NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 1

	CENTRAL DISPATCH OPERATING RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY OF
	ISO NEW ENGLAND, THE SATELLITES AND PARTICIPANTS

APPROVED:		July 22, 1998 by the NEPOOL Regional Market Operations Committee and the NEPOOL Regional Transmission Operations Committee to be implemented for the Second Effective Date for Market Implementation

REFERENCES:	1.   Restated NEPOOL Agreement - Sections 10.1 and 11.1
2. 	NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures
3. 	NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 2- Maintenance of Communications, Computers, Metering, and Computer Support Equipment
4. 	NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 3- Transmission Maintenance Facilities Operating at 115 KV and Above
5. 	NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 4- Action During a Capacity Deficiency
6. 	NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 5- Unit Outages
7. 	NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 7- Action in an Emergency
8. 	NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 8- Operating Reserve and Automatic Generation Control
9. 	NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 18- Metering and Telemetering Criteria
10. 	Interim Independent System Operator Agreement – Section 6.1

SATELLITE INSTRUCTIONS:

CONVEX:		None

Maine:			None

New Hampshire:	SOP #1 Operating Responsibilities and Authority of the New Hampshire Satellite

REMVEC II:		None

PART I - INTRODUCTION

The Restated NEPOOL Agreement Section 10.1 assigns responsibility for establishing or approving market operation rules and for monitoring the operation of NEPOOL supply and demand-side resources and the wholesale bulk power market to the Regional Market Operations Committee.  The Restated NEPOOL Agreement Section 11.1 assigns responsibility for monitoring the operation of NEPOOL transmission and the administration of the Tariff to the Regional Transmission Operations Committee.

The Interim Independent System Operator Agreement Section 6.1 assigns responsibility to the ISO to serve as the operator of the NEPOOL Control Area and assume responsibility for the continued operation of the NEPOOL Control Center, consistent with the terms of the Interim Independent System Operator Agreement, the NEPOOL Agreement and the Tariff, the System Rules and Procedures, Good Utility Practice and applicable laws and regulations. 

Because central dispatch responsibilities are divided and/or shared between the ISO, the Satellites and Participants (Participant Dispatch/SCADA Centers, Generation Stations, Transmission stations), it is necessary to establish overall responsibilities and authority.  This procedure defines the overall parameters within which the more specific Operating Procedures can be formulated.

PART II - PRINCIPLES

The following principles are adopted.  Appendix A expands upon the principles by assigning responsibilities to specific operational groups.

1.	The ISO is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the New England bulk power supply system in accordance with applicable rules and procedures. .

2.	Satellites have a responsibility to the Participants whose equipment they operate.  Also, they have a responsibility to assist the ISO in meeting the objectives of central dispatch by carrying out instructions, orders and directions received from the ISO.

3.	To most efficiently achieve the objective of central dispatch, it is necessary that the ISO, the Satellites and the Participants execute their responsibilities with a spirit of cooperation and with an understanding of the tasks to be accomplished.

PART III - GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES

The ISO is responsible in matters pertaining to the central dispatch of all transmission facilities rated 69 KV and above, Dispatchable Load and all generating resources committed by NEPOOL Participants to central dispatch.  This assigned responsibility and authority extends to include decisions, instructions, and orders issued to Satellites and Participant facilities electronically, verbally or in writing, as required for day-to-day, minute-to-minute operation of both generation and transmission facilities.

Satellites have a comprehensive responsibility for the security of all transmission facilities 69 KV and above for specified regions within New England.  Individual Satellite responsibilities include SCADA functions, security of lower voltage transmission facilities, coordination of station generation activities and switching and tagging of facilities not controlled by the operating Participants.  These extended responsibilities are established by the individual Satellite's member companies subject to the general provisions of this procedure.

