By Rich Heidorn Jr.

FERC has extended the implementation deadline for the latest version of the North American Energy Standards Board’s (NAESB) Standards for Business Practices and Communication Protocols for Public Utilities (RM05-5-028).

The commission acted Friday at the request of SPP and MISO, which said the original July 27, 2020, deadline would not give them enough time to follow NAESB’s implementation outline. They also said that Open Access Technology International (OATI), which provides the Open Access Same-Time Information System software to much of the industry, will not complete necessary upgrades by the deadline.

FERC adopted Version 003.2 of NAESB Standard WEQ-002 on Feb. 4, saying it was “necessary to increase the efficiency of the wholesale electric power grid.” (See FERC Adopts NAESB Business, Communication Rules.)

The commission’s order required public utilities and utilities with reciprocity tariffs to make compliance filings through eTariff by May 25. The commission said it would set an implementation date for the proposed tariff changes in its orders on the compliance filings.

Utilities that incorporate the complete set of NAESB standards without modification would have had to implement the standards by July 27.

The commission’s notice Friday extended the deadline for compliance filings through e-Tariff to July 27, 2021. It said it will determine an implementation date for all utilities, including utilities whose tariffs incorporate the NAESB standards without modification, no sooner than Oct. 27, 2021.

NAESB’s voluntary standards become mandatory for FERC-regulated public utilities after they are incorporated into the commission’s regulations. The rule requires public utilities and entities with reciprocity tariffs to modify their open access transmission tariffs to include the Wholesale Electric Quadrant (WEQ) standards that FERC incorporated by reference.

OATI and the Edison Electric Institute have asked FERC to clarify its order adopting the standard, saying that some language in its order might conflict with the commission’s “Dynegy redirect policy.”

The policy states that “transmission customers receiving firm transmission service and requesting redirect rights do not lose rights on the original path until the redirect request is accepted by the transmission provider, confirmed by the transmission customer and passes the conditional reservation deadline.” (See EEI, OATI Seek Clarification on FERC Order.)

The commission has not acted on the request.