FAC-010-2.1: System Operating Limits Methodology for the Planning Horizon

Purpose
To ensure that System Operating Limits (SOLs) used in the reliable planning of  the Bulk Electric System (BES) are determined based on an established methodology or methodologies.

Applicability
Planning Authority

Effective Date
April 19, 2010

Requirements
R1. The Planning Authority shall have a documented SOL Methodology for use in developing SOLs within its Planning Authority Area. This SOL Methodology shall:

R1.1. Be applicable for developing SOLs used in the planning horizon.

R1.2. State that SOLs shall not exceed associated Facility Ratings.

R1.3. Include a description of how to identify the subset of SOLs that qualify as IROLs.

R2. The Planning Authority’s SOL Methodology shall include a requirement that SOLs provide BES performance consistent with the following:

R2.1. In the pre-contingency state and with all Facilities in service, the BES shall demonstrate transient, dynamic and voltage stability; all Facilities shall be within their Facility Ratings and within their thermal, voltage and stability limits. In the determination of SOLs, the BES condition used shall reflect expected system conditions and shall reflect changes to system topology such as Facility outages.

R2.2. Following the single Contingencies¹  identified in Requirement 2.2.1 through Requirement 2.2.3, the system shall demonstrate transient, dynamic and voltage stability; all Facilities shall be operating within their Facility Ratings and within their thermal, voltage and stability limits; and Cascading or uncontrolled separation shall not occur.

R2.2.1. Single line to ground or three-phase Fault (whichever is more severe), with Normal Clearing, on any Faulted generator, line, transformer, or shunt device.

R2.2.2. Loss of any generator, line, transformer, or shunt device without a Fault.

R2.2.3. Single pole block, with Normal Clearing, in a monopolar or bipolar high voltage direct current system.

R2.3. Starting with all Facilities in service, the system’s response to a single Contingency, may include any of the following:

R2.3.1. Planned or controlled interruption of electric supply to radial customers or some local network customers connected to or supplied by the Faulted Facility or by the affected area.

R2.3.2. System reconfiguration through manual or automatic control or protection actions.

R2.4. To prepare for the next Contingency, system adjustments may be made, including changes to generation, uses of the transmission system, and the transmission system topology.

R2.5. Starting with all Facilities in service and following any of the multiple Contingencies identified in Reliability Standard TPL-003 the system shall demonstrate transient, dynamic and voltage stability; all Facilities shall be operating within their Facility Ratings and within their thermal, voltage and stability limits; and Cascading  or uncontrolled separation shall not occur.

R2.6. In determining the system’s response to any of the multiple Contingencies, identified in Reliability Standard TPL-003, in addition to the actions identified in R2.3.1 and R2.3.2, the following shall be acceptable:

R2.6.1. Planned or controlled interruption of electric supply to customers (load shedding), the planned removal from service of certain generators, and/or the curtailment of contracted Firm (non-recallable reserved) electric power Transfers.

R3. The Planning Authority’s methodology for determining SOLs, shall include, as a minimum, a description of the following, along with any reliability margins applied for each:

R3.1. Study model (must include at least the entire Planning Authority Area as well as the critical modeling details from other Planning Authority Areas that would impact the Facility or Facilities under study).

R3.2. Selection of applicable Contingencies.

R3.3. Level of detail of system models used to determine SOLs.

R3.4. Allowed uses of Special Protection Systems or Remedial Action Plans.

R3.5. Anticipated transmission system configuration, generation dispatch and Load level.

R3.6. Criteria for determining when violating a SOL qualifies as an Interconnection Reliability Operating Limit (IROL) and criteria for developing any associated IROL Tv.

R4. The Planning Authority shall issue its SOL Methodology, and any change to that methodology, to all of the following prior to the effectiveness of the change:

R4.1. Each adjacent Planning Authority and each Planning Authority that indicated it has a reliability-related need for the methodology.

R4.2. Each Reliability Coordinator and Transmission Operator that operates any portion of the Planning Authority’s Planning Authority Area.

R4.3. Each Transmission Planner that works in the Planning Authority’s Planning Authority Area.

