A:December 28, 2017
With BAL-002-2, Most Severe Single Contingency (MSSC) and Reportable Balancing Contingency Event have been defined as shown below.
Most Severe Single Contingency
The Balancing Contingency Event, due to a single contingency identified using system models maintained within the Reserve Sharing Group (RSG) or a Balancing Authority’s area that is not part of a Reserve Sharing Group, that would result in the greatest loss (measured in MW) of resource output used by the RSG or a Balancing Authority that is not participating as a member of a RSG at the time of the event to meet Firm Demand and export obligation (excluding export obligation for which Contingency Reserve obligations are being met by the Sink Balancing Authority).
If I read this correctly a BA with no firm demand and no export obligation would have no MSSC and, thus, no Reportable Balancing contingency Events. If that is correct only R2 would be applicable to the entity.
I’d like to get SERC’s comments on the above statements to be sure I am not interpreting something differently than SERC. I would also like to know if any clarification exists for export obligation since it is not a defined term.
Background Information
BAL-002-2 Applicability:
4.1. Responsible Entity
4.1.1. Balancing Authority
4.1.1.1. A Balancing Authority that is a member of a Reserve Sharing Group is the Responsible Entity only in periods during which the Balancing Authority is not in active status under the applicable agreement or governing rules for the Reserve Sharing Group.
4.1.2. Reserve Sharing Group
BAL-002-2 R1 states the following;
R1. The Responsible Entity experiencing a Reportable Balancing Contingency Event shall: [Violation Risk Factor: Medium] [Time Horizon: Real-time Operations]
1.1. within the Contingency Event Recovery Period, demonstrate recovery by returning its Reporting ACE to at least the recovery value of:
- zero (if its Pre-Reporting Contingency Event ACE Value was positive or equal to zero); however, any Balancing Contingency Event that occurs during the Contingency Event Recovery Period shall reduce the required recovery: (i) beginning at the time of, and (ii) by the magnitude of, such individual Balancing Contingency Event,
or,
- its Pre-Reporting Contingency Event ACE Value (if its Pre-Reporting Contingency Event ACE Value was negative); however, any Balancing
Contingency Event that occurs during the Contingency Event Recovery Period shall reduce the required recovery:
- beginning at the time of, and
- by the magnitude of, such individual Balancing Contingency Event.
1.2. document all Reportable Balancing Contingency Events using CR Form 1.
1.3. deploy Contingency Reserve, within system constraints, to respond to all Reportable Balancing Contingency Events, however, it is not subject to compliance with Requirement R1 part 1.1 if:
1.3.1 the Responsible Entity:
- is a Balancing Authority experiencing a Reliability Coordinator declared Energy Emergency Alert Level or is a Reserve Sharing Group whose member, or members, are experiencing a Reliability Coordinator declared Energy Emergency Alert level, and
- is utilizing its Contingency Reserve to mitigate an operating emergency in accordance with its emergency Operating Plan, and
- has depleted its Contingency Reserve to a level below its Most Severe Single Contingency
or,
1.3.2 the Responsible Entity experiences:
- multiple Contingencies where the combined MW loss exceeds its Most Severe Single Contingency and that are defined as a single Balancing Contingency Event, or
- multiple Balancing Contingency Events within the sum of the time periods defined by the Contingency Event Recovery Period and Contingency Reserve Restoration Period whose combined magnitude exceeds the Responsible Entity's Most Severe Single Contingency.
The measure M1 states;
Each Responsible Entity shall have, and provide upon request, as evidence, a CR Form 1 with date and time of occurrence to show compliance with Requirement R1. If Requirement R1 part 1.3 applies, then dated documentation that demonstrates compliance with Requirement R1 part 1.3 must also be provided.
Reportable Balancing Contingency Event is defined;
Any Balancing Contingency Event occurring within a one-minute interval of an initial sudden decline in ACE based on EMS scan rate data that results in a loss of MW output less than or equal to the Most Severe Single Contingency, and greater than or equal to the lesser amount of: (i) 80% of the Most Severe Single Contingency, or (ii) the amount listed below for the applicable Interconnection. Prior to any given calendar quarter, the 80% threshold may be reduced by the responsible entity upon written notification to the Regional Entity.
- Eastern Interconnection – 900 MW
- Western Interconnection – 500 MW
- ERCOT – 800 MW
- Quebec – 500 MW
Contingency Event Recovery Period; defined;
A period that begins at the time that the resource output begins to decline within the first one-minute interval of a Reportable Balancing Contingency Event, and extends for fifteen minutes thereafter.
Balancing Contingency Event, defined
Any single event described in Subsections (A), (B), or (C) below, or any series of such otherwise single events, with each separated from the next by one minute or less.
A. Sudden loss of generation:
- Due to
- unit tripping, or
- loss of generator Facility resulting in isolation of thegenerator from the Bulk Electric System or from the responsible entity’s System, or
- sudden unplanned outage of transmission Facility;
- And, that causes an unexpected change to the responsible entity’s ACE;
B. Sudden loss of an Import, due to forced outage of transmission equipment that causes an unexpected imbalance between generation and Demand on the Interconnection.
C. Sudden restoration of a Demand that was used as a resource that causes an unexpected change to the responsible entity’s ACE.
SERC Response
As a generation only Balancing Authority with no firm load obligations, you are obligated, as demonstrated in the diagram below, to balance your power generated or purchases with sales (either firm or non-firm). These sales are your export obligation. It is SERC’s opinion that Requirement 1 of BAL-002-2 is applicable to a generation only Balancing Authority.
