As part of its Inverter-Based Resource Strategy, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) just announced that it is making efforts to identify and address challenges associated with inverter-based resources (IBR), as a result of the penetration of these resources continuing to increase.

ERO Enterprise (part of NERC) assessments identified a reliability gap associated with the increasing integration of IBRs as part of the grid in which a significant level of bulk power system-connected IBR owners and operators are not yet required to register with NERC or adhere to its Reliability Standards.

In response, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order in 2022 directing NERC to identify and register owners and operators of currently unregistered bulk power system-connected IBRs. “Working closely with industry and stakeholders, NERC is executing a FERC-approved work plan to achieve the identification and registration directive by 2026,” said NERC.

In Phase 1 of the project, NERC worked with the Regional Entities to develop potential “Rules of Procedure” revisions to address registration of owners and operators of unregistered IBRs that have an aggregate, material impact. The proposed revisions, which were approved by NERC’s Board of Trustees in February 2024 and are being submitted to FERC in early March, would result in materially impactful IBRs becoming subject to NERC’s Reliability Standards, commensurate to the amount of bulk power system-impactful synchronous resources currently subject to these standards.

This proposal addresses revisions to NERC registration process rules. However, additional projects will focus on the standards development process as NERC Reliability Standards are updated consistent with FERC directives under Order 901.

NERC is launching several initiatives to ensure that industry and stakeholders are kept informed throughout this critical, three-phase project:

1 – IBR Registration Initiative Quick Reference Guide: This visual dashboard will allow stakeholders to easily locate key project updates and resource documents and will be updated regularly.

2 — Quarterly Updates: To further facilitate transparency and alignment, NERC will produce a quarterly progress report that will be posted and shared publicly, and the link added to the IBR Registration Initiative Quick Reference Guide, as well as to the Registration web page.

3 – Additional Resources and Training Material: As needs are identified, additional fact sheets and educational materials will be produced to integrate new entrants into the broader ERO Enterprise model.

“System events over the past six years have shown that these resources are impacting the reliability of the bulk power system,” said Howard Gugel, vice president of compliance assurance and registration at NERC. “It is imperative that we register these resources and modify applicable Reliability Standards to establish operating expectations.”

As the ERO, NERC recognizes the critical importance of ensuring identified entities are integrated smoothly and educated on the scope and role of the ERO Enterprise model. “NERC is committed to overseeing an effective, informed transition to maintain grid stability and reliability, ensure a strong security posture from this growing sector, and achieve a resilient power system capable of meeting 21st Century energy demands,” said NERC. “NERC’s efforts in this area are reflected in its 2024 work plan priorities, which strive to keep NERC at the forefront of the transformation by focusing on four key areas: Energy, Security, Agility and Sustainability.”