ERCOT Nodal Definitions || All Correct 100%.
Adjusted Metered Load (AML) correct answers Retail Load usage data that has been adjusted for
Unaccounted for Energy (UFE), Transmission Losses, Distribution Losses, and Direct Current
Tie (DC Tie) exports (except for the Oklaunion Exemption)
Adjusted Static Models correct answers Load Profiles that are generated from statistical models
that are based on static historical Load data, and adjusted for conditions of the day (e.g., weather,
Season, etc.)
Adjustment Period correct answers For each Operating Hour, the time between 1800 in the Day-
Ahead up to the start of the hour before that Operating Hour
Advanced Meter correct answers Any new or appropriately retrofitted meter that functions as
part of a system that includes such meters and the associated hardware, software, and
communications devices, that collects time-differentiated energy usage, and that is deployed
pursuant to P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.130, Advanced Metering.
Advanced Metering System (AMS) correct answers A system, including Advanced Meters and
the associated hardware, software, and communications devices, that collects time-differentiated
energy usage and is deployed pursuant to P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.130, Advanced Metering.
Advisory correct answers The second of four levels of communication issued by ERCOT in
anticipation of a possible Emergency Condition.
Agreement correct answers A signed written agreement between ERCOT and a Market
Participant using one of the standard form agreements in Section 22, Attachments, including
those agreements containing changes to the standard form, which changes have been approved
by the ERCOT Board.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) correct answers Procedures, outlined in Section 20,
Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedure, for settling disputes by means other than litigation.
Ancillary Service correct answers A service necessary to support the transmission of energy to
Loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system using Good Utility
Practice.
Ancillary Service Assignment correct answers Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility
assigned to an On-Line Resource pursuant to paragraph (4) of Section 6.5.9.3.3, Watch.
Ancillary Service Capacity Monitor correct answers A set of processes described in Section
8.1.1.3, Ancillary Service Capacity Compliance Criteria, to determine the Real-Time capability
of Resources to provide Ancillary Service.
,Ancillary Service Obligation correct answers For each Ancillary Service, a Qualified Scheduling
Entity's (QSE's) ERCOT-allocated share of total ERCOT System needs for that Ancillary
Service.
Ancillary Service Offer correct answers An offer to supply Ancillary Service capacity in the
Day-Ahead Market (DAM) or a Supplemental Ancillary Service Market (SASM).
Ancillary Service Plan correct answers A plan produced by ERCOT, as described in Section
4.2.1, Ancillary Service Plan and Ancillary Service Obligation, which identifies the types and
amount of Ancillary Service necessary for each hour of the Operating Day.
Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility correct answers The MW of an Ancillary Service that
each Resource is obligated to provide in Real-Time rounded to the nearest MW.
Ancillary Service Schedule correct answers The MW of each Ancillary Service that each
Resource is providing in Real-Time and the MW of each Ancillary Service for each Resource for
each hour in the Current Operating Plan (COP).
Ancillary Service Supply Responsibility correct answers The net amount of Ancillary Service
capacity that a QSE is obligated to deliver to ERCOT, by hour and service type, from Resources
represented by the QSE.
Ancillary Service Trade correct answers A QSE-to-QSE transaction that transfers an obligation
to provide Ancillary Service capacity between a buyer and a seller.
Applicable Legal Authority (ALA) correct answers A Texas or federal law, rule, regulation, or
applicable ruling of the PUCT or any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction, an order of a
court of competent jurisdiction, or a rule, regulation, applicable ruling, procedure, protocol,
guide or guideline of the Independent Organization, or any Entity authorized by the Independent
Organization to perform registration or settlement functions.
Area Control Error (ACE) correct answers A calculation of the MW correction needed to control
the actual system frequency to the scheduled system frequency.
Authorized Representative correct answers The person(s) designated by an Entity during the
registration process in Section 16, Registration and Qualification of Market Participants, who is
responsible for authorizing all registration information required by ERCOT Protocols and
ERCOT business processes, including any changes in the future, and will be the contact
person(s) between the registered Entity and ERCOT for all business matters requiring
authorization by ERCOT.
Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) correct answers A device on a Generation Resource or a
control system at the Facility of a Generation Resource used to automatically control the voltage
to an established Voltage Set Point.
,Availability Plan correct answers An hourly representation of availability of Reliability Must-
Run (RMR) Units, Must-Run Alternatives (MRAs), or Synchronous Condenser Units, or an
hourly representation of the capability of Black Start Resources as submitted to ERCOT by 0600
in the Day-Ahead by Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) representing RMR Units, MRAs,
Synchronous Condenser Units, or Black Start Resources.
