The Event Analysis Program promotes a structured, non-criticizing approach that identifies root and contributing causes, along with lessons learned across the industry. Texas RE strives to develop a culture of reliability excellence that promotes aggressive self-critical review of operations, planning, and critical infrastructure protection (CIP) processes. The event analysis process also serves as a learning opportunity for industry by identifying and disseminating valuable information to enable improved and more reliable operation.

An event is defined as “an unwanted, undesirable change in the state of plants, systems, or components that leads to undesirable consequences to the safe and reliable operation of the system.” Events can be avoided proactively or reactively. Combining proactive and reactive methods is the best strategic approach for identifying and eliminating hidden organizational weaknesses and situations that can cause an event to occur. NERC’s Event Analysis Program aims to promote the reliability of the BPS in North America. This goal is directly supported through Texas RE and stakeholders' cooperative efforts in:

• Promoting a structured and consistent approach to performing event analysis
• Developing a culture of reliability excellence
• Promoting  self-critical review and analysis of operations, planning, and CIP processes
• Serving as a learning opportunity for the industry
• Identifying and providing robust lessons learned to owners, operators, and users of the BPS

Successful event analysis relies on a collaborative approach through which registered entities, Regional Entities (RE), and NERC work together to first understand causal factors and then to determine appropriate mitigation and implement it.

Related Links

• NERC Events Analysis Program
• NERC Events Analysis Lessons Learned

Event Contact Information

Reliability Standard EOP-004 requires submittal of Event Reports to NERC, Texas RE, and the Department of Energy (DOE) to monitor major system incidents on electric power systems. Additionally, ERCOT Operating Guides also require submittal to ERCOT ISO. Consult the Reliability Standard for details on reporting thresholds, timelines, and forms. Initial reports are due within 24 hours of recognition of meeting an event threshold, with follow-up required within 72 hours in some instances for OE-417 reports to the DOE.

For NERC Event Reports, use these email addresses:

• ERCOT ISO: Shift Supervisor
• Texas RE: RAPA
• NERC: System Awareness

For OE-417 reports, use this email address in addition to the three above:

• DOE (and the three above): DOE

Online submittal is available for OE-417 reports to the DOE, but copies must be emailed to ERCOT ISO, Texas RE, and NERC at each email address above. NERC and Texas RE will accept the DOE OE-417 form in lieu of the NERC EOP-004 Event Reporting Form if the entity is also required to submit an OE-417 report.

Event Analysis Reports

As a learning tool, Texas RE event analysis serves an integral function of providing insight and guidance by identifying and disseminating valuable information to owners, operators, and users of the BPS to enable improved and more reliable operation.

Texas RE has posted public versions of event analysis reports from events that occurred in the ERCOT region below.

Documents

• Event & Disturbance Report Overview
• Major Event Analysis Reports

Situational Awareness monitors ongoing system conditions and coordinates with NERC and governmental agencies to share information (respecting confidentiality) on developing situations such as storms, natural disasters, human threats, and geopolitical events that may potentially impact the BPS. Texas RE promotes stakeholder participation in programs sponsored by industry and government, including NERC Alerts, the Electricity-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC), GridEx, and several NERC conferences: GridSecCon, and the Monitoring and Situational Awareness Conference. Additionally Texas RE hosts local events such as the Winter Weatherization Workshop and provides outreach in other forums. These aim to help the industry understand and prepare for natural and human-based threats to the BPS. For more information please see below, or contact  Texas RE RAPA.

Related Links

• NERC Bulk Power System Awareness
• Monitoring and Situational Awareness Technical Conferences
• Current Day Load Forecast vs. Actual from ERCOT
• Real-Time System Conditions from ERCOT
• ICS-CERT
• National Weather Service Alerts for Texas
• Joint Report on Real-time Assessments
• Real-time Assessments Webinar

NERC Alerts

NERC discovers, identifies, and provides information that is critical to ensuring the reliability of the BPS in North America. NERC disseminates this information through e-mail alerts, which are divided into three levels:

1. Industry Advisory – Purely informational, intended to alert registered entities to issues or potential problems. A response to NERC is not necessary.
2. Recommendation to Industry – Recommends specific action to be taken by registered entities. Requires a response from recipients as defined in the alert.
3. Essential Action – Identifies actions deemed to be essential to BPS reliability. Requires NERC Board of Trustees approval prior to issuance. Like recommendations, essential actions also require recipients to respond as defined in the alert.

Texas RE forwards NERC Alerts as necessary and as permitted by handling requirements of the alert, assisting registered entities in using the system, and providing outreach.

If an entity registration date is after the date of the Notice of the Alert, Acknowledgement, Response and Approval is not required for the Alert. However, if the newly registered entity would like to participate and support the effort proposed by the Alert they may do so by contacting the NERC Alert Administrator.

