Meeting Summary - 04/18/2025 IBRWG Meeting

▶️1 - Antitrust Admonition

▶️2 - NOGRR245 IBR Capability Maximization – Lessons Learned

Elevate_NOGRR245_Lessons_Learned-ERCOT_IBRWG_April_2025.pdf

• Elevate Energy Consulting and GridStrong teams involved in NOGRR245 exercises to improve Inverter-Based Resource (IBR) capabilities.
• Goals include reducing risks and improving IBR ride-through capability.
• Experience with over 100 units; lessons are shared anonymously.

• Explained the NOGRR245 process and its frequency ride-through requirements.
• Provided examples of IBR capability assessments and adjustments.
• Success of NOGRR245 in maximizing IBR performance and reliability.

• Maximization involves configuring IBR plant protections within equipment ratings to maximize ride-through capability.
• Coordination and optimization of protections are necessary without exceeding equipment ratings.
• OEM settings, ride-through curves, and protection coordination play a role in this process.

Challenges Identified

• Varied interpretations of 'maximization' without standard guidelines.
• Inconsistent settings and documentation from OEMs and across different models.
• Difficulties in aligning commissioning practices for new assets with maximization goals.

Recommendations

• Develop a standardized framework for IBR parameter settings accessible to stakeholders.
• Use of standardized data formats (IBR file) to ensure consistency and streamline RFI processes.
• Establish collaborations to address data access and settings at an industry level.

• Questions about protection settings and their impacts on inverters.

▶️3 - NOGRR245 IBR Capability Maximization – Lessons Learned (Zero Emission Grid) Mike Tabrizi, Zero Emission Grid

NOGRR-245-RFI-ZeroEmissionGrid-April-18-2025.pdf

• Acknowledged agreement with some presentation points; ZEG’s experience categorized into older plants with outdated inverters and OEMs, affecting plan verification and PGRR109 requirements.
• Newer projects experienced smoother processes due to better organization and verification compliance.
• Emphasized the importance of engineering assessment over purely numerical or document-based approaches to determine maximization capabilities.
• Sophisticated entities avoid overcommitting to RFI without sufficient engineering analysis, planned for full assessment by December 2025.
• Discussed various requirements (FRT, IEEE, VRT) based on resource entities' type, SGIA execution, and GIM execution post August 1st, 2024.
• Highlighted the necessity for extensive internal analysis of inverter capabilities relative to plant-level operations.
• Encouraged utilizing detailed PSCAD simulations for a realistic assessment of maximization capabilities.
• Outlined challenges in translating inverter specs to plant capability due to data gaps and overwhelming OEM data.
• Raised questions regarding ERCOT's DocuSign review process, the binding nature of submissions, potential for extensions, post-submission steps, and other areas needing clarity.
• Stressed the need for holistic capability assessments while avoiding reliance solely on broader spec values.

▶️4 - Comparison of NERC PRC-029, IEEE2800, NOGRR255

IBRWG-PRC-028-IEEE2800-and-NOGRR255-April-18-2025.pdf

• NERC’s PRC-028 standard was approved in February 2024 and takes effect July 1, 2025.
• The standard aims to improve disturbance data reporting from inverter-based resources (IBRs), driven by recent disturbances and reliability concerns.
• PRC-028 applies to both new and existing IBRs.
• In contrast, IEEE 2800 only applies to new units, and NOGRR255 (ERCOT rule) applies to both but with different levels of rigor.
• One key difference: PRC-028 drops the requirement for feeder-end fault recording, which NOGRR255 retains (at least SOE data for the last 10% of IBRs per feeder).
• Data requirements across standards include fault recording, SOE (Sequence of Events), and DDR (Dynamic Disturbance Recording).
• NOGRR255 adds monitoring of specific control commands and mode values, which aren’t required by PRC-028 or IEEE 2800.
• Presented details of differences for sampling rates, DDR output rates, time synchronization requirements, data retention and reporting timelines, and the restoration of failed equipment. 
• Overall, NOGRR255 is stricter than PRC-028 in most technical areas, though PRC-028 has tighter deadlines and more rigid completeness expectations.

▶️5 - Other NERC Updates

250418-IBRWG-NERC-update.pdf

• FERC directed NERC to develop standards for integrating IBRs
• PRC-028 and PRC-030 have been approved; PRC-029 is still under FERC review.
• PRC-029 received 23 comments, mostly about exemptions.
• Milestone Three includes three major projects on modeling and validation.
• Project 2020-06 defines terms like "validation" vs. "verification."
• Project 2021-01 focuses on MOD-033: validating models using system events.
• Project 2022-02 updates MOD-032, IRO-010, and TOP-003 for IBR data needs.
• Initial balloting opens this month; feedback is encouraged even if ballots fail.
• Technical conference scheduled for June (hybrid format).
• All Milestone Three deliverables due to FERC by November 2025.
• NERC issued a public report on IBR model deficiencies (April 1).
• Over 50% of IBR models do not match actual capabilities.
• Common issues: ride-through accuracy, limited VAR support (triangle limit).
• Texas data quality is slightly better than national average.
• New Level 3 Alert expected this summer with required data submissions.
• NERC plans to register Category 2 IBRs (>20 MVA, ≥60 kV) under a new “GO-IBR” category.
• No formal exemption process for PRC-029 yet; could model after CIP exceptions.

▶️6 - Other Industry Updates

ERCOT_IBRWG_Industry_Updates_041825_v1.pdf

• Spring technical workshop featured topics important to IBRWG, including sessions on oscillations and stability, grid forming inverters, and North Corridor 901 milestone three.
• Ontario IESO has included a requirement for all battery energy resources to have grid forming capability in their connection assessment application, aiming to future-proof the system.
• EPRI study in South Texas highlighted stability benefits of grid forming batteries and the importance of strategic placement for optimal effectiveness. This may involve case-specific tuning.
• Examples were provided of grid forming applications next to data centers and in the Chilean system, demonstrating benefits for voltage and frequency control, inertia, and system stability.
• Global tracking of interconnection requirements and specifications for grid forming is ongoing, including recent updates like FinGrid's publication.
• Discussion on i2X first, a DOE funded project addressing long interconnection queue waits and standards for inverter-based resources, focusing on improving interconnection reliability.
• Highlights from the ECIC technical workshop included discussions on conformity assessment, model validation efforts, periodic testing, and standards comparison.
• Upcoming i2X first meeting on April 29 will focus on voltage support, including discussions on VARs at night, voltage control, and reactive power requirements.
• Survey launched for feedback on i2X first meetings to improve the next round focusing on the adoption of IEEE 2800 and grid forming specifications, expected to start in May.

▶️7 - Other Business

• Participants were invited to bring up any additional items.
• Link was shared in the chat for signing up for the April first meeting.
• The shared link also contains recordings and summaries of previous events.
• No further questions were raised.
• Meeting concluded with thanks and a note to see attendees in May.