NERC NERC Interconnection and Balancing Operations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'Inadvertent Interchange' in the context of NERC BAL-006?
- Power flows caused by unauthorized generator connections to the grid
- The accumulated difference between actual and scheduled net energy interchange between Balancing Authorities (Correct answer)
- Emergency energy transferred during a declared grid emergency
- Power imported from Canada without a formal interchange schedule
Correct answer: The accumulated difference between actual and scheduled net energy interchange between Balancing Authorities
Inadvertent interchange is the running sum of the differences between actual and scheduled energy exchanges between BAs, which BAL-006 requires entities to track and reduce over time.
Question 2: Which NERC standard governs the obligations of Transmission Operators regarding real-time monitoring?
- TOP-001 (Correct answer)
- IRO-002
- MOD-001
- FAC-002
Correct answer: TOP-001
TOP-001 requires Transmission Operators to monitor their transmission systems and operate within applicable reliability limits in real time.
Question 3: A 'Contingency Reserve' in a Balancing Authority's operating plan is best defined as:
- Capacity held in reserve to replace lost generation following a disturbance (Correct answer)
- The excess voltage capacity on transmission lines above normal limits
- Fuel oil stored at combustion turbine sites for emergencies
- The spare relay settings loaded in protection systems as backup
Correct answer: Capacity held in reserve to replace lost generation following a disturbance
Contingency reserve is generating capacity available to replace power lost following a sudden, unplanned loss of a generator or transmission element.
Question 4: Under NERC standards, what is the role of the 'Reliability Coordinator' (RC) in real-time operations?
- Setting wholesale electricity prices across its footprint
- Maintaining the widest area view of the system and coordinating actions to preserve reliable operation (Correct answer)
- Approving all new generation interconnection requests within its territory
- Conducting cyber audits of transmission owners in its region
Correct answer: Maintaining the widest area view of the system and coordinating actions to preserve reliable operation
The RC maintains a wide-area perspective on reliability and has the authority to direct Transmission Operators and Balancing Authorities to take corrective actions.
Question 5: What does NERC standard INT-006 require regarding interchange schedules?
- All interchange schedules must be submitted 30 minutes before the operating hour
- Interchange schedules between Balancing Authorities must be tagged and mutually agreed upon before the energy flows (Correct answer)
- Generators must submit day-ahead schedules to their BA 24 hours in advance
- Emergency energy transfers are exempt from tagging requirements
Correct answer: Interchange schedules between Balancing Authorities must be tagged and mutually agreed upon before the energy flows
INT-006 requires that interchange transactions be tagged through the e-Tag system and that receiving BAs confirm schedules before energy flows begin.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the purpose of NERC's 'Operating Reliability Margin' (ORM)?
- The margin kept below maximum line ratings to allow for emergency overloads
- Capacity reserved by a Reliability Coordinator to account for uncertainties in real-time operations (Correct answer)
- The difference between a generator's installed capacity and its NERC-registered capacity
- The voltage margin maintained above collapse levels on radial transmission lines
Correct answer: Capacity reserved by a Reliability Coordinator to account for uncertainties in real-time operations
ORM is capacity reserved by the RC to maintain reliability in the face of real-time uncertainties such as load forecast errors and equipment availability.
NERC NERC Interconnection and Balancing Operations 2
What is 'Inadvertent Interchange' in the context of NERC BAL-006?