PJM System Operator Certification & Training Requirements PJM State & Member Training Dept.

Transcription

1 PJM System Operator Certification & Training Requirements PJM State & Member Training Dept.

2 Certification Program & Requirements 2

3 Introduction The PJM System Operator Certification Program provides both the public and governmental sectors with a measure of confidence in the capabilities of the operations personnel within the PJM RTO to maintain the reliability of the bulk power electric system. Also, the Certification Program provides assurance to PJM and the Member Companies that the system operators who operate on the RTO have a demonstrated knowledge of PJM real-time operating requirements needed to maintain the integrity of the Markets and the system 3

4 Introduction Goals of the PJM Certification Program are to: Establish the requirements of system operators who operate on the PJM system Ensure reliable operation of the PJM RTO Protect the general public s welfare 4

5 Background Scope of Exams The PJM and NERC certification exams are not equivalent The NERC certification program is limited to tasks common to all Interconnections The PJM certification program can be specific about PJM policies and procedures (e.g., PJM manuals, etool applications, etc.) 5

6 PJM Certification Who? System operators who operate on the PJM system, are in direct communication with PJM dispatch, and who perform daily operationsrelated functions at PJM s direction during normal, emergency, and/ or restoration states. New MOC system operators have a maximum of 12 months to become certified after they begin operating on the PJM RTO systems During this 12 month period, if the operator is operating on the system and is not PJM-certified, they must work under direct supervision of a PJM Certified operator, either in person or via an on-call arrangement New Transmission Owner system operators must be PJM Transmission Certified prior to taking shift 6

7 NERC Certification Who? Any Transmission Owner Operator who is required to be PJM certified must also be NERC certified with one of the following credentials: Transmission Operator Certification Balancing and Interchange/Transmission Certification Reliability Coordinator Certification 7

8 PJM Certification Exemption Small Generation Plant Operators may request exemption from PJM Certification requirements if the following criteria is met: Operate a total of 75 MW or less of generation (nameplate capacity) within the PJM markets Do not actively participate in the Regulation or Synchronized Reserve markets Do not operate a Black-start unit Do not operate units identified as NERC CIP critical assets Do not operate BES facilities using RFC or SERC definitions of BES facilities Request for exemption should be sent to trainingsupport@pjm.com 8

9 PJM Certification Exemption Small Generation Plant Operators receiving exemption still have the following requirements to complete: Initial training to be completed within one year of participating in PJM Real-time operations including: Gen-101, Gen-201, Ops-101 (Content may be adjusted based on the individual company s training needs) Operators must successfully complete an Operator Readiness Final Exam on the content covered in these training courses Must meet the continuing training requirement of 24 CEH hours over a rolling 3-year period 9

10 Certification Exams Currently, there are two PJM Certification Exams: Generation: For operators who participate in real-time operations of the PJM system by dispatching generation resources and performing other generation-related realtime duties of a Market Operations Center Transmission: For operators who participate in real-time operations of the PJM transmission system and perform other transmission-related real-time duties of a Local Control Center There is no combination exam 10

11 There are no prerequisites required before a candidate applies for the PJM certification exam Completion of one or more of the following PJM training programs is recommended: Current Courses: Fundamentals of Transmission Operations (FOTO) Generation/Operations 101 Annual PJM System Operator Seminars PJM Emergency Preparedness Drills PJM System Restoration Drills Legacy Courses: Interconnection Training Program Transmission/Operations 101 Prerequisites 11

12 PJM Certification Exam Development PJM Certification follows good practices of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies Professionally sound and legally defensible Fair, Valid, and Reliable Each question is linked to a specific task Each question is written to a specific cognitive level Recall: identify facts, terms, definitions Application: determine answer by established method such as a formula Analysis: given conditions, determine best action 12

13 PJM Certification Exam Development Each examination consists of 110 multiple-choice questions 90 questions are official and count toward the exam 20 questions are unofficial and are being piloted for future use 13

14 Content Outlines Generation Generation Control and Performance Emergency Operations Operations Planning and Scheduling Computer/Telecommunications Systems Reporting Transmission System Reliability Coordination Emergency Operations Operations Planning and Scheduling Computer/Telecommunications Systems Reporting 14

15 Resource Documents PJM Manuals Based on the PJM Manuals in effect as of February 2011 M01 Control Center Requirements M03 Transmission Operations M10 Pre-Scheduling Operations M11 Scheduling Operations M12 Dispatching Operations M13 Emergency Operations M14D Generator Operational Requirements M36 System Restoration M37 Reliability Coordination M40 Certification and Training Requirements Manual versions from February 2011 are available on the System Operator Certification page of 15

