Resource Demand Balancing

Question 1

When a time error correction is implemented, the scheduled system frequency is off-set by how many Hz?

a. .02
b. .05
c. .2
d. .01

Answer 1

a. .02

Question 2

You are operating on a hot summer day when the system is near record loads, you receive a report that severe thunder storms and rain are coming into your area, if the heavy rain occurs, what would be the expected impact on your system load?

a. System load should decrease
b. System load should remain unchanged
c. System load would remain the same, but voltages would drop
d. System load should increase

Answer 2

System load should decrease

Question 3

In order for a generator to qualify as spinning reserve, it must be:

a. A non-nuclear facility
b. Synchronized to the system
c. Able to attain its full output within 15 minutes
d. Larger than 25 MW

Answer 3

b. Synchronized to the system

Question 4

During a system emergency, the Balancing Authority and Transmission operator shall immediately take action to restore the _____ power balance.

a. Scheduled and actual
b. Generation and interchange
c. Real and reactive
d. Static and dynamic

Answer 4

c. Real and reactive

Question 5

What type of reserve must an operator maintain in order for the Balancing Area to meet the normal load fluctuations that occur?

a. Regulating
b. Contingency
c. Dynamic
d. Operating

Answer 5

a. Regulating

Question 6

If a Balancing Area’s ACE is currently indicating -65 MW, what should the AGC be doing?

a. Nothing, since the ACE within the L10
b. Pulsing generators up
c. Pulsing generators down
d. Starting all quick-start generation

Answer 6

b. Pulsing generators up

Question 7

In order for a generator to qualify as regulating reserve it must have which of the following characteristics?

a. Generator must be synchronized, and its governor blocked
b. Generator must be off-line and available in 10 minutes
c. Generator must be synchronized, and its governor not blocked
d. Generator must be at least 100 MW and synchronized to the system

Answer 7

c. Generator must be synchronized, and its governor not blocked

Question 8

During summer, the forecasted load is represented with the blue curve and the actual load is represented by the red curve. What would be a logical reason for the difference?

a. More electric cars were being charged
b. Weather provided less humidity than forecasted
c. Load shedding was implemented throughout the operating day
d. Forecasted load was based on cooler temperatures

Answer 8

b. Weather provided less humidity than forecasted

Question 9

Who is responsible for the tagging of all bilateral inadvertent interchange payback?

a. Sink balancing authority
b. Source purchasing-selling entity
c. Sink purchasing-selling entity
d. Source balancing authority

Answer 9

a. Sink balancing authority

Question 10

NERC Standards require that a balancing authority have enough reserves on the system to meet which of the following performance standards?

1. DCS
2. AIE
3. CPS
4. BAAL

a. 2, 3, & 4
b. 1, 2, & 3
c. 1, 2, & 4
d. 1, 3, & 4

Answer 10

d. 1, 3, & 4

Question 11

Define “Reportable Balancing contingency event”

Answer 11

An event within a one-minute interval of an initial sudden decline in ACE that results in a loss of MW output less than or equal to the MSSC, and greater than or equal to 80% of the Most Severe Single Contingency (Or amount listed in the chart for each interconnection) So, loss of 80-100% in 1 min

Question 12

ACE should be available at least ______% each year

Answer 12

95.5%

Question 13

What entity is responsible for transmission priority, loss accounting, and the energy profile on a tag?

Answer 13

The PSE

Question 14

Why would an SVC be coupled with a wind farm?

Answer 14

Wind farms don’t inherently have AVRs, and even absorb reactive power. An Static VAR Compensator (SVC) can act as the AVR.

Question 15

T/F Underground transmission lines have less natural capacitance.

Answer 15

False. Underground lines have SIGNIFICANTLY MORE capacitance => much higher charging.

Question 16

What term is used for the amount of room kept for firm load for generation reliability requirements; and is only used in emergencies?

Answer 16

Capacity Benefit Margin (CBM)

Question 17

What is the Transmission Reliability Margin?

Answer 17

The amount set aside to ensure transmission reliability on a line

Question 18

What is the Available Transfer Capacity?

Answer 18

How much is left for commercial use.

ATC = TTC – Transmission commitments – CBM – Transmission Reliability Margin

Question 19

What would the tertiary winding on a transformer be used for?

Answer 19

Substation loads (charging batteries, recharging/operating breakers, etc)

Question 20

UFLS and UVLS must be done in at least what magnitude of MW blocks?

