NERC TOP Certification
Final Report
Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA)
NCR11226
Site Visit Conducted
October 30-31, 2012
Final Report
January 17, 2013
3353 Peachtree Road NE
Suite 600, North Tower
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-446-2560 | www.nerc.com
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................ii
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1
Certification Team........................................................................................................................... 2
Objective and Scope ....................................................................................................................... 3
Overall Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 4
Certification Team Determinations ................................................................................................ 5
Items Requiring Completion ....................................................................................................... 5
Findings ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Positive Observations ..................................................................................................................... 6
Company History - Background ...................................................................................................... 7
Corporate .................................................................................................................................... 7
System Overview ........................................................................................................................ 7
Company Details – Operating Facility ............................................................................................. 8
Control Center / SCADA System Description .............................................................................. 8
Documentation List ....................................................................................................................... 10
Attachment 1 – Certification Team............................................................................................... 11
TOP Certification Team ............................................................................................................. 11
IREA Personnel .......................................................................................................................... 11
Attachment 2 – Certification Process Steps ................................................................................. 12
Documentation Review ............................................................................................................ 12
Applications Review .................................................................................................................. 12
Attachment 3 – Certification Team Findings – Needed for Operation......................................... 13
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TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
Introduction
Introduction
This report presents the results of the WECC led Certification Team’s (CT) efforts to endorse
Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) (NCR11226) as a Transmission Operator (TOP) in
the WECC Region certified by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
TOPs have a primary responsibility for maintaining the real-time reliability of the local
transmission system, and operate, or direct the operations of the transmission facilities.
Acceptable reliability levels can be maintained only if the TOPs, and other entities that make up
the Interconnection, function in accordance with good operating practices and reliability
criteria defined by the NERC Reliability Standards. Good operating practices include, but are
not limited to, full compliance with the NERC Reliability Standards without regard to economic
consideration or burdening neighboring systems.
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TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
Certification Team
Certification Team
Following notification of IREA’s request for certification and registration as a TOP, a CT was
formed and a review date was selected to perform an on-site visit. The rosters for members of
both the CT and the IREA participants are listed in Attachment 1.
TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
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Objective and Scope
Objective and Scope
The objective of the CT review was to assess IREA’s processes, procedures, tools, training and
personnel that allow it to perform the function of a TOP. The scope of the review included: (1)
interviewing IREA’s management and reviewing pertinent documentation for verification of
basic requirements for TOP operation; (2) reviewing procedures and other documentation
developed by IREA to meet the applicable standards/ requirements; (3) interviewing IREA
system operations personnel; (4) reviewing IREA’s primary capabilities, Energy Management
System (EMS), communication facilities, operator displays, etc., and (5) performing other
validation reviews as considered necessary. An on-site review was held at the IREA’s primary
Control Center (PCC) including a review of the overview of IREA’s Backup Control Center (BCC)
on October 30-31, 2012.
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TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
Overall Conclusion
Overall Conclusion
The certification process was completed in reasonable accordance with the NERC Rules of
Procedure (ROP) to determine if IREA has the necessary processes, procedures, tools, training
and personnel to perform the function as a NERC-certified TOP. IREA presented evidence
related to the applicable standards/requirements for the CT to review. Based on this
evidentiary review, the CT has reasonable assurance that IREA has the processes, procedures,
tools, training and personnel in place to reliably perform the TOP function.
Therefore, the CT recommends that Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) approve
certification of IREA as a NERC-certified TOP, and forward such approval to NERC for final
review and approval.
The CT found the IREA operators to be equipped with the necessary operating tools, and they
are prepared to perform the TOP operations. All of IREA’s operators are NERC-certified
operators.
TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
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Certification Team Findings – Needed for Operation
Certification Team Determinations
Items Requiring Completion
At the conclusion of the site visit, it was agreed that one item required completion prior to the
certification of IREA as a TOP and a schedule for completion was agreed. That item is included
as Attachment 3. As noted in Attachment 3, evidence of completion of that item was provided
to the CT for review and confirmation. It was closed to the satisfaction of the CT prior to the
issuance of this Final Report.
Findings
No findings which would prevent IREA from being certified as a NERC-certified TOP were
identified by the CT as of the issuance of this Final Report.
