The fall season when utility equipment tends to start fires is coming and regulators and reliability coordinators want utilities to be ready.

WECC waded into California’s wildfire troubles in an effort to understand how catastrophic blazes could affect reliability and how to protect the grid.

WECC is seeking stakeholder comments on a draft strategic plan that seeks to build on NERC’s ERO Enterprise Long-Term Strategy.

System operators in WECC were too quick to declare energy emergency alerts during recent events, resulting in unnecessary load sheds, according to NERC.

FERC accepted settlements for violations of NERC reliability standards, with AEP, DTE, Eversource, PGE and Exelon among those hit with monetary penalties.

WECC took a step further into its role as RA monitor after its board approved a resolution listing the risk factors it plans to prioritize.

Threats from the COVID-19 coronavirus and computer viruses occupied much of the discussion at the WECC Board of Directors meeting.

FERC accepted settlements with Bonneville Power Administration, FirstLight Power and an unnamed entity for violating NERC reliability standards.

WECC should zero in on issues specific to the Western system when it sets near-term priorities for 2021 and 2022, stakeholders said at a workshop.

WECC will launch an initiative to tighten coordination and clarify who does what among the planning groups, utilities and industry stakeholders.