RD25-5 order

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20426
OFFICE OF ELECTRIC RELIABILITY
North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Docket No. RD25-6-000
April 23, 2025
North American Electric Reliability Corporation
1401 H Street, N.W., Suite 410
Washington, DC 20005
Attention:

Lauren Perotti, Assistant General Counsel
Alain Rigaud, Associate Counsel
North American Electric Reliability Corporation
Chris Albrecht, Assistant General Counsel
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

Reference:

Petition of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation for
Approval of Proposed Regional Reliability Standard BAL-004-WECC-4

Dear Ms. Perotti and Mr. Albrecht:
On March 12, 2025, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)
and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) filed a joint petition seeking
approval of proposed Regional Reliability Standard BAL-004-WECC-4 (Automatic Time
Error Correction), the associated violation risk factors and violation severity levels, the
associated implementation plan, and the retirement of currently-effective Regional
Reliability Standard BAL-004-WECC-3.
NERC and WECC explain that “[t]he purpose of proposed Regional Reliability
Standard BAL-004-WECC-4 is to maintain Western Interconnection . . . frequency and
ensure that time error accumulation via Primary Inadvertent Interchange . . . payback is
conducted in a manner that does not result in a negative impact on reliability.” 1 NERC
and WECC state that the proposed standard “improves upon the existing standard.
Specifically, NERC and WECC explain that proposed Regional Reliability Standard
BAL-004-WECC-4: (1) expands the background section; (2) creates a Standard-specific
1

NERC Petition at 2.

Docket No. RD25-6-000

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definition “Interchange Software” to refer to the software used by balancing authorities to
submit Automatic Time Error Correction data to WECC; (3) creates a requirement to use
the Interchange Software; (4) addresses how balancing authorities should comply if they
do not have a full year of operating data; (5) consolidates and clarifies certain
Requirements; and (6) updates the format to NERC’s newest template. 2
NERC’s filing was noticed on March 13, 2025, with interventions, comments and
protests due on or before April 11, 2025. No motions to intervene, comments, or protests
were filed.
NERC’s uncontested filing is hereby approved pursuant to the relevant authority
delegated to the Director of the Office of Electric Reliability under 18 C.F.R. § 375.303,
effective as of the date of this order.
This action shall not be construed as approving any other application pursuant to
18 C.F.R. § 375.303(a)(2)(i). Such action shall not be deemed as recognition of any
claimed right or obligation associated therewith and such action is without prejudice to
any findings or orders that have been or may hereafter be made by the Commission in
any proceeding now pending or hereafter instituted by or against the Electric Reliability
Organization or any Regional Entity.
This order constitutes final agency action. Requests for rehearing by the
Commission may be filed within 30 days of the date of issuance of this order, pursuant to
18 C.F.R. § 385.713.
Sincerely,

Kal
Ayoub

Digitally signed
by Kal Ayoub
Date: 2025.04.23
08:36:20 -04'00'

Kal Ayoub, Director
Office of Electric Reliability

2

Id.