144 Chapter3

3.4.1 Phase1. The so-called OASISPhase 1 was given to the initial

system that was completed and started operating in January 1997. The
next version of OASISis OASISPhase 2 which is a revised version of
OASIS Phase 1. The Phase 1 OASIS was designed to depend on
commerciallyavailable Internet technologies and to removebarriers that
prevent authorized customers to have access to the information. OASIS
used commonInternet web browsers as a simple approach in Phase 1
which started its commercialoperation with 22 nodes shared among167
TPs. This phase only published transmissioninformation and
transmission service transactions.
During its implementation, users of Phase 1 faced or raised several
issues, concerningthe reliability of powersystems [Tsi98]. Theseissues
are summarizedas follows:
The first issue was that the contract path method did not match
physical flows on a transmission network, which in turn meant that
there would be inconsistency between market view and users of the
transmission network on one side and the physical view of the
systemneededfor reliability on the other side.
¯ The second issue was that the detailed information related to
interchange transactions was seen as necessary to adequately monitor
power system security, especially when deals included market
aggregation of blocks of energy, capacity, and ancillary services
amongmultiple parties.
¯ The third issue was that the users wantedOASISto be a tool of next
hour reservation and scheduling, however, the understanding of the
How WGwas that OASISwas intended to support transmission
reservations on a day-aheador long-term basis.
¯ Thefourth issue was inconsistency in user interfaces across different
OASISnodes.
¯ The fifth concern was about the uncertainty on security and
commercialrisks of the Internet, wherethe question was whether or
not the Internet is the best platform for electric energycommerce.
¯ The sixth issue highlighted that the stability limit in addition to
thermal and voltage limits should be monitored on a real-time basis
OASIS 145

for on-line decisions and should be calculated with an accepted

accuracy for short-term presumedscenarios.
It was claimed that the old practice of maintaining system reliability
using operating guidelines based on off-line stability studies was not an
adequate practice in restructured systems[Tsi98, Sav98].
To implement the OASISPhase 1, TPs were given the opportunities
to freely determine manybusiness practice implementationdetails based
on their understandings of FERCOrders 888 and 889, the OASISS&CP
and individual tariffs. This freedomof choice led to inconsistencies in
business practices across OASIS nodes, where customers faced
differences in practices as they tried to access information and reserve
transmission in a familiar way, but found procedures vary from provider
to provider. Differences were observed in packaging of ancillary
services, application of discounts, use of "sliding windows" of
transmission service, and customer confirmation time limits. Among the
issues that caused confusion to customers during the implementation of
Phase 1 were inconsistencies among TPs in naming transmission
services, where the same product might be nameddifferently from one
provider to another, and inconsistencies in defining transmission paths
[Tsi98].

3.4.2 Phase1-A. FERCOrder 889-A, which was issued in March

1997, was a Rehearing Order on OASISthat required specific changes to
OASIS,especially changes related to on-line transmission and ancillary
services price negotiation and discounting, unmaskingof identities and
prices associated with OASISreservations, and disclosure of discounts
given. FERCOrder for Rehearing addressed the standard protocol more
definitively and required additional design changes to be considered in
Phase 1-A. The industry responded to this order by filing a proposed
update to the OASISS&CP.Improvements requested by both FERCand
the industry were combinedto be implementedin a new phase of OASIS
called Phase l-A, which was an upgraded version of Phase 1 OASIS.
The request for proposed developments was filed with FERCon August
11, 1997. Business practice standards and guides were proposed by
CPWG and the OASISHowWGwas to implement Phase 1-A to achieve
improvedconsistency in the implementation of FERCopen access policy
and OASIS.Based on a few monthsof experience, .Phase 1-A was started
146 Chapter3

to implement immediate and short-term improvements in OASIS

requested by FERCand by the industry.

3.4.3 Phase2. The concept of Phase 2 of OASISwas established as a

phase that implementedthe improvementswhich were seen essential, but
which could not be finished in Phase 1. Phase 2 was intended to expand
the system’s functionality by adding capability to process energy
transactions, to managetransmission constraints, and to place next-hour
reservations and schedules. FERCOrder 889 requested the industry to
provide a report on plans for OASISPhase 2 within seven months of the
start of OASISPhase 1. Since someof the issues mentioned in Phase 1
had direct effects on power system reliability, they were seen to be
supported by OASISPhase 2 as an improvementto Phase 1. These issues
included, (1) to use actual flow based reservations instead of contract
path reservations, (2) to promotereal-time stability monitoring, and (3)
to support on-line transaction scheduling. Phase 2 business processes
included energy interchange transaction scheduling and constraint
management. Phase 2 attempted to be more flexible to accommodate
various software and functions, makethe system moreuser-friendly, and
require posting requests for energy schedules.

