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Enron Mail |
The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) on December 4,
2001, posted for public comment a proposed Wholesale Electric Standards Model (WESM) -- an industry-based consensus process for developing, maintaining, and publishing standards that promote reliable and efficient wholesale electricity markets throughout North America. Such standards would address, in an integrated way, the whole spectrum of reliability, market interface, and business practice standards through a fair, open, balanced, and inclusive stakeholder process. On December 19, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an Order Providing Guidance on the Formation of a Standards Development Organization for the Wholesale Electric Industry (Docket No. RM01-12-00). That order directs the industry to reach agreement on the formation of an organization to develop consensus standards for business practices and electronic communications. If the industry cannot reach consensus on this issue by March 15, the Commission indicated that it will either institute its own procedures to choose an organization or will develop the standards itself. To provide the NERC Standing Committees Representation Task Force (SCRTF) as well as the NERC Stakeholders Committee and Board of Trustees the broadest possible input, the Board strongly urges all interested parties to comment on the WESM proposal in the context of the recent FERC order. Commenters should give particular attention to how NERC and the recently approved North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) could collaborate in developing and overseeing a single, industry-based consensus process to develop standards that assure the continued reliable operation of the integrated North American electric transmission grids as well as the development of business practice standards and communication protocols needed to complement the market design principles that FERC has announced its intention to develop. NERC's SCRTF will use all comments received to help shape its final proposal to the NERC Stakeholders Committee and Board of Trustees in February 2002. We also intend to provide the input we receive in this public forum on the WESM model to FERC for its consideration. For additional information on the SCRTF and its membership, go to: www.nerc.com/committees/scrtf.html. Please direct questions to David Nevius, NERC Vice President, at 609-452-8060, or e-mail dave.nevius@nerc.com. The proposal is posted at the following NERC web site: http://www.nerc.com/. The deadline for comments is January 8, 2002. Sincerely, Heather Gibbs
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