Base Point correct answers The MW output level for a Resource produced by the Security-
Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) process.
Black Start Service (BSS) correct answers An Ancillary Service provided by a Resource able to
start without support of the ERCOT Transmission Grid.
Blackout correct answers A condition in which frequency for the entire ERCOT System has
dropped to zero and Generation Resources are no longer serving Load.
Partial Blackout correct answers A condition in which an uncontrolled separation of a portion of
the ERCOT System occurs and frequency for that portion has dropped to zero and Generation
Resources within that portion are no longer serving Load and restoration is dependent on either
internal Black Start Plans or assistance for restoration is needed from neighboring transmission
operator(s) within the ERCOT System which requires ERCOT coordination.
Block Load Transfer (BLT) correct answers A transfer system that isolates a group of Loads
from the Control Area in which they normally are served and then connects them to another
Control Area. Such transfer systems involve either transferring Loads normally in the ERCOT
Control Area to a non-ERCOT Control Area or transferring Loads normally in non-ERCOT
Control Areas to the ERCOT Control Area.
Bus Load Forecast correct answers A set of processes used by ERCOT to determine a forecast of
the Load at each Electrical Bus in the ERCOT Transmission Grid
Bus Load Forecast correct answers A set of processes used by ERCOT to determine a forecast of
the Load at each Electrical Bus in the ERCOT Transmission Grid
Capacity Trade correct answers A QSE-to-QSE financial transaction that transfers responsibility
to supply capacity between a buyer and a seller at a Settlement Point.
Cash Collateral correct answers A Counter-Party's cash funds held by ERCOT to satisfy ERCOT
creditworthiness requirements, as described in paragraph (d) of Section 16.11.3, Alternative
Means of Satisfying ERCOT Creditworthiness Requirements
Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) correct answers The government agency in Mexico
charged with the responsibility of operating the Mexican national electricity grid.
Commercial Operations Date correct answers The date on which an Interconnecting Entity (IE)
or a Resource Entity expects that construction and trial operation of a Resource will be
, completed and the Resource is expected to complete the Resource interconnection process and
be approved for participation in ERCOT market operations.
Common Information Model (CIM) correct answers A standard way to communicate
information about a transmission system. The CIM is used to describe the ERCOT transmission
system topology consisting of Transmission Elements, including all the parameters needed to
describe the Transmission Elements and how they interrelate to one another. The CIM that
ERCOT and Market Participants use must conform to the North American Electric Reliability
Corporation (NERC) and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) standards for CIMs
Competitive Constraint correct answers A contingency and limiting Transmission Element pair
or group of Transmission Elements associated with a Generic Transmission Constraint (GTC)
that is determined to be competitive using the process defined in Section 3.19, Constraint
Competitiveness Tests
Competitive Retailer (CR) correct answers A Municipally Owned Utility (MOU) or an Electric
Cooperative (EC) that offers Customer Choice and sells electric energy at retail in the
restructured electric power market in Texas, or a Retail Electric Provider (REP).
Competitive Retailer (CR) of Record correct answers The CR assigned to the Electric Service
Identifier (ESI ID) in ERCOT's database. There can be no more than one CR of Record assigned
to an ESI ID for any given time period.
Compliance Period correct answers A calendar year beginning January 1 and ending December
31 in which Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are required of a Retail Entity.
Compliance Premium correct answers A payment awarded by the Program Administrator in
conjunction with a REC that is generated by a renewable energy source that is not powered by
wind and meets the criteria of subsection (l) of P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.173, Goal for Renewable
Energy. For the purpose of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements, one
Compliance Premium is equal to one REC
Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) correct answers A financial instrument that entitles the holder
to be charged or to receive compensation (i.e., congestion rent), depending on the instrument,
when the ERCOT Transmission Grid is congested in the DAM or in Real-Time.
Flowgate Right (FGR) correct answers A type of CRR that entitles the holder to receive
compensation and is evaluated in each CRR Auction and DAM as the positive power flows
represented by the quantity of the CRR bid or offer (MW) on a flowgate (i.e., predefined
directional network element or a predefined bundle of directional network elements).
Point-to-Point (PTP) Obligation correct answers A type of CRR that entitles the holder to be
charged or to receive compensation and is evaluated in each CRR Auction and DAM as the
positive and negative power flows on all directional network elements created by the injection
and withdrawal at the specified source and sink points of the quantity represented by the CRR
bid or offer (MW).
