[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 195 (Friday, October 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52181-52183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24429]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket Number 0909291327-91328-01]


Draft NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability 
Standards, Release 1.0; Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
seeks two categories of comments on the draft NIST Framework and 
Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0:
    (1) Comments on the overall document and the contents of all

[[Page 52182]]

chapters, except Chapter 4, Standards Identified for Implementation; 
and
    (2) Comments on the 15 additional ``Standards Identified for 
Implementation'' (Chapter 4); the NIST-proposed ``Guidance for 
Identifying Standards for Implementation''; and recommendations for 
adding or removing standards and specifications on the list of 
standards identified for implementation (Table 2), referencing relevant 
guidance criteria. In addition, NIST requests comments on the standards 
in Table 3--additional standards NIST has identified for further 
review.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 9, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to: George Arnold, 100 Bureau 
Drive, Stop 8100, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8100.
    Electronic comments on the overall draft and the contents of 
chapters 1-3 and 5-7 may be sent to: [email protected].
    Comments on the 15 additional ``Standards Identified for 
Implementation'' (Chapter 4); the NIST-proposed ``Guidance for 
Identifying Standards for Implementation;'' recommendations for adding 
or removing standards and specifications on the list of standards 
identified for implementation (Table 2), referencing relevant guidance 
criteria; and comments on the standards in Table 3--additional 
standards NIST has identified for further review--may be sent to: 
[email protected]. Comments on the standards in Table 3 
should reference relevant guidance criteria.
    The entire draft version of the NIST Framework and Roadmap for 
Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0 (Draft), is 
available at: http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/smartgrid_interoperability.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Arnold, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 
8100, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 
20899-8100, telephone (301) 975-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1305 of the Energy Independence and 
Security Act (EISA) of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-140, 121 Stat. 1492) requires 
the Director of NIST ``to coordinate the development of a framework 
that includes protocols and model standards for information management 
to achieve interoperability of smart grid devices and systems.''
    NIST recently issued the NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid 
Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0 (draft for public review and 
comment). The report is a result of NIST's approach to expediting 
development of key standards and requirements necessary for Smart Grid 
interoperability.
    It proposes:
     A conceptual reference model to facilitate design of an 
architecture for the Smart Grid overall and for each of its networked 
domains;
     An initial set of standards for the Smart Grid;
     Priorities for additional standards necessary to resolve 
important gaps and to assure the interoperability, reliability, and 
security of Smart Grid components;
     Initial steps toward a Smart Grid cyber security and 
requirements document; and
     Action plans and timetables for designated standards 
development organizations (SDOs) tasked to fill identified gaps.
    The document is a draft release, and is an initial step in a 
standards development and harmonization process that ultimately will 
deliver the hundreds of communication protocols, standard interfaces, 
and other widely accepted and adopted technical specifications 
necessary to build an advanced, secure, and interoperable electric 
power grid. The final version of Release 1.0, which will be issued 
later in 2009, also will serve to guide the work of a Smart Grid 
Interoperability Panel that is being established as part of the NIST 
framework for achieving end-to-end interoperability.
    Results of NIST's ongoing work on interoperability and cyber 
security standards for the Smart Grid provide input to the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Under EISA, FERC is charged with 
instituting, once sufficient consensus is achieved, rulemaking 
proceedings to adopt the standards and protocols necessary to ensure 
Smart Grid functionality and interoperability in interstate 
transmission of electric power, and in regional and wholesale 
electricity markets.
    On June 9, 2009, NIST issued a Federal Register notice (74 FR 
27288), requesting comments on a preliminary set of 16 smart grid 
interoperability standards and specifications identified as applicable 
to Smart Grid interoperability and cyber security needs. After 
reviewing and evaluating the input it received, NIST increased this 
initial list to 31 standards and other specifications. The additional 
15 standards and specifications are shaded in Table 2, Chapter 4, 
beginning with item 17 on page 34 of the report. In addition, Table 3 
lists additional standards NIST has identified for further review.
    On May 19-20, 2009, NIST and its contractor, the Electric Power 
Research Institute (EPRI), convened a workshop, where more than 600 
people engaged in sessions focused on developing and analyzing use 
cases, determining Smart Grid interoperability requirements, locating 
key interfaces, and identifying additional standards for consideration. 
The sessions yielded more than 70 candidate standards and emerging 
specifications, which were compiled in EPRI's Report to NIST on the 
Smart Grid Interoperability Standards Roadmap (EPRI Report) ((Contract 
No. SB1341-09-CN-0031--Deliverable 7) Prepared by EPRI, June 17, 2009). 
The EPRI Report also was submitted for public review and comment. 
However, the additional standards constituted a small part of the 
lengthy report.
    Excluding those already listed in Table 2, the standards compiled 
in the EPRI Report are listed in Table 3, Chapter 4 of the draft NIST 
Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, 
Release 1.0.
    NIST solicits public comments on the 15 standards and other 
specifications added to the list of NIST-identified standards for 
implementation, as presented in Table 2, Chapter 4. Comments may 
include recommendations for removing specific items, or for adding new 
specifications, which may or may not be among those listed in Table 3, 
Chapter 4 of the NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid 
Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0 (Draft). All recommendations 
should reference specific criteria in the supporting explanation, as 
described below.
    NIST has developed a core set of criteria to provide initial 
guidance when evaluating prospective Smart Grid standards. This 
guidance also is presented in Chapter 4 of NIST Framework and Roadmap 
for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0 (Draft). NIST 
seeks public comments on the usefulness of the criteria as well as 
suggestions for improving the guidance for future evaluations of 
standards. Additionally, NIST asks that recommendations for adding or 
removing specifications from the list of standards identified for Smart 
Grid implementation cite guidance criteria relevant to specific 
recommendations.
    Request for Comments: NIST seeks two sets of comments on the draft 
framework and roadmap report. The agency requests:
    1. Comments on the overall draft and the contents of chapters 1-3 
(``Purpose

[[Page 52183]]

and Scope,'' ``Smart Grid Vision,'' and ``Conceptual Reference Model'') 
and chapters 5-7 (``Priority Action Plans,'' ``Cyber Security Risk 
Management Framework and Strategy,'' and ``Next Steps'') of the draft 
NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, 
Release 1.0.
    2. Comments on the 15 additional ``Standards Identified for 
Implementation'' (Chapter 4); comments on the NIST-proposed ``Guidance 
for Identifying Standards for Implementation;'' and recommendations for 
adding or removing specifications on the list of standards identified 
for implementation (Table 2), which should reference relevant guidance 
criteria. In addition, comments on the standards in Table 3--additional 
standards NIST has identified for further review--are requested, and 
comments should reference relevant guidance criteria.
    Comments should be submitted in accordance with instructions in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice.
    NIST advises that it also is seeking public review and comment on a 
companion draft document, NIST Interagency Report (NISTIR) 7628 Smart 
Grid Cyber Security Strategy and Requirements. (More than 200 pages 
long, this document is summarized in Chapter 6 of draft NIST Framework 
and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0.) 
The request for comments on draft NISTIR 7628 will be published 
separately in the Federal Register.

    Dated: October 5, 2009.
Patrick Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E9-24429 Filed 10-8-09; 8:45 am]
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