Each Participant shall, to the fullest extent practical, cause all transmission facilities rated 69 KV or above owned or controlled by it and all generating facilities in which it has Entitlements, to be designed, constructed, maintained and operated in accordance with good utility practice.  Participant facilities will also contribute to central dispatch in accordance with approved Operating Procedures, Market Rules and Procedures and ISO New England Transmission Operating Guides. 

The ISO, Satellites and Participants share a responsibility to initiate dispatch actions deemed necessary to prevent injury, loss of life, equipment damage, and/or service interruptions.

Document History

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.	Transmission Operation	A-2
II.	Security Analysis	A-4
III.	Economic Dispatch	A-5
IV.	Automatic Generation Control (AGC)	A-5
V.	Control Area Interchange And Inadvertent	A-6
VI.	Contract Administration	A-6
VII.	Conventional Hydro And Pumped Storage Operation	A-6
VIII.	Interconnection Scheduling	A-7
IX.	Maintenance Coordination - Generation	A-8
X.	Generator Tests And Audits	A-8
XI.	Operating Reserve	A-8
XII.	System Load Forecasting	A-9
XIII.	Thermal Unit Commitment	A-9
XIV.	Unit Control Modes And Operating Limits	A-10
XV.	ISO Back-Up Facilities	A-14 
XVI.	Communications - Data	A-11
XVII.	Communications -Voice	A-11
XVIII.	Dispatch Computers And Peripheral Dispatch Equipment	A-12

Consistent with the Principles and general responsibilities stated within this procedure and to assure the effectiveness of New England central dispatch through the ISO, the Satellites and Participant facilities, the following dispatch assignments are made.  The listed assignments include most of the fundamental responsibilities of central dispatch but are not inclusive of all responsibilities assigned by the Regional Operations Committees.  It is expected that these responsibilities will receive continual review and will be updated as needed to assure efficient operation of the power system. It is further understood that all operating entities at the ISO, Satellite and Participant level share a responsibility to protect proprietary and privileged information that may unduly influence the operation of the market system in New England in accordance with the NEPOOL Information Policy. 

I.	TRANSMISSION OPERATION

A.	ISO New England

1.	Monitor power flows on all non-radial transmission facilities operating at 115 KV and above, all non-radial inter-Satellite transmission facilities, all inter-pool transmission facilities and all facilities associated with pre-determined inter-area power flows.

2.	Initiate dispatch actions, including the commitment/decommitment and MW adjustment of generators, required to insure that the facilities noted in (1) above are operated in compliance with NEPOOL Operating Procedures, NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures and ISO New England Transmission Operating Guides.

3.	Coordinate voltage and reactive dispatch of facilities when normal schedules are unable to be maintained by one or more Satellites.

4.	Respond to system disturbances by initiating load management procedures with the Satellites, including voltage reduction and load shedding.  Coordinate system restoration after wide spread loss of load.

B.	Satellites

1.	Monitor power flows on all transmission facilities including voltages below 115 KV and interconnection points associated with each Satellite's region.  

2.	Dispatch voltage and reactive power of all facilities within the Satellite as long as normal schedules can be maintained.  MW re-dispatch orders to generating stations will be distributed through the ISO unless emergency conditions or a mutual understanding with the ISO staff justifies direct satellite contact with the generation station.

3.	Dispatch all transmission facilities radial, and/or operating at or below 345KV, if assigned that responsibility by its member Participants.

4.	Direct restoration of intra-Satellite transmission facilities in accordance with Satellite Operating Procedures and NEPOOL Operating Procedures.

5.	Lead in communicating to the ISO dispatch actions required when Participants' facilities require operation under a higher level of reliability than would be achieved within normal procedures.

6.	Assume other dispatch duties such as switching and tagging as agreements are reached between each Satellite and its member Participants.

7.	Direct implementation and restoration of load shedding and system restoration following system disturbances as coordinated by the ISO.

8.	Direct implementation and restoration of voltage reduction as coordinated by the ISO.

C.	Participants

1.	Shall at all times be the sole judge as to whether or not and to what extent environmental conditions, equipment conditions and/or safety requires any facilities to be operated at less than full capacity or not at all.

