Silicon Valley Power (SVP) (NCR05392) TOP Certification
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Silicon Valle y Pow e r (SVP ) (NCR05392) TOP Certification June 11, 2012 Site Visit Conducted December 13-14, 2011 3353 Peachtree Road NE Suite 600, North Tower Atlanta, GA 30326 404-446-2560 | www.nerc.com Table of Contents Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................ii Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Certification Team (CT) ................................................................................................................... 2 Objective and Scope ....................................................................................................................... 3 Overall Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 4 Positive Observations ..................................................................................................................... 5 Company History ............................................................................................................................. 6 Corporate .................................................................................................................................... 6 Transmission System .................................................................................................................. 7 Company Details – Operating Facility ............................................................................................. 8 Control Center ............................................................................................................................ 8 SCADA System ............................................................................................................................. 8 Documentation List ......................................................................................................................... 9 Public Viewing ............................................................................................................................. 9 Separated from the Report ......................................................................................................... 9 Attachment I ................................................................................................................................. 10 Certification Team Personnel ................................................................................................... 10 SVP Personnel ........................................................................................................................... 10 ii Rev 0 - Silicon Valley Power (SVP) TOP Certification – December 2011 Introduction Introduction This report presents the results of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council’s (WECC) efforts to endorse Silicon Valley Power (SVP) (NCR05392) as a Transmission Operator (TOP) certified by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). TOPs have a primary responsibility for maintaining the real-time reliability of the local transmission system, and operate, or direct the operations of, the transmission facilities. Acceptable reliability levels can be maintained only if the TOPs (and other entities that make up the Interconnection) function in accordance with good operating practices and reliability criteria, including the planning and operating standards as defined by the NERC Reliability Standards. Good operating practices include, but are not limited to, full compliance with the NERC Reliability Standards without regard to economic consideration, or burdening neighboring systems. This report follows the guidelines set forth in the NERC Rules of Procedure (ROP) Section 500 and Appendix 5A regarding the content of the certification final report. 1 Rev 0 - Silicon Valley Power (SVP) TOP Certification – December 2011 Certification Team (CT) Certifica tion Tea m (CT) Following notification of SVP’s registration as a TOP, a Certification Team was formed and a review date was selected to perform an on-site visit to them. The team rosters for members of both the CT and the SVP teams are listed in Attachment I. Rev 0 - Silicon Valley Power (SVP) TOP Certification – December 2011 2 Objective and Scope Objective and Scope The objective of this review was to assess SVP processes, procedures, and tools that allow them to perform the function of a TOP. The scope of the review included: (1) Interviewing SVP management and reviewing pertinent documentation for verification of basic requirements for TOP operation; (2) reviewing procedures, and other documentation developed by SVP to meet the applicable standards/ requirements; (3) interviewing SVP system operations personnel; (4) reviewing SVP primary facilities’ capabilities where the TOP functions are controlled, Energy Management System (EMS), communication facilities, operator displays, etc. and (5) performing other validation reviews as considered necessary. The on-site section of the review was held at the control center on December 13-14, 2011. 3 Rev 0 - Silicon Valley Power (SVP) TOP Certification – December 2011 Overall Conclusion Overa ll Conclusion The certification process was completed in accordance with the NERC Rules of Procedure to determine if SVP has the necessary tools, processes, and procedures to perform the function as a NERC-certified TOP. SVP presented to the CT the necessary SVP’s evidence for its review as it relates to the applicable standards/requirements. Because of this review, the CT has reasonable assurance that SVP has the tools, processes, and procedures in place to reliably perform the TOP function. Therefore, the TOP Certification Team recommends to WECC that they approve certification of SVP as a NERC-certified TOP. Additionally, although not required as part of the certification process and without a review of the SFPUC’s internal compliance program (which SVP would be required to follow), the CT found that, in practice; SVP has a strong internal culture of compliance. SVP demonstrated dedication to achieve compliance to the NERC Reliability Standards and to provide reliability to the bulk power system. SVP was officially registered and approved by WECC and NERC as a TOP on May 27, 2011. The CT found the SVP’s operators to be equipped with the necessary operating tools and prepared to take on the TOP operations. All SVP’s operators that perform TOP functions are NERC-certified. Rev 0 - Silicon Valley Power (SVP) TOP Certification – December 2011 4 Positive Observations Positive Observa tions The CT observed the following to be noted as positives in recommending certification of SVP as a TOP: • SVP is currently in the process of establishing SCADA functionality in its Back-up-Control center. • SVP has safeguarded its information system regarding “flash drive” use and it requires their IT department to authorize any memory sticks prior to insertion into corporate equipment. • SVP’s departmental positions have been thoughtfully considered and filled by highly qualified, experience and skilled personnel who take their role as TOP seriously. • The SVP staff strives to ensure that all documents are properly signed, dated and reviewed annually as required. • The SVP staff utilize Government Emergency Telecommunication Service (GETS) card and it is the preferred use in case of an event. • SVP has a robust communication system. • SVP’s use of the “SharePoint” system helps its operators find tools that they need quickly and easily. 5 Rev 0 - Silicon Valley Power (SVP) TOP Certification – December 2011 Company History Company History Corporate On July 23, 1896, the Town of Santa Clara, California’s Board of Town Trustees ordered the creation of a municipal electric utility. The Town of Santa Clara went to work creating a lighting plant consisting of forty-six (46) 2,000-candlepower direct current lamps and a small dynamo (or electric generator). At the end of October 1896, the electric utility formally entered into service. By 1903, the Town of Santa Clara was outgrowing its system and invested $5,000 to convert from direct current to alternating current—today's industry standard. This switch led to the abandonment of the dynamo. Upon the switch, the Town of Santa Clara became a wholesale power customer of the United Gas and Electric Company of San Jose and, for the next sixty-two years, the utility purchased all its electric power from investor-owned utilities. In 1965, “Silicon Valley” began its launch into the high-tech era. After receiving an allocation of power from the Federal Central Valley Project, the utility was able to begin to diversify its resources, and, on June 12, 1968, the City of Santa Clara became a charter member of the newly formed Northern California Power Agency (NCPA). Throughout the following years, Santa Clara worked with the NCPA on behalf of all municipal electric utilities of Northern California. Together they tried to gain access to wholesale transmission markets and to jointly develop cost-effective electric generation resources to meet their growing demand. Santa Clara’s electric utility changed once again in 1980 when Santa Clara launched its 6- megawatt (MW) Cogen No. 1 power plant, making it a generating utility for the first time in seventy-three years. In 1983, the 110-megawatt NCPA Geothermal Project entered service with Santa Clara holding a 55% participation share. In 2005, Santa Clara