Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk-Power System

The Commission denies rehearing and otherwise reaffirms its determinations in Order No. 693. 72 FR 16,416 (April 4, 2007). We further clarify certain portions of the Preamble to that order. Order No. 693 approved 83 of 107 proposed Reliability Standards, six of the eight proposed regional differences, and the Glossary of Terms Used in Reliability Standards developed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which the Commission has certified as the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) responsible for developing and enforcing mandatory Reliability Standards. Order No. 693 also required the ERO to submit significant improvements to 56 of the 83 Reliability Standards that are being approved as mandatory and enforceable. Finally, Order No. 693 provided that the remaining 24 Reliability Standards will remain pending at the Commission until further information is provided. Order No. 693 adds a new part to the Commission's regulations, which states that this part applies to all users, owners and operators of the Bulk-Power System within the United States (other than Alaska or Hawaii) and requires that each Reliability Standard identify the subset of users, owners and operators to which that particular Reliability Standard applies. The new regulations also require that each Reliability Standard that is approved by the Commission will be maintained on the ERO's Internet website for public inspection.