16 Resource Documents PJM Training Materials Fundamentals of Transmission Operations (FOTO) Generation Course Series Operations 101 System Restoration Workshop System Operations Seminar 16

17 Exam Administration Exams are administered at Prometric Testing Centers Features of computer based exams: Candidate selects location and date/time to sit for the exam Testing Centers located throughout North America 17

18 How to Apply The application is accessed from the NERC System Operator Certification webpage Fees: Application for new candidate and re-testing ($150) Other fees may apply (e.g., no-show for exam appointment, withdrawals, and bad checks) 18

19 NERC Website Program Areas & Departments Training & Operator Certification SOCCED 19

20 NERC Website Enter User Name and Password Or, register for a new System Operator account 20

21 NERC Website 21

22 Prometric Website 22

23 Prometric Website 23

24 Eligibility Period Examination eligibility remains in effect for one year from the date the Candidate Authorization Number is issued All payments made to NERC are forfeited if the candidate fails to schedule and take the exam during the one-year eligibility To be considered again for eligibility, a new application and the full fee must be submitted 24

25 Scheduling an Exam NERC will send the candidate an authorization number which must be used when scheduling the exam date with Prometric All exam dates are scheduled through Prometric Prometric will provide a confirmation number, location and date and time for the exam Record this information! It will not be mailed to you. Testing is available year-round, Monday-Saturday 25

26 Test Center Requirements Bring with you: Identification Two forms of identification required Driver s license, passport, military ID Employer s ID card, credit card, or debit card Candidate Confirmation Number Plan to arrive approximately 15 minutes ahead of test time to check in 26

27 Testing Time Examination Stage Administration & Review of Candidate ID Computer-Based Tutorial Examination Post-Examination Exit Survey Total Time to be Allocated Time Allocation 15 minutes 15 minutes 2 hours & 45 minutes 15 minutes 3 hours & 30 minutes 27

28 Results and Awarding of Certificates Upon exiting the examination, a screen appears with the pass/fail results Prometric will provide a copy of this display giving an unofficial summary of the exam results By the end of the month following when the exam was taken, an official summary will be mailed to the candidate by PJM 28

29 Term of Certification A PJM System Operator Certificate is valid for 3 years There are 2 ways to renew a PJM System Operator Certificate: Retake the exam Renew by CE hours 140 hours of CE training, including 30 CE hours of simulations There is no fee to renew PJM certification by CE hours 29

30 Certification Oversight Group Monitor the performance of the Program to ensure that it is kept fair to all and free from undue influence to protect against actual or perceived bias toward candidates or their employers Ensure the program is valid and legally defensible Develop policies and procedures Recommend examination fees Participate in the Dispute Resolution Process If necessary an Alternate Dispute Resolution Process is also available 30

31 PJM Website 1 2 From the PJM homepage, click: 1. Training 2. Certification System Operator Certification

32 Training Requirements 32

33 PJM System Operator Training Requirements Purpose: Ensure Operators skills stay current Provide information about changes to PJM policies and/or procedures Obtain CE hours that can be used to renew NERC and PJM Certifications PJM Compliance Process involves monthly Compliance reporting via the DTS WebEx Session 33

34 PJM System Operator Training Requirements MOC System Operators Initial: Within 1 year, Gen/Ops or MOC (4 days) Continuing: Complete 54 hours on updates and refreshers, and emergency preparedness training on a rolling 3-year basis The following or equivalent: System Operator Seminar Participation in company and PJM sponsored Drills and/or emergency preparedness training Online training through the PJM LMS 34

35 PJM System Operator Training Requirements Transmission Owner Operators Initial: Prior to assuming independent shift duties, complete Fundamentals of Transmission Operations (FOTO) in-person or online Continuing: Complete 32 hours of emergency preparedness training annually The following or equivalent: System Operator Seminar Participation in company and PJM sponsored Drills and/or emergency preparedness training Online training through the PJM LMS 35

36 PJM System Operator Training Requirements Transmission Owner Operators Task Verification: Verify capability to perform all reliability-related tasks on the company-specific task list Prior to assuming independent shift duties Within 6 months of a task change 36

37 PJM System Operator Training Requirements Demand Response Resources & Energy Storage Device Operators Initial: Complete training module within 3 months of beginning participation in Demand Response Continuing: Available online via the PJM LMS Annually complete a brief refresher module on requirements and business rules Available online via the PJM LMS 37

38 Questions? 38

39 Disclaimer: PJM has made all efforts possible to accurately document all information in this presentation. The information seen here does not supersede the PJM Operating Agreement or the PJM Tariff both of which can be found by accessing: For additional detailed information on any of the topics discussed, please refer to the appropriate PJM manual which can be found by accessing: 39

40 Resources and References PJM Manual 40 Certification and Training Requirements s-op-cert.aspx