
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7187-7188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2806]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. AD11-6-000]


Priorities for Addressing Risks to the Reliability of the Bulk-
Power System; Reliability Technical Conference Panel

February 2, 2011.
    As announced in the Notice of Technical Conference issued on 
December 16, 2010, the Commission will hold a technical conference on 
Tuesday, February 8, 2011, to discuss policy issues related to 
reliability of the Bulk-Power System, including priorities for 
addressing risks to reliability. Attached hereto is a modified agenda 
that includes a list of the panelists that have been asked to address 
the topics previously identified in the Agenda issued in this docket on 
January 7, 2011.

Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09FE11.011

Reliability Technical Conference

February 8, 2011
10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Agenda

10 a.m. Commissioners' Opening Remarks.
10:20 a.m. Remarks; The Honorable Trent Franks, U.S. House of 
Representatives.
10:35 a.m. Introductions; Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur, Chair.
    10:40 a.m. Panel 1: Discussion of Current Issues and Identifying 
Priorities.

    Presentations: Panelists will be invited to express their general 
views on how current reliability issues and standards development 
initiatives can be ranked and prioritized to ensure that the key 
reliability issues are addressed first. Panelists will be asked to 
address some or all of the following:

[[Page 7188]]

    a. What are the most significant risks to the reliability of the 
Bulk-Power System? Do the current Reliability Standards effectively 
address these risks? If not, what processes should be used by industry, 
the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) and the Commission 
to address these risks?
    b. What are the most critical reliability issues and/or standards 
development initiatives that need to be addressed in 2011? What are the 
biggest challenges to addressing these issues and/or completing these 
initiatives in an effective and timely manner? What next steps are 
appropriate to timely and effectively address the priorities discussed?
    c. How do NERC and reliability standards development teams 
incorporate in new priorities and/or Commission directives regarding 
reliability standards into their work plans?
    d. How do NERC's non-standards processes such as the Industry 
Alerts, Recommendations, Event Analysis, Essential Actions, Lessons 
Learned and Compliance Application Notices interact with the 
reliability standards? To what extent do these processes aid in 
identifying important reliability matters that are not addressed under 
the existing Reliability Standards?
    e. Going forward, what can the Commission do to assist NERC?

11:45 a.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. Continuation of Panel 1

    Discussion with Commissioners: Open dialogue and questions and 
answers between Panel 1 and Commissioners.
    Panelists (Panel 1):
     John Q. Anderson, Chairman of the Board, North American 
Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
     Gerry W. Cauley, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
North American Electric.
     Reliability Corporation (NERC).
     Kevin Burke, Chairman, President and CEO, Consolidated 
Edison Inc.
     Roberta S. Brown.
     Mike Smith, President and CEO, Georgia Transmission Corp.
     Hon. Betty Ann Kane, Chairman, DC Public Service 
Commission.
     John Anderson, President, Electricity Consumers Resource 
Council (ELCON).
     Lonnie N. Carter, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
Santee Cooper.

1:30-3 p.m. Panel 2: Emerging Issues

    Panelists will address more specifically their views regarding the 
emerging issues of the Bulk Power System. Panelists will be asked to 
address some or all of the following:
    a. How do you expect the Bulk Power System to change in the next 
decade? What are the most critical new and emerging challenges facing 
the power grid?
    b. Do the CIP standards assure cyber security, including protecting 
against sophisticated and fast-moving threats? What role do you expect 
Smart Grid to play in the Bulk Power System and will the Critical 
Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards adequately assure grid 
reliability under Smart Grid applications? If not, how should NERC 
address these issues?
    c. Will Smart Grid applications have non-cyber reliability 
implications that need to be addressed?
    d. What steps are currently being taken to address the 
electromagnetic pulse (EMP) issue? Which Reliability Standards cover 
EMP and do they adequately address the issue?
    e. Are there any other emerging reliability issues that NERC, 
industry and the Commission should consider addressing?
    f. How can emerging issues that are identified be effectively and 
timely resolved while addressing NERC's other priorities?
    Panelists (Panel 2):
     John Q. Anderson, Chairman of the Board, North American 
Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
     Gerry W. Cauley, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
North American Electric.
     Reliability Corporation (NERC).
     Ronald L. Litzinger, President, Southern California Edison 
Company.
     Stephen J. Wright, Administrator and Chief Executive 
Officer, Bonneville Power Administration.
     Stephen G. Whitely, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
New York Independent System Operator.
     Randy Vickers, Director, United States Computer Emergency 
Readiness Team (US-CERT).
     Avi Schnurr, President, Electric Infrastructure Security 
Council.
     Ed Tymofichuk, Vice-President, Transmission, Manitoba 
Hydro.

3:15-5 p.m. Panel 3: Next Steps and Wrap-up

    Panelists will address more specifically their views regarding what 
steps and processes are necessary to effectively address the issues 
critical to the reliability of the Bulk Power System:
    a. Does NERC have the necessary resources, tools, and authority to 
address these issues? Are NERC and Commission processes and procedures 
adequate to address the reliability priorities and issues discussed 
above? What can the Commission do to assist NERC?
    b. What part of the discussion today was most helpful? What further 
discussion or guidance is needed?
    c. How often should reliability summits like this occur? What other 
forums should we use to communicate about these and other critical 
reliability issues?
    Panelists (Panel 3):
     Gerry W. Cauley, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
     Hon. Betty Ann Kane, Chairman, DC Public Service 
Commission.
     John Anderson, President, Electricity Consumers Resource 
Council (ELCON).
     John Q. Anderson, Chairman of the Board, North American 
Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
     Kevin Burke, Chairman, President and CEO, Consolidated 
Edison Inc.
     Lonnie N. Carter, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
Santee Cooper.
     Mike Smith, President and CEO, Georgia Transmission Corp.
     Randy Vickers, Director, United States Computer Emergency 
Readiness Team (US-CERT).
     Roberta S. Brown.
     Stephen G. Whitely, President and Chief Executive Officer, 
New York Independent System Operator.
     Stephen J. Wright, Administrator and Chief Executive 
Officer, Bonneville Power Administration.

[FR Doc. 2011-2806 Filed 2-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


