FERC, NERC Recommend Expanded Black Start Testing
By Rich Heidorn Jr.
Coal plant retirements have not caused a shortage of black start resources, but grid operators should consider expanded testing, FERC and NERC said last week.
NERC, its eight Regional Entities and the commission released a study May 2 based on information from a representative sample of nine volunteer registered entities, a follow-up to a 2016 joint report. (See Utilities’ Restoration Plans Pass FERC, NERC Review.)
“Although some participants have experienced a decrease in the availability of black start resources due to retirement of black start-capable units over the past decade, the joint study team found that the participants have verified they currently have sufficient black start resources in their system restoration plans, as well as comprehensive strategies for mitigating against loss of any additional black start resources going forward,” the new report says. “The joint study team also found that participants that have performed expanded testing of black start capability, including testing energization of the next-start generating unit, gained valuable knowledge that was used to modify, update and improve their system restoration plans.”
A next-start unit is the first generator in the cranking path to be energized using power from the black start generator.
The report recommends that:
The report emphasized that its recommendations — while “appropriate for all registered entities responsible for system restoration” — are voluntary and “not subject to mandatory compliance with the recommendations, separate and apart from any obligations of mandatory reliability standards.”
The report also noted “beneficial practices” used by some that may not be universally appropriate. “The joint study team recommends that registered entities consider incorporating these practices, or variations thereof, as appropriate,” it said.
These practices included:
