Question

Identify the documents2 describing the security criteria governing the operation of the power system in Texas (ERCOT) or some other region of your choice. Summarize the main points of these security rules.

Answer 1

an ERCOT rule is a market protocol, operating guide, market guide, or other procedure
that constitutes a statement of general policy and that has an impact on the governance of the
organization or on reliability, settlement, customer registration, or access to the transmission system
in the ERCOT region.
(b) Functions. ERCOT shall perform the functions of an independent organization under the Public
Utility Regulatory Act (PURA) §39.151 to ensure access to the transmission and distribution systems
for all buyers and sellers of electricity on nondiscriminatory terms; ensure the reliability and adequacy
of the regional electrical network; ensure that information relating to a customer's choice of retail
electric provider is conveyed in a timely manner to the persons who need that information; and ensure
that electricity production and delivery are accurately accounted for among the generators and
wholesale buyers and sellers in the region. ERCOT shall:
(1) administer, on a daily basis, the operational and market functions of the ERCOT system,
including procuring and deploying ancillary services, scheduling resources and loads, and
managing transmission congestion, as set forth in this chapter, commission orders, and
ERCOT rules;
(2) administer settlement and billing for services provided by ERCOT, including assessing
creditworthiness of market participants and establishing and enforcing reasonable security
requirements in relation to their responsibilities under ERCOT rules;
(3) serve as the single point of contact for the initiation of transmission services;
(4) maintain the reliability and security of the ERCOT region's electrical network, including the
instantaneous balancing of ERCOT generation and load and monitoring the adequacy of
resources to meet demand;
(5) provide for non-discriminatory access to the transmission system, consistent with this
chapter, commission orders, and ERCOT rules;
(6) accept and supervise the processing of all requests for interconnection to the ERCOT
transmission system from owners of new generating facilities;
(7) coordinate and schedule planned transmission facility outages;
(8) perform system screening security studies, with the assistance of affected TSPs;
(9) plan the ERCOT transmission system, in accordance with this section;
(10) establish and administer procedures for the registration of market participants;
(11) manage and operate the customer registration system;
(12) administer the renewable energy program, unless the commission designates a different
person to administer the program;
(13) monitor generation planned outages;
(14) disseminate information relating to market operations, market prices, and the availability of
services, in accordance with this chapter, commission orders, and the ERCOT rules;
(15) operate an electronic transmission information network; and
(16) perform any additional duties required under this chapter, commission orders, and ERCOT
rules.

Liability. ERCOT shall not be liable in damages for any act or event that is beyond its control and
which could not be reasonably anticipated and prevented through the use of reasonable measures,
including, but not limited to, an act of God, act of the public enemy, war, insurrection, riot, fire.