NOTICE DATE:  September 16, 2009

NOTICE TYPE:  W-A091609-01   Operations

SHORT DESCRIPTION:  ERCOT 2009 Winter Storm Drill

INTENDED AUDIENCE:  QSEs with Resources, Transmission Service Providers, and other interested Market Participants

DAYS AFFECTED:  See table below

LONG DESCRIPTION: The annual “Severe Weather Drill” as required by the ERCOT Operating Guide, Section 1.8.5, will be conducted Wednesday, November 18, 2009. All Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) that provide Ancillary Services and Transmission Operators (TOs) are required to participate in the drill. This year’s Drill will simulate a massive Siberian cold air mass quickly moving into Texas in a 72 hour time frame. The Drill will begin at 7:30 AM and will simulate a four day event. Below is a timeline of events and due dates.

Severe Weather Winter Storm Drill Timeline of Events
October 8, 2009	Operations Drill Participants’ confirmations due back to ERCOT
October 28, 2009	Drill Conference Call
November 18, 2009	Drill Day (7:30 AM – 4:30 PM)
November 20, 2009	Drill Participants’ Critique responses due back to ERCOT
December 2, 2009	Backup Drill day

Other interested Market Participants are invited to participate in the emergency communications drill which runs simultaneously with the operations drill. ERCOT corporate communications will conduct an email-only drill which simulates crisis notification. Participants are welcome to simulate the use of their own internal emergency plans. RSVP to Dottie Roark ([log in to unmask]) by October 8, 2009, if you would like to participate in the communications portion of the annual drill.

ACTION REQUIRED:  QSEs that provide Ancillary Services and Transmission Operators are to confirm their participation by sending an email to Don Oatman ([log in to unmask]) by October 8, 2009, that includes the following required information:

· Your company’s Drill Coordinator and his/her phone number.

· The phone number of the site from which you intend to run your Drill. These numbers will be assembled into one phone list to be used by all Drill participants, in order to facilitate inter-communication.

· A copy of your training plan. Your plan will be forwarded to the Texas Regional Entity (TRE) – ([log in to unmask]).

Operations staffs of other Market Participants (e.g., QSEs that do not provide Ancillary Services) are welcome to email Don Oatman ([log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]) to participate with ERCOT Operations in Hot Line calls.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  The attached zip file contains the 2009 Drill Invitation, Drill Timeline, Energy Emergency Alert Communications Matrix, Drill Scripts (ERCOT and Participant versions), Drill Activities (QSE and TO), Participant Contact Info (QSE and TO Assigned Phone Numbers for the Drill), Fuel Reporting Survey and Drill Critique.

CONTACT:  If you have any questions, please contact your ERCOT Account Manager. You may also call the general ERCOT Client Services phone number at (512) 248-3900 or contact ERCOT Client Services via e-mail at [log in to unmask].

If you are receiving e-mail from an ERCOT distribution list that you no longer wish to receive, please follow this link in order to unsubscribe from this list: http://lists.ercot.com.

dh