NERC EXAM PREP 101 | Actual Questions and Answers Latest
Updated 2026/2027 (Graded A+)
•
1. If a 500 kV transmission line with a surge impedance loading of 800 MW is currently loaded at 1400
MW, which of the following events would most likely occur?
•
a. Generator MVAR output would increase
b. All system capacitors would trip off-line
c. Generator MVAR output would decrease
d. All automatic reactors would connect to the system
- ✔✔a. Generator MVAR output would increase
•
2. When system conditions are such that emergency procedures are expected to be implemented,
which of the following actions should be considered first?
•
a. Shed firm load
b. Implement Active Load Management
c. Return outaged equipment to service
d. Request a voltage reduction
- ✔✔c. Return outaged equipment to service
•
3. If your transmission path is rated for 1200 MW and 1000 MW are scheduled on it, but due to parallel
flows the actual flow is 1300 MW, what action should you take?
•
a. Request that a phase shifting transformer be installed
b. Reduce interchange transactions impacting the path
c. Request all parallel flow to PSEs to increase schedules
d. Reduce all commercial customer load
- ✔✔b. Reduce interchange transactions impacting the path
•
4. If your system is MVAR deficient, what action could be implemented to prevent voltage collapse?
•
a. Raise system frequency above 60.5 Hz
b. Shed firm load in the deficient area
c. Separate from the Interconnection
d. Lower transmission voltages
- ✔✔b. Shed firm load in the deficient area
,•
5. Which of the following actions can a system operator take in order to maintain stability on the
system?
•
a. Request generators to absorb maximum MVAR
b. Place all operating limits on dynamic calculation
c. Raise system voltages as high as possible, but within their operating parameters
d. Reduce voltages on the transmission system
- ✔✔c. Raise system voltages as high as possible, but within their operating parameters
•
6. Which of the following actions should you take if an outage on a neighboring system has caused a
violation on your system?
•
a. Open all tie-lines to your neighbor
b. Ask the Reliability Coordinator for assistance
c. Shed load to mitigate the violation
d. Wait for the neighboring system to contact you
- ✔✔b. Ask the Reliability Coordinator for assistance
•
7. If a SOL or IROL violation occurs due to transfers across the system and it is determined that parallel
flows are contributing to the violation, what should the system operator do?
•
a. Place all system capacitors in service
b. Reduce system load
c. Inform the Reliability Coordinator
d. Dump firm load
- ✔✔c. Inform the Reliability Coordinator
•
8. While performing a pre-outage study, you identify that the transmission outage will cause a thermal
violation on a parallel path, which of the following actions would be the first one you would implement?
•
a. Shed load to mitigate the concern
b. Allow the outage to occur and see what happens
c. Reschedule the outage if possible
d. Allow the outage to take place as long as no load is lost
- ✔✔c. Reschedule the outage if possible
•
9. Which of the following actions should the system operator implement first if transmission line limits
exceed the facilities emergency limits based on a contingency that has not yet occurred, but their
protocols are to respond on a pre-contingency basis?
,•
a. Reduce voltages in the area of the violation
b. Remove the facility from service
c. Curtail any interchange transactions that are curtailable
d. Only implement actions if the contingency occurs
- ✔✔c. Curtail any interchange transactions that are curtailable
•
10. If a Reliability Coordinator had to implement any type of line loading relief procedures, which of the
following entities would they be coordinated with? Pick two.
•
a. Purchasing Selling Entities
b. Balancing Authorities
c. Transmission Operators
d. Load Serving Entities
i. - ✔✔b. Balancing Authorities
ii. c. Transmission Operators
•
11. If a generator is lost in a neighboring Balancing Area, what would the impact be on the BAs
transmission tie lines?
•
a. Nothing b. A net increase of MW would come into your BAs system
c. A net increase of MW would go out of your BAs system
d. They would exceed their emergency limits
- ✔✔c. A net increase of MW would go out of your BAs system
•
12. According to the NERC Glossary, a constrained facility is defined as a transmission facility that is
approaching, is at, or is beyond its?
•
a. SOL or IROL
b. Normal voltage parameters
c. Available Transfer Capability
d. Economic operating point
- ✔✔a. SOL or IROL
•
13. How should a Transmission Operator that is affected by or contributing to transmission SOL or
IROL limit violations respond to the situation?
•
a. When time permits
b. In coordination with other impacted entities
c. Independent of all other parties
d. Only at the direction of the Reliability Coordinator
, - ✔✔b. In coordination with other impacted entities
•
14. If a transmission operator is experiencing a SOL or IROL violation, how long does the entity have to
correct the problem?
•
a. 10 minutes
b. 20 minutes
c. 30 minutes
d. 60 minutes
- ✔✔c. 30 minutes
•
15. If your system is experiencing high system loads, high system imports, and transmission facilities
loaded to 100%, which of the following situations would make the situation worse?
•
a. Loss of a distribution station
b. An internal generator tripping
c. A bulk capacitor connecting to the system
d. A 500 kV transmission line returned to service
- ✔✔b. An internal generator tripping
•
16. If a transmission line has a flow of 500 MW and the LODF for a parallel line due to the loss of this
line is .25, how many MW will shift to this line if the line relays out of service?
•
a. 50 MW
b. 125 MW
c. 250 MW
d. 500 MW
- ✔✔b. 125 MW
•
17. If a transmission path is congested and it is determined that all curtailable transactions have a 15%
affect on the path, how many MW of transactions must be curtailed if 30 MW of relief is needed?
•
a. 15 MW
b. 30 MW
c. 100 MW
d. 200 MW
- ✔✔d. 200 MW
•
18. If a transmission line is violating its emergency thermal limit due to the tripping of a parallel line
which of the following is NOT an appropriate action to implement?
