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Texas Generator To Pay $25,000 Under Settlement With Texas PUC Staff

March 7, 2017

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Copyright 2010-17 EnergyChoiceMatters.com
Reporting by Paul Ring • ring@energychoicematters.com

TPC Group, LLC would pay $25,000 under a settlement with Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas to resolve Staff's investigation of TPC for alleged violations of PURA § 39.151(j), relating to the obligation to comply with all (ERCOT) scheduling, operating, planning, reliability, and settlement policies, rules, guidelines, and procedures, and 16 TAC § 25.503(f)(2), related to the obligation to comply with ERCOT procedures and any official interpretation of the ERCOT Protocols

TPC is the registered Resource Entity that owns or controls PR_PR_G2, a 35 MW Generation Resource

The settlement noted that a Power System Stabilizer (PSS) is a device that is installed on Generation Resources to maintain synchronous operation of the electric grid under transient conditions. Under these transient conditions, the PSS works in conjunction with the excitation system to increase damping of the oscillations of the generators caused by an imbalance between electrical power delivered by the generator and the mechanical power being produced by the turbine. The excitation system provides the DC current that regulates voltage. The PSS is incorporated into the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR), which provides the control signal to the excitation system.

According to the settlement, "When TPC replaced the excitation system on PR_PR_G2 in 2011, TPC was required to install a PSS, establish PSS settings, and place the PSS in service," per ERCOT operating guides.

"PSS hardware was installed with the new excitation system, but PSS settings were not established and the PSS was not placed in service. TPC failed to include the PSS in the project specifications for installation of the new excitation system; therefore, the engineering tasks to establish PSS settings, test the system, and place the system in service were not performed," the settlement states

According to the settlement, "TPC failed to update its authorized representative as required by ERCOT. TPC also failed to timely respond to Texas Reliability Entity, Inc.'s (TexasRE) inquiries regarding compliance with ERCOT requirements for PSSs, including multiple requests from TexasRE to submit a mitigation plan with milestone dates for PSS activation."

According to the settlement, "After TPC received notice from Commission Staff that it was under investigation for its failure to have a PSS in service, a mitigation plan was submitted. The mitigation plan included milestone dates for PSS activation. TPC has achieved each milestone, and the PSS was placed in service and began telemetering its status to ERCOT on July 20, 2016."

TPC warrants that it has updated its contact information with ERCOT and TexasRE. TPC warrants that it has implemented training for employees and other measures designed to improve communication with TexasRE and the Commission. TPC agrees that it will timely respond to all future TexasRE and Commission inquiries, the settlement states

Docket 46909

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