Reliability Primer
This primer provides an overview of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission?s (FERC?s) role in overseeing the reliable operation of the nation?s bulk power system, i.e., the interconnected electric grid. In order to understand FERC?s reliability program, it is useful to first understand the basic structure of how the bulk power system operates. Therefore, the primer begins with an explanation of fundamental concepts and functions related to power system operations. The primer then discusses FERC?s authority under section
215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) with regard to reliability and how FERC has implemented that authority, primarily focusing on
the oversight of the development and enforcement of mandatory ?Reliability Standards.? Reliability Standards impose requirements
on the users, owners and operators of the bulk power system to assure that they fulfill their responsibilities in reliable grid operations, consistent with the basic engineering functions and concepts discussed in the primer. Finally, the role of the FERC-certified electric reliability organization or ?ERO? and its relationship to FERC and electric industry stakeholders is discussed
Citation Formats
TY - DATA
AB - This primer provides an overview of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) role in overseeing the reliable operation of the nation’s bulk power system, i.e., the interconnected electric grid. In order to understand FERC’s reliability program, it is useful to first understand the basic structure of how the bulk power system operates. Therefore, the primer begins with an explanation of fundamental concepts and functions related to power system operations. The primer then discusses FERC’s authority under section
215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) with regard to reliability and how FERC has implemented that authority, primarily focusing on
the oversight of the development and enforcement of mandatory “Reliability Standards.” Reliability Standards impose requirements
on the users, owners and operators of the bulk power system to assure that they fulfill their responsibilities in reliable grid operations, consistent with the basic engineering functions and concepts discussed in the primer. Finally, the role of the FERC-certified electric reliability organization or “ERO” and its relationship to FERC and electric industry stakeholders is discussed
AU -
DB - C-MIX - Community Microgrid Information Exchange
DP - Open EI | National Laboratory of the Rockies
DO -
KW - Battery energy storage
KW - Solar
KW - Photovoltaics
KW - PV
KW - Diesel generators
KW - Other liquid-fuel generators
KW - Wind energy
KW - Maintenance and operations
KW - Operations
KW - Maintenance
KW - Commissioning
KW - Standards
KW - Interconnection
KW - Protection
KW - Utility integration
KW - Bulk-system Integration
KW - Policy and regulation
KW - Policy
KW - Regulation
LA - English
DA - 2020/04/23
PY - 2020
PB - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
T1 - Reliability Primer
UR - https://cmix.openei.org/submissions/219
ER -
. Reliability Primer. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 23 April, 2020, C-MIX - Community Microgrid Information Exchange. https://cmix.openei.org/submissions/219.
. (2020). Reliability Primer. [Data set]. C-MIX - Community Microgrid Information Exchange. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. https://cmix.openei.org/submissions/219
. Reliability Primer. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, April, 23, 2020. Distributed by C-MIX - Community Microgrid Information Exchange. https://cmix.openei.org/submissions/219
@misc{CMIX_Dataset_219,
title = {Reliability Primer},
author = {},
abstractNote = {This primer provides an overview of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission?s (FERC?s) role in overseeing the reliable operation of the nation?s bulk power system, i.e., the interconnected electric grid. In order to understand FERC?s reliability program, it is useful to first understand the basic structure of how the bulk power system operates. Therefore, the primer begins with an explanation of fundamental concepts and functions related to power system operations. The primer then discusses FERC?s authority under section
215 of the Federal Power Act (FPA) with regard to reliability and how FERC has implemented that authority, primarily focusing on
the oversight of the development and enforcement of mandatory ?Reliability Standards.? Reliability Standards impose requirements
on the users, owners and operators of the bulk power system to assure that they fulfill their responsibilities in reliable grid operations, consistent with the basic engineering functions and concepts discussed in the primer. Finally, the role of the FERC-certified electric reliability organization or ?ERO? and its relationship to FERC and electric industry stakeholders is discussed},
url = {https://cmix.openei.org/submissions/219},
year = {2020},
howpublished = {C-MIX - Community Microgrid Information Exchange, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, https://cmix.openei.org/submissions/219},
note = {Accessed: 2026-08-06}
}
Details
Data from Apr 23, 2020
Last updated Mar 30, 2026
Submitted Jun 2, 2026
Organization
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Contact
Office of Public Participation
Authors
Keywords
Battery energy storage, Solar, Photovoltaics, PV, Diesel generators, Other liquid-fuel generators, Wind energy, Maintenance and operations, Operations, Maintenance, Commissioning, Standards, Interconnection, Protection, Utility integration, Bulk-system Integration, Policy and regulation, Policy, Regulation