FERC Issues Order Accepting NERC’s Geomagnetic Disturbance Research Work Plan

On October 19, 2017, in Docket No. RM15-11-002, FERC issued an order accepting NERC's Geomagnetic Disturbance research work plan as directed in Commission Order No. 830. On May 30, 2017, FERC issued Order No. 830 approving Reliability Standard TPL-007-1 (Transmission System Planned Performance for Geomagnetic Disturbance Events). Order No. 830 also required NERC to submit a GMD research work plan within six months. On May 30, 2017, NERC submitted the research work plan detailing nine specific tasks related to GMD-research areas. In this order the Commission accepted the GMD Work Plan. In addition, the Commission (1) directed NERC to file for Commission review a final GMD Work Plan within six months of the date of this order, (2) reiterated the directive in Order No. 830 that the GMD Work Plan should evaluate the present reliance on single station readings for the purpose of geomagnetic scaling, (3) provided guidance on what research tasks should receive priority in the GMD Work Plan; and (4) addressed other issues, including those raised in the comments.

To view FERC’s order, click here.