Nerc Prc-027-1 – One Utility’s Experience On The Path To Compliance

NERC Standard PRC-027-1 went into effect on April 1, 2021, with Requirement 2 mandating that utilities either perform a Protection Coordination Study on Bulk Electric System (BES) elements or verify that system fault currents have not changed by more than 15% at BES buses. Compliance must be demonstrated within a six-year cycle, with the first deadline on April 1, 2027. Given the complexity and scope of coordination studies, utilities face significant challenges in meeting this timeline. This paper presents Duquesne Light Company’s approach to achieving Requirement 2 compliance through a comprehensive Protection Coordination Study of all BES elements. The discussion highlights: • The rationale for selecting the coordination study option • Methodologies and technical considerations in performing the study • Representative findings and associated mitigations • Development of implementation plans for settings changes • Documentation practices to supp