Generator Survey System Project (GSS)

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Last Update: 07/15/2021

The Generation Survey System (GSS) Project affects lead market participants and designated entities with generator assets. ISO New England participants impacted by this project can learn more about actions they need to take and upcoming changes to existing systems or procedures below. GSS is one of several projects that ISO New England has undertaken, in collaboration with stakeholders, for the continued development of the region’s wholesale electricity markets. Target dates indicated below are subject to change.

Refer to the Participant Readiness Project Outlook for more detail on specifically affected customers and systems for this and other major projects. Below, affected ISO New England customers can learn more about actions they need to take and changes to existing systems or procedures related to

Project Overview
Required Participant Actions
Participant Training Opportunities
Technical Documentation, Rules, and Procedures

Project Overview

ISO New England periodically surveys lead market participants and designated entities with generator assets in order to monitor fuel levels, replenishment plans, and environmental limitations on resources within New England. ISO New England also uses the data collected to prepare emergency energy forecasts, which it uses to identify and communicate potential reliability issues to regional stakeholders. The frequency of these surveys varies from every other week during non-winter months to more than once per day during abnormal conditions, which may require modifications of the survey in order to obtain condition-specific data.

The GSS project will streamline the survey data collection process eliminating the manual processes currently associated with survey distribution, data entry, collection, and notifications. The project is expected to increase data collection accuracy by enabling participants and customers to submit survey entries directly to ISO New England through the existing Ask ISO system, providing these benefits:

Familiarity – Ask ISO is an existing system, familiar to ISO New England personnel and participants.
Authentication – application role assignment is required in the Customer and Asset Management System (CAMS) to gain access to surveys.
Extensible – Ask ISO can be modified to add new survey functionality as needed.
Communication – the survey system supports both manual and automated notifications and reminders.
Accessible – analysts will have better tools to query response data for reporting and analysis.

Required Participant Actions

Affected market participants should be mindful of the following time-bound items, some of which may require customers to take specific steps or adapt to changes in ISO New England’s systems. Please consider subscribing to Participant Readiness, Market Notices, Information Technology (IT) Notices, and MIS Report Issues to receive notices posted to the calendar for future projects.

TIMING OR DEADLINE	SYSTEM	ACTION OR EVENT
January 15, 2021	GSS	Software migrated to Ask ISO in preparation for training and initial surveys.
Starting January 15, 2021	CAMS	Security Administrators are able to assign the Ask ISO / Survey Submitter or Ask ISO / Survey Viewer application group roles to personnel that will interact with the survey system.
September 14, 2021	GSS	Deadline to fully transition from spreadsheet survey submissions to the Ask ISO Generator Survey System. Users assigned the Ask ISO / Survey Submitter role in CAMS (see above) will be notified by the GSS when surveys are released.

TIMING OR DEADLINE

SYSTEM

ACTION OR EVENT

January 15, 2021

GSS

Software migrated to Ask ISO in preparation for training and initial surveys.

Starting January 15, 2021

CAMS

Security Administrators are able to assign the Ask ISO / Survey Submitter or Ask ISO / Survey Viewer application group roles to personnel that will interact with the survey system.

September 14, 2021

GSS

Deadline to fully transition from spreadsheet survey submissions to the Ask ISO Generator Survey System.

Users assigned the Ask ISO / Survey Submitter role in CAMS (see above) will be notified by the GSS when surveys are released.

Technical Documentation, Rules, and Procedures

Market participants affected by the project should consult the following documents for specific instructions on completing related tasks or processes and helpful answers to frequently asked questions.

Technical Specifications and Documentation

DOCUMENT	NOTES (if necessary)
Generator Survey System in Ask ISO User Guide	This guide outlines how to use the generator survey platform, located within the Ask ISO website, to submit data called out in Operating Procedure No. 21
Ask ISO User Guide	User guide to submit questions, requests, and registration forms to ISO New England.
Memo to Lead Market Participants for Generator Survey Access	Operations memo regarding the new Generator Survey System (GSS) in AskISO, transition deadlines, and access instructions.

Rules and Procedures

DOCUMENT	NOTES (if necessary)
March 16, 2021 NEPOOL Reliability Committee	Presentation of OP-21 Operational Surveys, Energy Forecasting & Reporting, and Actions during an Energy Emergency, redlined OP-21, and clean version.
ISO New England Operating Procedure No. 21 (OP-21) Operational Surveys, Energy Forecasting & Reporting and Actions During an Energy Emergency	Current Energy Inventory Accounting and Actions During an Energy Emergency document.
OP-21	Energy Inventory Accounting and Actions During an Energy Emergency.
RTMKTS.0120.0025 Implement Energy Emergency Actions	Actions required by OP-21 including survey requirements