CIP-001-2a - Sabotage Reporting, ERCOT Regional Variance

Texas Reliability Entity Facilitator: Reliability Standards Manager 

The regional variance for CIP-001-2a – Sabotage Reporting was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in Docket No. RD11-6-000 on August 2, 2011. This regional variance is effective on October 1, 2011.

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This regional variance to NERC Standard CIP-001-1 - Sabotage Reporting, address a reliability gap identified by Texas Reliability Entity, Inc. (Texas RE) by adding Transmission Owners (TO) and Generation Owners (GO) to the types of functional entities that this standard applies to. As presently written, the continent-wide CIP-001-1 standard does not apply to entities registered as TO or GO, which often construct and maintain electrical facilities that are essential to the reliability of the bulk power system. This regional variance  ensures that all registered entities who have physical access and control over transmission and generation facilities are included in the applicability of CIP-001 in the ERCOT Region.

In the absence of this proposed revision, there is no requirement that all TO and GO personnel must have procedures and training for recognizing and communicating sabotage events. There is also no present requirement for providing those personnel with sabotage response guidelines. When NERC Project 2009-01 Disturbance and Sabotage Reporting is completed and approved, which is expected to add TO and GO to entities subject to the CIP-001 requirements, this regional variance will be terminated. 

The only changes to the standard are the addition of the TO and GO functions, and the removal of references to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  The Reliability Standards Committee (RSC) authorized the use of the urgent standards development process (described in the Texas RE Standards Development Process) for SAR-008.  The regional variance will only be applicable in the ERCOT Region, and it will be effective for one year from approval. 

Visit the Texas RE Mailing Lists  to sign up to receive information about standards activities, including draft standard commenting and ballot periods, status of regional standards, and formation of standard drafting teams.