and the Planning Committee’s future meetings are scheduled as follows:

DateLocation

March1, 2011Joint OC/PC/CIPC Web meeting

March 8–9, 2011Phoenix, AZ (confirmed)

Agenda Item 2

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Consent Agenda

Action Required

Approve each of the items on the Consent Agenda.

Background

The following items are for Planning Committee approval without discussion. However, if a member requests discussion on any item, the chair will defer discussion on the item until later in the meeting.

Each item has an attachment or a link to the referenced documents.

Agenda Item 2.a – Approve September 14–15, 2010 draft PC meeting minutes as final minutes (attached as Agenda Item 2.a)

Agenda Item 2.b – Approve the November 8, 2010 draft joint OC and PC Web meeting minutes as final minutes (attached as Agenda Item 2.b).

Agenda Item 2.c – Approve proposed PC three-year work plan changes:

  1. The Resource Issues Subcommittee proposes new activity # 89 related to the coordination of the probabilistic metric reports by MRAs and deferring activity #82 (developing a method for defining "zones" (within an RTO or a region) and associated zonal data that will be used for more granular analysis of reliability (such as load pockets) for NERC's various reliability assessments) until 2012 or later when probabilistic reports are due per activity #89.
  2. The 2010 activity status of three Integration of Variable Generation Task Force activities was changed to “completed”:
  3. #141 – “Team 1.1: Make recommendations and identify changes needed to NERC’s MOD Standards.”
  4. #142.2 – “Team 1.4: Resource planning processes should be adjusted to ensure that the designed system includes resources that provide the desired flexibility”; and “Produce a set of metrics based on the functions of the tasks on resource adequacy and transmission planning approach.”
  5. #147.11 – “Team 2.1: Study variable resource-forecast tool requirements suitable for large amounts of variable generation and identify any gaps”; and “Report outlining the requirements of variable fuel (wind, solar, etc.) forecasting needed to maintain bulk power system reliability. In addition, the report will investigate current state-of-the-art forecasting tools and, thereby, identify gaps between the requirements and the current available technology.”
  6. The recently-formed Spare Equipment Database Task Force proposes to add its first activity (#151).
  7. The Generating Availability Data Systems Task Force proposes to extend the schedule on activity #201 – “Review and recommend whether Generation Owners on the NERC Compliance Registry should report GADS data on a mandatory basis” – to allow for further refinement of its draft report, with PC approval aimed for the March 2011 meeting.

These were the only changes. The proposed work plan (with the proposed changes in red font) is posted at along with the December 7–8, 2010 PC meeting material.

Agenda Item 4.a

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7-8, 2010

Generator Model Validation for Dynamic Simulations

Action Required

None – information only

Background

A presentation for this item will be posted in a .zip file with other presentations on November 30 at along with the December 7–8, 2010 PC meeting material.

Agenda Item 4.b

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Upcoming Planning Committee Special Election

Action Required

None – information only

Background

PC member Dick Kafka will be retiring at the end of this year, vacating his position in the investor-owned utility sector. A special election will be announced in late December 2010 for the remaining term on that position, which runs through the June 2012 meeting, as well as other committee vacancies in two sectors: electricity marketer sector (two vacancies) and large end-use customer sector (two vacancies).

Agenda Item 5.a

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Critical Infrastructure Strategic Initiatives Coordinated Action PlanReport

Action Required

Provide feedback on:

  1. Severe Impact Resilience Task Force scope (Attachment 1)
  2. Cyber Attack Task Force (Attachment 2)

Background

  1. The purpose of the SevereImpact Resilience Task Force (SIRTF) is to contribute to efforts to enhance the ability of the bulk power system to withstand and recover from three severe-impact events as described in the Coordinated Action Plan. The SIRTF will report to the Operating Committee, who will approve its scope.
  2. The purpose of the Cyber Attack Task Force(CATF) is to consider the impact of a coordinated cyber attack on the reliable operation of the bulk power system, and identify opportunities to enhance existing protection, resilience, and recovery capabilities. The CATF will report to the Critical Infrastructure Protection Committee, who will approve its scope.

