2017 Bulletin Index - May to August

May to August

Business System Update - Reminder

Posted on August 29, 2:40 p.m.

Further to the bulletin posted on August 22, this is a reminder that on August 30, between 7:00 am to 11:00 am PPT, BC Hydro will be updating one of its business systems (MODS) in the Production environment. We don’t anticipate there to be scheduling issues for our OATT customers.  However, please contact Brenda Ambrosi at 604-455-4203 if you experience any issues.

NAESB Electronic Tagging (eTag) Specification Version 1.8.3 Implementation Plan & Timeline

Posted August 28, 3:00 p.m.

Since the implementation of e-Tag 1.8.3 changes impacts both the Electric Industry Registry (EIR) and tagging, and in an effort to provide the industry sufficient time for transitioning eTags from one version to another, the roll out of version 1.8.3 is planned in three phases as follows:

Phase 1: Availability of EIR functionality to support the Market Operator Role

EIR functionality to support the registration of Market Operators became available on May 2, 2017.

As part of this phase, industry participants could register under the Market Operator role in the EIR and the EIR started publishing the Market Operator registry data. All eTags created during this phase are 1.8.2 eTags, and market adjusts from BAs/TSPs registered as market operators in the EIR via the legacy flag still continued to work. This phase was intended to provide Market Operators sufficient time to register under the Market Operator role in the EIR.

Phase 2: eTag v1.8.3 Implementation – October 10, 22:00 PT (00:00 CT)

Vendors will enable the new eTag version at the Implementation Date. eTags created prior to the cut-over will be 1.8.2 eTags and will work as they do today. eTags created at and after the cut-over will be 1.8.3 eTags and will behave as per the 1.8.3 changes functionality changes described below; these e-Tags may optionally have Market Operators listed on them; however, if present, these Market Operators will be required to approve eTags and will have the ability to perform market adjusts on these e-Tags.

If there is a need to roll back, a decision must be made within 30 minutes, and the roll back must be complete no later than one hour after the Implementation Date. In the event of a roll back, the eTags created after the cut-over, up to the point of roll back must be terminated. eTag vendors shall configure their authority services to automatically terminate any outstanding 1.8.3 eTags.

Phase 3: eTag v1.8.2 Retirement – November 6, 22:00 PT (00:00 CT)

With a successful transition to eTag 1.8.3, all remaining 1.8.2 eTags should be terminated, and a new 1.8.3 version of the eTag created by the Tag Author no later than the 1.8.2 Retirement Date. Vendors will work with end users to provide the ability to determine which eTags are using version 1.8.2 of the eTag Specification. Tag Authors will be responsible for recreating the tags. Recreation of the tags may be made at any time between the 1.8.3 Implementation Date and the 1.8.2 Retirement Date.

eTag vendors shall configure the Authority Services to automatically terminate any outstanding eTags using the 1.8.2 Specification on 1.8.2 Retirement Date (these would be eTags created prior to the Implementation Date). This termination shall be entered seven days prior to the Retirement Date to ensure customers are provided ample notice. Outstanding 1.8.2 eTags will receive termination request with a comment on the tag that the termination is due to the retiring 1.8.2 specification. The specific verbiage of the comment field will be as follows:

This tag is using 1.8.2. It will be terminated on November 6, 2017 at 00:00 CST. Please create a new tag if needed.

Electronic Tagging (eTag) Specification Version 1.8.3 Functionality Description

Version 1.8.3 of the eTag specification formally introduces the Market Operator (MO) role as a participant on eTags. As part of this change, the market operator function of BAs and TSPs, which allows them to perform market adjusts, is now moved under this new role. In order to support this new role, the following changes were made to the eTag specification:

