NERC final exam SOS EXAM LATEST 2026-2027
QUESTIONS AND 100% Verified ANSWERS
Which of the following is considered to be a reliability event?
1) Low voltage
2) Loss of a small generator
3) SOL or IROL exceeded
4) Loss of Energy Management System
a. 1 and 2
b. 1 and 3
c. 2 and 3
d. 3 and 4 - answer>>b. 1 and 3
Feedback:
Reliability event is referred to as an event that affects or may potentially affect the reliability of the Bulk Electric
System, such as loss of generation, transmission or load or violations or potential violations of operating limits.
A system operator has exhausted all available resources and system voltage continues to decline. What is the
operator's next step?
a. Shed load
b. Open high voltage transmission line
c. Start a VAR import schedule
d. Shut down generator - answer>>a. Shed load
Feedback: The question states that available resources such as generators and capacitors have been utilized and it
is not enough to stabilize system voltages, therefore, load shed must be considered. Shedding load will decrease
power flow and reactive needs of the system and restore voltage levels.
,Intentional human actions, previously known as acts of sabotage must be reported to government agencies, law
enforcement and regulatory bodies. Which events are considered reportable?
a. Damage or destruction of a Facility
b. Physical threat of a Facility
c. All the above
d. Threats to a control center - answer>>c. All the above
Feedback: EOP-004 Event Reporting. The term sabotage has been replaced by intentional human action since it
was difficult to differentiate between sabotage and vandalism. Responsible Entities must have an event reporting
plan. Responsible Entities are the same entities that the EOP-004 apply to: Reliability Coordinator, Balancing
Authority, Transmission Operator, Transmission Owner, Generator Owner, Distribution Provider.
The maximum and minimum voltage, current, frequency, real and reactive power flows on individual equipment
under steady state, short-circuit and transient conditions, as permitted by the equipment owner is ____________.
a. The System Operating Limit
b. Always changing.
c. The point of collapse
d. Equipment Rating - answer>>d. Equipment Rating
Feedback: NERC Glossary:Equipment Rating - The maximum and minimum voltage, current, frequency, real and
reactive power flows on individual equipment under steady state, short-circuit and transient conditions, as
permitted or assigned by the equipment owner. This is not necessarily the System Operating Limit. System
Operating Limits are based upon certain operating criteria. These include, but are not limited to:• Facility Ratings
(Applicable pre- and post-Contingency equipment or facility ratings)• Transient Stability Ratings (Applicable pre-
and post-Contingency Stability Limits)• Voltage Stability Ratings (Applicable pre- and post-Contingency Voltage
Stability)• System Voltage Limits (Applicable pre- and post-Contingency Voltage Limits)
Which entity integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-generation balance within a
Balancing Authority Area, and supports Interconnection frequency in real time?
a. Balancing Authority
, b. Reliability Coordinator
c. Load Serving Entity
d. Transmission Operator - answer>>a. Balancing Authority
Feedback:
Balancing Authority: the entity that integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-
generation balance within a Balancing Authority Area, and supports Interconnection frequency in real time. NERC
Glossary
A Balancing Authority with several units offline anticipates a capacity shortage during the afternoon peak due to
unseasonal temperature forecast. What should the BA consider first?
a. Curtail interruptible customers
b. Postpone or cancel unit maintenance
c. Implement voltage reduction procedures
d. Drop load - answer>>b. Postpone or cancel unit maintenance
Feedback: All listed actions may be appropriate at some point if the capacity shortage develops. However, the
question asks what should be done first, and postponing outages would be the correct answer.
Which of the following is the most common effect of a Geomagnetic Disturbance on the power system?
a. Increase static electricity
b. Transformer cores becoming saturated
c. Generator output varies
d. Abnormal VAR direction - answer>>b. Transformer cores becoming saturated
Feedback: Geomagnetic Disturbances (GMDs) can cause serious disruptions to electric power systems.
Geomagnetic Induced Currents enter the power system from the earth's crust through grounded equipment, most
commonly wye-connected transformers. These GICs can cause the transformer core to become saturated.
