NERC PREP TEST 101 Questions With Correct Answers

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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer b. Balancing Authorities 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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 - Answer 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? a. Shift generation b. Implement ALM c. Shed load d. Adjust the thermal ratings - Answer d. Adjust the thermal ratings 19. According to NERC standards, disturbances that are not identified until sometime after the occur must be reported to NERC a. Immediately b. Within 12 hours c. Within 24 hours d. Within 30 days - Answer c. Within 24 hours 20. According to NERC Standards, Transmission Operators and Balancing Authorities must provide their operating personnel with a minimum of how much training annually? a. 2 days b. 5 days c. 10 days d. 14 days - Answer b. 5 days 21. If a major transmission facility were to relay out of service, who is the system operator to inform? a. Only local management b. All entities in the Interconnection c. Any impacted system d. NERC - Answer c. Any impacted system 22. How is the reactive output of the generator increased? a. By raising the power factor b. By adjusting the governor control manually c. By adjusting the generator excitation d. By changing the speed of the turbine - Answer c. By adjusting the generator excitation 23. Which of the following would NOT be considered voltage regulation equipment? a. Reactors b. Capacitors c. Generator governors d. Generator AVRs - Answer c. Generator governors 24. An open-ended transmission line exhibits the properties of which of the following devices? a. Generator b. Reactor c. Capacitor d. Insulator - Answer c. Capacitor 25. Which of the following is NOT considered a MVAR resource? a. Shunt reactors b. Synchronous condenser c. Generator d. Capacitors - Answer a. Shunt reactors 26. You report for work on a peak summer day with expected high temperatures and load. What can you do to maintain an adequate system profile? a. Switch reactors in service to remove the peak b. Request all generators to reserve MVAR for the peak c. Switch all capacitors in service without regard to voltage levels d. Get under the voltage by placing capacitors in service while maintaining operating limits - Answer d. Get under the voltage by placing capacitors in service while maintaining operating limits 27. What will be the reactive power output of a 200 MVAR shunt capacitor energized at 90% of its nominal voltage? a. 120 MVAR b. 150 MVAR c. 162 MVAR d. 180 MVAR - Answer c. 162 MVAR 28. When system conditions have caused the depletion of the system reactive reserves, when should the reserves be restored? a. When the system load is shed b. Only after a P-V curve has been developed c. As soon as possible d. When the RC has given permission to do so - Answer c. As soon as possible 29. What is the purpose of the generator reactive capability curve? a. Determine the generator excitation time restrictions b. Identify the turbine loading temperatures c. Determine how fast the unit can be loaded d. Identify MVAR operating limits - Answer d. Identify MVAR operating limits 30. Which of the following in conjunction with switched capacitors can be used to maintain system voltage levels within desired limits? a. Interchange schedules b. Static Var Compensators c. Current transformer d. Potential transformer - Answer b. Static Var Compensators 31. If it is desired to have a generator operate in the LEAD, what must the Generator Operator do to the generator? a. Increase the excitation b. Increase the hydrogen pressure c. Decrease the excitation d. Decrease the hydrogen temperature - Answer c. Decrease the excitation 32. Which of the following reactive devices would be considered to be a dynamic reactive resource? a. Transformer b. Shunt reactor c. Shunt capacitor d. Generator - Answer d. Generator 33. If the applied voltage of a capacitor experiences a 10% reduction from the rated voltage, what will be the impact on the capacitor output? a. It will be increased by 10% b. It will remain unchanged c. It will be reduced by 10% d. It will be reduced by more than 10% - Answer d. It will be reduced by more than 10% 34. According to NERC Standards, each Transmission Operator is expected to coordinate protection systems on major transmission lines and interconnections with all of the following neighboring entities EXCEPT? a. Generator Operators b. Transmission Operators c. Balancing Authorities d. Transmission Service Providers - Answer d. Transmission Service Providers 35. Which type of relay operates on the premise of comparing the flow in and out of the area of protection? a. Out-of-phase relays b. Directional relay c. Differential relay d. Overspeed trip relay - Answer c. Differential relay 36. Which of the following would be a means for the system operator to verify that a transmission system relay has operated after receiving an alarm? a. Have the alarm re-calibrated b. Request the relay group to provide a detailed print of the scheme c. Have someone check the relay targets d. Check the station instruction manual - Answer c. Have someone check the relay targets 37. Which of the following is NOT a parameter that is used for automatic load shedding schemes? a. Frequency b. Rate of frequency decay c. Rate of voltage decay d. Rate of generation ramping - Answer d. Rate of generation ramping 38. You receive indication through your SCADA system that a substation's main bus circuit breakers have operated open, what would you expect to see as the primary relay target at the station? a. Synch-check relay b. Zone 3 distance relay c. Bus differential relay d. Out-of -step relay - Answer c. Bus differential relay 39. If your system experienced a relay equipment misoperation, why is it important to report this information to appropriate personnel? a. To complete the NERC Relay Survey appropriately b. To ensure that testing and repairs are initiated c. To initiate re-calibration of all differential relays d. To initiate high speed re-closing - Answer b. To ensure that testing and repairs are initiated 40. What type of relay looks at roughly 90% of a transmission line? a. Zone 1 b. Zone 2 c. Zone 3 d. Differential - Answer a. Zone 1 41. If a major transmission facility were to relay out of service, who is the system operator supposed to inform? a. Only local management b. All entities in the Interconnection c. Any impacted system d. NERC - Answer c. Any impacted system 42. You have an alarm from a substation and you send a serviceman to the substation. He reports the Circuit Switcher on the high side of the bank is open and all CB's in substation are open. Of the relays listed below, which is the most likely? a. 50G over current b. 21-1 impedance zone 1 c. 87T differential d. 27 under voltage - Answer c. 87T differential 43. Underfrequency load shedding is set-up so that which of the following does NOT occur? a. Over voltage conditions b. Interruption of interchange c. Uncontrolled separation d. Voltage criteria violated - Answer c. Uncontrolled separation 44. What would be the expected impact on voltage when a capacitor is placed in service? a. Increase b. Remain the same c. Suddenly drop but return to the same voltage d. Decrease - Answer a. Increase 45. If more MVAR is desired from a generator, what must the Generator Operator do to the generator? a. Increase the excitation b. Increase the hydrogen pressure c. Decrease the excitation d. Decrease the hydrogen temperature - Answer a. Increase the excitation 46. Which of the following actions would help to lower voltages on the transmission system? Pick two. a. Remove a capacitor from service b. Remove a reactor from service c. Lower the excitation on a generator d. Switch a capacitor in service - Answer a. Remove a capacitor from service c. Lower the excitation on a generator