Conventional GADS FAQ

Reference # Created Revised Reviewer Category

013-ER 04/29/20 05/10/20 ERT Event Reporting

Question / Issue
How should you handle transmission related outages? If it doesn’t impact the capability of the unit, do you need to show it out of
service? Is it really U1 if transmission?
Background
The electrical grid is often called the "largest machine ever built". It consists of power plants connected by tranmission lines to
distribution systems that deliver the power to businesses and homes. NERC is charged with tracking problems at power plants (using
GADS) and transmission lines (using TADS). When either has a problem an outage or derate can occur.

Answer
Even though the unit itself is not impacted, it is not available to the system due to the transmission line problem. For that reason, it
needs to be either derated or placed into an outage. All transmission related deratings and outages should use the cause code 9300
(outside the plant.) This includes congestion problems too, where the transmission is limited and the full demand load can’t be sent
across the wires. If a unit is tripped offline or cannot tie onto the grid because of a transmission line problem it should be put into a
Forced Outage (U1) status. If it is derated it should be put into a Derating Immediate (D1) status.

Comments
If placing a unit into Forced Outage (U1) status from an online state due to transmission line problems be sure to use the appropriate
Amplification Code T1 (Automatic) or T2 (Manual) trip.

Reference
1) 2019 Conventional GADS Data Reporting Instructions (DRI), Section III: Event Reporting, page III-8, paragraph U1 Unplanned (Forced)
Outage — immediate; 2) See Appendix K: Outside Management Control; 3) 2019 Conventional GADS Training Module #10, Outside
Management Control.

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