| (A) Implement weather emergency preparation measures
that could reasonably be expected to ensure the sustained operation
of all hot weather critical components during summer weather conditions.
Where appropriate, such measures may be implemented using either personnel
or automated systems. Such measures include, as appropriate for the
resource:
(i) Identification of regulatory and legal limitations
of cooling capacity, water withdrawal, maximum discharge temperatures,
and rights for additional water supply;
(ii) Arrange and plan for the provision and storage
of adequate water supplies for cooling towers, reservoirs, heat exchangers,
and adequate cooling capacity of the water supplies used in the cooling
towers, reservoirs, and heat exchangers;
(iii) Arrange and plan for the provision and storage
of availability and appropriate safekeeping of adequate equipment
to remove heat and moisture from all hot weather critical components;
(iv) Arrange and provide for the availability of sufficient
chemicals, coolants, auxiliary fuels, and other materials necessary
for sustained operations during a summer weather emergency;
(v) Maintenance of all hot weather critical components,
including air flow or cooling systems, and verifying the functionality
of all components prior to and on a monthly basis during the summer
season; and
(vi) Monitoring of all hot weather critical components.
(B) Beginning in 2023, implement weather emergency
preparation measures by June 1 each year, in addition to the weather
emergency preparation measures required by subparagraph (A) of this
paragraph, that could reasonably be expected to ensure sustained operation
of the resource during the greater of the maximum ambient temperature
at which the resource has experienced sustained operations or the
95th percentile maximum average 72-hour temperature reported in ERCOT's
historical weather study, required under subsection (i) of this section,
for the weather zone in which the resource is located.
(C) Review the adequacy of staffing plans to be used
during a summer weather emergency and revise the staffing plans, as
appropriate.
(D) Train relevant operational personnel on summer
weather preparations and operations.
(E) Beginning in 2023, create a list of all hot weather
critical components, review the list at least annually prior to the
beginning of the summer season, and update the list as necessary.
(3) Declaration of preparedness. A generation entity
must submit to ERCOT, on a form prescribed by ERCOT, the following
declarations of weather preparedness:
(A) No earlier than November 1 and no later than December
1 of each year, a generation entity must submit a declaration of winter
weather preparedness for the upcoming winter season that:
(i) Identifies every resource under the entity's control
for which the declaration is being submitted;
(ii) Summarizes all activities engaged in by the generation
entity to complete the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection;
(iii) Provides the minimum ambient temperature at which
each resource has experienced sustained operations, as measured at
the resource site or the weather station nearest to the resource site;
(iv) Includes any additional information required by
the ERCOT protocols in effect as of October 1 of the year in which
the declaration is submitted; and
(v) Includes a notarized attestation sworn to by the
generation entity's highest-ranking representative, official, or officer
with binding authority over the generation entity attesting to the
completion of all applicable activities described in paragraph (1)
of this subsection, and to the accuracy and veracity of the information
described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(B) No earlier than May 1 and no later than June 1
of each year, a generation entity must submit a declaration of summer
weather preparedness for the upcoming summer season that at a minimum:
(i) Identifies every resource under the generation
entity's control for which the declaration is being submitted;
(ii) Summarizes all activities engaged in by the generation
entity to complete the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection;
(iii) Provides the maximum ambient temperature at which
each resource has experienced sustained operations, as measured at
the resource site or the weather station nearest to the resource site;
(iv) Includes any additional information required by
the ERCOT protocols in effect as of April 1 of the year in which the
declaration is submitted; and
(v) Includes a notarized attestation sworn to by the
generation entity's highest-ranking representative, official, or officer
with binding authority over the generation entity attesting to the
completion of all applicable activities described in paragraph (2)
of this subsection, and to the accuracy and veracity of the information
described in this subparagraph.
(C) A generation entity must submit the appropriate
declaration of preparedness to ERCOT prior to returning a mothballed,
outaged, or decommissioned resource to service during the winter or
summer season. For any new or repowered resource, a generation entity
must submit the appropriate declaration of preparedness prior to the
resource commissioning date established in the ERCOT interconnection
process for resources.
(4) No later than December 20 of each year, ERCOT must
file with the commission a compliance report that addresses whether
each generation entity has submitted the declaration of winter weather
preparedness required by paragraph (3)(A) of this subsection for each
resource under the generation entity's control.
(5) No later than June 20 of each year, ERCOT must
file with the commission a compliance report that addresses whether
each generation entity has submitted the declaration of summer weather
preparedness required by paragraph (3)(B) of this subsection for each
resource under the generation entity's control.
(6) ERCOT will treat declarations of preparedness and
associated information submitted by a generation entity as Protected
Information as defined by the ERCOT protocols
(d) ERCOT inspection of resources.
(1) ERCOT must conduct inspections of resources and
may prioritize inspections based on factors such as whether a resource
is critical for electric grid reliability; the length of time since
the resource was last inspected; has experienced a forced outage,
forced derate, or failure to start related to weather emergency conditions;
or has other vulnerabilities related to weather emergency conditions.
ERCOT must determine, in consultation with commission staff, the number,
extent, and content of inspections, provided that every resource interconnected
to the ERCOT power region must be inspected at least once every three
years. ERCOT must develop, in consultation with commission staff,
a winter weather inspection checklist and a summer weather inspection
checklist for use during resource inspections. Inspections may be
conducted by ERCOT's employees or contractors.
(A) ERCOT must provide each generation entity at least
72 hours' written notice of an inspection unless otherwise agreed
by the generation entity and ERCOT. The written notice must identify
each ERCOT employee, commission staff member, or designated contractor
participating in the inspection. Within 24 hours of receiving notice
of inspection, a generation entity must provide ERCOT, commission
staff, and designated contractors all generation entity requirements
for facility access. Upon provision of the required written notice,
a generation entity must grant access to its facility to ERCOT and
to commission staff, including an employee of a contractor designated
by ERCOT or the commission to conduct, oversee, or observe the inspection.
(B) During the inspection, a generation entity must
provide ERCOT, commission staff, or designated contractors access
to any part of the facility upon request. ERCOT, commission staff,
and designated contractors must comply with all applicable safety
and security regulations, including those maintained by the generation
entity, during the inspection. A generation entity must provide access
to inspection, maintenance, and other records associated with weather
emergency preparation measures and must make the generation entity's
staff available to answer questions. A generation entity may escort
ERCOT, commission staff, and designated contractors at all times during
an inspection. During the inspection, ERCOT, commission staff, or
designated contractors may take photographs or video recordings of
any part of the facility except control rooms and may conduct interviews
of facility personnel designated by the generation entity. Documents,
photographs, and video recordings collected or generated by ERCOT,
commission staff, or designated contractors during or related to the
inspection will be treated as confidential information under applicable
state or federal laws and regulations.
(2) ERCOT inspection report.
Cont'd... |
