ANTITRUST ADMONITION

ERCOT strictly prohibits market participants and their employees who are participating in ERCOT activities from using their participation in ERCOT activities as a forum for engaging in practices or communications that violate the antitrust laws.  The ERCOT Board has approved guidelines for members of ERCOT Committees, subcommittees and working Groups to be reviewed and followed by each market participant attending ERCOT meetings.

• Review of August 16, 2005 meeting notes and action items to be sure the agenda is complete.

 OGRR’s:  NEW Posting

• 174 -- Definition of a Single Generating Unit:  Defines the meaning of the term "single generating unit" when considering a Combined Cycle Combustion Turbine (CCCT) in light of the requirements specified in Operating Guide 5.1.4 -- Transmission Reliability Testing.  Also requires Generation Entities that own a CCCT to supply information to ERCOT to justify the use of an exception to the definition of a "single generating unit". Currently, in the case of a CCCT, it is the established practice to assume that a single gas turbine and the prorated share of its associated steam turbine is a "single generating unit" as that term is used in Operating Guide 5.4.1.  However, such treatment is not explicitly described in the Operating Guide.  This OGRR formalizes this established practice to ensure consistent treatment of single generating unit outages in system planning and operating studies. (Posted 09/02/05 for comments)
  
• 175 -- Emergency Storm Drill Participation:  To facilitate good communications between ERCOT, QSE (that provide Ancillary Services), and Transmission Operators, an annual emergency storm drill will be conducted with appropriate emergency scenarios to provide a realistic simulation of emergency conditions to operators. This emergency storm drill will be followed by a critique by all participants to ensure that communication paths worked as expected and operators received proper emergency training. Incorporate language in Operating Guide Section 1.8, Operator Training, to include ERCOT, QSE (that provide Ancillary Services), and TO participation in an annual emergency storm drill scenario and follow-up critique. (Posted 09/07/05 for comments -- URGENT Status granted by ROS)

OGRR’s -- Posted for comments

• 165 -- Update Unit Telemetry Requirement:  This revision proposes to add a requirement for QSEs to submit real-time AGC status and Ramp Rate for all units in their portfolio. ERCOT submits this OGR to address Recommendation No. 14 of Potomac Economics’ recommendations to improve ERCOT’s wholesale market design.  Recommendation No. 14 states that ERCOT should monitor a QSE’s ability to meet its Responsive Reserve Obligation in real-time.  Currently, capacity is monitored, but a unit’s ramp rate is not monitored.  This revision will incorporate a unit’s ramp rate and Automatic Generation Control (AGC) status in the data provided to ERCOT. (Posted on 04/01/05 for comments. ERCOT has commented to date.)
• 169 -- Reporting of Reserve Capability Under Severe Gas Curtailments:  Adds a requirement that Resources provide additional data describing their alternative fuel capability during the winter months. (Posted on 06/14/05 for comments. OGRTF, Austin Energy, and LCRA have commented to date.) The additional data is necessary for determining the amount of MW that can be served from Resources in ERCOT in the event there is a severe weather condition that results in gas curtailments. (Posted 06/14/05 for comments. (LCRA, Austin Energy, ERCOT & OGRTF have commented to date.)
  
• 171 -- Testing of Quick Start Units in the Balancing Energy Market:  This OGRR establishes the test by which a quick start unit can demonstrate its ability to perform in the BES market, as required by PRR588. ERCOT has concerns that quick start units participating in the BES market may have negative impact on system reliability. (Posted on 06/30/05 for comments. ERCOT version and Austin Energy version presented to ROS for comments and recommendations.)

• 172 -- Special Protection System Obligations:  The changes permit the sharing of limited TDSP operating information with Generation Entities subject to SPS control as necessary to avoid SPS operations. The changes also propose differences in the SPS review and approval process between new SPSs that involve Generation Entities or affect a wide area, and other SPSs. The avoidance of unnecessary SPS operations justifies the sharing of operating information that might otherwise be viewed as potentially market sensitive. Some highly local SPSs (e.g., series reactor insertion or existing SPS settings modifications) should not have to complete the full ERCOT SPS review and approval process before being placed in service. (Posted on 07/28/05 for comments. Calpine has commented to date.)

Old Business:  Leo Villanueva of ERCOT offered to meet with Lee Westbrook to discuss the concerns of the group and submit comments on the OGRR172 for posting.

 New Business:  Open forum

The next OGRTF Meeting will be on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at the ERCOT Met Center, Austin, room 161 from 10:00 to 16:00.

OGRTF Chair:  Stephen C. Knapp (Steve)
410-468-3606 (Office)
443-286-6785 (Cell Phone)
steve.knapp@constellation.com