R5. If a recipient of the SOL Methodology provides documented technical comments on the  methodology, the Planning Authority shall provide a documented response to that recipient within 45 calendar days of receipt of those comments.  The response shall indicate whether a  change will be made to the SOL Methodology and, if no change will be made to that SOL  Methodology, the reason why. (Retirement approved by FERC effective January 21, 2014.)

Measures
M1. The Planning Authority’s SOL Methodology shall address all of the items listed in Requirement 1 through Requirement 3 M2. The Planning Authority shall have evidence it issued its SOL Methodology and any changes to that methodology, including the date they were issued, in accordance with Requirement 4.

M2. The Planning Authority shall have evidence it issued its SOL Methodology and any changes to that methodology, including the date they were issued, in accordance with Requirement 4.   If the recipient of the SOL Methodology provides documented comments on its technical review of that SOL methodology, the Planning Authority that distributed that SOL Methodology shall have evidence that it provided a written response to that commenter within 45 calendar days of receipt of those comments in accordance with Requirement 5.  (Retirement approved by FERC effective January 21, 2014.)

 

Regional Differences

1. The following Interconnection-wide Regional Difference shall be applicable in the Western  Interconnection:

1.1. As governed by the requirements of R2.5 and R2.6, starting with all Facilities in service,  shall require the evaluation of the following multiple Facility Contingencies when  establishing SOLs:

1.1.1 Simultaneous permanent phase to ground Faults on different phases of each of  two adjacent transmission circuits on a multiple circuit tower, with Normal  Clearing. If multiple circuit towers are used only for station entrance and exit  purposes, and if they do not exceed five towers at each station, then this  condition is an acceptable risk and therefore can be excluded.

 1.1.2 A permanent phase to ground Fault on any generator, transmission circuit,  transformer, or bus section with Delayed Fault Clearing except for bus  sectionalizing breakers or bus-tie breakers addressed in E1.1.7

1.1.3 Simultaneous permanent loss of both poles of a direct current bipolar Facility  without an alternating current Fault.

1.1.4 The failure of a circuit breaker associated with a Special Protection System to  operate when required following: the loss of any element without a Fault; or a  permanent phase to ground Fault, with Normal Clearing, on any transmission  circuit, transformer or bus section.

1.1.5 A non-three phase Fault with Normal Clearing on common mode Contingency of  two adjacent circuits on separate towers unless the event frequency is determined  to be less than one in thirty years.

1.1.6 A common mode outage of two generating units connected to the same  switchyard, not otherwise addressed by FAC-010.

1.1.7 The loss of multiple bus sections as a result of failure or delayed clearing of a bus  tie or bus sectionalizing breaker to clear a permanent Phase to Ground Fault.

1.2. SOLs shall be established such that for multiple Facility Contingencies in E1.1.1through E1.1.5 operation within the SOL shall provide system performance consistent with the following:

1.2.1 All Facilities are operating within their applicable Post-Contingency thermal, frequency and voltage limits.

1.2.2 Cascading does not occur.

1.2.3 Uncontrolled separation of the system does not occur.

1.2.4 The system demonstrates transient, dynamic and voltage stability.

1.2.5 Depending on system design and expected system impacts, the controlled  interruption of electric supply to customers (load shedding), the planned removal from service of certain generators, and/or the curtailment of contracted firm (nonrecallable reserved) electric power transfers may be necessary to maintain the  overall security of the interconnected transmission systems.

1.2.6 Interruption of firm transfer, Load or system reconfiguration is permitted through  manual or automatic control or protection actions.

1.2.7 To prepare for the next Contingency, system adjustments are permitted, including changes to generation, Load and the transmission system topology when determining limits.

1.3. SOLs shall be established such that for multiple Facility Contingencies in E1.1.6 through E1.1.7 operation within the SOL shall provide system performance consistent with the following with respect to impacts on other systems:

 1.3.1 Cascading does not occur.

1.4. The Western Interconnection may make changes (performance category adjustments) to  the Contingencies required to be studied and/or the required responses to Contingencies for specific facilities based on actual system performance and robust design.  Such changes will apply in determining SOLs