QUESTIONS AND 100% Verified ANSWERS
Which of the following is considered to be a reliability event?
1) Low voltage
2) Loss of a small generator
3) SOL or IROL exceeded
4) Loss of Energy Management System
a. 1 and 2
b. 1 and 3
c. 2 and 3
d. 3 and 4 - answer>>b. 1 and 3
Feedback:
Reliability event is referred to as an event that affects or may potentially affect the reliability of the Bulk Electric
System, such as loss of generation, transmission or load or violations or potential violations of operating limits.
A system operator has exhausted all available resources and system voltage continues to decline. What is the
operator's next step?
a. Shed load
b. Open high voltage transmission line
c. Start a VAR import schedule
d. Shut down generator - answer>>a. Shed load
Feedback: The question states that available resources such as generators and capacitors have been utilized and it
is not enough to stabilize system voltages, therefore, load shed must be considered. Shedding load will decrease
power flow and reactive needs of the system and restore voltage levels.
,Intentional human actions, previously known as acts of sabotage must be reported to government agencies, law
enforcement and regulatory bodies. Which events are considered reportable?
a. Damage or destruction of a Facility
b. Physical threat of a Facility
c. All the above
d. Threats to a control center - answer>>c. All the above
Feedback: EOP-004 Event Reporting. The term sabotage has been replaced by intentional human action since it
was difficult to differentiate between sabotage and vandalism. Responsible Entities must have an event reporting
plan. Responsible Entities are the same entities that the EOP-004 apply to: Reliability Coordinator, Balancing
Authority, Transmission Operator, Transmission Owner, Generator Owner, Distribution Provider.
The maximum and minimum voltage, current, frequency, real and reactive power flows on individual equipment
under steady state, short-circuit and transient conditions, as permitted by the equipment owner is ____________.
a. The System Operating Limit
b. Always changing.
c. The point of collapse
d. Equipment Rating - answer>>d. Equipment Rating
Feedback: NERC Glossary:Equipment Rating - The maximum and minimum voltage, current, frequency, real and
reactive power flows on individual equipment under steady state, short-circuit and transient conditions, as
permitted or assigned by the equipment owner. This is not necessarily the System Operating Limit. System
Operating Limits are based upon certain operating criteria. These include, but are not limited to:• Facility Ratings
(Applicable pre- and post-Contingency equipment or facility ratings)• Transient Stability Ratings (Applicable pre-
and post-Contingency Stability Limits)• Voltage Stability Ratings (Applicable pre- and post-Contingency Voltage
Stability)• System Voltage Limits (Applicable pre- and post-Contingency Voltage Limits)
Which entity integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-generation balance within a
Balancing Authority Area, and supports Interconnection frequency in real time?
a. Balancing Authority
, b. Reliability Coordinator
c. Load Serving Entity
d. Transmission Operator - answer>>a. Balancing Authority
Feedback:
Balancing Authority: the entity that integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange-
generation balance within a Balancing Authority Area, and supports Interconnection frequency in real time. NERC
Glossary
A Balancing Authority with several units offline anticipates a capacity shortage during the afternoon peak due to
unseasonal temperature forecast. What should the BA consider first?
a. Curtail interruptible customers
b. Postpone or cancel unit maintenance
c. Implement voltage reduction procedures
d. Drop load - answer>>b. Postpone or cancel unit maintenance
Feedback: All listed actions may be appropriate at some point if the capacity shortage develops. However, the
question asks what should be done first, and postponing outages would be the correct answer.
Which of the following is the most common effect of a Geomagnetic Disturbance on the power system?
a. Increase static electricity
b. Transformer cores becoming saturated
c. Generator output varies
d. Abnormal VAR direction - answer>>b. Transformer cores becoming saturated
Feedback: Geomagnetic Disturbances (GMDs) can cause serious disruptions to electric power systems.
Geomagnetic Induced Currents enter the power system from the earth's crust through grounded equipment, most
commonly wye-connected transformers. These GICs can cause the transformer core to become saturated.
