Transmission

The transmission grid conveys electricity over a system of high-voltage electric lines that extends between electric generators and distribution companies. Since electric supply must equal demand for electricity in real time, it takes a high degree of coordination to ensure that at any given time the power fed into the grid equals the amount of power that is finally distributed to consumers. Otherwise, system failures and blackouts could occur.

North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) Electric Reliability Organization (ERO)
Historically, NERC supported transmission system reliability, planning, and coordination through voluntary standards. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized the formation of an independent electric reliability organization (ERO) that will create new mandatory and enforceable reliability standards for the interstate wholesale electric transmission system. The FERC will have oversight to enforce compliance among bulk system owners, operators, and users.

ReliabilityFirst Corporation (RFC)
ReliabilityFirst Corporation (RFC) is one of eight North American Regional Reliability Councils, approved by NERC as of January 1, 2006. RFC succeeds three former NERC Regional Reliability Councils: the Mid-Atlantic Area Council (MAAC), the East Central Area Coordination Agreement (ECAR), and the Mid-American Interconnected Network (MAIN). The configuration of RFC covers much of the expanded PJM geographic footprint. RFC signed a joint coordination agreement with the Midwest Reliability Organization – a fourth NERC region. The two councils will coordinate the development of regional standards for submission to the ERO.

PJM Interconnection
PJM is a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) that dispatches and coordinates the flow of bulk power across the District of Columbia and all or parts of 13 states: Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. PJM independently operates the wholesale electricity markets in its territory.

PJM consolidates the regional system’s transmission needs into a single coordinated plan to ensure bulk power electric supply adequacy and to provide a foundation for PJM’s wholesale energy and capacity markets. PJM recommends specific transmission facility enhancements and expansions that comply with applicable reliability standards, to satisfy economic planning requirements, to analyze generator and merchant transmission requests for interconnection, and to equitably allocate costs among parties for the system upgrades. PJM has a 5-year plan to undertake transmission upgrades, as well as a 15-year plan for upgrades to high voltage circuits (i.e., 230 kV and above) to take into account time frames required for right-of-way acquisitions and new transmission construction.

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