NERC Submits Comments on Proposed Reliability Standards COM-001-2, Communications, and COM-002-4, Operating Personnel Communications Protocol

On December 1, 2014, in Docket No. RM14-13, NERC submitted comments on FERC’s NOPR proposing to approve Reliability Standards COM-001-2, Communications, and COM-002-4, Operating Personnel Communications Protocols.  FERC published the NOPR on September 18, 2014.  Proposed Reliability Standard COM-001-2 is intended to establish a clear set of requirements for the communications capabilities that applicable functional entities must have in place and maintain.  COM-002-4 requires applicable entities to develop communication protocols with certain minimum requirements, including use of three-part communication when issuing Operating Instructions.  Proposed Reliability Standard COM-002-4 also sets out certain communications training requirements for all issuers and recipients of Operating Instructions, and establishes a flexible enforcement approach for failure to use three-part communication during non-emergencies and a “zero-tolerance” enforcement approach for failure to use three-part communications during an emergency.  NERC’s comments support approval of the two standards and respond to the Commission’s request for additional information.

To view NERC’s comments, click here.