PER-005-1: System Personnel Training
Purpose
To ensure that System Operators performing real-time, reliability-related tasks on the North American Bulk Electric System (BES) are competent to perform those reliability-related tasks. The competency of System Operators is critical to the reliability of the North American Bulk Electric System.
Applicability
Proposed Effective Date for Regulatory Approvals
- In those jurisdictions where regulatory approval is required, Requirement R1 and Requirement R2 shall become effective on the first day of the first calendar quarter, 24 months after applicable regulatory approval. In those jurisdictions where no regulatory approval is required, Requirement R1 and Requirement R2 shall become effective on the first day of the first calendar quarter, 24 months after Board of Trustees adoption.
- In those jurisdictions where regulatory approval is required, Requirement R3 shall become effective on the first day of the first calendar quarter after applicable regulatory approval. In those jurisdictions where no regulatory approval is required, Requirement R3 shall become effective on the first day of the first calendar quarter after Board of Trustees adoption.
- In those jurisdictions where regulatory approval is required Sub-requirement R3.1 shall become effective on the first day of the first calendar quarter, 36 months after applicable regulatory approval. In those jurisdictions where no regulatory approval is required, the Sub-requirement R3.1 shall become effective on the first day of the first calendar quarter, 36 months after Board of Trustees adoption.
Requirements
R1. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall use a systematic approach to training to establish a training program for the BES company-specific reliability-related tasks performed by its System Operators and shall implement the program. [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Long-term Planning]
R1.1. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall create a list of BES company-specific reliability-related tasks performed by its System Operators.
R1.1.1. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall update its list of BES company-specific reliability-related tasks performed by its System Operators each calendar year to identify new or modified tasks for inclusion in training.
R1.2. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall design and develop learning objectives and training materials based on the task list created in R1.1.
R1.3. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall deliver the training established in R1.2.
R1.4. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall conduct an annual evaluation of the training program established in R1, to identify any needed changes to the training program and shall implement the changes identified.
R2. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall verify each of its System Operator’s capabilities to perform each assigned task identified in R1.1 at least one time. [Violation Risk Factor: High] [Time Horizon: Long-term Planning]
R2.1. Within six months of a modification of the BES company-specific reliability-related tasks, each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall verify each of its System Operator’s capabilities to perform the new or modified tasks.
R3. At least every 12 months each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall provide each of its System Operators with at least 32 hours of emergency operations training applicable to its organization that reflects emergency operations topics, which includes system restoration using drills, exercises or other training required to maintain qualified personnel. [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Long-term Planning]
R3.1. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator that has operational authority or control over Facilities with established IROLs or has established operating guides or protection systems to mitigate IROL violations shall provide each System Operator with emergency operations training using simulation technology such as a simulator, virtual technology, or other technology that replicates the operational behavior of the BES during normal and emergency conditions.
Measures
M1. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection evidence of using a systematic approach to training to establish and implement a training program, as specified in R1.
M1.1 Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority, and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection its company-specific reliability-related task list, with the date of the last review and/or revision, as specified in R1.1.
M1.2 Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority, and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection its learning objectives and training materials, as specified in R1.2.
M1.3 Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority, and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection System Operator training records showing the names of the people trained, the title of the training delivered and the dates of delivery to show that it delivered the training, as specified in R1.3.
M1.4 Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority, and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection evidence (such as instructor observations, trainee feedback, supervisor feedback, course evaluations, learning assessments, or internal audit results) that it performed an annual training program evaluation, as specified in R1.4
M2. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection evidence to show that it verified that each of its System Operators is capable of performing each assigned task identified in R1.1, as specified in R2. This evidence can be documents such as training records showing successful completion of tasks with the employee name and date; supervisor check sheets showing the employee name, date, and task completed; or the results of learning assessments.
M3. Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection training records that provide evidence that each System Operator has obtained 32 hours of emergency operations training, as specified in R3.
M3.1 Each Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority and Transmission Operator shall have available for inspection training records that provide evidence that each System Operator received emergency operations training using simulation technology, as specified in R3.1.