GO/GOP Passes PRC-005, PRC-004, FAC-008, TOP-006 and VAR-002 Audit with no findings or violations with NERC compliance support from Physical Systems Integration, Inc.
Magnolia, TX (PRWEB) July 21, 2016 -- Physical Systems Integration, Inc. (PSI), a provider of NERC compliance services and PRC-005 asset management software, announced today that its client, an 80 MW Wind GO/GOP passed its first Registered Entity audit by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) on June 21 - June 22, 2016 with no findings, violations or mitigation issues. PSI handled all risk-based audit preparation, including completing and filing of the Reliability Standards Audit Worksheet (RSAW), compiling evidence of compliance and providing documentation of scheduled system maintenance.
“PSI is pleased that our generation client was found to be in full compliance to PRC-005, PRC-004, FAC-008, TOP-006 and VAR-002 standards – especially as it was their first risk-based audit,” says Brent Hebert, Sr. Vice President, NERC Services with PSI. “Even more gratifying, the audit preparation took only 2 months, working part time, due to deploying a comprehensive NERC managed services program over the previous 18 months.”
In 2014, Physical Systems Integration, Inc. was hired to create and manage a complete NERC compliance program for the GO/GOP after a former compliance contractor had failed to craft a viable NERC compliance program for the facility’s offsite owners. PSI performed an initial gap analysis to determine the current state of NERC compliance – what existed, what was missing and what was outdated. PSI’s gap analysis discovered that the GO/GOP lacked most written NERC-mandated compliance policies, processes, and procedures which resulted in self reports and non-compliant designation on self-certifications. All deficiencies were mitigated and qualified for the Find Fix and Track Program and Compliance Exceptions resulting in no violations.
PSI also led and managed the maintenance and testing of Protection Systems for the facility – from creating a full inventory of applicable devices and components, performing maintenance and testing during a planned outage, through setting up future maintenance and testing requirements for the facility.
DRAMA ON AUDIT DAY
In January of 2016, SPP notified the GO/GOP of a compliance audit for June 2016 – a first for the newly Registered Entity. PSI handled all risk-based audit preparation, including completing and filing of the Reliability Standards Audit Worksheet (RSAW), compiling evidence of compliance and providing documentation of scheduled system maintenance.
“The week prior to the June 2016 SPP audit, the GO/GOP’s compliance manager left the company with no advance warning,” noted Hebert. “That same week, the newly hired manager also exited the company, leaving PSI to manage the two-day offsite audit for the GO/GOP with 3 SPP auditors. Fortunately our years of creating, implementing, and managing compliance programs and NERC audits paid off!”
SPP FINDINGS: 100% COMPLIANCE
The GO/GOP was informed by SPP that it had passed its NERC audit with no compliance findings, standards violations or mitigation issues.
RETIREMENT AND RESOURCE RISK
“As Generation and Transmission personnel retire, companies find themselves in a war for talent when trying to replace NERC compliance and audit experience,” observes James Fife, President & CEO of PSI. “More and more, companies lack the expertise and resources – whether in man power or automated systems – to properly manage compliance programs, keep up with changing standards or the bandwidth to inventory, test, monitor and maintain system devices according to prescribed intervals for system reliability. With 3.6M Baby Boomers projected to retire in 2017, companies need to secure expertise now – well before the 2017 audits kick off.”
ABOUT PSI
Physical Systems Integration, Inc. (PSI) is a leading provider of Merchant and Asset Management software and services for the wholesale power and gas industries including Generation Owners and Operators, Transmission Operators, IOUs, MUNIs, and COOPs.
Formed in 2002 by information technology professionals to address the needs of energy companies to manage physical assets, PSI’s software products and compliance services are designed to minimize or eliminate day-to-day manual tasks and allow staff to concentrate on adding value to your business. http://psipower.com/NERCCompliance.html
CONTACT:
Brent Hebert
Physical Systems Integration
281.310.5605
brent(dot)hebert(at)psipower(dot)com
Brent Hebert, Physical Systems Integration, http://www.psipower.com, +1 281.310.5602, [email protected]
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