1. 2013 Northwest Hydro Operators ForumHydro Reporting to NERC GADS Steve Wenke Avista May 7, 2013

2. GADS Benefits • Generator Availability Data System (GADS) • To Reliability Organizations: • Data to provide information to help set policies • Data to research systemic problems • Data to find trends with generating resources • To Generator Owners • Performance statistics to measure your operation • Benchmark information to help improve your operation

3. Mandatory GADS Reporting • GADS Reporting became Mandatory • for 50 MW and Larger in 2012 • for 20 MW and Larger in 2013 • As you begin to provide the data requested in the report, it becomes quickly apparent that the system is not developed around hydro generating assets.

4. GADS Reporting Requirements • Design Data – nameplate and other rating information • Performance Data – unit performance statistics such as MWh’s, Forced Outages, etc. • Event Data – descriptions of outages and other details

5. GADS Reporting Design Data • This data included: • GADS Utility Code - GADS Unit Code • Unit Name - Commercial Date • Type of Unit - Size (in MW) • State Located In

6. GADS Reporting Performance Data • Generation (MWh’s) • On Line hours • Off Line hours • Unit Service Hours (synchronized to grid) • Reserve Shutdown Hours • Synchronous Condense Hours (Motored) • Planned Outage Hours • Unplanned (Forced) Outage Hours • Maintenance Outage Hours • Outage Extension Hours • Unit De-Ratings

7. GADS Reporting Performance Data Net Maximum Capacity - This is the maximum output of the plant less any station service consumption Gross Maximum Capacity- This is the maximum output of the generator Net Dependable Capacity – This is plant capacity that is available due to outside restrictions. This is net any station service Gross Dependable Capacity- This is the maximum output of the generator due to outside restrictions Reserve Shutdown – unit available but not synchronized for economic reasons.

8. GADS Reporting Event Data • Events are either an outage of some type or a de-rating of some type • These are broken down further into planned outages, unplanned outages, planned de-ratings, and unplanned de-ratings

9. GADS Reporting Event Data • Each time a generator breaker operates, an event must be recorded • For each event, the operator must report: • The Cause Code of the event • There are several hundred codes to select, depending on the type of unit • The Amplification Code • There are dozens of these codes, depending on the original cause code • Times and Durations • Any Time Extensions

10. Hydro Specific Issues • When there is less than full plant capacity in river flow, should you: • Report the operating hours? • Track the times the units are shut down as Reserve Shutdown? • Report that the unit is down due to lack of fuel? • Most seem to report lack of full plant water as a Reserve Shutdown (RS) event. This creates a lot of data for those projects that may be able to peak multiple times each day. • Some owners report as “lack of fuel – outside management control”. • Some owners don’t report these events at all.

11. Dependable Capacity • Should dependable capacity be defined at minimum head? At maximum head? Does it depend on the time of day? The time of year?

12. Other Questions being Considered • What if you are saving the water to push through the machines for peaking power? • What if you are a “run of river” project that can’t regulate water levels? • What if you can swap units? • How are ramp rate restrictions handled? • If your operation is restricted by fish, wildlife, or recreational requirements, do you identify these as “forced de-rates” or “forced outages”. Are they outside management control? Should these be reported at all?

13. What are we doing to resolve this? • It is important, that if we must report this information that the industry get some benefit from this data in terms of benchmarking, performance information, etc. • To accomplish this objective, we need to develop either new descriptions or better definitions of existing terms for hydro owners to report.

14. What can you do? • If interested, please provide input on these concepts through: • CEATI – that has established a working group that has been recently engaged on this • Provide input to me with your thoughts on how best to address these issues. • Also, you can monitor NERC’s activities on GADS. However, this is not a standard and changes are not vetted as you might be familiar with.

15. Questions? • Contact Information: • Steve Wenke • steve.wenke@avistacorp.com • (509) 495-4197