2.	Assume responsibilities for local transmission facilities to the extent that the responsibility has not been transferred to a Satellite.

3.	Assume responsibility for facilities not directly assigned to the ISO or a Satellite Control Center.	.

II.	SECURITY ANALYSIS

A.	ISO New England

1.	Receive outage applications for transmission facilities operating at 115KV and above unless declared as radial transmission facilities by NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 3 – Transmission Maintenance Facilities Operating at 115 kV and Above (OP 3).  Evaluate, and approve or disapprove applications based on contingency analysis that will assure reliable operation.

2.	Receive outage applications under NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 2 – Maintenance of Communications, Computers, Metering and Computer Support Equipment (OP 2).  Evaluate, and approve or disapprove applications based upon projected system conditions.
 
3.	Monitor power flows on transmission facilities operating at 115KV and above unless declared as radial transmission facilities by OP 3.  Based on contingency analysis, initiate dispatch actions to assure reliable operation.

4.	Receive and administer requests for long and short-term maintenance in accordance with NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 5 - Unit Outages (OP 5). The ISO will forward requests to appropriate Satellites.

B.	Satellites

1.	Receive generator outage applications from the ISO and transmission outage applications from the Participants.  Evaluate applications based on contingency analysis to assure reliable operation.  Disapprove any application that adversely impacts Satellite operations and/or deemed to be in violation of NEPOOL Operating Procedures, NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures and/or ISO New England Transmission Operating Guides.

2.	Using contingency analysis, review unit commitment schedules issued by ISO New England to assure that the reliability standards specified by Satellite Operating Procedures, NEPOOL Operating Procedures and/or ISO New England Transmission Operating Guides are met.

3.	Monitor Power flows on all transmission facilities including voltages below 115KV and interconnection points associated with each Satellite’s region.  Inform the ISO of any operating condition that has the potential to reduce reliability of the bulk power system below the level prescribed by Satellite Operating Procedures, NEPOOL Operating Procedures, NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures and/or ISO New England Transmission Operating Guides.

III.	ECONOMIC DISPATCH

A.	ISO New England 

Continuously monitor the bulk power system loading conditions and determine the most economical allocation of energy resources considering system frequency, system load, reserve, reliability, and other system specific requirements. The ISO will improve economic dispatch through the utilization of Participant dispatchable contracts. 

IV.	AUTOMATIC GENERATION CONTROL (AGC)

A.	 ISO New England 

1.	Maintain a sufficient number of generating units on AGC to satisfy reliability, economic and tie line regulation requirements in accordance with NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures.  Units on AGC should be selected to achieve the best economics possible in accordance with rules approved by the Regional Market Operations Committee while maintaining system reliability and/or control performance.

2.	Supply AGC pulsing and setpoint directives to units under AGC on the approved Data Communications Network.

B.	Satellites or Participant/SCADA Centers

Satellites or Participant/SCADA Centers with units that  are available to provide automatic generation control, will supply or support a data communications facility that can receive set point or pulsing data from the ISO and re-transmit the control signals to the individual unit controllers under the standards defined by NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 18 -   Metering and Telemetering Criteria (OP 18).

V.	CONTROL AREA INTERCHANGE AND INADVERTENT

A.	ISO New England 

1.	Schedule, monitor, and maintain the ISO New England Control Area Interchange with HQ, NB and NYPP while adhering to NERC, NPCC and NEPOOL operating criteria.

2.	Forecast inter-area transfer capabilities, consistent with scheduling periods, (hourly, weekly, and monthly) to be used as delimiters in the scheduling of inter-area transfers.

VI.	CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

A.	ISO New England 

Monitor, schedule for delivery, and/or suspend available power contracts with other Control Areas and external non-Participants based upon contract availability criteria, the optimization of system economics and/or system reliability constraints.

