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Compliance Guidance
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A key factor in the success of compliance monitoring and enforcement of mandatory standards rests on a common understanding among industry and ERO Enterprise Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program (CMEP) staff of how compliance can be achieved and demonstrated. For many standards, this is straightforward. For others, a variety of approaches may achieve the same objective. 
 
In November 2015, the NERC Board of Trustees approved the Compliance Guidance Policy, located under Key Resources. Compliance Guidance under the Compliance Guidance Policy includes two types:
  • Implementation Guidance, which provides examples for implementing a standard; and
  • CMEP Practice Guides, which provide direction to ERO Enterprise CMEP staff on approaches to carry out compliance monitoring and enforcement activities.
Implementation Guidance is developed by industry and vetted through pre-qualified organizations. In order for an organization to become pre-qualified, a member of that organization must submit an application to the Compliance and Certification Committee. Vetted examples can then be submitted to the ERO Enterprise for endorsement, and, if endorsed, the ERO Enterprise would give the example deference during CMEP activities with consideration of facts and circumstances. Implementation Guidance would not prescribe the only approach to implementing a standard and entities may choose alternative approaches that better fit their situation.  Draft Implementation Guidance will be posted below while it is being considered for ERO Enterprise endorsement. Once the Implementation Guidance is endorsed, it will be moved to the ERO Enterprise-Endorsed Implementation Guidance section. Draft Implementation Guidance that does not receive ERO Enterprise endorsement will be removed.
 
CMEP Practice Guides are developed solely by the ERO Enterprise to reflect the independent, objective professional judgment of ERO Enterprise CMEP staff, and, at times, may be initiated following policy discussions with industry stakeholders. Following development, they are posted for transparency on the NERC website.
 
For additional information, please contact complianceguidance@nerc.net.
 
Name
  
Compliance Guidance Frequently Asked Questions
Compliance Guidance Policy
Implementation Guidance Development and Review Aid
Implementation Guidance Submittal Form
Implementation Guidance Template v1.1
Non-Endorsed Implementation Guidance
Pre-Qualified Organization Application
Pre-Qualified Organizations Contact Information
Pre-Qualified Organizations
Retired Guidance
 
 
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collapse Grouping : ERO Enterprise-Endorsed Implementation Guidance ‎(24)
collapse Grouping : Proposed Implementation Guidance ‎(4)
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MOD-033-1 Methodology Reference Document.pdfMOD-033-1 Methodology Reference Manual (NATF) 8/7/2017MOD
System_Operating_Limit_definition_and_Exceedance_Clarification_endorsed.pdfSystem Operating Limit Definition and Exceedance White Paper3/24/2017TOP
CIP_Version_5_FAQ.pdfCIP Version 5 FAQ10/28/2016CIP
CIP-002-5.1_BES_Cyber_Assets_LL.pdfCIP-002-5.1 BES Cyber Assets Lessons Learned10/28/2016CIP
CIP-002-5.1_Far-end_Relay_LL.pdfCIP-002-5.1 Far-end Relay Lessons Learned10/28/2016CIP
CIP-002-5.1_Generation_Interconnection_LL.pdfCIP-002-5.1 Generation Interconnection Lessons Learned 10/28/2016CIP
CIP-002-5.1_Generation_Segmentation_LL.pdfCIP-002-5.1 Generation Segmentation Lessons Learned10/28/2016CIP
CIP-002-5.1_Grouping_of_BES_Cyber_Systems_LL.pdfCIP-002-5.1 Grouping of BES Cyber Systems Lessons Learned10/28/2016CIP
Mixed_Trust_EACMS_Authentication_LL.pdfMixed Trust EACMS Authentication Lessons Learned 10/28/2016CIP
TPL-007-1_Transformer_Thermal_Impact_Assessment_White_Paper.pdfTPL-007-1 Transformer Thermal Impact Assessment White Paper10/28/2016TPL
Type
  