Related Links

• NERC Alerts System
• NERC Alerts
• About NERC Alerts
• NERC Alert Response Process and Guidance Supplement

Electricity – Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC)

The E-ISAC serves the electricity sector by facilitating communications between electricity sector entities, U.S. and Canadian federal governments, and other critical infrastructure sectors, in order to improve the ability to prepare for and respond to cyber and physical threats, vulnerabilities, and incidents. The E-ISAC promptly disseminates threat indications, analyses and warnings to assist electricity sector entities to evaluate the situation and take appropriate actions.

Generator Winter Preparation

Annual winter preparation workshops typically held in September highlight regional efforts to improve preparations for extreme cold weather and support better communications during frigid conditions. Texas RE contributes to and promotes NERC-issued guidance, lessons learned, and training material based on winter experiences of Generator Owners. Visit Texas RE's Resource Hub for additional information including recent winter preparedness workshop materials.

GridEx

Every two years NERC conducts a grid security and emergency response exercise, GridEx. The objectives of GridEx are to:

• Exercise crisis response and recovery
• Improve communication
• Identify lessons learned
• Engage senior leadership

GridEx is an opportunity for industry and other stakeholders to respond to simulated cyber and physical attacks affecting the reliable operation of the grid. Led by the E-ISAC, GridEx is the largest geographically distributed grid security exercise to date. GridEx consists of a two-day distributed play exercise with a separate executive tabletop on the second day. Individuals from many electrical organizations across North America participate in GridEx , including industry, law enforcement, and government agencies. Lessons Learned Reports from past exercises are available under the GridEx Public Reports section on the NERC website.

Performance Analysis reviews current and historical reliability trends and metrics to objectively analyze reliability performance, risks, and emerging issues. The ERO-wide analysis is published in the annual NERC State of Reliability report. Texas RE publishes an annual Assessment of Reliability Performance report for the Texas RE Interconnection to specifically provide analysis and feedback on risks and reliability trends within the region. Texas RE also coordinates the collection of regional stakeholder data used in these analyses, primarily through NERC’s reliability data systems, as described below.

Performance Analysis Reports

NERC State of Reliability Report

The NERC State of Reliability report represents NERC’s independent view of ongoing BPS reliability trends to impartially analyze the state of reliability based on metric information and provides an integrated view of reliability performance. The key findings and recommendations serve as technical input to NERC’s Reliability Standards and project prioritization, risk processes, compliance process improvement, event analysis, reliability assessment, and critical infrastructure protection.

Texas RE's Assessment of Reliability Performance

The goals of the Assessment of Reliability Performance are to illuminate the historical and overall BPS reliability picture within the Texas Interconnection, help identify risk areas, prioritize and create actionable results for reliability improvements, and build on successes. Recent updates include the identified risks that may require further monitoring (but not necessarily compliance monitoring). Texas RE continuously evaluates existing and emerging risks to the Texas Interconnection as a key input to developing risk-based programs across all areas of our work. The risk priorities and focus areas are summarized by likelihood and impact in the risk matrix included in the 2022 report. This comprehensive report represents:

1) The ongoing efforts by Texas RE to provide a view of risks to reliability based on historic performance

2) The integration of many ongoing efforts

3) Analysis and feedback on risks and reliability trends

4) Understanding the risks impacting reliability performance

Documents

• 2023 Reliability Performance and Regional Risk Assessment
• 2023 Reliability Performance and Regional Risk Assessment - Appendices
• 2022 Assessment of Reliability Performance
• 2022 Assessment of Reliability Performance Appendices
• 2021 Assessment of Reliability Performance
• 2021 Assessment of Reliability Performance Appendices

Reliability Data Systems

Texas RE provides coordination, analysis, user training, and support for the collection of performance data key to preparation of reports and other analysis. Applicable registered entities submit demand response, outage and availability data through a common NERC web portal managed by Open Access Technology International (OATI) for Bulk Electric System (BES) generation (GADS) and transmission (TADS). NERC developed applications accessed through the ERO portal for protection system misoperations (MIDAS), wind generation performance (GADSwind), solar generation performance (GADS-Solar), and Geomagnetic Disturbance Data (GMD).

DADS – Demand Response Availability Data System

As of October 1, 2023, the DADS application will no longer be available in the OATI portal. While reporting is temporarily suspended, the Section 1600 data request for demand response data will remain in effect and registered entities should therefore continue to maintain the data defined in Section 1600 until such time as a new application is available to collect the data or the Section 1600 data request is revised. 

NERC DADS Contact – dads@nerc.net 

TADS – Transmission Availability Data System

TADS collects simple transmission equipment availability data as well as detailed information about individual outage events in a common format. This provides a uniform approach to report and measure transmission availability, performance, and other related transmission system reliability data. Analysis on TADS data at the regional and NERC level will provide information that may be used to improve BES reliability. Registered Transmission Owners (TO) submit data quarterly through the OATI webPortal for their 138kV and 345kV facilities per the following schedule:

Texas RE TADS Contact – Bob Collins

NERC TADS Contact – tads@nerc.net 

GADS – Generation Availability Data System

GADS collects design, event, and performance data about BES generation units for improving the performance of hydro and conventional electric generating equipment. The information is used to support equipment reliability and availability analysis and decision making. Registered Generator Owners (GO) submit GADS data through the OATI webPortal.

