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NERC Certification Practice Exam (100 Questions)
Section 1: NERC Overview, History & Governance (Questions 1–15)
1. The NERC came into existence as a result of the Electric Power Reliability Act of what
year?
A. 1958
B. 2005
C. 1967
D. 1997
Answer: C
2. How many certification credentials does NERC have examinations for?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 8
Answer: B (RC, TOP, BA, and DO)
3. True/False: The NERC Functional Model is designed so that the functions of Generator
Owner and Generator Operator can be performed by two different entities.
A. True
B. False
Answer: A
4. How many forms of identification are required when taking the NERC System Operator
Certification exam?
A. 4
B. 9
C. 1
D. 2
Answer: D
5. All four Interconnections operate at ____ Hz, but are not in synchronization with each
other.
A. 59Hz/False
B. 62Hz/True
C. 60Hz/True
D. 60.02Hz/False
Answer: C
6. How many High-Voltage Direct Current transmission lines are there in operation
between the Western and ERCOT Interconnections?
A. 2
, 2
B. 0
C. 5
D. 3
Answer: B
7. The first power pool in the industry was created in 1927 and was known as which of the
following?
A. Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM)
B. New England Power Pool (NEPOOL)
C. Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC)
D. Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
Answer: A
8. According to the NERC Functional Model, there is no difference between the function
and the entity.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
9. True/False: Analysis type questions are designed to be the least complex from a human
cognitive process.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
10. A Transmission Service Provider is an entity that both owns and operates transmission
facilities on the Bulk Electric System.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
11. How many Regional Entities are in the Eastern Interconnection?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 6
Answer: A
12. The entity that is responsible for ensuring, in real time, that their area demand and
supply are finely balanced is known as a?
A. Reliability Coordinator
B. Balancing Authority
C. Transmission Operator
, 3
D. Load Serving Entity
Answer: B
13. True/False: Balancing Authorities are responsible to ensure that transmission facilities
are operated within the limits that are established by the Transmission Owners.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
14. What is the penalty for a Balancing Authority violating the Disturbance Control
Standard?
A. Must carry additional Contingency Reserve
B. Must develop a correction action plan
C. Must re-evaluate and change its Frequency Bias Setting
D. Must increase its Regulating Reserve
Answer: B
15. Each Balancing Authority is required to balance its resources and demand in real-time
so that its clock-minute average of its Area Control Error (ACE) does not exceed its BAAL
for more than how long?
A. 15 clock minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 25 consecutive clock minutes
D. 30 consecutive clock minutes
Answer: D
Section 2: Resource & Demand Balancing (Questions 16–40)
16. A Balancing Authority observes Area Control Error (ACE) consistently positive and
growing while frequency is above scheduled. Net Actual Interchange is less than Net
Scheduled Interchange. The most appropriate immediate action is to:
A. Increase generation to raise ACE further
B. Decrease generation or increase load to drive ACE toward zero while monitoring
frequency
C. Ignore ACE because frequency is high
D. Curtail all firm exports immediately without analysis
Answer: B
17. Frequency Bias Setting is expressed in MW/0.1 Hz and is used primarily to:
A. Approximate the BA's response to frequency deviations so that ACE correctly reflects
imbalance
B. Determine the exact economic dispatch stack order
C. Set the maximum allowable transmission loading
NERC Certification Practice Exam (100 Questions)
Section 1: NERC Overview, History & Governance (Questions 1–15)
1. The NERC came into existence as a result of the Electric Power Reliability Act of what
year?
A. 1958
B. 2005
C. 1967
D. 1997
Answer: C
2. How many certification credentials does NERC have examinations for?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 6
D. 8
Answer: B (RC, TOP, BA, and DO)
3. True/False: The NERC Functional Model is designed so that the functions of Generator
Owner and Generator Operator can be performed by two different entities.
A. True
B. False
Answer: A
4. How many forms of identification are required when taking the NERC System Operator
Certification exam?
A. 4
B. 9
C. 1
D. 2
Answer: D
5. All four Interconnections operate at ____ Hz, but are not in synchronization with each
other.
A. 59Hz/False
B. 62Hz/True
C. 60Hz/True
D. 60.02Hz/False
Answer: C
6. How many High-Voltage Direct Current transmission lines are there in operation
between the Western and ERCOT Interconnections?
A. 2
, 2
B. 0
C. 5
D. 3
Answer: B
7. The first power pool in the industry was created in 1927 and was known as which of the
following?
A. Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland (PJM)
B. New England Power Pool (NEPOOL)
C. Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC)
D. Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
Answer: A
8. According to the NERC Functional Model, there is no difference between the function
and the entity.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
9. True/False: Analysis type questions are designed to be the least complex from a human
cognitive process.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
10. A Transmission Service Provider is an entity that both owns and operates transmission
facilities on the Bulk Electric System.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
11. How many Regional Entities are in the Eastern Interconnection?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 6
Answer: A
12. The entity that is responsible for ensuring, in real time, that their area demand and
supply are finely balanced is known as a?
A. Reliability Coordinator
B. Balancing Authority
C. Transmission Operator
, 3
D. Load Serving Entity
Answer: B
13. True/False: Balancing Authorities are responsible to ensure that transmission facilities
are operated within the limits that are established by the Transmission Owners.
A. True
B. False
Answer: B
14. What is the penalty for a Balancing Authority violating the Disturbance Control
Standard?
A. Must carry additional Contingency Reserve
B. Must develop a correction action plan
C. Must re-evaluate and change its Frequency Bias Setting
D. Must increase its Regulating Reserve
Answer: B
15. Each Balancing Authority is required to balance its resources and demand in real-time
so that its clock-minute average of its Area Control Error (ACE) does not exceed its BAAL
for more than how long?
A. 15 clock minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 25 consecutive clock minutes
D. 30 consecutive clock minutes
Answer: D
Section 2: Resource & Demand Balancing (Questions 16–40)
16. A Balancing Authority observes Area Control Error (ACE) consistently positive and
growing while frequency is above scheduled. Net Actual Interchange is less than Net
Scheduled Interchange. The most appropriate immediate action is to:
A. Increase generation to raise ACE further
B. Decrease generation or increase load to drive ACE toward zero while monitoring
frequency
C. Ignore ACE because frequency is high
D. Curtail all firm exports immediately without analysis
Answer: B
17. Frequency Bias Setting is expressed in MW/0.1 Hz and is used primarily to:
A. Approximate the BA's response to frequency deviations so that ACE correctly reflects
imbalance
B. Determine the exact economic dispatch stack order
C. Set the maximum allowable transmission loading