3.5 POSTING OF INFORMATION

3.5.1 Types of Information Available on OASIS. In general,

most of the information available on OASISis provided by TPs for TCs,
where TPs are required to either individually or jointly provide an
OASIS.Each OASISis required to provide standardized information on
the current operating status and transmission capacity of a TP
(transmission availability) and transmission pricing and operate
compliance with standards and communications protocols established
and updated under the FERCsupervision and control. Users of OASIS
wouldbe able, using suitable interfaces such as the Internet, to instantly
receive the data available on OASIS.
Even though some basic information would be posted at every
OASISnode, the information could vary amongregional OASISnodes
based on restructuring models. As minimumrequirements, the following
OASIS 147

information must be provided to TCs on OASIS:Available Transmission

Capability, Pricing Information, Specific Service Requests and
Responses, Scheduling Information, and Other Transmission-Related
Communications[Tsi96]. These topics are discussed as follows:
¯ Available Transmission Capability (ATC):
Posting and updating transfer capabilities (TTCand ATC)is the
main type of information on OASIS. Since calculating ATCand
TTCwouldrequire large-scale computationfacilities, it is unrealistic
to update the posting of TTCand ATCfor all paths at all times. For
that reason, FERChas issued separate requirements for two types of
paths, namely: constrained paths and unconstrained paths. A
constrained path is defined as a path for which ATChas been less
than or equal to 25%of TTCfor at least one hour in the last 168
hours or is calculated to 25%or less of its associated posted TTC
during the next 7 days. Otherwise the path is referred to as an
unconstrained path.
The ATCinformation, referred to as the available capacity of
interconnected transmission networks, should be available to all
transmission users through OASISto support additional transmission
services. OASISmust provide the ATC,in megawattsand in certain
directions, for transmission betweencontrol areas. This information
is required for posted paths, i.e., any path in the system that would
constrain the commercial usage of a transmission network or any
unconstrained path whose information is required by a TC. The
posted path would be determined according to FERCOrder 889 and
the proformatariff.
ATCand TTCmust also be given on hourly, daily and monthlybasis
for all constrained paths. For unconstrainedpaths, daily and monthly
ATCmust be posted and updated whenever ATCchanges by more
than 20%Of TTC.
Data and methodologies used to calculate ATCand TTCmust be
made available upon request for auditing purposes. Any system
planning studies must also be madeavailable. For posted paths, firm
and non-firm estimated ATCand TTCare published for a 30-day
period by hour for the first 168 hours and then by day. In the case
that a TPhas separate charges for on-peakand off-peak in its tariffs,
148 Chapter3

TP should post on-peak ATCand TTCestimated values, and off-

peak ATCand TTCestimated values. ATCand TTCvalues are also
posted on a monthly basis for 12 months. Whena transmission
service on a constrained path is reserved or ends or whenthe TTC
value on that path changes by morethan 10%,a posting for that line
should be updated.
Pricing Information:
Tariff prices for all transmission services, ancillary services, and
other related services must be posted, and made available for
electronic downloading to customers. TP’s complete tariff in a
downloadableformat is posted for potential customers. Information
on discounts madeto non-affiliates must be posted within 24 hours
of the transaction. Information on discounts madeto affiliates must
be posted immediately and offered to all other customers using the
same path, unconstrained path, or the same ancillary service. The
resale of transmission capacity or third party services mustbe posted
on the same location and formatted as transmission provider’s
postings.
Specific Service Requests and Responses:
To process service requests on the OASIS, the FERChas issued
requirements for the data to be madeavailable during and after the
requests processing. WhenTCs submit requests for transmission
service, they should provide data for the amountof transfer in MW,
start and end times, and the power-buying/selling area pair. On the
other hand, TPs should in turn provide data indicating their
responses, i.e., status of service requests whether accepted, in
process, scheduled or rejected, and provide curtailment
announcements, and any changes to previously approved requests.
Also, historical log should be providedfor all transmission services,
which include time and date stamp, actions, and modifications in
requests and responses.
All requests for transmission service must be posted by the date and
time received, placed in a queue, and the status provided. Theresult
of the request, whether accepted, withdrawnor denied, must also be
given and the reason for the denial or interruption, if applicable. The
identity of the party requesting transmission capacity can be kept
OASIS 149

