NAESB Is Developing Standards To Aid Extreme Weather Electric-Gas Coordination

January 9, 2022

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
January 9, 2022

The North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) is developing standards to aid the coordination between gas and electric markets during periods of extreme weather.

In several regions of the country, extreme cold weather can present challenges between the need for natural gas as a fuel for space heating and for electric power generation. The potential impact of cold weather on the electric power sector was most recently demonstrated last February when winter storm Uri left millions without power.

On Dec. 9, NAESB’s board of directors voted unanimously to support the addition of a new standards development project to its 2022 work plans aimed at improving electric and gas market coordination.

NAESB’s Gas Electric Harmonization Committee has been meeting since June to discuss potential activities that the organization could undertake to complement the joint inquiry of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), and the regional entities into 2021 Cold Weather Grid Operations following Winter Storm Uri.

Staff from FERC and NERC in September issued a report of preliminary findings and recommendations related to Uri, which affected the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Southwest Power Pool (SPP), Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), and other regions.

NAESB’s new standards development project, as presented by SPP, is intended to build upon the organization’s existing body of standards and to focus on commercial information sharing between critical parties during impending extreme weather conditions.

NAESB is in the process of making assignments to initiate its standards development within its subcommittees supporting the wholesale and retail gas and electric markets and will be working with FERC, NERC and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners to align its efforts with the recommendations included in its finalized staff report.

NAESB provides an industry forum that convenes wholesale and retail natural gas and electric market participants, regulators, and other stakeholders to develop business practice standards that underpin the commercial transactions of the markets.