Status Report

  1. The Joint Steering Group, comprised of NERC staff and the chairs and vice chairs of the Planning, Operating, and Critical Infrastructure Protection Committees, held three conference calls to finalize the Coordinated Action Plan for Board of Trustees approval and provide guidance on the work plan activities and how they should be organized.
  2. On November 4, 2010, NERC’s Board of Trustees approved the Critical Infrastructure Strategic Roadmap and the Critical Infrastructure Strategic Initiatives Coordinated Action Plan.[1]
  3. The Joint Steering Group is coordinating efforts to establish the required task forces to meet the objectives of the Coordinated Action Plan, consistent with direction from the NERC Board of Trustees. The Joint Steering Group will engage with and monitor the progress of each task force, report progress to the Electricity Sub-Sector Coordinating Council (ESCC), and provide further guidance as necessary.
  4. The Smart Grid Task Force efforts include the development of cyber security and risk metrics. This activity also supports the Coordinated Action Plan.
  5. In the future, once these task forces are established, the Joint Steering Group will provide a consolidated status report for all task force efforts under the Coordinated Action Plan to help ensure that the NERC technical committees are well coordinated.

  1. Individual status reports for other task forces under this initiative (the Spare Equipment Database Task Force (SEDTF), portions of the Smart Grid Task Force (SGTF), and the Geomagnetic Disturbance Task Force (GMDTF)) are provided separately.
  2. Separate work plans for the SEDTF and the SGTF are in the PC three-year work plan.

Agenda Item 5.b

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Frequency Response Initiative Status Report

Action Required

None – information only

Background

The Frequency Response Initiative has multiple objectives:

  • Coordinate all NERC standards development and performance analysis activities related to frequency response and control
  • Identify specific frequency-related reliability factors
  • Identify root causes of changes in frequency response
  • Identify practices and methods to address root causes
  • Consider impacts of integration of new generation technologies (such as wind, solar, and significant nuclear expansion)
  • Develop metrics and benchmarks to improve frequency response performance tracking
  • Share lessons learned with the industry via outreach, alerts, and Webinars
  • Determine if performance-based frequency response standards are warranted

Attachment 1 provides an update of activities under this initiative.

Agenda Item 5.c

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

System Modeling Initiative Status Report

Action Required

None – information only

Background

Attachment 1contains the background material.

Agenda Item 5.d

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Planning Committee Report Review and Approval Process

Action Required

Provide feedback by January 14, 2011 on a draft report review and approval process.

Background

At the September 2010 meeting, the System Protection and Control Subcommittee (SPCS) categorized reports into separate categories for Planning Committee approval. The discussion widened into a discussion of PC-approved reports in general. Chair Burgess asked that the SPCS provide any additional recommendations on this topic to Secretary John Seelke, and tasked the PC Executive Committee to consider the SPCS’s comments as well as those of the Executive Committee to recommend a PC process for approving and updating reports.

The Executive Committee convened a conference call on October 27 to discuss the issue. It received no additional recommendations from the SPCS, but considered their categorization as a starting point. Several Executive Committee members noted that the PC is asked to approve reports that are first made available to PC members two weeks prior to the meeting. Some of these reports are quite lengthy and technical and may require a PC member to obtain input from subject matter experts within his/her company. Therefore, a report approval process should provide members with adequate time to review reports prior to approval. Review time may be shortened if the need to approve a report is dictated by a deadline set by others outside of the PC, such as need to respond to a regulatory agency or the NERC Board of Trustee request or to assist another NERC committee or NERC staff.

The Executive Committee developed the draft process shown on the next page for report review and approval, and seeks comments on that draft process be provided to John Seelke () by January 14, 2011. The Executive Committee will review those comments and propose a final report review and approval process for approval by the PC at its March 2011 meeting. To facilitate comments, a Word version of the draft process may be downloaded at is posted at along with the December 7–8, 2010 PC meeting material.

Agenda Item 5.e

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

NERC Strategic Issues from the Planning Committee’s Perspective

Action Required

None – information only

Background

Attachment 1contains the background material.

Agenda Item 5.f

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Potential Technical Committee Contributions to NERC Alerts

Action Required

None – information only

Background

Attachment 1contains the background material.

Agenda Item 5.g

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Technical Considerations for a NERC-Wide Definition of “Bulk Electric System”

Action Required

Provide feedback by December 31, 2010 on a concept document addressing technical considerations for a common NERC-wide definition of the term “Bulk Electric System” (BES).

Background

The background on this item is partially contained in three regulatory filings:

  1. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) on this subject on March 18, 2010 ( ).
  2. NERC responded to the NOPR on May 10, 2010, stating that any revision to the BES definition would need to be developed through its Reliability Standards Process (
  3. FERC issued a final rule (Order 743) on November 18, 2010 ( FERC’s news release (Attachment 1) and FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff’s statement (Attachment 2) describe this order.

