PJM is one of nine Registered Entities that has agreed to take part in a review of grid recovery and restoration plans.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced it and the North American Electric Reliability Corp. will conduct a joint staff review to assess the grid’s bulk power system recovery and restoration planning and determine the effectiveness of NERC reliability standards in maintaining reliability.
FERC spokesman Craig Cano said nine REs, intended as a “representative sample” of the grid, have agreed to participate in the voluntary review. Although FERC declined to identify the participants, PJM spokesman Ray Dotter told RTO Insider that PJM was among them.
Cano said the review is intended as a “proactive” look at the grid’s ability to recover from extreme weather, bulk power system disturbances and cyber or physical attacks. It will include a comparison of the REs’ plans, as well as recommendations based on the identification of good industry practices.
FERC emphasized that the review “is not a compliance and enforcement initiative.”
Storms, blackouts and the threat of cyber or physical attacks “have highlighted the potential to cause widespread adverse effects on the bulk power system,” the joint FERC-NERC data request says. “Effective system recovery and restoration plans are essential to facilitate a quick and orderly recovery in the aftermath of such events.”
The review will focus on the following NERC standards: EOP-005-2 System Restoration Plans from Blackstart Resources; CIP-008-3 Cyber Security – Incident Reporting and Response Planning; and CIP-009-3 Cyber Security – Recovery Plans for Critical Cyber Assets.