Adjusted Metered Load (AML) correct answers Retail Load usage data that has been adjusted for
Unaccounted for Energy (UFE), Transmission Losses, Distribution Losses, and Direct Current
Tie (DC Tie) exports (except for the Oklaunion Exemption)
Adjusted Static Models correct answers Load Profiles that are generated from statistical models
that are based on static historical Load data, and adjusted for conditions of the day (e.g., weather,
Season, etc.)
Adjustment Period correct answers For each Operating Hour, the time between 1800 in the Day-
Ahead up to the start of the hour before that Operating Hour
Advanced Meter correct answers Any new or appropriately retrofitted meter that functions as
part of a system that includes such meters and the associated hardware, software, and
communications devices, that collects time-differentiated energy usage, and that is deployed
pursuant to P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.130, Advanced Metering.
Advanced Metering System (AMS) correct answers A system, including Advanced Meters and
the associated hardware, software, and communications devices, that collects time-differentiated
energy usage and is deployed pursuant to P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.130, Advanced Metering.
Advisory correct answers The second of four levels of communication issued by ERCOT in
anticipation of a possible Emergency Condition.
Agreement correct answers A signed written agreement between ERCOT and a Market
Participant using one of the standard form agreements in Section 22, Attachments, including
those agreements containing changes to the standard form, which changes have been approved
by the ERCOT Board.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) correct answers Procedures, outlined in Section 20,
Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedure, for settling disputes by means other than litigation.
Ancillary Service correct answers A service necessary to support the transmission of energy to
Loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system using Good Utility
Practice.
Ancillary Service Assignment correct answers Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility
assigned to an On-Line Resource pursuant to paragraph (4) of Section 6.5.9.3.3, Watch.
Ancillary Service Capacity Monitor correct answers A set of processes described in Section
8.1.1.3, Ancillary Service Capacity Compliance Criteria, to determine the Real-Time capability
of Resources to provide Ancillary Service.
,Ancillary Service Obligation correct answers For each Ancillary Service, a Qualified Scheduling
Entity's (QSE's) ERCOT-allocated share of total ERCOT System needs for that Ancillary
Service.
Ancillary Service Offer correct answers An offer to supply Ancillary Service capacity in the
Day-Ahead Market (DAM) or a Supplemental Ancillary Service Market (SASM).
Ancillary Service Plan correct answers A plan produced by ERCOT, as described in Section
4.2.1, Ancillary Service Plan and Ancillary Service Obligation, which identifies the types and
amount of Ancillary Service necessary for each hour of the Operating Day.
Ancillary Service Resource Responsibility correct answers The MW of an Ancillary Service that
each Resource is obligated to provide in Real-Time rounded to the nearest MW.
Ancillary Service Schedule correct answers The MW of each Ancillary Service that each
Resource is providing in Real-Time and the MW of each Ancillary Service for each Resource for
each hour in the Current Operating Plan (COP).
Ancillary Service Supply Responsibility correct answers The net amount of Ancillary Service
capacity that a QSE is obligated to deliver to ERCOT, by hour and service type, from Resources
represented by the QSE.
Ancillary Service Trade correct answers A QSE-to-QSE transaction that transfers an obligation
to provide Ancillary Service capacity between a buyer and a seller.
Applicable Legal Authority (ALA) correct answers A Texas or federal law, rule, regulation, or
applicable ruling of the PUCT or any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction, an order of a
court of competent jurisdiction, or a rule, regulation, applicable ruling, procedure, protocol,
guide or guideline of the Independent Organization, or any Entity authorized by the Independent
Organization to perform registration or settlement functions.
Area Control Error (ACE) correct answers A calculation of the MW correction needed to control
the actual system frequency to the scheduled system frequency.
Authorized Representative correct answers The person(s) designated by an Entity during the
registration process in Section 16, Registration and Qualification of Market Participants, who is
responsible for authorizing all registration information required by ERCOT Protocols and
ERCOT business processes, including any changes in the future, and will be the contact
person(s) between the registered Entity and ERCOT for all business matters requiring
authorization by ERCOT.
Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) correct answers A device on a Generation Resource or a
control system at the Facility of a Generation Resource used to automatically control the voltage
to an established Voltage Set Point.
,Availability Plan correct answers An hourly representation of availability of Reliability Must-
Run (RMR) Units, Must-Run Alternatives (MRAs), or Synchronous Condenser Units, or an
hourly representation of the capability of Black Start Resources as submitted to ERCOT by 0600
in the Day-Ahead by Qualified Scheduling Entities (QSEs) representing RMR Units, MRAs,
Synchronous Condenser Units, or Black Start Resources.
