Standards-Efficiency-Review

 

Related Files

SER Phase 2 Status
Based on industry feedback of 6 efficiency concepts, the SER Phase 2 Working Team prioritized 4 concepts to pursue. The concept names, implementation recommendations, and timelines will be developed and may be adjusted in the future.

1. Evidence Retention Overhaul,
2. Consolidate Information/Data Exchange Requirements,
3. Move Requirements to Guidance, and
4. Prototype Standard.

The 2 remaining concepts will either be transitioned to another group or no longer pursued by the SER Phase 2 team.

1. Consolidate and Simplify Training Requirements, and
2. Relocate Competency-based Requirements to Certification Program/CMEP Controls Review.

Overall Project Scope
Evaluate NERC Reliability Standards using a risk-based approach to identify potential efficiencies through retirement or modification of Reliability Standard Requirements. Considering that many Reliability Standards have been mandatory and enforceable for 10+ years in North America, this project seeks to identify potential candidate requirements that are not essential for reliability, could be simplified or consolidated, and could thereby reduce regulatory obligations and/or compliance burden.

SER Phase 1
On June 7, 2019, NERC staff submitted a petition, FERC Docket Number RM19-17-000, for the approval of Reliability Standards Requirement retirements in the INT, FAC, PRC, and MOD Reliability Standards families, as developed by Project 2018-03 SER Retirements project. The petition proposed the retirement of approximately 84 Requirements.

CIP SER
The CIP Standards Efficiency Review project began in July 2019.

SER Phase 2 Scope and Approach
Evaluate NERC Reliability Standards (O&P and CIP), as informed by implementation experiences and compliance practices, to develop and recommend standards-based solutions intended to reduce inefficiencies and unnecessary regulatory burdens for the purpose of supporting continued safe, secure and reliable operations.

The Phase 2 Team will focus on the following activities:

• Identify areas of inefficiency in the current framework of Reliability Standards.
• Collaborate and communicate with industry to ensure all areas of inefficiency and potential solutions are considered.
• Potential solutions may include, but are not limited to:
• SARs to remove inefficiencies in the Reliability Standards.
• Policy recommendations to appropriate ERO staff or committee.
• A sub-team, consisting of a few members from SER Phase 1 and Phase 2, are reviewing information from the SER Matrix input from the early stages of Phase 1, in order to identify efficiency opportunities not covered by Project 2018-03 SER Retirements or SER Phase 2. This sub-team is tasked with developing a SAR to summarize a consolidated list modification recommendations.