Statement on FERC December Open Meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C. – FERC and NERC staff gave a presentation on progress toward recommendations from their joint report, The February 2021 Cold Weather Outages in Texas and the South Central United States (November 2021) at FERC’s December open meeting today. The briefing highlighted activities in five categories designated in the report: freeze protection, gas-electric coordination, grid operations, state-level, and further studies. Progress has been made toward implementing all 28 recommendations contained in the report, the team said. The team also reported that they are working closely with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) to learn more about how the states are implementing the recommendations within their jurisdictions. 

NERC submitted the first set of proposed standards for generator cold weather preparedness and freeze protection to FERC October 28, ahead of the original November 2022 schedule, which address four of the report’​s key recommendations for new standards. A NERC standards drafting team continues work to address the remaining recommended standards, with the goal of filing by November 2023. During the meeting, Commission Chair Rich Glick announced that he will be leaving the Commission when congress adjourns. 

The Commission also approved an order directing NERC to conduct a study evaluating the adequacy of the physical security standard (CIP-014-3), the associated risk assessment requirement, and whether a minimum level of physical security protections should be required for all bulk power system transmission stations and substations and primary control centers.

“We thank Chairman Glick for his distinguished service to the nation and strong commitment to reliability and security of the electric grid. During his more than five years at FERC, the past two as chairman, Rich has led FERC and collaborated with NERC to develop solutions to the reliability and security challenges of the rapidly transforming bulk power system and been a champion for others doing the same,” NERC President and CEO Jim Robb said. “We had the opportunity to partner on several issues, most notably the response to Winter Storm Uri in 2021, and committed that we would take actions against the findings of the joint inquiry. I appreciated his steady leadership at FERC and wish him all the very best in his next endeavors.”

 
Posted On: 12/15/2022