Base Point correct answers The MW output level for a Resource produced by the Security-
Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) process.
Black Start Service (BSS) correct answers An Ancillary Service provided by a Resource able to
start without support of the ERCOT Transmission Grid.
Blackout correct answers A condition in which frequency for the entire ERCOT System has
dropped to zero and Generation Resources are no longer serving Load.
Partial Blackout correct answers A condition in which an uncontrolled separation of a portion of
the ERCOT System occurs and frequency for that portion has dropped to zero and Generation
Resources within that portion are no longer serving Load and restoration is dependent on either
internal Black Start Plans or assistance for restoration is needed from neighboring transmission
operator(s) within the ERCOT System which requires ERCOT coordination.
Block Load Transfer (BLT) correct answers A transfer system that isolates a group of Loads
from the Control Area in which they normally are served and then connects them to another
Control Area. Such transfer systems involve either transferring Loads normally in the ERCOT
Control Area to a non-ERCOT Control Area or transferring Loads normally in non-ERCOT
Control Areas to the ERCOT Control Area.
Bus Load Forecast correct answers A set of processes used by ERCOT to determine a forecast of
the Load at each Electrical Bus in the ERCOT Transmission Grid
Bus Load Forecast correct answers A set of processes used by ERCOT to determine a forecast of
the Load at each Electrical Bus in the ERCOT Transmission Grid
Capacity Trade correct answers A QSE-to-QSE financial transaction that transfers responsibility
to supply capacity between a buyer and a seller at a Settlement Point.
Cash Collateral correct answers A Counter-Party's cash funds held by ERCOT to satisfy ERCOT
creditworthiness requirements, as described in paragraph (d) of Section 16.11.3, Alternative
Means of Satisfying ERCOT Creditworthiness Requirements
Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) correct answers The government agency in Mexico
charged with the responsibility of operating the Mexican national electricity grid.
Commercial Operations Date correct answers The date on which an Interconnecting Entity (IE)
or a Resource Entity expects that construction and trial operation of a Resource will be
, completed and the Resource is expected to complete the Resource interconnection process and
be approved for participation in ERCOT market operations.
Common Information Model (CIM) correct answers A standard way to communicate
information about a transmission system. The CIM is used to describe the ERCOT transmission
system topology consisting of Transmission Elements, including all the parameters needed to
describe the Transmission Elements and how they interrelate to one another. The CIM that
ERCOT and Market Participants use must conform to the North American Electric Reliability
Corporation (NERC) and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) standards for CIMs
Competitive Constraint correct answers A contingency and limiting Transmission Element pair
or group of Transmission Elements associated with a Generic Transmission Constraint (GTC)
that is determined to be competitive using the process defined in Section 3.19, Constraint
Competitiveness Tests
Competitive Retailer (CR) correct answers A Municipally Owned Utility (MOU) or an Electric
Cooperative (EC) that offers Customer Choice and sells electric energy at retail in the
restructured electric power market in Texas, or a Retail Electric Provider (REP).
Competitive Retailer (CR) of Record correct answers The CR assigned to the Electric Service
Identifier (ESI ID) in ERCOT's database. There can be no more than one CR of Record assigned
to an ESI ID for any given time period.
Compliance Period correct answers A calendar year beginning January 1 and ending December
31 in which Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are required of a Retail Entity.
Compliance Premium correct answers A payment awarded by the Program Administrator in
conjunction with a REC that is generated by a renewable energy source that is not powered by
wind and meets the criteria of subsection (l) of P.U.C. SUBST. R. 25.173, Goal for Renewable
Energy. For the purpose of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements, one
Compliance Premium is equal to one REC
Congestion Revenue Right (CRR) correct answers A financial instrument that entitles the holder
to be charged or to receive compensation (i.e., congestion rent), depending on the instrument,
when the ERCOT Transmission Grid is congested in the DAM or in Real-Time.
Flowgate Right (FGR) correct answers A type of CRR that entitles the holder to receive
compensation and is evaluated in each CRR Auction and DAM as the positive power flows
represented by the quantity of the CRR bid or offer (MW) on a flowgate (i.e., predefined
directional network element or a predefined bundle of directional network elements).
Point-to-Point (PTP) Obligation correct answers A type of CRR that entitles the holder to be
charged or to receive compensation and is evaluated in each CRR Auction and DAM as the
positive and negative power flows on all directional network elements created by the injection
and withdrawal at the specified source and sink points of the quantity represented by the CRR
bid or offer (MW).
