Alberta Reliability Standard Definitions
On July 3, 2020, pursuant to Section 19(4)(b) of the Transmission Regulation, the Alberta Electric System Operator (“AESO”) forwarded proposed changes to certain Alberta reliability standard definitions (“ARS”) to the AUC for review and recommended their approval.
In this decision, the AUC approved the new ARS-related definition of “radial circuit” and amendment of the ARS-related definitions of “system access service” and “bulk electric service”.
No objections were filed with the AUC by the July 22, 2020 deadline specified in the July 8, 2020 notice of filing and notice for objection issued by the AUC.
Background
In its forwarding notice, the AESO submitted that the proposed changes to reliability standard definitions are primarily the result of the current “bulk electric system” definition being quite general, and lacking clarity and specificity. The proposed amendments to the “bulk electric system” definition would allow the relevant sections of these reliability standards to be simplified.
The AESO explained that the proposed new “radial circuit” definition was being proposed for use in the “bulk electric system” definition. The term “system access service” was being used in the ISO tariff, and was being proposed for use in the reliability standards.
Findings and Decision
The AUC was satisfied that the AESO consulted with those market participants likely to be directly affected and that the AESO did forward the proposed reliability standards to the AUC for review, thereby fulfilling the requirements of Section 19(4) of the Transmission Regulation.
The proposed reliability standard was not found to be technically deficient or not in the public interest. Therefore, the AUC followed the recommendation of the AESO pursuant to Sections 19(5) and 19(6) of the Transmission Regulation and approved the new and amended ARS-related definitions.
The approved new definition of “radial circuit” is as follows:
an arrangement of contiguous system elements energized at 50 kV or higher that:
a) extend from a system element on the networked transmission system in a linear or branching configuration;
b) connect to one or more of a load facility, a generating unit, or an aggregated generating facility; and
c) comprise the only circuit by which power can flow between the networked transmission system and the facilities identified in item (b) under normal operating conditions,
and includes an arrangement where the circuit energized at 50 kV or higher is connected to another circuit energized at 50 kV or higher, either through a switching device that is operated normally open or through facilities energized at less than 50 kV where the circuit would be a radial circuit if the connection did not exist.
The approved new definition of “system access service” is as follows:
“System access service” means the service obtained by market participants through a connection to the transmission system, and includes access to exchange electric energy and ancillary services.
The approved amended definition of “bulk electric system” is:
“bulk electric system” means all system elements that are included in the following:
(a) all system elements that have all terminals energized at 100 kV or higher that are not part of a radial circuit;
(b) a radial circuit comprised of system elements that have all terminals energized at 100 kV or higher where the radial circuit connects to:
(i) any facility included in items (iv) through (vii) below; or
(ii) 2 or more generating resources, being generating units and aggregated generating facilities, that have a combined maximum authorized real power higher than 67.5 MW;
(c) a transformer that has its primary terminal and at least one secondary terminal energized at 100 kV or higher;
(d) a generating unit that has a maximum authorized real power higher than 18 MW where system access service is provided through a switchyard that is directly connected to transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher, including all system elements from the terminal of the generating unit to the transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher;
(e) an aggregated generating facility that has a maximum authorized real power higher than 67.5 MW where system access service is provided through a switchyard that is directly connected to transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher, including all system elements from the collector bus to the transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher, and excluding the generating units and the collector system feeders;
(f) all generating units and aggregated generating facilities where system access service is provided through a common switchyard that is directly connected to transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher and the generating units and aggregated generating facilities have a combined maximum authorized real power higher than 67.5 MW, including all system elements from the terminal of each generating unit and from the collector bus of each aggregated generating facility to transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher, and excluding the generating units and collector system feeders of each aggregated generating facility;
(g) a blackstart resource, including all system elements from the terminal of the blackstart resource to transmission facilities that are energized at 100 kV or higher; and
(h) a static or dynamic reactive power resource that is dedicated to supplying or absorbing reactive power to or from the transmission system and is connected:
(i) to transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher;
(ii) through a dedicated transformer that is directly connected to transmission facilities energized at 100 kV or higher; or
(iii) through a non-dedicated transformer that has its primary terminal and at least one secondary terminal energized at 100 kV or higher.
