1. Eric Whitley/Steve Ashbaker
Joint MIC/OC/RAC
February 21, 2019
Eric Whitley/Steve Ashbaker

2. AGENDA RC Transition Project Overview Update on Activities
RC Transition Specifics
Issues and Concerns
RC Certification Timeline
IRO Regional Variance

3. RC Transition Project Overview
Quick Status
Just 4 ½ months left before first RC Transition (CAISO’s BAA footprint)
1 month from 1st RC Certification
CAISO – March 2019
BCH in September, 2019
Certification (new development) – May 2019
CAISO larger footprint, November 2019
Certification – August 2019
SPP footprint in December, 2019
Gridforce is awaiting decision on their application as an RC by WECC and NERC. Stated go live is December 2019.

4. RC Transition Project Key Dates
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
CAISO – CA area
Certification
Shadow
Go Live
7/1
BCH
Readiness Review
9/2
CAISO – Large
11/1
SPP
12/3
Key Information
CAISO on schedule to meet first RC Transition on July 1st, 2019
BCH on schedule to meet second RC Transition on September 2nd, 2019
CAISO on schedule to meet third RC Transition for the balance of their RC customers on Nov 1st, 2019
SPP on schedule to meet fourth RC Transition on Dec 3rd, 2019
Peak will maintain RC function for each transition up until their transition date, then begin their full wind down activities after the last transition on Dec 3rd
Risks and Concerns
Each RC has their RC function to prepare for as well as the pickup of several services important to the interconnection (ECC, WIT, Network Modeling, Data Sharing, Data Archival etc.). – These issues are being worked on via the RC-RC Coordination effort.
Timely resolution of data sharing issue
Peak staffing until the end is being tracked but initial concerns mitigated for now
Seams issues continue to be a concern with levels of details being uncovered. Working groups engaged.
Additional Points of Interest
ECC will be administered by CAISO
WIT tool administration via each RC
Data Sharing transition from the UDSA to the Western Interconnection Data Sharing Agreement (WIDSA) is being worked on.
Archived data from Peak is being discussed to determine it’s future.
Western Interconnection Model will be administered by CAISO working with entities and each RC
Gridforce has applied to become a RC

5. Update on Activities RC-RC Coordination Meetings and Subgroups
RC to RC Coordination Meetings being held twice a month – working on decisions and resolving seams and processes
RC Readiness activity tracking – RC’s are working with their future customers to track overall RC readiness for certification, shadow operations and go-live
Western Interconnection tools and processes to address
Governance document drafted to cover common tool guidance for WIT and ECC
SOL Methodology comparisons between the different RC’s undertaken
Subgroups formed to resolve technical issues on a variety of subjects
Need for focus on RC “Seams” issues –
RC’s working on known issues (cranking path coordination, frequency recovery, RAS coordination)
Canvassing BA and TOP entities for issues (RCTCG engaging entities regionally)
Seams specific items to be discussed in March with RC’s and interconnection SME’s.

6. Update on Activities Track 2 – Peak Wind Down activities People –
In December of last year, Peak and RCTCG met to review Peak’s readiness plans to meet planned and un-planned attrition
Process
Peak shared Wind Down Project Plans and workstreams with RCTCG
Peak has developed plans to mitigate any significant unplanned attrition (contracting externally, cross-training existing staff, management capable of fulfilling roles as attrition occurs)
RCTCG and Peak drafting resource “Sharing Agreement” to mitigate un- planned attrition
Peak Operations coordinating transition details with each new RC and engaged with RC-RC Coordination Peak continues to focus on reliability and operational excellence
Technologies
Determine tools and systems to be retired and when
Historical data retention, use and future – Peak and NERC in separate discussions with PNNL, also discussing an “escrow” of relevant data by an entity or NERC itself or contract with a vendor (Iron Mt).

7. Update on Activities
RC-RC Coordination Group continuing meetings and working towards decisions to finalize before December 3rd.
Identifying and tracking key issues
Keeping track of action items to ensure resolution of the issues and risks in a timely manner
Resolution of key items continues with tracking each “Decision” that the RC’s make.
Assigning technical tasks to various subgroups
Focusing on Subgroups (now 12 Sub-groups)
Subgroup formed to bring RC experts together to resolve technical issues. Beginning to report out on progress
Each RC is represented in each Subgroup to ensure representation
Subgroup status, issues, actions etc. being captured and reported on to the RC-Coordination group.

8. Update on Activities Decisions
ECC - to be enhanced for multi-RC operation. CAISO will hold contract and integrate with their EMS systems
WIT – to be modified to allow each RC to administrate their BA’s data –
CAISO will assume Time Error monitoring and provide Delta Time Error value to WIT
Westwide Interconnection Model to be administered by CAISO. Each RC will send their model updates to CAISO in an agreed upon format (CIM- 15XML)
CAISO serves as the data repository for Western Interconnection for outage data and forecast data
Each RC obtain interchange forecast data from WIT
CAISO will be the only supporter of the Merchant Advisory Protocol through their messaging system (the other RC’s do not have a use for MAP)
NERC/WECC have decided not to do a full “certification” of Peak for each RC Transition. They will hold a short “operational review” of Peak after each footprint change / downsize.
UFMP - CAISO will manage and approve UFMP step 4 for Path 66 through the use of the ECC tool. SPP will manage and approve UFMP step 4 for Path 30,31 and 36 through the use of the ECC tool

