FAC-002-3 – Facility Interconnection Studies

Purpose:

To study the impact of interconnecting new or materially modified Facilities on the Bulk Electric System.

Applicability:

4.1. Functional Entities:

4.1.1 Planning Coordinator

4.1.2 Transmission Planner

4.1.3 Transmission Owner

4.1.4 Distribution Provider

4.1.5 Generator Owner

4.1.6 Applicable Generator Owner

4.1.6.1 Generator Owner with a fully executed Agreement to conduct a study on the reliability impact of interconnecting a third party Facility to the Generator Owner’s existing Facility that is used to interconnect to the Transmission system.

Effective Date:

See Implementation Plan

Requirements and Measures

R1. Each Transmission Planner and each Planning Coordinator shall study the reliability impact of: (i) interconnecting new generation, transmission, or electricity end-user Facilities and (ii) materially modifying existing interconnections of generation, transmission, or electricity end-user Facilities. The following shall be studied: [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Long-term Planning]

1.1. The reliability impact of the new interconnection, or materially modified existing interconnection, on affected system(s);
1.2. Adherence to applicable NERC Reliability Standards; regional and Transmission Owner planning criteria; and Facility interconnection requirements;
1.3. Steady-state, short-circuit, and dynamics studies, as necessary, to evaluate system performance under both normal and contingency conditions; and
1.4. Study assumptions, system performance, alternatives considered, and coordinated recommendations. While these studies may be performed independently, the results shall be evaluated and coordinated by the entities involved.

M1. Each Transmission Planner or each Planning Coordinator shall have evidence (such as study reports, including documentation of reliability issues) that it met all requirements in Requirement R1.

R2. Each Generator Owner seeking to interconnect new generation Facilities, or to materially modify existing interconnections of generation Facilities, shall coordinate and cooperate on studies with its Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator, including but not limited to the provision of data as described in R1, Parts 1.1-1.4. [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Long-term Planning]

M2. Each Generator Owner shall have evidence (such as documents containing the data provided in response to the requests of the Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator) that it met all requirements in Requirement R2.

R3. Each Transmission Owner and each Distribution Provider seeking to interconnect new transmission Facilities or electricity end-user Facilities, or to materially modify existing interconnections of transmission Facilities or electricity end-user Facilities, shall coordinate and cooperate on studies with its Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator, including but not limited to the provision of data as described in R1, Parts 1.1-1.4. [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Long-term Planning]

M3. Each Transmission Owner and each Distribution Provider shall have evidence (such as documents containing the data provided in response to the requests of the Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator) that it met all requirements in Requirement R3.

R4. Each Transmission Owner shall coordinate and cooperate with its Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator on studies regarding requested new or materially modified interconnections to its Facilities, including but not limited to the provision of data as described in R1, Parts 1.1-1.4. [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Long-term Planning]

M4. Each Transmission Owner shall have evidence (such as documents containing the data provided in response to the requests of the Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator) that it met all requirements in Requirement R4.

R5. Each applicable Generator Owner shall coordinate and cooperate with its Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator on studies regarding requested interconnections to its Facilities, including but not limited to the provision of data as described in R1, Parts 1.1-1.4. [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Longterm Planning]

M5. Each applicable Generator Owner shall have evidence (such as documents containing the data provided in response to the requests of the Transmission Planner or Planning Coordinator) that it met all requirements in Requirement R5.

Compliance

1. Compliance Monitoring Process

1.1. Compliance Enforcement Authority
As defined in the NERC Rules of Procedure, “Compliance Enforcement Authority” (CEA) means NERC or the Regional Entity in their respective roles of monitoring and enforcing compliance with the NERC Reliability Standards.
1.2. Evidence Retention
The following evidence retention periods identify the period of time an entity is required to retain specific evidence to demonstrate compliance. For instances where the evidence retention period specified below is shorter than the time since the last audit, the CEA may ask an entity to provide other evidence to show that it was compliant for the full time period since the last audit.
The Planning Coordinator, Transmission Planner, Transmission Owner, Distribution Provider, Generator Owner and applicable Generator Owner shall keep data or evidence to show compliance as identified below unless directed by its CEA to retain specific evidence for a longer period of time as part of an investigation:
The responsible entities shall retain documentation as evidence for three years.
If a responsible entity is found non-compliant, it shall keep information related to the non-compliance until mitigation is complete and approved or for the time specified above, whichever is longer.
The CEA shall keep the last audit records and all requested and submitted subsequent audit records.
1.3. Compliance Monitoring and Assessment Processes:
Compliance Audit
Self-Certification
Spot Check
Compliance Investigation
Self-Reporting
Complaint
1.4. Additional Compliance Information
None

Table of Compliance Elements

Violation Severity Levels