Updated 2026/2027 (Graded A+)
•
1. If a 500 kV transmission line with a surge impedance loading of 800 MW is currently loaded at 1400
MW, which of the following events would most likely occur?
•
a. Generator MVAR output would increase
b. All system capacitors would trip off-line
c. Generator MVAR output would decrease
d. All automatic reactors would connect to the system
- ✔✔a. Generator MVAR output would increase
•
2. When system conditions are such that emergency procedures are expected to be implemented,
which of the following actions should be considered first?
•
a. Shed firm load
b. Implement Active Load Management
c. Return outaged equipment to service
d. Request a voltage reduction
- ✔✔c. Return outaged equipment to service
•
3. If your transmission path is rated for 1200 MW and 1000 MW are scheduled on it, but due to parallel
flows the actual flow is 1300 MW, what action should you take?
•
a. Request that a phase shifting transformer be installed
b. Reduce interchange transactions impacting the path
c. Request all parallel flow to PSEs to increase schedules
d. Reduce all commercial customer load
- ✔✔b. Reduce interchange transactions impacting the path
•
4. If your system is MVAR deficient, what action could be implemented to prevent voltage collapse?
•
a. Raise system frequency above 60.5 Hz
b. Shed firm load in the deficient area
c. Separate from the Interconnection
d. Lower transmission voltages
- ✔✔b. Shed firm load in the deficient area
,•
5. Which of the following actions can a system operator take in order to maintain stability on the
system?
•
a. Request generators to absorb maximum MVAR
b. Place all operating limits on dynamic calculation
c. Raise system voltages as high as possible, but within their operating parameters
d. Reduce voltages on the transmission system
- ✔✔c. Raise system voltages as high as possible, but within their operating parameters
•
6. Which of the following actions should you take if an outage on a neighboring system has caused a
violation on your system?
•
a. Open all tie-lines to your neighbor
b. Ask the Reliability Coordinator for assistance
c. Shed load to mitigate the violation
d. Wait for the neighboring system to contact you
- ✔✔b. Ask the Reliability Coordinator for assistance
•
7. If a SOL or IROL violation occurs due to transfers across the system and it is determined that parallel
flows are contributing to the violation, what should the system operator do?
•
a. Place all system capacitors in service
b. Reduce system load
c. Inform the Reliability Coordinator
d. Dump firm load
- ✔✔c. Inform the Reliability Coordinator
•
8. While performing a pre-outage study, you identify that the transmission outage will cause a thermal
violation on a parallel path, which of the following actions would be the first one you would implement?
•
a. Shed load to mitigate the concern
b. Allow the outage to occur and see what happens
c. Reschedule the outage if possible
d. Allow the outage to take place as long as no load is lost
- ✔✔c. Reschedule the outage if possible
•
9. Which of the following actions should the system operator implement first if transmission line limits
exceed the facilities emergency limits based on a contingency that has not yet occurred, but their
protocols are to respond on a pre-contingency basis?
,•
a. Reduce voltages in the area of the violation
b. Remove the facility from service
c. Curtail any interchange transactions that are curtailable
d. Only implement actions if the contingency occurs
- ✔✔c. Curtail any interchange transactions that are curtailable
•
10. If a Reliability Coordinator had to implement any type of line loading relief procedures, which of the
following entities would they be coordinated with? Pick two.
•
a. Purchasing Selling Entities
b. Balancing Authorities
c. Transmission Operators
d. Load Serving Entities
i. - ✔✔b. Balancing Authorities
ii. c. Transmission Operators
•
11. If a generator is lost in a neighboring Balancing Area, what would the impact be on the BAs
transmission tie lines?
•
a. Nothing b. A net increase of MW would come into your BAs system
c. A net increase of MW would go out of your BAs system
d. They would exceed their emergency limits
- ✔✔c. A net increase of MW would go out of your BAs system
•
12. According to the NERC Glossary, a constrained facility is defined as a transmission facility that is
approaching, is at, or is beyond its?
•
a. SOL or IROL
b. Normal voltage parameters
c. Available Transfer Capability
d. Economic operating point
- ✔✔a. SOL or IROL
•
13. How should a Transmission Operator that is affected by or contributing to transmission SOL or
IROL limit violations respond to the situation?
•
a. When time permits
b. In coordination with other impacted entities
c. Independent of all other parties
d. Only at the direction of the Reliability Coordinator
, - ✔✔b. In coordination with other impacted entities
•
14. If a transmission operator is experiencing a SOL or IROL violation, how long does the entity have to
correct the problem?
•
a. 10 minutes
b. 20 minutes
c. 30 minutes
d. 60 minutes
- ✔✔c. 30 minutes
•
15. If your system is experiencing high system loads, high system imports, and transmission facilities
loaded to 100%, which of the following situations would make the situation worse?
•
a. Loss of a distribution station
b. An internal generator tripping
c. A bulk capacitor connecting to the system
d. A 500 kV transmission line returned to service
- ✔✔b. An internal generator tripping
•
16. If a transmission line has a flow of 500 MW and the LODF for a parallel line due to the loss of this
line is .25, how many MW will shift to this line if the line relays out of service?
•
a. 50 MW
b. 125 MW
c. 250 MW
d. 500 MW
- ✔✔b. 125 MW
•
17. If a transmission path is congested and it is determined that all curtailable transactions have a 15%
affect on the path, how many MW of transactions must be curtailed if 30 MW of relief is needed?
•
a. 15 MW
b. 30 MW
c. 100 MW
d. 200 MW
- ✔✔d. 200 MW
•
18. If a transmission line is violating its emergency thermal limit due to the tripping of a parallel line
which of the following is NOT an appropriate action to implement?