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TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
Positive Observations
Positive Observations
•
Positive #1
 Utilization of the COS system
•
Positive #2
 Excellent Training Materials and Assessments
•
Positive #3
 Exemplary Documentation
•
Positive #4
 Utilization of Subject Matter Experts for Training
•
Positive #5
 Fully Functional Back-up Facility
TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
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Company History - Background
Company History - Background
Corporate
Intermountain Rural Electric Association (Association) is an electrical distribution cooperative
which was incorporated August 24, 1938. The Association’s General Manager reports to a 7member elected Board of Directors. The Association consists of four major divisions; Corporate
Affairs, Finance, Operations & Engineering, and Consumer and Information Services.
System Overview
IREA's 5,000 square-mile service territory is within ten counties to the east, west and south of
the metro Denver area and west of Colorado Springs. The Association serves approximately
140,000 customers. The Association is a summer peaking system with an all time system peak
of 550 MW which occurred in June of 2012. The Association’s winter peak was 439 MW which
occurred in December of 2009. IREA’s headquarters is located in Sedalia, Colorado, south of
Littleton and north of Castle Rock. They also have district offices in Strasburg, Conifer and
Woodland Park.
The Association operates an electric transmission and distribution system that consists of
approximately 9,000 miles of 12.47kV distribution line, 21 miles of 34.5kV distribution line, 70
miles of radial 44kV sub-transmission line, 157 miles of 115kV transmission line and 46
distribution substations. Of the 157 miles of 115kV transmission line, 128 miles is operated in
a looped configuration meeting the NERC BES definition.
The Association is a wholesale, full requirements customer of Xcel Energy. The Association buys
wholesale power from Xcel Energy, Inc. and the Western Area Power Administration. The
Association also receives power from the Comanche Unit 3 coal plant in Pueblo. That plant is
operated by Xcel, but the Association owns 25.3% of the plant and its output. The Association
has 22 interconnection points all with Xcel. All of the Association facilities are used to serve
Association customer load.
All of the Association facilities and load are within the boundaries of the Xcel Balancing
Authority. The Association does not own or operate any blackstart resources or have any
facilities associated with any cranking paths. None of the Association transmission lines are
part of any WECC Rated Paths.
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TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
Company Details – Operating Facility
Company Details – Operating Facility
Control Center / SCADA System Description
The Association Transmission and Distribution Control Center is staffed 24 hours/day, 7days/week with NERC Certified System Operators. They operate a Survalent SCADA system to
monitor the Association BES facilities. Currently a total of 25 of the Association 46 substations
are monitored and controlled by SCADA which includes all BES facilities. The SCADA system
provides equipment status, control, metering information and system alarms. The
communications infrastructure includes fiber optic cable and microwave links.
The SCADA system has two redundant servers. One is located at the Primary Control Center
(PCC) and one at the Backup Control Center (BCC). The Host A and Host B Servers, also referred
to as Masters, poll substation equipment to obtain real-time data regarding the system. In
addition the substation equipment may send data to the Master when a specified change in
value occurs. The dual-redundant SCADA Masters provide greater reliability. One host acts as
the Active Master while the other host is the Backup Master. The Backup Master is
synchronized with the Active Master and can takeover in the event of a failure. Only one host is
the Active Master at any given time. The Active Master stores the real-time data and provides
this information to the workstations for system operator monitoring. The Active Master also
transmits the controls issued by system operators to the substation equipment. The Active
Master sends real-time and historical data to the Historian/Webserver. It also provides
selected Association SCADA data to Xcel Energy via the Inter-Control Center Communication
Protocol (ICCP). Xcel then transmits this same data to the WECC RC.
There are two workstations at the PCC that are used by the system operators to monitor and
control the Association transmission and distribution system. The Worldview program is loaded
on each Workstation, and incorporates views for the system operator to perform SCADA
functions. A third workstation in the PCC is dedicated for SCADA maintenance/updates.
A fourth workstation is utilized by a distribution supervisor or other operations employee for
other distribution related day-to-day activities or to help during an emergency. This station is
not equipped with SCADA. There is one fully functional workstation at the BCC which includes
the Worldview program.
The Control center has redundant voice communications via commercial phone lines, cell
phones, and company digital 150 MHz land mobile radio system. The Control Center is
powered from a nearby Association substation. Backup power is provided by a standby
generator equipped with an automatic transfer switch.