NERC-registered Generator Operators (GOP) with wind plants of 75 MW or greater of total installed capacity (commissioned by January 1, 2005 or later) report similar data using the GADS Wind Data Submission Site. GADS Wind Turbine Generation Data Reporting Instructions detail the procedure and format to follow when reporting data using the ERO Portal.

Beginning in January 2024, NERC-registered entities with a Generator Owner function that operate solar generation plants with a plant total installed capacity of 20 MW or greater (commissioned by January 1, 2010 or later) regardless of interconnection must report similar data using the GADS Solar Data Submission Site. GADS Solar Generation Data Reporting Instructions detail the procedure and format to follow when reporting data using the ERO Portal.

These systems have quarterly submittals, due no later than six weeks after the end of each quarter per the following schedule:

Texas RE GADS Contact – Jagan Mandavilli

NERC Conventional Generation GADS Contact – gads@nerc.net 

NERC Wind Generation GADS Contact – gadswind@nerc.net 

MIDAS – Misoperation Information Data Analysis System

MIDAS collects protection system misoperation data as well as protection system operation counts in a common format. This provides a uniform approach to report, measure, and analyze protection system performance and to analyze misoperation data. Analysis of MIDAS data at the regional and NERC level provides information used to improve BES reliability. Protection system operations data is submitted through the ERO Portal by GOs, TOs, and certain DPs, and is due 60 days after the end of each quarter per the following schedule:

Texas RE MIDAS Contact – David Penney

NERC MIDAS Contact – midas@nerc.net

GMD – Geomagnetic Disturbance Data

NERC’s Geomagnetic Disturbance (GMD) data collection program supports ongoing research and analysis of GMD risk. GMD events are caused by the ejection of charged material from the sun and the interaction of this material with space around the earth (atmosphere and magnetosphere). The resulting disturbances in earth’s magnetic field have the potential to disrupt operations or ​cause damage to critical infrastructure, including power systems. Extremely strong GMD events, though rare, can induce strong quasi-dc currents in the electric power grid that could affect system voltages, relay and protection system performance, and the operation and health of some large power transformers.

Through the GMD data collection program, NERC is collecting Geomagnetic Induced Current (GIC) and magnetometer data from reporting entities for designated strong GMD events. A GMD event is measured by a planetary geomagnetic disturbance index called “Kp“ and “ a strong GMD event” has been noted as a Kp = 7 and greater. As specified in FERC Order No. 830, NERC will make collected GIC and magnetometer data available to support ongoing research and analysis. For more information on GIC and geomagnetic storms see NOAA.

Texas RE DADS Contact – Brad Woods

NERC GMD Contact – gmd@nerc.net 

Related Links

• NERC Performance Analysis-GADS
• 2023 Conventional GADS Training Module 12 - GADS Process
• NERC Performance Analysis-TADS
• NERC Performance Analysis-DADS
• NERC Performance Analysis-MIDAS
• NERC Performance Analysis-GMD

Texas RE participates in development of NERC Reliability Assessment Reports that are used to inform its target audience including regulators, policy-makers, and stakeholders on the reliability, adequacy, and associated risks of the bulk electric system.  Specifically, these reports include the Long-Term Reliability Assessment, the Probabilistic Assessment, Seasonal Assessments, and other Special Assessments - in coordination with NERC, Regions, ERCOT ISO, and stakeholders, primarily through the NERC Reliability Assessments Subcommittee (RAS). The assessment development process includes peer reviews by other Regional Entities prior to finalization of each assessment area’s data and narrative contributions to the final report.

These ERO Enterprise efforts build on ERCOT ISO’s internal Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) and Capacity, Demand and Reserve (CDR) reports. Texas RE also supports and provides outreach on special assessments conducted across NERC to assess emerging risks and their potential impacts to reliability on topics such as pandemics, environmental regulations, growth of renewable generation, changes in resource mix, probabilistic energy analysis, and interdependency between natural gas and electric power.  The link to released NERC annual Reliability Assessments and to Special Assessments is listed below.

Documents

• Reliability Assessments

Interconnection Model Building Review

NERC has initiated fidelity and quality reviews of the Interconnection power system models used in the study cases that underlie system assessments. As NERC’s designee defined in Reliability Standard MOD-032-1, R4, Texas RE will support the annual creation of the Interconnection-wide powerflow and dynamics cases with ERCOT and other registered entities in the Texas Interconnection.

Documents

• Case Quality Metrics: Annual Interconnection-Wide Model Assessment