Generation Operators Urged to Participate in SOS Calls Ahead of Storms

PJM Senior Vice President of Operations Mike Bryson said participation in the System Operations Subcommittee (SOS) conference calls it holds ahead of major storms has been troublingly low, with only a few dozen individuals typically participating. Discussions with generators that did not meet their capacity obligations during the December 2022 winter storm suggested one of the contributors to the strained system conditions experienced Dec. 23-24 was poor understanding of emergency procedures. 

Senior Dispatch Manager Donnie Bielak said a recent emergency procedure drill also had much lower attendance than anticipated. He encouraged stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the resource limitations detailed in Manual 13 to ensure resources know how to report any limits to dispatchers during an emergency. While a voltage reduction was not instituted during Winter Storm Elliott, Bielak said it was a close enough call staff might conduct a test of the ability to implement the emergency procedure. 

PJM Reviews FERC and NERC Winter Preparedness Recommendations

PJM Associate General Counsel Mark Stanisz reviewed the findings of the FERC/NERC inquiry into the impact of Winter Storm Elliott and the NERC Winter Reliability Assessment for the upcoming season. 

The NERC assessment found that much of the Eastern Interconnection is at elevated risk during peak winter conditions, suggesting potential for reserves to be insufficient during an emergency. Generators’ winter preparations are improving, but the growing complexity of forecasting demand during cold temperatures remains a concern. So does the potential for generator fuel storage to run dry during long-duration events. Interregional energy transfers to strained areas also are at risk of curtailment, presenting a growing reliability concern. 

The NERC/FERC inquiry recommended balancing authorities conduct fuel surveys and state regulators be prepared to respond to any environmental, emissions and transportation waivers grid operators may request during a storm.  

The PJM Markets and Reliability Committee endorsed several additions to its generation winterization checklist during its Nov. 15 meeting, drawing on NERC’s Lessons Learned. (See “New Winterization Requirements Endorsed,” PJM MRC/MC Briefs: Nov. 15, 2023.)