Real-Time Tools Survey Analysis and Recommendations, Final Report

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Real-Time Tools Best Practices Task Force (RTBPTF) regarding minimum acceptable capabilities and best practices for real-time tools necessary to ensure reliable electric system operation and reliability coordination. RTBPTF's mission is primarily based on the U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task Force findings that key causes of the August 14, 2003 northeast blackout included lack of situational awareness and inadequate reliability tools. That report also notes the need for visualization display systems to monitor system reliability. RTBPTF's recommendations result from an extensive, three-year process of factfinding and analysis supported by the results of the Real-Time Tools Survey, the most comprehensive survey ever conducted of current electric industry practices.