Section 4.0 of the Standard Processes Manual (Appendix 3A of the NERC Rules of Procedure) provides the Process for Developing, Modifying, Withdrawing or Retiring a Reliability Standard. One of the first steps of this process is the development of a Standard Authorization Request (SAR).
A SAR is the form used to document the scope and reliability benefit of a proposed project for one or more new or modified Reliability Standards or definitions, as well as document the benefit of retiring one or more approved Reliability Standards. Any entity or individual, including NERC committees or subgroups and NERC Staff, can propose the development of a new or modified Reliability Standard, or propose the retirement of a Reliability Standard (in whole or in part). Submit completed SARs via the NERC Helpdesk by selecting “Standards” from the “Service drop-down menu then “Standards Authorization Request” under “Category”.
NERC Reliability Standards Staff will review each SAR and work with the submitter to verify that all required information is provided and that the submitter wishes to continue the process. All properly completed SARs are submitted to the Standards Committee (SC) for action. The SC has the authority to approve the posting of all SARs for projects that propose (i) developing a new or modified Reliability Standard or definition or (ii) propose retirement of an existing Reliability Standard (or elements thereof). The SC will determine if the SAR is sufficiently complete to guide Reliability Standard development and whether the SAR is consistent with the SPM. The Standards Committee shall take one of the following actions:
- Accept the SAR;
- Remand the SAR back to the requestor or to NERC Reliability Standards Staff for additional work;
- Reject the SAR. If rejected, the SC must provide a written explanation for rejection to the submitter within 10 days of the decision; or
- Delay action on the SAR pending one of the following: (i) development of a technical justification for the proposed project; or (ii) consultation with another NERC Committee to determine if there is another approach to addressing the issue raised in the SAR.
If the SC accepts a SAR, the project will be added to the list of approved projects and assigned a priority relative to all other projects under development identified in the Reliability Standards Development Plan.
Below are the SARs not accepted or delayed by the SC. They include the corresponding responses to the entity that submitted the request as well as any other pertinent information.
