Decision 2014-364 Alberta Electric System Operator Approval of Alberta reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 December 19, 2014 The Alberta Utilities Commission Decision 2014-364: Alberta Electric System Operator Approval of Alberta reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 Application No. 1611014 Proceeding No. 3540 December 19, 2014 Published by The Alberta Utilities Commission Fifth Avenue Place, Fourth Floor, 425 First Street S.W. Calgary, Alberta T2P 3L8 Telephone: 403-592-8845 Fax: 403-592-4406 Website: www.auc.ab.ca H Contents 1 0BIntroduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 2 1BBackground ........................................................................................................................... 2 3 2BCommission findings and decision ...................................................................................... 2 List of Tables Table 1. 3BReliability standard filed November 24, 2014 ........................................................................ 1 Table 2. Effective date ............................................................................................................................ 3 AUC Decision 2014-364 (December 19, 2014) • i The Alberta Utilities Commission Calgary, Alberta Alberta Electric System Operator Approval of Alberta reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 1 Decision 2014-364 Application No. 1611014 Proceeding No. 3540 Introduction 0B 1. On November 24, 2014, the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) 1 filed the following Alberta reliability standard with the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC or the Commission) for review pursuant to Section 19(4)(b) of the Transmission Regulation. The AUC registered this filing as Application No. 1611014 and designated it as Proceeding No. 3540. F Table 1. 3BReliability standard filed November 24, 2014 Reliability standard category Reliability standard Description Proposed Action Personnel Performance, Training, and Qualifications (PER) PER-004-AB-2 Reliability Coordination - Staffing Approve 2. Pursuant to Section 19(4) of the Transmission Regulation, the Independent System Operator (ISO), before adopting or making reliability standards, must consult with those market participants that it considers are likely to be directly affected and must forward the reliability standards to the Commission for review, along with the ISO’s recommendation that the Commission either approve or reject each of them. 3. Pursuant to sections 19(5) and 19(6) of the Transmission Regulation, the Commission must approve or refuse to approve each reliability standard in accordance with the recommendation of the ISO, unless an interested person satisfies the Commission that the ISO’s recommendation is: (a) technically deficient, or (b) not in the public interest. 4. On November 28, 2014, the Commission issued a notice of filing and notice for objection for the reliability standard identified in Table 1 by posting the notice on the AUC website and emailing the notice to market participants. 5. No objections were filed with the Commission before or after the December 12, 2014 deadline specified in the notice of filing and notice for objection. 1 The Independent System Operator (ISO) is established under Section 7(1) of the Electric Utilities Act and operates under the trade name AESO. AUC Decision 2014-364 (December 19, 2014) • 1 Alberta reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 2 Alberta Electric System Operator Background 1B 6. The AESO indicated that effective January 1, 2014, the AESO assumed the responsibilities that relate to the functions of a reliability coordinator (RC) in Alberta, some of which had previously been performed by the Western Electricity Reliability Coordinating Council (WECC). The AESO’s assumption of the responsibilities that relate to the functions of an RC was approved by the AESO Board in September 2013. The AESO stated that the proposed PER-004-AB-2 relates to the AESO’s assumption of the responsibilities that relate to the functions of an RC. 7. The AESO advised that the purpose of the reliability standard is to require the AESO to have sufficient, competent staff to perform the real-time system operating functions of the ISO, including RC functions. 8. The AESO stated that it did not undertake a formal consultation with market participants on PER-004-AB-2 as it is of the view that the reliability standard is not likely to directly impact market participants. On November 6, 2014, the AESO posted a notification in its stakeholder newsletter informing market participants and other interested parties that it would not be consulting on the proposed PER-004-AB-2. 9. The AESO attached a copy of reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 to Application No. 1611014, submitted that the reliability standard is compliant with the requirements of the Transmission Regulation and recommended that the Commission approve the proposed PER004-AB-2, pursuant to Section 19 of the Transmission Regulation. 3 Commission findings and decision 2B 10. Pursuant to sections 19(5) and 19(6) of the Transmission Regulation the Commission must follow the recommendation of the ISO to either approve or reject proposed reliability standards unless the recommendation is demonstrated to be technically deficient or not in the public interest: Reliability Standards […] 19(5) Subject to subsection (6), the Commission must approve or refuse to approve the reliability standards, agreements, criteria or directives, and must inform the ISO of its decision. (6) The Commission must follow the recommendation of the ISO that the Commission approve or reject the proposed reliability standards, agreements, criteria or directives unless an interested person satisfies the Commission that the ISO’s recommendation is (a) technically deficient, or (b) not in the public interest. 11. The ISO forwarded the proposed reliability standard in Table 1 to the AUC with a recommendation that the Commission approve the reliability standard. 2 • AUC Decision 2014-364 (December 19, 2014) Alberta reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 Alberta Electric System Operator 12. The Commission accepts the ISO’s determination that no market participants are likely to be directly affected by the proposed reliability standard in Table 1 and that the ISO complied with Section 19(4)(a) of the Transmission Regulation. 13. No party filed an objection with the AUC indicating that the proposed reliability standard is either technically deficient, or not in the public interest. 14. Accordingly, pursuant to Section 19(6) of the Transmission Regulation, the Commission approves reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 contained within Application No. 1611014 in accordance with the recommendation of the ISO. The Commission advises that reliability standard PER-004-AB-2 will be effective as follows: Table 2. Effective date Reliability standard Effective date PER-004-AB-2 Approved, effective May 1, 2015. Dated on December 19, 2014. The Alberta Utilities Commission (original signed by) Tudor Beattie, QC Commission Member AUC Decision 2014-364 (December 19, 2014) • 3