TOP-004-2: Transmission Operations
Purpose
To ensure that the transmission system is operated so that instability, uncontrolled separation, or cascading outages will not occur as a result of the most severe single Contingency and specified multiple Contingencies.
Applicability
Transmission Operators
Proposed Effective Date
Twelve months after BOT adoption of FAC-014.
Requirements
R1. Each Transmission Operator shall operate within the Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits (IROLs) and System Operating Limits (SOLs).
R2. Each Transmission Operator shall operate so that instability, uncontrolled separation, or cascading outages will not occur as a result of the most severe single contingency.
R3. Each Transmission Operator shall operate to protect against instability, uncontrolled separation, or cascading outages resulting from multiple outages, as specified by its Reliability Coordinator.
R4. If a Transmission Operator enters an unknown operating state (i.e. any state for which valid operating limits have not been determined), it will be considered to be in an emergency and shall restore operations to respect proven reliable power system limits within 30 minutes.
R5. Each Transmission Operator shall make every effort to remain connected to the Interconnection. If the Transmission Operator determines that by remaining interconnected, it is in imminent danger of violating an IROL or SOL, the Transmission Operator may take such actions, as it deems necessary, to protect its area.
R6. Transmission Operators, individually and jointly with other Transmission Operators, shall develop, maintain, and implement formal policies and procedures to provide for transmission reliability. These policies and procedures shall address the execution and coordination of activities that impact inter- and intra-Regional reliability, including:
R6.1. Monitoring and controlling voltage levels and real and reactive power flows.
R6.2. Switching transmission elements.
R6.3. Planned outages of transmission elements.
R6.4. Responding to IROL and SOL violations.
Measures
M1. Each Transmission Operator that enters an unknown operating state for which valid limits have not been determined, shall have and provide upon request evidence that could include, but is not limited to, operator logs, voice recordings or transcripts of voice recordings, electronic communications, alarm program printouts, or other equivalent evidence that will be used to determine if it restored operations to respect proven reliable power system limits within 30 minutes as specified in Requirement 4.
M2. Each Transmission Operator shall have and provide upon request current policies and procedures that address the execution and coordination of activities that impact inter- and intra-Regional reliability for each of the topics listed in Requirements 6.1 through 6.6.