Title
  
Date
  
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CMEP Practice Guide - Cold Weather Preparedness.pdfCMEP Practice Guide - Cold Weather Preparedness4/10/2025EOP
CMEP Practice Guide - Application of the Registration Criteria for Category 2 Generator Owner and Generator Operator Inverter-Based Resources (2).pdfCMEP Practice Guide - Application of the Registration Criteria for Category 2 Generator Owner and Generator Operator Inverter-Based Resources 2/3/2025
ERO Enterprise CMEP Practice Guide Regarding Inverter-Based Resources.pdfCMEP Practice Guide Regarding Inverter-Based Resources1/21/2025
CMEP Practice Guide - Using the Work of Others.pdfCMEP Practice Guide - Using the Work of Others3/14/2023
CMEP Practice Guide-Modeling and Studies Involving DER.pdfCMEP Practice Guide-Modeling and Studies Involving DER10/13/2022
CMEP Practice Guide CIP-014-3 R1.pdfCMEP Practice Guide CIP-014-3 R19/21/2022CIP
CMEP Practice Guide Considerations for TPL-001-4 and TPL-001-5.1 Table 1 Contingencies.pdfCMEP Practice Guide Considerations for TPL-001-4 and TPL-001-5.1 Table 1 Contingencies1/13/2022TPL
CMEP Practice Guide - Evaluating Blackstart Documented Procedures.pdfCMEP Practice Guide - Evaluating Blackstart Documented Procedures10/13/2021EOP
CMEP Practice Guide - Network Monitoring Sensors.pdfCMEP Practice Guide - Network Monitoring Sensors6/5/2021
CMEP Practice Guide Application of the BES Definition to BESS and Hybrid Resources.pdfCMEP Practice Guide  Application of the BES Definition to BESS and Hybrid Resources4/20/2021
CMEP Practice Guide Virtual Network.pdfCMEP Practice Guide  Virtual Network3/1/2021
CMEP Practice Guide Virtual Storage.pdfCMEP Practice Guide  Virtual Storage3/1/2021
CMEP Practice Guide Virtual Systems.pdfCMEP Practice Guide  Virtual Systems3/1/2021
ERO Enterprise CMEP Practice Guide - CIP-002-5.1a R1 - Generation Segmentation.pdfCMEP Practice Guide - CIP-002-5.1a R1 - Generation Segmentation9/15/2020CIP
ERO Enterprise CMEP Practice Guide - CIP-007-6 R1 Part 1.1 - SVCHost.pdfCMEP Practice Guide - CIP-007-6 R1 Part 1.1 - SVCHost9/15/2020CIP
ERO Enterprise CMEP Practice Guide_Provision of Operating Plans from TOs BAs RCs.pdfCMEP Practice Guide TOP-002-4, R6, R7 Determination of Provisions of Operating Plans7/15/2020TOP
ERO Enterprise CMEP Practice Guide_ Evaluation of Facility Ratings and System Operating Limits.pdfCMEP Practice Guide Evaluation of Facility Ratings and System Operating Limits6/17/2020FAC
ERO Enterprise CMEP Practice Guide _ BCSI - v0.2 CLEAN.pdfCMEP Practice Guide BES Cyber System Information 4/26/2019CIP
ERO Enterprise CMEP Practice Guide - Calendar Month - Annual FINAL.pdfCMEP Practice Guide Calendar Month Annual4/19/2019
CMEP Practice Guide TOP-001-4 and IRO-002-5 Redundant and Diversely Routed.pdfCMEP Practice Guide TOP-001-4 and IRO-002-5 Redundant and Diversely Routed7/11/2018TOP
CMEP_Practice_Guide_Phased_Implementation_Completion_Percentages.pdfCMEP Practice Guide Phased Implementation Completion Percentages3/24/2017
CMEP_Practice_Guide_Deference_for_Implementation_Guidance.pdfCMEP Practice Guide: Deference for Implementation Guidance5/20/2016