The Association has an implemented Loss of Control Center Contingency Plan (procedure 70013). The procedure includes the system operator on-shift when relocating to the BCC to take
the “grab bag” which includes BCC keys, cell phone and charger. All other tools and equipment
required are at the BCC.
TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
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Company Details – Operating Facility
Below is a list of available tools at the PCC and BCC.
SCADA System (Survalent Technology and Worldview Program)
Network Computers
SCADA Computers
Commercial Phones
Cell Phones and chargers
150 MHZ Land Mobile Radio System
Operating Procedures (Electronic and Hardcopy)
Transmission Switching Diagrams
Xcel Transmission Switching Diagrams
GIS Map Viewer
Distribution Maps
Electronic Log Book
WECCNET Messaging
WECCRC.ORG
COS (Coordinated Outage System)
ICCP Link to Xcel;
 Xcel transmits data to WECC
Printer/Fax
Security Cameras
Weather Channel
Rocky Mountain Hotline Phone being Implemented
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TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
Documentation List
Documentation List
Copies of all of the supporting IREA documents were collected as evidence of IREA’s
preparedness, and will be kept as a record of evidence to support the CT’s recommendation.
These documents will be retained at the WECC offices in Salt Lake City, Utah for a period of six
(6) years.
None of the documents listed below are included with the distribution of this final report. Per
the NERC Rules of Procedure, and due to the confidential nature of this material, these
documents are available for review at the WECC offices after proper authorization is obtained
through WECC and NERC:
IREA TOP Questionnaire
IREA TOP Master Matrix
IREA’s various TOP evidence files
Presentations made by the CT and IREA
Internal Compliance Program and Internal Controls Documentation
TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
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Attachment 1 – Certification Team
Attachment 1 – Certification Team
TOP Certification Team
Table 1: TOP Certification Team
Name
Position
Organization
Paul W. Rice
Assistant Director, Operations
WECC
Ryan Mauldin
Senior Engineer - Organization
Registration and Certification
NERC
Wade Richard Kiess
Manager Reliability
Coordination
WECC
Kenneth Silver
Assistant Director, Power
System Internal Generation
Los Angeles Department of
Water and Power
IREA Personnel
Table 2: IREA Personnel Participants
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Name
Position
Pam Feuerstein
Manager of Engineering
Walt Jones
Assistant General Manager of Operations and
Engineering
Ed Jenks
Manager of Operations
Mike Surran
Director of System Operations
Drew Long
Substation Supervisor
Tom Tetrick
System Operator
Andy Minter
System Operator
Patrick Mooney
General Manager
TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
Attachment 2 – Certification Process Steps
Attachment 2 – Certification Process Steps
Documentation Review
Using the TOP Questionnaire, TOP Master Matrix and documents requested based on
professional judgment, the CT reviewed the appropriate documentation that provided
reasonable assurance that IREA has the processes, procedures, tools, training and personnel to
operate as a NERC-certified TOP.
The TOP Questionnaire template is available on NERC’s website. The TOP Master Matrix is a
spreadsheet created using the VRF Matrix available on NERC’s website under the Standards
link, and eliminating all functions other than the TOP function. Using the TOP Master Matrix
spreadsheet, the CT cataloged the documentation evidence provided by IREA. The spreadsheet
contains all the applicable NERC Standards and associated Requirements for an entity to be
evaluated as a NERC-certified TOP. In the Certification Process, the CT inserted the appropriate
IREA document references in which evidence provided by IREA met the applicable Standards
and Requirements.
Applications Review
The site visit focused on documentation review, interview of IREA’s operators, and evaluation
of the TOP applications and operator toolset that IREA has available for their operators. Finally,
the CT reviewed IREA’s online applications that are used to perform the TOP requirements.
TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC
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Attachment 3 – Certification Team Findings – Needed for Operation
Attachment 3 – Certification Team Findings –
Needed for Operation
All items listed below requiring completion prior to the certification of IREA as a TOP were
closed to the satisfaction of the CT prior to the issuance of this Final Report.
•
Next Day Studies – “The Transmission Operator shall perform seasonal, next-day, and
current-day Bulk Electric System studies to determine SOLs.” TOP-002, R11.
Documentation presented and reviewed on: January 7, 2013 and approved as completed by
the Certification Team.
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TOP Certification of Intermountain Rural Electric Association, LLC