NOTICE DATE:  September 20, 2011

NOTICE TYPE:  W-A091911-02 Operations

SHORT DESCRIPTION:  Revised dates for ERCOT 2011 Winter Storm Drill due to schedule conflicts

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 Nodal Operating Guides, Section 1.5.4, will be conducted November 30 and December 1, 2011. 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 focus around the events of February 2, 2011, and we will simulate those events as closely as possible. The Drill will begin at 07:30 on November 30, 2011, and will simulate moving through the days leading up to the cold front reaching Texas. Below is a timeline of events and due dates.

Severe Weather Winter Storm Drill Timeline of Events
October 7, 2011	Operations Drill Participants’ confirmations due back to ERCOT
October 25, 2011	Drill Conference Call
November 30 – December 1, 2011	Drill Days (07:30 – 16:30)
December 5, 2011	Drill Participants’ Critique responses due back to ERCOT
December 6 – 7, 2011	Backup Drill days

 

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 7, 2011, 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 7, 2011, 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.

For compliance purposes, it will be necessary to document your company’s participation. Your company is required to develop its own additional in-house Drill scenarios, which should include coordination and participation with neighboring TOs and QSEs. Companies should also conduct a post-mortem critique immediately following the Drill and apply this time toward ERCOT’s 32-hour reliability training requirement. Please note that ERCOT will not be able to issue NERC Continuing Education Hours for this Drill.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  The attached files contain the 2011 Drill Invitation, Drill Script and Contact Phone List.

The Drill Scripts (ERCOT and Participant versions), Drill Activities (QSE and TO) and Drill Critique will be sent on September 22, 2011.

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].

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.

 

 

 

 

 

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