Questions_and_Answers_Received_Against_Solicitation_191BWC18R0002.pdf

Questions Received Against Solicitation# 191BWC18R0002 – Amistad and Falcon

Hydroelectric Power Plants NERC and TRE Compliance Consulting

1. Can you tell me if there is an incumbent contractor currently performing work for this requirement? If so, could you please provide their company name and contract number? No, this is a new requirement.

2. The Falcon Dam power plant appears to have 3 units, rated at 10.5MWs each, for a total plant capacity of approximately 31.5MW.

a. Can USIBWC confirm the size of the units and plant as a whole?

3‐10.5 MW is correct for Falcon.

3. The NERC BES definition Inclusion I2 criteria for generating resources includes units with a gross nameplate rating greater than 20MVA, or gross plant/facility aggregate nameplate rating greater than 75MVA. The Falcon Dam power plant does not appear to meet these criteria for inclusion as a NERC BES element for NERC compliance.

a. Is the Falcon Dam power plant included as a BES element for NERC compliance under NERC BES definition Inclusion I3, as a Blackstart resource identified in the Transmission Operator’s restoration plan? Yes

b. Are there any other factors or criteria that USIBWC has used to determine that the Falcon Dam power plant should be registered and included as a BES element for NERC compliance under NERC BES definition? Yes, due to combined facilities rating of 75 MVA or higher and connected to a voltage on the high side of the transformer of 100 kV or higher.

c. If the answer is no to both of the above, and it does not meet Inclusions I2 and

I3 of the NERC BES definition, and is determined that the Falcon Dam power plant is not subject to NERC compliance under the NERC BES definition, would USIBWC still want to conduct and complete the scope of work for the Falcon Dam power plant? No, however, It appears that Falcon and Amistad does fall into I2 if and only if TRE combined both power plant generator rating greater than 75MVA. However, each power plant should be rated separately.

With regards to the inclusion I3, they are Blackstar capable but not under a contract as of 2016 for Falcon and 2017 for Amistad.

4. On the surface, it would appear that the Amistad and Falcon Hydroelectric Power Plants would not contain any Medium nor High Impact BES Cyber Systems. Therefore, NERC standards CIP‐004 through CIP‐011 would not be applicable.

a. Has USIBWC previously performed a CIP‐002 BES Cyber System categorization that concluded its Facilities contained Medium or High impact BES Cyber Systems? No, that is actually the purpose of the SOW that IBWC is asking for.

b. Does either of the Amistad and Falcon Hydroelectric Power Plants contain a control center that can control other external power plants, and if so, what are the sizes of those other power plants in MW under USIBWC’s control?

No.

c. Have either of the Amistad and Falcon Hydroelectric Power Plants been designated by its PC/TP as necessary to avoid an Adverse Reliability Impact in the planning horizon of more than one year (CIP‐002, Attachment 1, Criteria 2.3)? No.

d. Have either of the Amistad and Falcon Hydroelectric Power Plants been designated by its RC/PC/TP as critical to the derivation of Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits (IROLs) (CIP‐002, Attachment 1, Criteria 2.6)? No.

e. The training required by CIP‐004 is only applicable if the Amistad and Falcon

Hydroelectric Power Plants contain Medium or High impact BES Cyber Systems. Would USIBWC want its Contractor to perform training under CIP‐ 004 if its Facilities only contain Low impact BES Cyber Systems, even if the training is not required by NERC? No