PJM is considering ways to simplify the sharing of real-time generator data to improve situational awareness and help transmission operators respond more quickly in emergencies.

AEP’s Dana Horton urged the Markets and Reliability Committee Thursday to consider changing the current rules on data access, which he said are cumbersome and time consuming.

Horton said transmission operators would “like to be able to see real-time megawatt hour output from all generators in the PJM footprint, like PJM control operations folks do. They’re dealing with a lot of transmission overload issues. If they could see more output data, for more of the region that impacts their area, they are better able to give feedback.”

Horton said the current procedure for obtaining data access, spelled out in Manual 14D, “looks like it was written in the 1950s. It refers to making copies in triplicate.”

Phil Hoffer, an AEP transmission operations manager, said the data would be used as an input to AEP’s state estimator. “Some units may be outside of our control area but have significant impact on our operations,” Hoffer explained.

PJM officials said the RTO supports the effort. “We should be as transparent as we can,” said Executive Vice President for Operations Mike Kormos.

CEO Terry Boston noted that PJM found other transmission operators’ state estimators helpful during the September heat wave, particularly for understanding conditions on lower voltage systems.

PJM Market Monitor Joe Bowring said he would support streamlining the sharing rules if it were done in a way to preserve confidential information. Existing confidentiality agreements and codes of conduct should satisfy any confidentiality concerns, AEP said.

The MRC will be asked to vote on AEP’s issue charge and problem statement at its next meeting. If approved as is, the issue would be assigned to the Operating Committee.