NERC

NERC Submits 2015 Frequency Response Annual Analysis Report - December 16 - NERC released its 2015 annual analysis report in support of Reliability Standard BAL-003-1 (Frequency Response and Frequency Bias Setting).  The report contains analysis, findings, and annual recommendations by NERC staff, including statistical analysis of the interconnection frequency characteristics between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014, dynamics analysis of recommended IFROs, and Frequency Response Performance Analysis. 

NERC Comments in Response to NOPR - December 15 - NERC provided comments on FERC's proposed rule that would require NERC to provide the Commission and its staff access to certain databases compiled and maintained by NERC. In its comments, NERC proposes an alternative to the proposed rule.  NERC asserts that its proposal would provide the Commission access to necessary information in a manner that would continue to foster stakeholder engagement and participation in voluntary data sharing. 

NERC Faces Reliability Challenges to Long-term Planning - December 15 – NERC’s 2015 Long-Term Reliability Assessment finds that the rapidly changing generating resource mix, declining reserve margins, falling planning reserves and environmental rules all pose challenges for its 10-year assessment. 

NERC Winter Assessment Finds Sufficient Resources to Meet Demand - December 10 - NERC's 2015-2016 Winter Reliability Assessment determined that the United States and Canada possess adequate generation and demand-side resources to maintain electric reliability through the upcoming winter.  

Cybersecurity and Grid Security

NIST Seeks Comments on Cybersecurity Framework Use, Potential Updates and Future Management - December 10 - The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the use of its "Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Security."  Responses to the RFI will assist NIST in advancing future versions of the Framework to improve critical infrastructure.  The responses will be publicly available. 

Congress

21st Century Power Grid Act Introduced - December 9 - Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) introduced the 21st Century Power Grid Act (H.R. 4206).  The proposed legislation would direct the Secretary of Energy to create a financial assistance program to direct funds to projects that are designed to improve efficiency, demonstrate secure integration and management of energy resources, and are undertaken by a partnership consisting of multiple private or governmental entities.  The bill has been referred to the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. 

The Van Ness Feldman Electric Reliability Update is published by Malcolm McLellan, Ilan Gutherz, Van Smith, Gabe Tabak, Darsh Singh, Tyler Elliott, and Michael Weiner.  Van Ness Feldman counsels, advises and trains a wide range of clients on reliability matters.  Please email us or call us at 202.298.1817 or 206.829.1814 for additional information.  Click here to sign up for the Reliability Update.