9. RC Coordination Subgroups
Purpose
ECC-WIT-USFM
Subgroup formed to take up technical details of these tools and their administration by RC members
ICCP and Data Share Subgroup
Formed to coordinate ICCP and other protocols technical details and IRO-010 requirements
Messaging Tool Subgroup
Formed to ensure RC – RC messaging details are addressed
Network Modeling Subgroup
Formed to coordinate CAISO’s role as central interconnection model aggregator and each RC’s obligations
Operations Planning Subgroup
This team is to take up issues of data exchange that focuses on CD/ND, Outage Coordination, SOL and IROL exchange, load and dispatch forecast exchange.
Shadow Operations Subgroup
Formed to coordinate the upcoming RC Shadow Operations with all RC’s
SOL Methodology Subgroup
Each RC is looking at their SOL methodology and comparing it to all other RC’s to ensure no gaps
Synchrophasor and WECC – NERC Reporting Needs
Working with WECC and NERC and with all RC’s to ensure events and analytical data needs are met
EOP and Restoration Procedures and Drills
RC – RC Coordination on EOP Plans submissions, RC-RC Plan exchanges and Restoration Drills
IRO-010 Details of RC-RC data requests
RC-RC data exchange criteria, formats and periodicity to enable interconnection wide view and analysis
Seams Issue Subgroup
RC-RC Seams issue collection and technical resolutions
Reserve Sharing Subgroup
Changes in RSG members may become a Seams issue. Working to fully understand and assess

10. Issues and Concerns Tracking high level risks
Peak viability - staff attrition
Risk of not retaining key staff through the end of 2019
Mitigation – Peak retention plans and employee engagement appears to be working to retain key roles and staffing to complete the 2019 transitions. Peak assistance agreement with key entities in progress.
Tracking key roles and staff levels monthly via Peak’s updates
Any of the 3 new RC organizations having to delay their official RC start dates
Peak is not planning to be operational post the last transition (Dec 3rd, 2019)
Systems and support will be at minimal levels at the end of 2019
Mitigation – Clear communication that after the last transition on 12/3/2019, Peak will not be in a position to resume operations (Closure activities commencing immediately). Coordination and decision-making at RC-RC Coordination meetings
Tracking – Certification dates, shadow operations and transition dates with each new RC and Peak’s status after each transition
Multiple transition dates
Risk of multiple seams transitions that could conflict with multiple RC operations
Mitigation – Seams issue information gathering in progress
Tracking – Subgroup and RC-RC Coordination information gathering taking place

11. Issues and Concerns
WIDSA / UDSA Agreement transition – CAISO and SPP have not yet reached agreement on the details of the replacement of the Universal Data Sharing Agreement (UDSA) currently held by Peak RC and signed by the entities within the western interconnection.
The goal of Western Interconnection Data Sharing Agreement (WIDSA) was to mimic the UDSA closely with some caveats regarding changes in RC footprints and the fact that this needed to ultimately be a western interconnection wide agreement.
The UDSA will remain in effect until the end of 2019 and will cease once Peak is no longer a RC function.
The data sharing agreement allows entities to use attained data for purposes of wide area views and various studies, research etc. apart from the data sharing required within the NERC regulatory standards between entities (TOP/IRO standards). The history of the UDSA was one of working with each of the interconnection entities to gain agreement to share data between other entities.

12. Regional Variance to IRO-002-5
The Variance Drafting Team includes representative from Peak and each of the future RCs as well as an observer from NERC
Second comment period closed January 2, 2019
Draft variance being balloted
Scheduled to go to WECC Board in March
Does not require specific model
Does identify what the model they use must achieve and include
Validation against the West-wide System Model

13. Regional Variance to IRO-002-5
Each Reliability Coordinator shall, in coordination with other Reliability Coordinators, develop a common Interconnection- wide methodology to determine the modeling and monitoring of BES and non-BES Elements that are internal and external to its Reliability Coordinator Area, necessary for providing operational awareness of the impacts on Bulk Electric System Facilities within its Reliability Coordinator Area, including at a minimum:
1.1. A method for development, maintenance, and periodic review of a Western Interconnection-wide reference model to serve as the baseline from which Reliability Coordinator’s operational models are derived;
1.2 The impacts of Inter-area oscillations;
1.3 A method to determine Contingencies included in analyses and assessments;
1.4 A method to determine Remedial Action Schemes included in analyses and assessments;
1.5 A method to determine forecast data included in analyses and assessments; and
1.6 A method for the validation and periodic review of the Reliability Coordinator’s operational model for steady state and dynamic/oscillatory system response.

14. WECC RC Footprints

15. RC Certification Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2019
2020
3/26 CAISO certification on-site visit
7/1: CAISO Go-Live
7/30: CAISO certification review on-site
visit
11/1: CAISO expansion
Go-Live
May-June CAISO shadow operations
Sept-Oct: CAISO expansion shadow operations
8/13: SPP certification on-site visit
Oct-Nov SPP shadow operations
12/3: SPP
Go-Live
5/21: BCHA certification on-site visit
July-Aug BCHA shadow operations
9/2: BCH
Go-Live

16. RC Certification Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2019
2020
3/26 CAISO certification on-site visit
May-June CAISO shadow operations
7/1: CAISO Go-Live
7/30: CAISO certification review on-site
visit
Sept-Oct: CAISO expansion shadow operations
11/1: CAISO expansion
Go-Live
8/13: SPP certification on-site visit
Oct-Nov SPP shadow operations
12/3: SPP
Go-Live
5/21: BCHA certification on-site visit
July-Aug BCHA shadow operations
9/2: BCH
Go-Live
9/24: GRID certification on-site visit
12/3: GRID Go-Live

17. WECC Outage and RC Transition
WECC RC Forums
WECC RC Forum Public website
Staff Participation in SPP and CAISO RC Transition Subgroups
Stakeholder updates

18. Steve Ashbaker