[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81074-81075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25672]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD23-9-000]


Reliability Technical Conference; Notice Inviting Post-Technical 
Conference Comments

    On Thursday, November 9, 2023, the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission) convened its annual Commissioner-led 
Reliability Technical Conference to discuss policy issues related to 
the reliability of the Bulk-Power System, and the impact of the 
Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rule under section 111 of 
the Clean Air Act on electric reliability.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ New Source Performance Standards for Greenhouse Gas 
Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Fossil Fuel-Fired 
Electric Generating Units; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas 
Emissions from Existing Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units; 
and Repeal of the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, 88 FR 33240 
(proposed May 23, 2023) (to be codified at 40 CFR part 60).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    All interested persons are invited to file post-technical 
conference comments to address issues raised during the technical 
conference and identified in the Second Supplemental Notice for this 
Technical Conference issued on October 30, 2023. For reference, the 
questions included in the Second Supplemental Notice are included 
below. Commenters need not answer all of the questions, but are 
encouraged to organize responses using the numbering and order in the 
below questions. Commenters are also invited to reference material 
previously filed in this docket, but are encouraged to avoid repetition 
or replication of their previous comments. Comments must be submitted 
on or before 30 days from the date of this Notice.
    Comments, identified by docket number, may be filed electronically 
or paper-filed. Electronic filing through https://www.ferc.gov is 
preferred. Documents must be filed in acceptable native applications 
and print-to-PDF, but not in scanned or picture format. Instructions 
are available on the Commission's website: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp.
    Although the Commission strongly encourages electronic filing, 
documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file, submissions sent via 
the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, Office of the Secretary, 888 First Street NE, Washington, 
DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to:

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Office of the Secretary, 12225 
Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    For more information about this Notice, please contact:
Michael Gildea (Technical Information), Office of Energy Reliability, 
(202) 502-8420, [email protected].
Gonzalo E. Rodriguez (Legal Information), Office of the General 
Counsel, (202) 502-8568, [email protected].

    Dated: November 14, 2023.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.

Post Technical Conference Questions

1. State of Bulk Power System Reliability With a Focus on the Changing 
Resource Mix and Resource Adequacy

    The transformation of the Bulk-Power System is resulting in 
significant changes to the nation's power supply portfolio. These 
changes include increased penetrations of inverter-based resources, the 
increased use and importance of natural gas generating units for system 
balancing, and the

[[Page 81075]]

participation of distributed energy resources. Ensuring the adequate 
supply of electric energy to service loads during peak hours and during 
extreme weather conditions is also becoming more challenging in many 
regions of North America.
    What should the Commission's top reliability priorities be for the 
next one to three years? What are potential actions the Commission 
could take to improve reliability regarding these priorities?
    (a) What trends and risks identified in NERC's 2023 State of 
Reliability Report and the 2023 ERO Reliability Risk Priorities Report 
warrant the most attention and effort?
    (b) Resource adequacy traditionally has been characterized in terms 
of planning reserve margin, which assesses the excess generating 
capacity required to meet peak load. NERC and industry have recently 
been discussing the notion of energy adequacy, which assesses whether 
there is sufficient energy--power over time--to meet customers' energy 
needs. Is energy adequacy a more appropriate metric to characterize 
reliability risks given the changing grid?
    (c) NERC has highlighted essential reliability services (e.g., 
frequency response, voltage control, and ramping capability) as core to 
maintaining reliable operation of the grid. How does the changing 
resource mix and characteristics of load affect the needed amount and 
provision of these essential reliability services? What actions, and by 
whom, are necessary to ensure adequate levels of these services?
    (d) The electric grid is undergoing its most significant changes in 
a century. How should reliability oversight adapt to this change? Is 
the existing reliability oversight model flexible and agile enough to 
help lead the change?
    (e) In recent years, reliance on natural gas as a fuel for electric 
generation has steadily increased. At the Commission's recommendation, 
the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) held forums between 
August 2022 and July 2023 to discuss the growing interdependence 
between the natural gas and electric sectors. NAESB issued 
recommendations to enhance market coordination to address challenges 
posed by this growing interdependence. Should the Commission prioritize 
pursuing any specific NAESB recommendation?
    (f) Wildfires are no longer considered only a California or Western 
states issue for grid reliability, as drought conditions are expanding 
into additional regions including MISO, ERCOT and SPP creating further 
reliability impacts. What preparations have you taken (or are you 
considering) to address emerging wildfire and drought reliability risks 
in your region?

2. CIP Reliability Standards and the Evolving Grid

    Cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats continue to evolve at a 
pace that tests utility cybersecurity programs. These quickly evolving 
threats present a challenge when assessing whether security controls, 
including the CIP Reliability Standards, adequately respond to the 
latest cyber risks. Most utilities and other electric sector 
stakeholders with mature cybersecurity programs implement an 
overarching cybersecurity program to oversee all aspects of their 
cybersecurity activities, including identification of the assets to be 
protected, staffing, technology selection and procurement, and 
compliance with the CIP Reliability Standards. However, ongoing and 
anticipated changes to the interconnected electric grid, such as the 
shift in the types of energy sources used to generate electricity may 
disrupt cyber programs. Utilities are digitizing their grids while 
managing an increasing number of grid-connected devices. As a 
consequence, utilities require more advanced tools to process and 
analyze large amounts of data for grid planning, operations, and 
security. These changes are also leaving uncertainty as to where these 
digital assets will fit into the cybersecurity regulatory framework and 
what tools can be used to effectively manage them or even what the 
future may bring as cyberattacks continue to grow in sophistication.
    (a) Discuss the primary security issues facing electric utilities 
and describe the prioritization of resources and investment. What are 
some lessons learned and best practices?
    (b) With regard to evolving cyber threats, describe how your 
cybersecurity program identifies and responds to such conditions. When 
responding, how do you assess the risk posed to your systems by the 
threats?
    (c) Describe the benefits and challenges of implementing and 
maintaining a cybersecurity program as the resource mix continues to 
evolve. How does this program interact with actions to comply with the 
CIP Reliability Standards? How does such a program help to identify and 
prioritize security concerns, and what actions are taken to address 
those concerns, including the application of best practices?
    (d) Describe how supply chain security and the use of third-party 
systems, such as cloud services, are addressed in your risk assessments 
and implemented in the cybersecurity program. What concerns still exist 
related to supply chain and third-party systems?
    (e) What additional actions can the Commission, NERC, and industry 
take to further protect the grid from security threats, both physical 
and cyber?

3. Reliability Implications of EPA's Proposed Rule on ``Greenhouse Gas 
Standards and Guidelines for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants''

    On May 23, 2023, the EPA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking 
under section 111 of the Clean Air Act. The proposed rule would set New 
Source Performance Standards for new power plants that run on fossil 
gas.
    (a) Will the rule, if implemented as proposed, affect electric 
reliability? In what ways?
    (b) What tools and processes should the Commission, other federal 
and state agencies, and industry consider in order to implement the 
proposed rule? What authority should the Commission and other federal 
and state agencies have in order to address potential reliability 
issues that could arise during implementation of the proposed rule?
    (c) What existing processes for coordination will enable federal 
and state agencies, planning entities, and industry stakeholders to 
share ongoing developments relevant to the implementation of the 
proposed rule?
    (d) What specific tools are currently available to agencies to 
consider impacts to retail consumers? Are there additional tools that 
should be developed to consider these issues?

[FR Doc. 2023-25672 Filed 11-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P