Revisions to Electric Reliability Organization Definition of Bulk Electric System and Rules of Procedure

Under section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) proposes to approve a modification to the currently-effective definition of ``bulk electric system'' developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. The revised definition of ``bulk electric system'' removes language allowing for regional discretion in the currently-effective bulk electric system definition. The revised definition establishes a bright-line threshold that includes all facilities operated at or above 100 kV. The modified definition also identifies specific categories of facilities and configurations as inclusions and exclusions to provide clarity in the definition of ``bulk electric system.'' The Commission also proposes to approve: (1) NERC's contemporaneously filed revisions to its Rules of Procedure, which creates an exception procedure to add elements to, or remove elements from, the definition of ``bulk electric system'' on a case-by-case basis; (2) NERC's proposed form entitled ``Detailed Information To Support an Exception Request'' that entities will use to support requests for exception from the ``bulk electric system'' definition; and (3) NERC's proposed implementation plan for the revised ``bulk electric system'' definition.

Agency Contact: Susan Morris (Technical Information), Office of Electric Reliability, Division of Reliability Standards, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-6803; Nicholas Snyder (Technical Information), Office of Electric Reliability, Division of Logistics & Security, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-6408; Robert Stroh (Legal Information), Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-8473; William Edwards (Legal Information), Office of the General Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426, Telephone: (202) 502-6669.