•  Changes to eTag Agent Services
  • Agent Services are now required to provide the functionality of adding a valid market operator to the physical path of eTags.
•  Changes to eTag Authority Services:
  • Authority Services are now required to perform additional validation on eTag creation requests containing market operators to ensure that they contain the correct BA/TSP association as registered in the NAESB EIR.
  • Authority Services must now ensure that eTag creation requests are distributed to the Approval Service of the Market Operator(s) should they be present on an eTag.
  • Authority Services must now ensure that the approval state of a Market Operator impacted by a correction is reset and the correction is distributed to the Approval Service of the Market Operator.
  • Authority Services are now required to support market adjusts from Market Operators on an eTag, and they must no longer support market adjusts from BAs or TSPs on the eTag.
• Changes to eTag Approval Services:
  • Approval Services are now required to provide the approval functionality for Market Operators. The Market Operator role will have similar approval windows to the other agent types.
• Changes to the EIR:
  • EIR will have new code role for Market Operator. Entities that serve as a Market Operator will need to register for this role.
  • Legacy Market Operator flag of the BA, TSP, and PSE registration will be removed.

OATT Amendments and Business Practices Changes to Facilitate Transactions with the CAISO EIM

Posted on August 25, 4:30 p.m.

BC Hydro advises that it intends to file an Application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) to amend the dynamic scheduling provisions of its Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT). The dynamic scheduling provisions of the OATT are included as: section 3.1 – Scheduling, System Control and Dispatch Service; and Attachment Q‑1 – Dynamic Scheduling. The approved provisions of the OATT permit dynamic scheduling of exports using firm transmission reservation priority.

BC Hydro is issuing this bulletin to consult on the following proposed amendments to its OATT and to certain of its OATT business practices:

• Amendments to Attachment Q-1 to the OATT that expand dynamic scheduling to imports and use on Non-Firm Point-To-Point and Network Integration Transmission Service (NITS), which includes Network Economy Service;
• A new Attachment Q-6 to the OATT that will provide a zero priority scheduling option for participants in the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) Energy Imbalance Market (EIM);
• An amendment to section 3.1 of the OATT to reflect the scheduling option provided in Attachment Q-6;
• Amendments to business practices related to implementing dynamic and EIM scheduling.

The proposed amendments to the OATT are described further below and the proposed tariff language is attached to this bulletin.  Subject to the feedback received during this consultation, BC Hydro plans to file an Application with the Commission in October 2017 seeking approval of these amendments.

Expansion of Dynamic Scheduling under Attachment Q-1

Attachment Q-1 of the OATT currently permits transmission customers to schedule dynamically only on the export path and only using firm transmission service.  BC Hydro is considering amendments to Attachment Q-1 to enable transmission customers to schedule dynamically on both import and export paths and to allow dynamic scheduling on any transmission service, including Firm and Non-Firm Point-To-Point Transmission Service, and NITS which includes Network Economy Service.  BC Hydro is also considering housekeeping amendments to reorganize and simplify the terms of Attachment Q-1, clarify the availability of dynamic scheduling, and to update the language to reflect current industry practice.

The exchange of energy between regions in the WECC interconnection has normally been managed with scheduled transfers that remain constant for one hour or 15-minute intervals.  Dynamic scheduling allows for the exchange of energy between regions that can change continuously through each hour, rather than remain constant.  Dynamic scheduling was first incorporated into the OATT on a permanent basis in 2006 upon Commission approval of Attachment O (now Attachment Q-1), as proposed in British Columbia Transmission Corporation’s Dynamic Scheduling Application.  At that time, dynamic scheduling was relatively new in the industry, and was implemented to allow Transmission Customers to participate in the CAISO’s market. It was contemplated that dynamic schedules would be limited to exports on firm transmission service, which were the requirements for participation in CAISO’s market.

Since 2006, dynamic scheduling has become more prevalent in the industry and markets have evolved.  Notably, dynamic scheduling is widely used in the CAISO’s EIM.[1]  CAISO’s EIM is a voluntary organized market platform in the WECC interconnection for the real-time wholesale purchase and sale of imbalance energy.  Developed and operated by the CAISO, the EIM currently facilitates the efficient dispatch of generation resources within each participating Balancing Authority Area (BAA), as well as 15-minute and 5-minute transfers between participating BAAs. Participation in CAISO’s EIM 5-minute transfer market is conducted through dynamic schedules, both imports and exports, and on a variety of transmission reservation priorities including Non-Firm Point-To-Point and NITS.

