Office of Electric Reliability (OER)

OER Org Chart

What We Do

The Office of Electric Reliability (OER) is the primary office in executing the Commission’s reliability responsibilities and priorities.   The Energy Policy Act of 2005 added section 215 to the Federal Power Act, greatly expanding FERC’s role and jurisdiction over electric grid reliability.  OER was formed shortly thereafter and charged with ensuring that FERC fulfills this role, and to help protect and improve the reliability and security of the nation's bulk power system.

OER advises the Commission on all matters related to the reliability and security of the bulk power system.  OER oversees all of the activities of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission -approved Electric Reliability Organization (ERO), as well as the six Regional Entities, including the development of and compliance with mandatory reliability and security standards.

Functions

1. Monitor and participate in NERC’s standards development process.
2. Analyze proposed reliability standards and advise the Commission as to whether the reliability standard is just, reasonable, not unduly discriminatory or preferential, and in the public interest, in accordance with section 215 of the Federal Power Act.
3. Monitor the compliance of the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system with the reliability standards.
4. Lead or join in periodic and unscheduled reviews and audits of the NERC, Regional Entities, and users, owners, and operators to determine the effectiveness of their reliability programs and their compliance with reliability standards.
5. Lead or join in analysis and investigations concerning complaints, blackouts, near-misses, etc., on the bulk power system to determine if reliability standards were violated, changes to the reliability standards are warranted, or if the reliability standards are adequate for their intended purpose.
6. Oversee NERC's reliability assessments to identify and investigate constraints on the bulk power system. Oversee other NERC activities to promote reliable and secure planning and operations of the bulk power system, including the NERC business plan, budget, 5-year performance assessment, rules of procedures and its task forces, working groups, committees, stakeholder processes, and guidance to the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system.
7. Engage in the regional planning processes to determine if proposed and approved projects are sufficient to meet the reliability requirements.
8. Coordinate with  applicable Federal agencies; other governments; state agencies and regulators including the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC); the Electric Reliability Organization and Regional Entities (RE); the ISO/RTOs; users, owners and operators of the bulk power system; stakeholders; customers; etc. to facilitate electric reliability and security.
9. Monitor real-time events on the bulk power system, reporting the most significant to the Chairman, Commissioners, and senior staff through a 24/7 emergency reporting system.
10. Work with other internal and external groups to evaluate elements that may impact the bulk power system (such as fuel constraints, generation and transmission siting and permitting, congestion, rate recovery for reliability expenditures, etc.) and cost recovery options for potential solutions.
11. Identify localized constrained areas of the bulk power system and probable regulatory/legislative concerns.
12. Perform independent and collaborative analysis with NERC to explore, develop, and implement procedures and/or reliability standards to secure the bulk power system, including cyber facilities, against outside attack.
13. Provide electrical engineering support to other Commission offices regarding bulk power system reliability and engineering issues.

Division of Operations and Planning Standards

Mission Statement

The Division of Operations and Planning Standards oversees all aspects of operations and planning related matters that affect the bulk power system. Monitor and participate in the development and review of operations and planning mandatory reliability standards, review and advise the Commission on filed operations and planning reliability standards. Oversees compliance with the approved mandatory operations and planning standards by the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system. Oversees and analyzes bulk power system reliability performance. Assesses and advises whether new or modified operations and planning reliability standards are required.

Functions

1. Monitor and participate in the NERC and Regional Entities (RE) reliability standards development process to help improve the quality of operations and planning reliability standards proposed to the Commission.
2. Review proposed operations and planning reliability standards to recommend whether the Commission should approve, remand, or direct NERC to revise approved operations and planning reliability standards or develop new standards; includes performing quantitative technical arguments supported by data and analysis, in collaboration with the Division of Engineering and Logistics.
3. Monitor NERC/REs compliance monitoring of users, owners, and/or operators of the bulk power system with the operations and planning reliability standards; includes leading or participating in periodic and/or unscheduled reviews and audits of the NERC/REs, and users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system to determine the effectiveness of programs and compliance with operations and planning reliability standards.
4. Monitor, in conjunction with the Office of Enforcement (OE), NERC/RE’s compliance enforcement of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system with the operations and planning reliability standards; includes tracking and reviewing all alleged violations, mitigation plans, and Notices of Penalty.
5. Conduct, with the OE, operations and planning compliance audits of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system, independent of, or in partnership with, the NERC/REs.
6. Perform analysis of bulk power system events, notifications, requests, or complaints in partnership with OE, as appropriate, to assess adequacy of operations and planning reliability standards; includes compliance and/or alleged violations, identification of gaps, and opportunities to strengthen.
7. Perform analysis of bulk power system events, or of other information, in collaboration with NERC/REs, to identify and inform users, owners, and operators of bulk power system vulnerabilities.
8. Review appeals of NERC compliance registry decisions, with the Office of the General Counsel.
9. Coordinate with the Office of Energy Infrastructure Security (OEIS), Office of Energy Projects (OEP), Office of the General Counsel - General Administrative Law (GAL), applicable Federal agencies, the NERC/REs, stakeholders, and academia on current and emerging bulk power system reliability related issues.
10. Outreach with applicable Federal agencies, the NERC/REs, stakeholders, academia, and vendors to explore, develop, and implement procedures and/or reliability standards to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system.
11. Assess whether operations and planning reliability standards are adequate and whether new or modified operations and planning reliability standards are needed based on its oversight of standards development, implementation and compliance, and its assessment of bulk power system reliability performance and bulk power system trends.
12. Support as necessary, the other divisions' activities and requirements.

