PJM and NYISO released last week their joint whitepaper on replacing the Con Ed-PSEG “wheel,” which will end May 1. The paper outlines the grid operators’ joint proposal, which would create scheduled, fixed flows over the interconnections based on a predetermined protocol. (See Analysis Recommends Continuing Reduced Con Ed-PSEG ‘Wheel’ for Grid Stability.)
The proposed protocol — which would continue on a smaller scale than the New York-PJM-New York flows of the wheel — has attracted criticism from stakeholders, which continued at last week’s PJM committee meetings. The influence and resiliency of phase angle regulators received some scrutiny from Citigroup Energy’s Barry Trayers at the Operating Committee meeting.
“In a way you can kind of be picking winners and losers by adjusting [their] flows,” he said, asking how they had been factored into the grid operators’ guidelines for developing the replacement protocol.
“We consider PAR moves just like switching: a non-cost move that we’ll do prior to redispatching generation,” PJM’s Mike Bryson explained. “If we start running up against some of the either daily or monthly PAR adjustments, we’re going to have to take a step back and say, ‘Are we moving them too often? What’s the impact?’”
One challenge for the new protocol: One of the PARs on the 5018 line at Consolidated Edison’s Ramapo facility is not functional, which limits the ability to export power to NYISO. The grid operators have identified 1,800 MW as the maximum that needs to be available for export to NYISO, but the nonfunctional PAR limits PJM’s export capability to 1,400 MW.
While the future of Con Ed’s PAR has received a lot of discussion from other stakeholders, PJM has not received any details on when or if it will be fixed. One plan under review is to compensate by adjusting flows on the western interconnections across the Pennsylvania-New York border.
PJM and NYISO are currently working on updates to their joint operating agreement, which PJM will present upon completion for stakeholder review. NYISO plans to begin its stakeholder approval process at the end of October and complete it by January, which would allow the grid operators to make a joint filing to FERC later that month.
Stakeholders Urged to Submit Unit-Specific Parameter Adjustments
Generation unit operators have until Feb. 28 to submit adjustments to their unit-specific parameters, but PJM is urging them to begin the process as soon as possible because it can take several weeks.
PJM is aiming to have the status of delivery year 2017/18 adjustment requests posted by April 15. Parameters will be implemented in June. Any adjustments that are already approved remain valid, PJM’s Alpa Jani said, and don’t require resubmittal. Requests will receive a case identification number, with which requesters will be able to look up their current status through the RTO’s online member portal.
eDART Improvements Will Slow in Anticipation of Overhaul
PJM’s eDART system is getting an overhaul to incorporate new functionality, including single sign-on. To allow staff the time necessary to develop the new system, refreshes of the current system will be reduced to only those that are operationally necessary.
What won’t be changing are the business rules, the system interfaces or email notifications, said PJM’s Chidi Ike-Egbuonu. “One thing we can agree on is that it’s going to be a multiyear project; it’s not going to happen overnight,” she said.
PJM Moving Flat-File Data to Data-Management Tool
Raw data files are becoming too cumbersome and are being retired in favor of access through PJM’s Data Miner 2 tool, the RTO’s Thomas Zadlo explained. The tool will allow access to all data that is currently being stored on flat files, including five-minute settlements. Progress on the transition will be shared with stakeholders through PJM’s new Tech Change Forum.
– Rory D. Sweeney