[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55230-55231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21912]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. RM01-12-000]


Standard Market Design Data and Software Standards; Notice of 
Follow-Up Staff Conference

August 22, 2002.
    As announced at the July 18, 2002 Standard Market Design Data and 
Software Conference, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission) will hold a follow-up conference to continue our efforts 
to standardize inputs and outputs for the software used to support 
electric grid and market operations under the Standard Market Design 
initiative. The conference will be held on October 3, 2002, starting at 
9 a.m. at the FERC, 888 First St. NE., in Washington D.C., in the 
Commission Meeting Room.
    The goal of the conference will be to further understand what steps 
are necessary to assure that the software developed to support SMD is 
of the highest possible quality, and is compatible and consistent 
across vendors and market regions. Some degree of standardization with 
respect to input and output data, elements and formats will be needed; 
however, this standardization must not constrain either competition 
between vendors nor innovation in software capabilities or approaches. 
FERC believes that we also need to develop a set of model test problems 
to use for testing, evaluating, and comparing electric market software 
products.
    To this end, the conference will explore whether the work already 
developed for the Ontario market operations is a useful starting point, 
and review the process the Ontario Energy Board used to develop their 
standards and software. We will invite key organizations working on 
software issues to present status reports on their areas of focus and 
expertise and the status of and industry support for their efforts; 
this will include a discussion of whether these are the proper players 
and processes to move ahead. Next, we will discuss what additional 
steps, processes, and organizations are needed to assure that 
appropriate

[[Page 55231]]

standardization of software inputs, outputs and test problems is 
achieved. We will seek industry and participant agreement and 
commitment to these processes.
    We will issue a detailed agenda for the conference, with links to 
relevant documents and organizations, in mid-September.
    All interested parties are invited to attend. There is no 
registration or fee.
    The conference will be transcribed. Those interested in acquiring 
the transcript should contact Ace Reporters at 202-347-3700, or 800-
336-6646. Transcripts will be placed in the public record ten days 
after the Commission receives the transcripts. Additionally, Capitol 
Connection offers the opportunity for remote listening and viewing of 
the conference. It is available for a fee, live over the Internet, via 
C-Band Satellite. Persons interested in receiving the broadcast, or who 
need information on making arrangements should contact David Reininger 
or Julia Morelli at the Capitol Connection (703-993-3100) as soon as 
possible or visit the Capitol Connection Web site at http://www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu and click on ``FERC.''
    For additional information, please contact Ren[eacute] Forsberg at 
202-502-8425 or Ren[eacute].[email protected].

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-21912 Filed 8-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P