Division of Operations and Planning Standards is led by Acting Director Olutayo Oyelade.

Division of Cyber Security

Mission Statement

The Division of Cyber Security oversees all aspects of cyber security related matters that affect the bulk power system. Monitor and participate in the development and review of Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) mandatory reliability standards, review and advise the Commission on filed cyber security reliability standards. Oversees compliance with the approved mandatory cyber security standards by the users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system. Assesses and advises whether new or modified cyber security reliability standards are required.

Functions

1. Monitor and participate in the NERC and Regional Entities (RE) reliability standards development process to help improve the quality of cyber security reliability standards proposed to the Commission.
2. Review proposed cyber security reliability standards to recommend whether the Commission should approve, remand, or direct NERC revise approved cyber security reliability standards or develop new standards; includes performing quantitative technical arguments supported by data and analysis, in collaboration with the Division of Engineering and Logistics.
3. Monitor NERC/REs compliance monitoring of users, owners, and/or operators of the bulk power system with the cyber security reliability standards; includes leading or participating in periodic and/or unscheduled reviews and audits of the NERC/REs, and users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system to determine the effectiveness of cyber security programs and compliance with cyber security reliability standards.
4. Monitor, in conjunction with Office of Enforcement (OE), NERC/REs compliance enforcement of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system with the cyber security reliability standards; includes tracking and reviewing all cyber security alleged violations, mitigation plans, and Notices of Penalty.
5. Conduct, with the OE, cyber security compliance audits of users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system, independent of, or in partnership with, the NERC/REs.
6. Perform analysis of bulk power system events, notifications, requests, or complaints in partnership with OE, as appropriate, to assess adequacy of cyber security reliability standards; includes compliance and/or alleged violations, identification of gaps, and opportunities to strengthen.
7. Perform analysis of cyber security events, or of other information, in collaboration with NERC/REs, to identify and inform users, owners, and operators of the bulk power system of cyber security vulnerabilities.
8. Coordinate with the Office of Energy Infrastructure and Security (OEIS), Office of Energy Projects (OEP), Office of the General Counsel - General and Administrative Law (GAL), applicable Federal agencies, the NERC/REs, stakeholders, and academia on current and emerging cyber security related issues.
9. Outreach with applicable Federal agencies, the NERC/REs, stakeholders, academia, and vendors to explore, develop, and implement procedures and/or CIP reliability standards to protect the cyber security of the bulk power system.
10. Assess whether cyber security reliability standards are adequate and whether new or modified cyber security reliability standards are needed based on its oversight of standards development, implementation and compliance, and its assessment of BPS security and emerging security requirements.
11. Support as necessary, the other divisions' activities and requirements.

Division of Cyber Security is led by Director Cynthia Pointer and Deputy Director Alan Herd.
 

Division of Engineering and Logistics

Mission Statement

The Division of Engineering and Logistics analyzes, monitors and addresses issues concerning the nation's bulk power system performance. It monitors the bulk power system in real-time, providing assessments of events. It also performs longer-term assessments of resource adequacy and reliability. Actively provides technical support and leadership as part of reviewing reliability-related actions occurring throughout the Commission, with a focus on evaluating relevant engineering subject matter and potential reliability impacts to the bulk power system. Support NERC oversight through reviewing the annual budget, following stakeholder processes, reviewing NERC assessments, and processing other non-standards related NERC filings and matters.  Executes Simultaneous Transmission Import Limit analysis in line with Commission requirements for market evaluation.

Functions

1. Oversee review of non-standards related NERC activities, including the business plan and budget, the five-year performance assessment, Rules of Procedure changes, among others. Coordinate staff oversight and review of NERC guidelines, lessons learned, and other non-regulatory activities.
2. Review electric rate filings to determine those with reliability implications. Actively support Office of Energy Market Regulation-led teams, making certain that such filings are evaluated for their reliability/engineering aspects and potential impacts to the bulk power system.
3. Lead technical and engineering analyses for input into electric orders in order to meet the Commission's goal of protecting and improving the reliability of the bulk power system.
4. Validate simultaneous transmission import limit studies related to FPA Section 205 market-based rate applications and FPA Section 203 merger applications.
5. Provide technical analysis and support to the Office of Enforcement (OE) in reviewing and analyzing transmission issues resulting from hotline calls and investigations.
6. Monitor and participate in regional and interregional planning processes to determine if proposed and approved projects are sufficient to meet reliability requirements.
7. Provide support to the Office of Energy Projects for the invocation of backstop siting authority when required.
8. Oversee the NERC's resource adequacy assessments to identify and investigate constraints on the bulk power system.
9. Provide the Commission with informed analysis of the bulk power system's real-time operations and planning studies through the review of NERC seasonal and long-term studies and through independent analysis.
10. Operate a 24/7 emergency message notification system to monitor the integrity of the bulk power system and provide timely information to the Commission during emergencies, system disturbances involving natural or other causes.
11. Coordinate fact-gathering analyses of events and disturbances prior to event analyses or compliance investigations.
12. Provide the Commission with informed analysis of emerging reliability issues.
13. Participate in industry meetings that manage, define and contribute to the NERC guidelines development process.
14. Support as necessary, the other divisions' activities and requirements.

Division of Engineering and Logistics is led by Director Mark Hegerle and Deputy Director Ed Gross.