WECC Position Paper for the successive ballot of Project 2007-17 – Protection System Maintenance and Testing, being balloted June 18-27, 2012
NERC is conductinga successive ballot of standard PRC-005-2 – Protection System Maintenance (Project 2007-17) from June 18-27, 2012.
Members of the Project 2007-17–Protection System Maintenance and TestingBallot Pool are encouraged to vote YESto approve the proposed standard.
A complete copy of the proposed standard and associated materials can be viewed at:
If approved, PRC-005-2 will replace PRC-005-1b – Transmission and Generation Protection System Maintenance and Testing, PRC-008-0 – Implementation and Documentation of Underfrequency Load Shedding Equipment Maintenance Program, PRC-011-0 – Undervoltage Load Shedding System Maintenance and Testing, and PRC-017-0 – Special Protection System Maintenance and Testing. The proposed PRC-005-2 establishes minimum maintenance activities and maximum allowable maintenance intervals for these activities. It is possible that some applicable entities may not presently be performing a maintenance activity or may have established longer maintenance intervals thant are required in the proposed PRC-005-2. The proposed Implementation Plan for PRC-005-2 was developed recognizing that it would be unrealistic for those entities to be immediately compliant with the new activities or intervals. Applicable entities are encouraged to review the Implementation Plan available at the above link.
WECC staff andWECC subject matter experts have reviewed the proposed standard and concluded that the revisions to the latest draft of PRC-005-2 are an improvement to the last posted version and that the proposed standard is superior to the four standards that it is intended to replace. A review of the current proposed standard confirms that drafting team has addressed issues identified in the WECC position paper distributed in May of 2011.
All WECC entities that are registered in the Project 2007-17 – Protection System Maintenance and Testing Ballot Pool are urged to cast their ballots prior to the close of the ballot period. If you determine that you will vote NO, it is important that you provide a comment with your vote indicating the reason(s) why you voted NO. The NERC Standards Development Procedure requires the Protection System Maintenance and Testing drafting team to respond to any negative votes with comment and to conduct another successive ballot or a recirculation ballot.
In addition to the ballot of PRC-005-2, a non-binding poll of the Violation Risk Factors (VRFs) and Violation Severity Levels (VSLs) is being conducted. WECC staff is not aware of any significant concerns related to the proposed VRFs and VSLS and recommends an affirmative vote for the VRFs and VSLs. If you determine that you will vote NO on the VRFs and VSLs it is important that you provide a comment with your vote indicating the reason(s) why you voted NO and suggested modifications that would make the VRFs/VSLs acceptable.
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