Will EPA’s Clean Power Plan threaten electric reliability?


The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has raised questions about how the system of high-voltage transmission lines would be affected by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15 years. NERC is analyzing the EPA rules and plans to release a report by the middle of 2016.


Since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Clean Power Plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in August, several objections have been


raised - from its effect on the economy to whether it actually has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. An especially significant concern came from the organization responsible for making sure our electricity stays on. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), reacting to a 2014 draft of the EPA plan, said in April 2015 that the electric utility industry “needs more time to develop coordinated plans to address shifts in generation and corresponding transmission.” 534100 NERC cited concern about the electric transmission grid, noting that some of the emission reductions would begin in the year 2020, even though, NERC said, “transmission projects require between six and 15 years to engineer, site, permit and construct.” EPA’s final rule released in August responded to that concern by extending the deadline two years, setting a 2022 start date and phasing in the limits through 2030. Is that enough time? NERC responded in a statement that acknowledged the EPA had changed its deadlines and that NERC will analyze the EPA’s final rule and issue a report in mid-2016.


Among those challenging the EPA rules in court is the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), concerned that the Clean Power Plan would hurt electric reliability and raise costs for electric co-op members. “We believe the EPA has overstepped its legal authority with the Clean Power Plan, and, along with many other interveners, have challenged [the] EPA’s rules in the courts,” says Paul McCurley, NRECA chief engineer and acting executive director of Energy and Power. “If the legal challenge is successful, then perhaps we can get [the] EPA to write regulations that address more than just environmental concerns - but also consider economic impacts to consumers and do not threaten the reliability of the electric grid.”


NO. OF OUTAGES


2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 3 6 5


MONTHLY OUTAGE REPORT CAUSE OF OUTAGE


Trees


Overloaded transformer WFEC - blown fuses Weather Animal Transformer bad Unknown


Broken wire on transformer Broken pole HEA - Nov 28 ice storm WFEC - Dec 26 ice storm HEA - Dec 26 ice storm


NO. OF METERS AFFECTED


3 1


1164 1 2 1 2 1


65 12


3562 3408


For the month of December, Harmon Electric experienced 25 separate outages. The total members affected were 3,562 with an average time off of 20.75 hours. The largest outages were due to the ice storm that hit our area on December 26th.


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