NOTICE DATE: November 29, 2010 NOTICE TYPE: W-A112910-01 Operations SHORT DESCRIPTION: Each QSE with Resources or Transmission Service Provider to supply documentation of any protective relay or equipment failures in accordance with NERC standard PRC-001-1 INTENDED AUDIENCE: QSEs with Resources and Transmission Service Providers DAY AFFECTED: December 1, 2010 LONG DESCRIPTION: ERCOT requires each Qualified Scheduling Entity (QSE) with Resources or Transmission Service Provider (Transmission Operator) to supply documentation, including corrective actions, to the ERCOT Operations Shift Supervisor Desk of any protective relay or equipment failures which reduce system reliability in accordance with NERC Reliability Standard PRC-001-1. This Notice is a standing request and replaces Notice M-A031408-01. This Notice is to remain in effect until Nodal Operating Guide Revision Request (NOGRR) 049, Alignment with NERC Reliability Standard PRC-001-1, System Protection Coordination, is implemented. ACTION REQUIRED: The owner of protective relay systems will immediately notify the appropriate QSE and Transmission Operator (TO) via phone call when the owner has determined that the protective relay system has failed. The affected QSE or TO shall immediately notify the ERCOT Operations Shift Supervisor via phone call and initiate prompt corrective action. These corrective actions are to address reliability issues for the systems that the QSE and TO monitor and/or operate. The affected QSE and TO shall promptly notify the ERCOT Operations Shift Supervisor via phone call of the return to service of the previously identified protective relay systems. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: References: NERC Reliability Standard PRC-001-1 R2.2 states "If a protective relay or equipment failure reduces system reliability, the Transmission Operator shall notify its Reliability Coordinator and affected Transmission Operators and Balancing Authorities. The Transmission Operator shall take corrective action as soon as possible." Additional Guidance: The protection of a bulk electric system element can no longer perform as designed if there is a failure of its protective relay systems such as the inability to maintain a critical clearing time (i.e. failure to trip, slow trip) or inability to maintain selectivity (i.e. unnecessary trip during a fault, unnecessary trip other than fault). It is not considered a protection failure if additional protection systems are available to operate as previously stated above. Protective relay systems include: relays, associated communication systems, voltage and current sensing devices, station batteries and DC control circuitry. Corrective action in this context means limiting exposure to the bulk electric system and does not include the maintenance or repair of relays. These actions shall be taken as prescribed by the Outage Coordination process in Outage Coordination, Protocol Section 3.1.4.5, Management of Resource or Transmission Forced Outages or Maintenance Outages. Examples of corrective actions include: * Removing the affected facility from service * Entering the status change into Outage Scheduler. ERCOT shall determine the impact on the ERCOT System and take the necessary corrective actions (typically reconfiguration and/or re-dispatch) to address any reliability issues. Examples of corrective actions include: * Re-dispatching or requesting of re-dispatching as studies dictate * Possible reconfiguration of the ERCOT System or * Firm Load shed. 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 email at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. If you are receiving email 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