VII.	CONVENTIONAL HYDRO AND PUMPED STORAGE OPERATION
	(DUTIES UNIQUE TO HYDRO PLANTS)
A.	ISO New England

1.	Develop and distribute the energy schedules for conventional and pumped storage hydro facilities in New England taking Participant bids and system reliability into consideration in accordance with NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures. 

2.	Direct real-time generation control of all hydro resources in New England via the generating station operators or their designees.

3.	Monitor elevations as well as MWh totals and discharges at the Northfield and Bear Swamp projects to determine MWh availability for those units.  Monitor MWh totals for the Moore and Comerford units to determine MWh availability for those units. 

B.	Satellites (General)

No special treatment for hydro units unless specified below.

C.	PSNH

1.	Manage and operate all New Hampshire hydro units as assigned by the Participant owners.

2.	Supply the ISO with all  hydro unit redeclarations.

D.	REMVEC

Maintain the remote "dump-the-pump" capability for Bear Swamp used for system security/reliability.

E.	PARTICIPANTS

1.	Manage and operate all hydro resources for which the Participant holds licenses unless otherwise assigned.

2.	The Participants are solely responsible for meeting the license and environmental requirements for the resources they own and operate unless otherwise assigned.

3.	Supply the ISO with all hydro unit redeclarations unless otherwise assigned.

VIII.	INTERCONNECTION SCHEDULING

A.	ISO New England

1.	Develop and/or coordinate hourly, weekly, monthly, etc. interchange schedules for all interchange arrangements between and/or through NEPOOL and neighboring Control Areas.  This includes Pool to Pool (for emergency transactions only), Participant and non-Participant interchange arrangements.

2.	Incorporate appropriate scheduled power contracts into the daily commitment process and communicate to all necessary external parties.

3.	Maintain a record by contract of interchange activity.

IX.	MAINTENANCE COORDINATION - GENERATION 

A.	ISO New England 

Receive and administer requests for long and short-term maintenance in accordance with NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 5 - Unit Outages (OP 5).  The ISO will forward requests to appropriate Satellites.

B.	Satellites (General)

Receive and study requests for short term maintenance and recommend approval/disapproval to the ISO. 

C.	Participants

Participant personnel will submit requests for long and short-term generator maintenance directly to designated ISO staff.  

X.	GENERATOR TESTS AND AUDITS

A.	ISO New England 

1.	Initiate and administer claimed capability and bid parameter audits on Participant hydro and thermal generating units in accordance with NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures Section 11.0 - Installed Capability and Section 14.0 - Resource Performance Monitoring.

2.	Give authorization for Participant initiated demonstrations.

3.	Assure that the appropriate Satellite is informed whenever an ISO or Participant initiated demonstration is scheduled.

XI.	OPERATING RESERVE

A.	ISO New England 

Maintain a sufficient amount of Operating Reserve in accordance with NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 8 - Operating Reserve and Automatic Generation Control (OP 8).  If available capacity is insufficient to provide adequate Operating Reserve, the ISO will implement the various Actions of NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 4 - Action During a Capacity Deficiency (OP 4) and/or NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 7 - Action in an Emergency (OP 7).

B.	Satellites

Support the ISO in maintaining Operating Reserve by implementing the various Actions of OP 4 and/or OP 7.  Satellites may unilaterally implement these procedures if local conditions warrant their use and time constraints do not allow consultation with the ISO.

XII.	SYSTEM LOAD FORECASTING

A.	ISO New England

Forecast and update the present day's forecast of the New England hourly loads for the purpose of unit commitment, Dispatchable Load commitment and power contract scheduling in accordance with NEPOOL Market Rules and Procedures.

XIII.	THERMAL UNIT/DispatchablE Load COMMITMENT

A.	ISO New England 

1.	Develop commitment/de-commitment schedules for all generators and Dispatchable Loads available for central dispatch with consideration for system security and reliability constraints.

2.	Supply the Satellites, and a contact point declared by the lead Participant of dispatchable units and loads with the most current commitment/de-commitment schedules.

