NERC Generator Facility Testing and Model Validation Compliance

摘要

New North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards will require generator owners and operators to implement a new 5- to 10-year test cycle for virtually every generator. These requirements have been in force within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) region for some time. WECC is one of eight regional reliability organizations, also known as the Electric Reliability Organizations (ERO). These NERC standards will be expanded and applied throughout North America. Owners will be required to validate and verify each generator’s real and reactive power capability (MOD-25-1), unit and plant voltage regulation coordination (PRC-019-1), and plant and unit frequency and voltage excursion ride-through coordination (PRC-024-1). They will need to develop dynamic models for each generator, exciter and governor of a certain size or larger (MOD-026-1 and MOD-027-1). The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected a disparate regional standards development approach and directed NERC to develop NERC-wide standards and compliance requirements. Present standard development focuses on the dynamic modeling requirements useable throughout all NERC regions. Development of national standards, however, will not necessarily preempt individual regions from imposing more stringent model compliance and reporting requirements. These new regulations will create near-term and continuing obligations for every generator owner. The referenced NERC standards are advanced in the adoption process and will require a phase-in implementation approach of one to five years depending on the standard with a percentage of all assets tested, validated and brought into compliance each year. Complicating the process, FERC has only adopted some NERC reliability standards; ordering immediate implementation of most standards and holds on others. This means some standards are mandatory and enforceable, while others are voluntary but soon to be enforceable. This paper discusses the current regulatory, technical and business challenges involved in complying with the dynamic modeling and testing requirements for all generating assets within NERC and FERC jurisdiction.