NERC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield NERC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Under FAC-003, what must a Transmission Owner do if planned vegetation work cannot be completed as scheduled? → Document the reason and reschedule the work as soon as practicable
2. NERC PRC-023 governs which aspect of relay protection? → Transmission relay loadability to prevent incorrect operations under emergency loading
3. Under NERC PRC-005, what is the maximum allowable maintenance interval for a microprocessor-based relay with communication-assisted trip capability? → 6 years
4. How many NERC Regional Entities operate in North America? → Eight
5. NERC CIP-013 addresses which of the following risks? → Supply chain risk management for industrial control systems
6. What does MTBF stand for in the context of reliability standards? → Mean Time Between Failures
7. NERC CIP-009 requires responsible entities to maintain which type of plans? → Recovery plans for BES Cyber Systems
8. Which of the following is NOT typically included in reliability standards? → Time to market
9. What is the typical duration of a NERC compliance audit cycle for most registered entities? → Every 6 years
10. What is the required timeframe for a Transmission Operator to notify its Reliability Coordinator of an emergency condition under NERC IRO standards? → As soon as possible
11. Under NERC TOP-002, Transmission Operators must assess their systems against which planning events during the operating horizon? → P0 through P7 planning events as defined in TPL-001
12. What is the primary goal of operations management? → Maximizing efficiency and resource utilization
13. CIP-014 was created in response to what type of threat to the bulk electric system? → Physical attacks on critical transmission substations
14. Which NERC functional model registration category applies to entities that own and maintain transmission facilities? → Transmission Owner (TO)
15. Under the NERC registration process, which entity type is responsible for the reliable operation of the interconnected bulk electric system in real time? → Reliability Coordinator
16. Which CIP standard requires responsible entities to have a physical security plan for high and medium impact BES Cyber Systems? → CIP-006
17. What is a 'Find, Fix, Track and Report' (FFT) process in NERC compliance? → A streamlined method for handling less serious, self-reported violations
18. Which NERC CIP standard specifically addresses personnel and training requirements? → CIP-004
19. Which resource is considered non-renewable? → Coal
20. Under NERC PRC-004, what must entities do when a protection system misoperation is identified? → Analyze the misoperation, identify the cause, and implement corrective actions
21. What is the purpose of a Mitigation Plan in NERC compliance? → To document how a violating entity will correct a violation and prevent recurrence
22. What must a responsible entity do within 35 days under CIP-008 after a reportable Cyber Security Incident? → Submit an after-action review report
23. What is a key consideration when integrating renewable energy sources into transmission planning? → Intermittency of renewable energy sources
24. Which of the following is a mandatory element of a Transmission Owner's vegetation management program under FAC-003? → An annual vegetation work plan identifying areas and methods
25. What does NERC standard FAC-001 require of transmission owners? → Establishment and documentation of facility ratings methodology
26. Which NERC standard requires generator owners to verify that generator protection systems coordinate with system protection? → PRC-024
27. Which impact level classification under NERC CIP carries the most stringent security requirements? → High impact
28. Under NERC standards, what is the significance of the 'N-1 contingency' in protection system design? → The system must tolerate loss of any single transmission element
29. What is the general voltage threshold above which NERC FAC-003 typically applies to transmission lines? → 200 kV and above
30. What is the nominal frequency of the Eastern, Western, and Texas (ERCOT) Interconnections in North America? → 60 Hz