Issues with Reactive Testing and the NDCRC S. Looney QMWG, 11/5/2012

NDCRC Issues Under the Data Points section, 12 points are required to define the reactive capability curve. The RARF accepts 9 points only. This leads to confusion when comparing curves. Under Test Reactive Capability section, the Net Dependable Generation value is not well defined.

NDCRC Issues, cont. Under the Submittal Information section, the QSE identity is populating the Resource Entity field. The user must have a Resource Digital Cert and it populates the Resource Entity field with the user’s name even though the user is a QSE. When entering Reactive Test data, the system does not accept positive and negative values as applicable. For a Lagging VAR test, the form will not allow negative VAR values and on a Leading VAR test, the form will not allow positive values for VARs. There are 5 approved Turbine Governor Speed Test forms in the Operating Guides, only 3 in the NDCRC. Recommend that Resource Entities, instead of QSEs, be required to submit the Reactive Tests, requires revision to Op Guides (9)

Issues with Reactive Testing Only allowed to submit 1 CURL on the RARF Actual CURL’s are ambient temperature and system voltage dependent ERCOT has rejected tests which do not match the one submitted CURL when the testing conditions varied from the conditions of the submitted CURL. In that instance, ERCOT requested submittal of a new RARF to resolve the discrepancy. This occurs most often on air-cooled generators (combustion turbines) Recommend Protocol or Operating Guide change to process to allow submittal of more than one CURL on the RARF, perhaps up to 4 seasonal CURLs to reflect ambient and system conditions Get ERCOT to recognize that tested CURLs may be different from what is shown in the RARF