While BC Hydro will not become a participant in the EIM, its subsidiary Powerex, also a Transmission Customer under the OATT, has executed a participation agreement with the CAISO and is scheduled to enter the EIM in April 2018.

BC Hydro is proposing amendments to Attachment Q-1 to expand dynamic scheduling service to include imports, and for use on Non-Firm Point-To-Point Transmission Service, and NITS.  The amended Attachment Q-1 would allow all eligible Transmission Customers to dynamically schedule between BC Hydro and other Balancing Authority Areas, where dynamic scheduling is available and within system limitations. 

BC Hydro’s proposed amendments to Attachment Q-1 also include amendments to update and simplify the tariff language.  These amendments include:

• housekeeping amendments to reorganize and simplify the terms of Attachment Q-1, including removing technical implementation details that are more appropriately addressed in business practices or operating orders;
• amendments to clarify the availability of dynamic scheduling;
• updated tariff language to reflect current industry practice, such as using defined terms from NERC’s Glossary of Terms.

Attached to this bulletin is a Concordance Table comparing the approved Attachment Q-1 with an explanation of each change.

Dynamic Schedules and the Calculation of Network Economy Service Utilization

Given evolving energy markets, such as the CAISO’s EIM, BC Hydro’s proposed expansion of dynamic scheduling would facilitate intra-hour schedules (i.e. schedules of 15, 30 or 45 minutes) and dynamic schedules on Network Economy Service.  This expanded use of Network Economy Service will be consistent with the terms of the 2006 Negotiated Settlement Agreement for Network Economy Service approved by BCUC Order G-127-06 (NSA).  The key elements of the NSA are: 1) an economic test to ensure Network Economy Service is used when imports can economically displace generation; 2) a utilization test to ensure Network Economy Service reservations are scheduled upon and not used for blocking access by point-to-point customers; and 3) provision of various reports for transparency purposes.  As neither intra-hour scheduling[2] nor dynamic scheduling[3] was available for Network Economy Service at the time the NSA was implemented, BC Hydro needs to adjust how it is implementing the utilization test to accurately account for this use of Network Economy Service. 

The utilization test required by the NSA compares the volume of Network Economy Service reservations to the volume of energy scheduled on those reservations.  For ease of implementation, BC Hydro has been calculating the utilization of Network Economy Service by comparing the volume of transmission reservations to the average scheduled energy in a given hour.  This implementation of the utilization test does not accurately measure utilization where there are intra-hour or dynamic schedules.  To accurately measure utilization consistent with the NSA, BC Hydro will calculate utilization of Network Economy Service as follows:

• For static schedules (i.e. non-dynamic schedules), BC Hydro will compare the volume of a Network Economy Service reservation to the peak energy volume scheduled over an hour.  This will accurately account for intra-hour energy schedules and hourly energy schedules on the Network Economy Service reservation, both of which require transmission capacity to be made available for the scheduling hour.
• For dynamic schedules, BC Hydro will compare the volume of a Network Economy Service reservation to the Transmission Allocation indicated on the eTag. This will accurately account for EIM transfers, which require transmission capacity to be made available for the scheduling hour for use, as required, by EIM participants.

The use of the Transmission Allocation on the eTag for dynamic schedules is consistent with operating practices.  Prior to the operating hour, dynamic schedules only provide an estimate of possible energy that may be dispatched.  Since energy can be dispatched and can flow up to the full Transmission Allocation on the eTag, BC Hydro relies upon the Transmission Allocation on the eTag to indicate the maximum flow that may occur for a dynamic schedule.  BC Hydro currently performs reliability curtailments based on the expected maximum use in the operating hour for dynamic and capacity service schedules. This practice avoids multiple curtailment or reload situations as the dynamic schedule may change on a real time basis (i.e. every 4 to 8 seconds).