Prior to the issuance of Order 743, an ad hoc team comprised of staff from NPCC, FRCC, and WECC was formed to develop a Standard Authorization Request (SAR) for a common BES definition. The initial team issued a letter on October 21 to the regions, informing them of their efforts, inviting the participation of additional regions, and describing their work plan. See Attachment 3. The present team has expanded to include members of NERC staff and RFC staff.

The team developed aconcept paper addressing technical considerations for a common NERC-wide definition of BES. A Word version of concept paper is posted at along with the December 7–8, 2010 PC meeting material. Comments on the concept document should be sent y December 31, 2010.

Agenda Item 6.a

Planning Committee Meeting

December 7–8, 2010

Reliability Assessments Subcommittee (RAS) Report

Action Required

Provide feedback on 2011 scenario assessment proposals by January 14, 2011.

Approve the RAS proposal for reporting market areas for reliability assessments.

Provide feedback on proposed changes to the post-seasonal assessments by January 8, 2011.

Background

  1. 2011 scenario assessment proposals.

The RAS has identified three potential scenario assessments to conduct for 2011. The RAS is requesting the PC consider each of these three proposals and identify those they would like to pursue:

  1. Changing Fuel Mix Reliability Considerations
  2. Reliability Assessment on EPA Combined Rules, Phase II
  3. Dependence on Natural Gas

A description of the scenarios is provided in Attachment 1. Provide feedback by January 14, 2011 to .

  1. RAS proposal for reporting market areas for reliability assessments.
  2. One key to delivering credible and meaningful assessments of the bulk power system reliability is the establishment of suitable capacity/load regions/subregions. To improve NERC’s reliability assessments, RAS desired to provide increased granular data and analysis of the capacity/load conditions, which fairly and correctly represent the current and future conditions, regardless of regional membership boundaries. Increased subregional granularity was recommended in the approved Reliability Assessments Improvement Report from 2008.[2]
  3. Capacity/load regions/subregions, for purposes of reliability assessment, should reflect the planning process used to identify resources needed to serve demand,thereby promoting increased granularity, clarity and accuracy.Creation of suitable capacity/load regions/subregions does not necessarilymean they must reside within Regional Entity boundaries.
  4. Given the unique nature of ISOs/RTOs specific to organized markets and the Regional Entity membership boundary issue, for the 2011 reliability assessments, RAS recommends:
  5. ISO/RTOs should provide resource/demand projections and self-assessments to NERC for Seasonal/Long-Term Reliability Assessments, regardless of whether they span multiple Regional Entities, with suitable vetting and peer review by affected Regional Entities.

  1. For those portions of a Regional Entity where an ISO/RTO does not exist, capacity/demand projections and self-assessments should be provided using logical capacity/load subareas within a Regional Entity’s boundaries.
  1. The RAS requests approval of this approachin order to send applicable data requests to the Regional Entities in December. The proposed method (Attachment 2) serves as a guide for enhanced subregional reporting.
  1. Proposed changes to the post-seasonal assessments.
  2. The goal of this report is to assess planned operating/mitigation strategy implementation, document new strategies developed during the season, document actual operational experiences, and share lessons learned.
  3. Based on feedback at the NERC Board of Trustees meeting, the RAS is proposing changes to the structure of the post-season reports:
  4. The report will be shortened (one page per Region\Reliability Coordinator).
  5. There will be a stronger focus on lessons learned.
  6. Data requirements will be lessened.
  7. PC feedback on proposed changes to the post-seasonal assessments is requested to be sent y January 8, 2011.

Status Report

  1. The RAS met on October 13–14, 2010 to discuss the aforementioned action items and upcoming reliability assessment documents.
  2. 2010/2011 Winter Reliability Assessment.
  3. A peer review was performed on the Regional self-assessments.
  4. Key findings were discussed and incorporated into the final report.
  5. A draft version of the 2010/2011 Winter Reliability Assessmentwas provided to the PC and OC on October 29 and approved on November 8.
  6. A separate meeting is scheduled on November 23 to discuss the re-alignment of Regional Operational boundaries for the purpose of developing reliability assessments and coordinate Regional responsibilities and processes.
  7. The RAS is on schedule with all three-year work-plan items.

Agenda Item 6.a.1