Answer 20

300mw (Underfrequency and undervoltage relays accomplish this without operator action)

Question 21

Which of the following statements about the Balancing standards is true?
A. DCS applies during normal and emergency conditions.
B. CPS1 applies during ONLY normal conditions.
C. DCS and CPS1 apply during emergency conditions
D. DCS is a percentage that is based on a rolling 12 month calendar average

Answer 21

C. DCS and CPS1 apply during emergency conditions

CPS1 applies during both normal and contingency conditions. DCS only applies during contingency conditions.

Question 22

BAAL may not be exceeded…
A. For more than 30 clock-minutes averages in a day.
B. For more than 1 clock-minute average.
C. For more than 30 consecutive clock-minutes.
D. For more than 15 consecutive clock-minutes.

Answer 22

C. For more than 30 consecutive clock-minutes.

Question 23

A BAAL reading’s one-minute result is excluded if:
A. More than 50% of the samples in a clock-minute are not valid.
B. The result is greater than BAALhigh
C. 25% of the samples in a clock-minute are not valid.
D. The BA is providing overlap regulation service for another BA.

Answer 23

A. More than 50% of the samples in a clock-minute are not valid.

Question 24

Which of the following would represent the best generation control performance (in terms of frequency regulation for the interconnection) by a Balancing Authority?
A. ACE positive while the frequency error is positive
B. ACE negative while the frequency error is negative
C. ACE positive while the frequency error is zero
D. ACE positive while the frequency error is negative

Answer 24

D. ACE positive while the frequency error is negative

Question 25

If another balancing contingency event occurs before the end of the Contingency Reserve Restoration Period, how should the affected entity respond?
A. Focus on frequency regulation as the new balancing contingency event clears the entity of their responsibility to restore contingency reserves within 90 minutes.
B. Continue to restore contingency reserve, but this new event resets the 90 minute counter.
C. Continue to restore contingency reserve within the 90 minutes from the first balancing contingency event. The new event does not reset the clock.
D. Shed load to restore contingency reserve, as the new event requires this action.

Answer 25

B. Continue to restore contingency reserve, but this new event resets the 90 minute counter.

Question 26

If a BA doesn’t meet its DCS requirements, what is the penalty?
A. A set fine per BAL-002-3
B. Required to carry additional contingency reserves in the future.
C. Limited on the amount of Net Interchange Exports they may schedule.
D. There is no penalty.

Answer 26

B. Required to carry additional contingency reserves in the future.

Question 27

A reserve sharing group is considered in a DCS event when:
A. Any of its member experience a disturbance event and call for reserves.
B. Only when the MSSC occurs
C. When an event causes frequency to decline below 59.97
D. When an event causes islanding between the RSG’s BAs.

Answer 27

A. Any of its member experience a disturbance event and call for reserves.

Question 28

Which of the following is not a possible component of contingency reserves.
A.	Spinning Reserves
B.	Regulation Reserves
C.	Non-Spinning Reserves
D.	Interruptible Loads

Answer 28

C. Non-Spinning Reserves

Question 29

Generally speaking (unless specific agreements state otherwise), what percentage of contingency reserve should be made up of frequency responsive spinning reserve?
A. 25%
B. 50%
C. 75%
D. All contingency reserve must be spinning reserve.

Answer 29

B. 50%

Question 30

Your EMS support team is updating software which accidentally causes a complete crash of the BA’s AGC. What should the operator do?
A. Call operations management and await instructions.
B. Place all of the BA’s generators on droop.
C. Manually dispatch the BA’s generators to prevent IROLs and SOLs.
D. Increase generation to avoid becoming a burden on the interconnection.

Answer 30

. C. Manually dispatch the BA’s generators to prevent IROLs and SOLs.

Question 31

A power plant in your control area accidentally changes the governor from droop to isochronous control while at 50% total power. Immediately a large frequency disturbance drops frequency from 60 Hz to 59.93 Hz. How will the generator respond?
A. The generator will stay constant at 50% power.
B. The Generator will ramp up.
C. The generator will ramp down.
D. Not enough information given.

Answer 31

B. The Generator will ramp up.
The generator will ramp up because in isochronous control, it will seek to maintain 60 hz no matter what. Therefore, since frequency falls, it will try to increase frequency by increasing output.

Question 32

A power plant in your control area has their generator’s governor on 5% droop while at 50% total power, which is 400mw. A large frequency disturbance drops frequency from 60 Hz to 59.93 Hz. How will the generator respond?
A. The generator will stay constant at 50% power.
B. The Generator will ramp up.
C. The generator will ramp down.
D. Not enough information given.

