FERC Approves Reliability Standard TPL-007-1

On September 22, 2016, in Docket RM15-11-000, FERC issued a final rule accepting NERC’s January 21, 2015 petition requesting approval of proposed Reliability Standard TLP-007-1 (Transmission System Planned Performance for Geomagnetic Disturbance Events).  Reliability Standard TPL-007-1 establishes requirements for certain registered entities to assess the vulnerability of their transmission systems to geomagnetic disturbance events (GMDs).  Applicable entities that do not meet certain performance requirements, based on the results of their vulnerability assessments, must develop a plan to achieve the performance requirements.  In addition, FERC directs NERC to develop modifications to Reliability Standard TPL-007-1 in three ways: (1) modify the benchmark GMD definition, (2) require the collection of certain monitoring and magnetometer data, and (3) include a one-year deadline for the development of corrective action plans and two and four-year deadlines to complete certain mitigation actions.