NERC Compliance

Streamlined, Coordinated Approach

SAIC works directly with utility staff to develop a reliable compliance management system designed to achieve full compliance with applicable North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) standards and requirements. A coordinated approach helps utility staff maintain a steady level of compliance. The result is a solution based on a centralized system of resources, tools, and documents that allows utilities to effectively manage their compliance program and successfully navigate their way through the complex audit process.

Our comprehensive suite of compliance services include:

• Overall compliance culture assessments – Our Compliance Program Assessment Worksheet (CPAW) measures the four Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) factors that demonstrate a robust internal compliance program and culture.
• Gap analyses – SAIC addresses the detailed requirements of the standards, interpretations, and typically applied methods of compliance.
• Mock audits and audit assistance – We initiate a true audit simulation procedure, including initial data requests, reliability standards audit worksheets, and supplemental requests prior to arrival onsite.
• Development of programs and procedures – SAIC assists with procedure document development, including all Critical Infrastructure protection (CIP)-related standards highlighted by Critical Asset Identification Methodologies (CIP-002), protection system maintenance and testing procedures, facility ratings methodologies, and transmission planning procedures.

NERC Data Request – FERC Order 754

SAIC is qualified to develop and execute a comprehensive plan to meet compliance requirements of FERC Order 754, which directs NERC to explore the reliability concern associated with the study of a single point of failure on protection systems and to report back on how it can best be addressed. NERC has issued a data request to require transmission planners to work with transmission owners, generator owners, and distribution providers to assess a cross-section of systems elements operated at more than 100 kilovolts (kV).

The data will be used to identify potential exposure to and reliability risk associated with single point of failure and ultimately may result in mandatory infrastructure improvements or/and development of new reliability standard. SAIC has the regulatory, financial, and technical experience needed to develop an effective plan and has been working with utilities to solve similar problems.

Completion of the data request and submission to NERC is due within 24 months after the request is issued. Compliance will require a long-term coordinated and structured effort along with a solid understanding of the protection system operation and system stability. SAIC is highly qualified to deliver the fully integrated solution, including

• Transmission planning and analysis
• Expertise in using analysis tools, including Siemens PTI’s PSS® software, GE Energy’s Concorda Positive Sequence Load Flow (PSLF) software, Electrocon International’s Computer-Aided Protection Engineering (CAPE) software, and Advanced Systems for Power Engineering’s (ASPEN’s) power engineering software
• NERC standards and compliance
• Protection system design and coordination
• Project management