With the above changes, BC Hydro’s calculation of the utilization of Network Economy Service will remain consistent with the NSA, while accurately accounting for intra-hour and dynamic schedules.

EIM Scheduling under OATT Attachment Q-6 (New)

BC Hydro is considering a new OATT Attachment Q-6 - EIM Scheduling, which will give eligible Transmission Customers the ability to schedule EIM transactions using their own unused capacity at the lowest transmission curtailment priority (first to be curtailed) at no additional cost.  These schedules would not decrement Available Transfer Capability (ATC) that is offered for higher priority transmission services (i.e. would have no impact to ATC).  This scheduling option would be available on Point-To-Point Service Agreements and Network Integration Transmission Service Agreements. 

For Network Customers, the scheduling would be on an available basis.  As the schedules would have the lowest curtailment priority and would have no impact on ATC, they would not be considered in the economic or utilization tests implemented by the NSA.

To implement this Attachment, Section 3.1 of the OATT would also be amended to indicate the Transmission Provider will provide the energy imbalance market scheduling option in accordance with Attachment Q-6.

Feedback

Please provide your thoughts on any or all of the changes identified above and in the attached documents to Brenda Ambrosi by September 15, 2017.  Feedback may be included in BC Hydro’s Application, which BC Hydro anticipates filing with the Commission in October 2017.  If after reviewing the attached documents, you believe a meeting would be helpful, please state this in your feedback.  If a meeting is desirable, it will be held after feedback is received and announced in another bulletin.

Attachments

• OATT Attachment Q-1 clean and blacklined versions
• Concordance Table for Amendments to Attachment Q-1
• OATT Attachment Q-6 (new)
• Submitting Energy Schedules Business Practice, clean and blacklined versions
• Curtailment of Transmission and Energy Business Practice, blacklined version
• OATT Section 3.1, blacklined version

[1] https://www.westerneim.com/Pages/JoinEIM.aspx.

[2] BC Hydro implemented intra-hour scheduling in June 2011.

[3] Dynamic has been limited to exports. 

Extended Windows for Labour Day

Posted on August 24, 12:00 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 153 KB] for purchasing transmission for Labour Day, Monday September 4, 2017.

Business System Update

Posted on August 22, 1:35 p.m.

On August 30, 2017 between 7:00 am to 11:00 am, BC Hydro will be updating one of its business systems (MODS) in the Production environment. We don’t anticipate there to be scheduling issues for our OATT customers. However, please contact Brenda Ambrosi at 604-455-4203 if you experience any issues.

Sharing of Real Time Data in Emergency Situation

Posted on July 21, 5:45 p.m. 

Due to an emergency situation as a result of the wildfires in BC, real time data will be provided to generation Marketing Function Employees (MFEs), as identified under Standards of Conduct, so that these MFEs can keep customers' load connected to the grid.  

Extended Windows for New Month and Independence Day

Posted on June 21, 12:35 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 184 KB] for purchasing transmission for the new month starting Saturday, July 1, and Independence Day Tuesday, July 4, 2017.

Loss Compensation Results - June 01, 2017

Posted on May 31, 9:15 a.m.

BC Hydro is experiencing technical difficulties which has impacted the posting of the Loss Compensation Actuals for June 01, 2017 [XLS, 24 KB].  Therefore we are posting the results to lessen the inconvenience to customers.  We are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

Extended Windows for Memorial Day

Posted on May 12, 12:08 p.m.

BC Hydro is pleased to visually clarify the opening of extended windows [PDF, 169 KB] for purchasing transmission for Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, 2017.

5L92 Outage to be Recalled

Posted on May 2, 8:45 a.m.

Due to market conditions, the 5L92 outage will be recalled shortly.  It will be rescheduled for completion at a later date.  Consequently, TTC will be updated accordingly on OASIS.