North American Electric Reliability Corporation – Geomagnetic Disturbance Task Force

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) mission is to ensure the reliability of the Bulk-Power System in North America. Entities under NERC's jurisdiction are the users, owners and operators of the Bulk-Power System, serving more than 334 million people. NERC, which develops and enforces Reliability Standards, is subject to oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Understanding the effects of geomagnetic disturbances (GMD) on bulk power systems and the ability of the industry to mitigate their effects are important to managing system reliability. In response to the GMD threat, NERC assembled an industry-led task force which included members representing the users, owners and operators of the North American bulk power system, along with observers from manufacturers, government, academia, and vendors. The Task Force Phase I efforts recognized among other things the necessity to improve tools for industry planners to develop GMD mitigation strategies and manage GMD impacts.

The Task Force Phase 2 efforts underway now include reviewing current GMD planning and operating criteria and proposing enhancements as necessary; evaluating and prioritizing mitigation and restoration options; developing industry guidance, and providing engineering data and analysis into multiple NERC platforms. In conjunction with the Phase 2 efforts, in May 2013, FERC issued a rule requiring development of reliability standards that address the impact of GMD to ensure continued reliable operation of the nation's Bulk-Power System. This presentation will provide an update on the Task Force Phase 2 efforts as well as efforts underway to develop reliability standards in response to the FERC ruling.