Answer 32

B. The Generator will ramp up.
This quested has extra information which isn’t required to answer the question. Always make sure you know what the question is asking. There are no “trick” questions on the exam. Obviously, the droop will cause the unit to pick up load as f falls.

Question 33

Adjacent BAs are required to agree upon the total Actual Net Interchange MWHs and Scheduled Net Interchange MWHs on their connecting tie-lines.  How often must this be done?
A.	Hourly
B.	Daily
C.	Monthly
D.	Annually

Answer 33

B. Daily

Question 34

A Control Area is operating in constant net interchange control.  The Control Area has a bias of -100 MW/0.1 Hz and an NIS of 100 MW.  A fast time error correction is called by the Interconnection time error monitor.  If the Interconnection's scheduled frequency is 60 Hz initially, this Control Area would:
A.	Set Fs to 60.02 Hz
B.	Set Fs to 59.98 Hz
C.	Set NIs to 80 MW
D.	Set NIs to 120 MW

Answer 34

C. Set NIs to 80 MW

Question 35

Scheduled frequency is 59.98 Hz.  Current Frequency is 59.96 Hz. This is an indication that:
A.	Load is higher than generation.
B.	Generation is higher than load.
C.	A generator has recently tripped.
D.	A load pocket has recently tripped.

Answer 35

A. Load is higher than generation.

Question 36

What would be the effect if a BA’s bias setting is too low after a frequency disturbance that occurs outside of its control area?
A. ACE will indicate over generation, and AGC will then lower generation.
B. ACE will indicate under generation, and AGC will then raise generation
C. ACE will indicate over generation, and AGC will then continue to raise generation.
D. ACE will indicate under generation, and AGC will then continue to lower generation.

Answer 36

A. ACE will indicate over generation, and AGC will then lower generation.
Let’s say the FRC is 100mw/.1 Hz, but their B is set to -90mw/.1 Hz
Assume NIs = 1000mw Assume Fs = 60.00 Hz Assume Frequency drop to 59.90 Hz
ACE = (1100 – 1000) – (10)(-90)(59.90 – 60.0)
ACE = (100) + (900)(-.1)
ACE = 100 – 90 = 10 So ACE indicates over generation and AGC will pull generation down.

Question 37

Your AGC is erroneously causing erratic frequency.  At what point should the operator consider suspending AGC operations?
A.	Upon deviations greater than 1 Hz 
B.	Upon deviations greater than .5 Hz
C.	Upon deviations greater than .2 Hz
D.	Upon deviations greater than .1 Hz

Answer 37

C. Upon deviations greater than .2 Hz

Question 38

What is the result if your BA’s bias setting is too large (compared to the area’s actual FRC) and there is a loss of generation outside of your area?
A. ACE will indicate over generation, and AGC will then lower generation.
B. ACE will indicate under generation, and AGC will then raise generation
C. ACE will indicate over generation, and AGC will then continue to raise generation.
D. ACE will indicate under generation, and AGC will then continue to lower generation.

Answer 38

B. ACE will indicate under generation, and AGC will then raise generation

Question 39

Which Control Area is responsible for initiating the implementation of each Interchange Transaction as tagged?
A.	Sink BA
B.	Source BA
C.	All Wheel Through BAs
D.	This is the RC’s function

Answer 39

A. Sink BA

Question 40

When is an eTag NOT required before the start of flow across tie lines?
A. During EEA conditions
B. To replenish operating reserves
C. Both A and C
D. NERC always required eTag confirmation before any tie line flows.

Answer 40

C. Both A and C

Question 41

“BA A” has a 100 mw schedule to “BA B”, A 75 mw schedule to “BA C”, and a -250 mw schedule to “BA D.”  “BA A” currently has a NIa of -100mw.  What is BA A’s interchange error?
A.	75 mw
B.	-75 mw
C.	25 mw
D.	-25 mw

Answer 41

D. -25 mw

1st, Add up flows for NIs (-75). Interchange Error is (NIa – NIs), or -100 - -75 = -25mw

Question 42

Which entity will arrange for the transmission service in the eTag creation process?
A.	The sink BA
B.	The source BA
C.	The RC
D.	The selling PSE

Answer 42

D. The selling PSE
The PSE arranges for how much is sold, and buys the rights to transmission room from the TSP. The BA’s will then assess the transaction to make sure it all works and doesn’t affect reliability.