NERC's Standards Committee expects to have the latest version of the cold weather standard ready to post for a formal comment period by Jan. 27.

Citing a looming FERC deadline, NERC's Board of Trustees voted once again to sidestep the normal standards development process to accelerate development of the ERO's cold weather standard.

A colder winter is likely to bring higher electricity demand and drive up natural gas prices, FERC staff said in the commission's annual winter energy market assessment.

NERC leadership is considering using its authority to streamline the development process on another standard, a member of the ERO's management said.

NERC's Standards Committee approved several standards actions at its monthly conference call.

NYSEG acknowledged its primary and backup control centers shared too many communication links in a settlement approved by FERC.

Members of NERC’s Standards Committee debated qualifications for standard drafting team participation at their monthly conference call, with the discussion extending the meeting more than a half-hour over its planned end time.

FERC directed NERC to submit further changes to its latest cold weather standard within the next nine months.

FERC will consider several items touching on the ERO Enterprise at June 27 open meeting.

FERC approved a new reliability standard aimed at improving the security of communications between control centers.