NERC Certification FAQs

Any entity that is or will be operating on the ERCOT bulk power system as a balancing authority (BA), reliability coordinator (RC), or transmission operator (TOP) is required to have North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) certification. In this section, find answers to frequently asked questions about the process. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Texas Reliability Entity, Inc. (Texas RE) NERC Certification .

Can a certified entity lose its certification?
There is no de-certification process. Once an entity achieves certification for a particular function, that certification will be valid for as long as the entity continues to perform that function.

To what type of entity does the NERC Provisional Certification procedure apply?
The NERC Provisional Certification Process applies to those entities that satisfy one of the following requirements:
1) Entities previously certified as a NERC Control Area;
2) Entities listed in the NERC Compliance Registry and currently operating as a balancing authority (BA), reliability coordinator (RC), and/or a transmission operator (TOP).

The intent of the NERC Provisional Certification Process is to serve as a short-term, transitional program with limited application to only those entities already in operation that have previously demonstrated, through their participation in other NERC programs, that they are capable of operating reliably.

What if my organization has already been certified by NERC as a Control Area? Will my organization need to be re-certified?
Those entities currently certified as a NERC Control Area will qualify for provisional certification per the NERC Provisional Certification Process. This provisional certification shall become a NERC certification once the entity has completed a NERC Readiness Evaluation and a Texas RE or NERC compliance audit. If the entity has previously completed both, then that entity will automatically be granted NERC certification.

My organization is not currently operating as a TOP, BA, or RC but plans to perform one or more of these functions in the future. What steps will we need to take in order to achieve the required NERC certification?
Entities that are not currently registered or operating as a TOP, BA, or RC will need to complete the certification process as described in Section 500 of the NERC Rules of Procedure and Appendix 5, the Organization Registration and Certification Manual, before performing any operations related to these functions.

It has been determined that my organization is already operating as a TOP but is not registered as such, due to a registration error. What process do I follow to achieve certification and correct my registration status?
Because your organization is currently operating and already performing functions related to a BA or TOP, the certification process is slightly different than that of a new or non-operational entity. In this case, the entity seeking certification will be asked to complete the appropriate certification questionnaire and return it to Texas RE for review. Texas RE may require additional information and/or a site visit based on their review of the submitted questionnaire. Once Texas RE has secured the necessary information, the entity will be registered, placed on the NERC Compliance Registry and receive its NERC certification. This process is discussed in Appendix 5 of the NERC Rules of Procedure.

What do I do if my organization requires certification and is located within more than one region?
For entities seeking certification in multiple NERC reliability regions, the entity shall initiate the certification processes by sending a certification application to each regional entity. The regional entities will work together to determine which region will lead the certification process. This process is discussed in Appendix 5 in the NERC Rules of Procedure.