confidential for up to 30 days. Offers to adjust the utility’s operation

to accommodate a denied request must be posted and offered to other
similar parties. Whena TCwouldsubmit a request for a transmission
service to a TP, the TP should reply to the TCwhenthe service is
denied. The reply is done through the OASISand shows the reason
of denial and any available alternatives to improve transfer
capability. For the case when a transaction is curtailed or
interrupted 8, the TPshould publish the action showingthe reason for
the action, and any available alternatives. Uponrequest of potential
customers, all data used to calculate ATCand TTC for any
constrained posted path must be madepublicly and electronically
available within 1 weekof its posting. Data are madeavailable at a
cost cappedat reproduction of material [Sav97].
Scheduling Information:
Transmission service schedules must be posted and available for
electronic downloading within seven days of the start of the
requested service.
Other Transmission-Related Communications:
A utility’s OASIScan also include "want ads" for other desired
services, such as transmission loss service. The OASIScan also
provide a messagingservice (E-mail). In addition, the utility must
post employee transfers between the transmission group and any
marketing affiliates, and Standards and CommunicationsProtocols
can also be included.

3.5.2 Information Requirements of OASIS. These

requirements, as outlined in FERCOrder 889, include information
requirements and structural requirements. Structural requirements were
discussed before in this chapter (see section 3.3). The information
requirements for OASIScan be classified in four categories, which are
transmission system information, transmission service information,
transmission service request and response data and general information.
Here,

Curtailmentsare for reliability reasonsandinterruptionsare pursuantto tariff

conditions.
150 Chapter3

¯ Transmission System Information include:

- ATC
- TTC
- systemreliability.

¯ TransmissionService information include:

- completetariff
- service discounts
- ancillary services
- current operating and economicconditions.

¯ Transmission Service Request and Response Data Information

include:
- date and time stamp of transmission service requests
- scheduling of powertransfers
- service interruptions and curtailments
- service parties’ identities
- audit log for discretionary actions.

¯ General Information include:

- "want ads" for transmission products and services
- announcements
- value-addedservices.

A TCwhooffers to sell transmission capacity that it has purchasedis

called a reseller. Secondarymarket information regarding capacity rights
that customers (resellers) wish to resell is posted on the OASIS.Through
OASIS, a customer would be able to locate power lines with excess
capacity and, directly or using a broker, can place a request via OASIS
Websites for access to those lines. ThroughOASIS,utilities mayalso
share operating data regarding transmission availability, generation
OASIS 151

capability, system loads, interchange, area-control error, frequency and

operating reserves. This data must be madeavailable to any entity with
immediate responsibility for operational security (i.e., other than
marketing purposes). The data link to EMSwill accomplish the task of
providing this information. In addition, all final transmission studies
must be available in an electronic format upon request to potential
customers [Sav97]. Studies are made available at a cost capped at
reproduction of material. All information of transactions related to
OASISmust be dated, time stamped and stored, should be downloadable
within 90 days and kept for three years.

3.5.3 Users of OASIS. Any OASIS node involves four types of

users: TP, TC, transmission service information provider (TSIP), and
value-added transmission service information provider (VTSIP).
A TP is a public utility that ownsand controls, or an independent
entity that controls, the facilities usedfor the transmissionof electricity.
A TCis any agent or principal that exercises a service agreementand/or
receives transmission service. TCsinclude established entities, such as
TP affiliated or other public utility generators, independent power
producers, distribution companies, and newly created entities for the
competitive wholesale market, such as marketers/brokers, scheduling
coordinators, and load aggregators. In general, categories of customers
could be different from region to region. A TSIP is an entity that
provides the operation of one or more OASISnodes. A TP or a group of
TPs may delegate their responsibility to operate an OASISnode to a
TSIP capable of meeting FERCrequirements. A VTSIPis an entity that
uses the TS information like a TCand provides value-added information
services to its customers.
TPs are the main users of OAISISand most TPs that use OASISare
FERC-regulatedpublic utilities in U.S., whoare obligated to comply
with OASISrequirements. In addition, a considerable number of non-
jurisdictional TPs and several Canadianutilities are engaged in OASIS
operations. Although, some TPs have developed their ownOASISnodes,
the majority has applied the services of commercialinformation system
vendors [Tsi97, Tsi98, Eia98]: