1. Planning Coordinator - Gap Resolution Team (GRT)
Lorissa Jones – GRT Chair
Compliance User Group
October 2016
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

2. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Topics
GRT general update
GRT Members
Charter highlights
NDA
GRT entrance process
GRT Implementation Plan and process
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

3. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
GRT Update
GRT Charter approved by PPC and WECC BOD
GRT members approved by PCC during a special session
Ongoing GRT and Implementation Plan process work
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

4. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
GRT Team members
Name
Entity
Member
Bhuiyan,Mukhlesur
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Dearing,Bill
Northwest Public Power Association
Gillette,Joseph
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Green,Thomas
Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy)
Jones,Lorissa
Bonneville Power Administration (Transmission)
Chair
Jones,Peter
Puget Sound Energy, Inc
McElvain,Frank
Siemens Energy, Inc.
Vice-Chair
McMillan,Leland
Talen Montana, LLC
Pink,Chris
Tri-State Generation & Transmission (Reliability)
Rueckert,Steve
Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Spitzkoff,Jason
Arizona Public Service Compa
Wilson,Joseph A.
Tacoma Power
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

5. GRT Charter highlights
PCC and WECC BOD approved the provision that allows the GRT to meet in a closed session
All team members will have signed a WECC Closed Session Confidentiality Agreement
The closed session provision allows the GRT to review and discussion sensitive market information not limited to:
System information
Cost information identified in Contracts or Agreements
Compliance information related to NERC Reliability Standards Entity to Entity relationship information
If the issue pertains to an entity on the team, that team member will recuse themselves from the analysis
Full charter can be found on the GRT website
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

6. What is the GRT and Why do I care?
The GRT will support entities in closing functional mapping gaps
The GRT will focus on resolving the gaps to promote and ensure reliability
data utilized in the PC-GRT process will not be used for compliance monitoring.
The GRT process is voluntary
Options an entity may enter into the GRT process:
Self election
WECC Registration/Business Services recommendation
Entering into the GRT process and the GRT Implementation process allows entities time to close functional gaps while ensuring the reliability of the BES
The technical team will concentrate on the technical solution of closing the gaps
At the conclusion of the PC-GRT process, the PC-GRT may provide a recommendation to the Planning Coordination Committee and the WECC BOD
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

7. GRT Implementation Plan Process
The GRT Implementation Plan process allows two (or more) entities a reasonable amount of time to close functional mapping gaps
An implementation plan will provide Entity X and Entity Y a strategy to ensure reliability and compliance obligations are understood by both entities such that reasonable assurance of compliance will be established upon completion of the plan
Implementation plans will vary depending on the complexity and amount of time expected to fully develop and establish a functional relationship and integrate the facilities into the function
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

8. GRT and WECC Oversight Collobration
WECC Registered Entity Oversight leadership has agreed where a relationship is newly formed; a formal implementation plan will be submitted to WECC for consideration
During WECC CMEP activities, WECC will consider the implementation plan when developing a risk based compliance monitoring plan for the entities involved.
Upon establishing an implementation plan, WECC Registered Entity Oversight Department will review and either recommend modifications or approve the PC Action plan.
If Entity X and Entity Y are meeting the milestones outlined in the implementation plan, WECC will not find an entity in violation as relates to the standards that are applicable to fully implementing the new functions.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

9. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
GRT Next steps
GRT team and WEC WECC Registered Entity Oversight to finalize the:
GRT Entrance Process
GRT Implementation Process
GRT Team to submit processes to PCC and BOD for approval
GRT will be a resource to share potential solutions with entities:
Close functional gaps
Implementation plans
Contract arrangements
Generally share the industry lessons learned on the functional relationships
Quarterly the PC-GRT will make their recommendations available to the PCC, the WECC Registered Entity Oversight Department, NERC, and FERC.
PCC: will be updated at PCC meetings
WECC BOD: will be updated at Board meetings
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

10. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
GRT – it’s a GREAT team!
Questions
Western Electricity Coordinating Council