3.	Coordinate activities between the ISO, Satellite and Participant personnel on matters relative to the operation of the NEPOOL Participant resources.

B.	Satellites

Recommend changes to commitment or incremental loading of units or Dispatchable Loads for maintaining area voltage, system stability, and/or meeting thermal transmission requirements.  Requests will normally be made to the ISO unless emergency conditions justify immediate communications with the resources.

C.	Participant Dispatch/SCADA Centers

Recommend changes to commitment or incremental loading of units or Dispatchable Loads to maintain area voltage and or to meet thermal transmission requirements.  Requests will normally be made to the ISO via the appropriate Satellite unless emergency conditions justify immediate communications with the resources.

XIV.	UNIT CONTROL MODES AND OPERATING LIMITS

A.	ISO New England 

1.	Maintain the status of all unit control modes and operating limits on all units under the ISO direct generation control.

2.	Maintain operating parameters, such as minimum run times, minimum down times, response rates, etc. of all NEPOOL Participant resources via the ISO Energy Management System and/or by communicating with specific generating units or the appropriate Satellite or Participant system operator.

3.	Compile and maintain all necessary information, as required by ISO Settlements, to properly reflect all redeclarations, for resources under the ISO direct control. 

4.	Notify appropriate Satellite(s) whenever the ISO identifies a generator restriction or limitation that may affect system security. Make the appropriate limits available to the Satellites on the approved Data Communications Network.

B.	Satellites 

1.	Incorporate known generator operating restrictions into security analysis.

2.	Notify the ISO whenever the Satellite identifies a generator restriction or limitation that may affect system security.

3.	Report all necessary information, as required by the ISO Operations and Settlements departments, to properly reflect all redeclarations, for units under the jurisdiction of the Satellite. 

C.	NEPOOL Participant Generators

Generators have an obligation to notify the ISO directly or through a single point of contact of their restrictions or limitations in accordance with Market Rules and Procedures No. 3.  

XV.	ISO Back-UP FACILITIES

	Develop and implement a back-up plan for all functions for which the ISO is responsible including all necessary software, hardware and facility requirements.

XVI.	COMMUNICATIONS - DATA

A.	ISO New England

Supply to the Data Communications Network, dispatch data that is needed by the ISO Energy Management System or the Satellites or Participant Dispatch/SCADA centers.

B.	Participants or Satellite

Provide facilities to collect the real-time data required to perform central dispatch and place the data onto the ISO Data Communications Network either directly or indirectly through an intermediary such as a Satellite.  NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 18 - Metering and Telemetering Criteria (OP 18) defines specific requirements.

XVII.	COMMUNICATIONS - VOICE

A.	ISO New England

Provide the necessary voice communications required to issue central dispatch instructions directly to utility owned and non-utility generating stations, units, Dispatchable Loads and Interruptible Loads. Satellites or Participant Dispatch/SCADA centers may act as voice communications intermediaries, provided that the ISO and Satellites agree to the change, and that the speed and reliability offered by direct communications is not compromised.

B.	Satellites

1.	Issue security related MW dispatch orders to the ISO.  Under emergency conditions the appropriate Satellite can initiate direct contact with the generation station.

2.	Act as liaisons of dispatch orders from the ISO to Dispatchable and Interruptible Loads.

XVIII.	DISPATCH COMPUTERS AND PERIPHERAL DISPATCH EQUIPMENT

A.	ISO New England

Be responsible for scheduling and coordinating planned outages of the ISO, Satellite, Participant Dispatch/SCADA operating computers, Data Communications Network, microwave communications channels, and any other equipment that deprives ISO New England, the Satellites or Participants of normal operating data, AGC pulsing capability or voice communications.  This is further defined in NEPOOL Operating Procedure No. 2 - Maintenance of Communications, Computers, Metering, and Computer Support Equipment (OP2).

OP 1 & AppA.rtf-
JRN-REV7 7/30/98