Additional NERC Exam Study Questions
Emergency Preparedness
Q1: For the annual test of an entity's back-up functionality Operating Plan to be valid, it
must demonstrate which of the following?
A) Back-up functionality is maintained for at least 2 continuous hours
B) All shift personnel are comfortable at the backup site
C) Transition time is one hour or less
D) The backup site is secure - ANS A) Back-up functionality is maintained for at least 2
continuous hours
\Q2: A BA is experiencing low voltage in the northeast region. A 50 MVA generator in that
area is loaded at 50 MWs. What action could a System Operator take to increase the
voltage in that area?
A) Increase generation to overload capacity
B) Decrease reactive power until voltage increases
C) Do nothing; the AVR will take care of it
D) Decrease real power and increase reactive power - ANS D) Decrease real power and
increase reactive power
\Q3: Maintenance in the area has resulted in the ICCP communication line being cut to
the control room. Which of the following actions is most appropriate?
A) Implement the plan for Loss of Control Center Functionality
B) Manually update State Estimator with the most current information
C) Report the loss of ICCP to NERC
D) Switch AGC to Flat Frequency Control - ANS C) Report the loss of ICCP to NERC
\Q4: A portion of a Reliability Coordinator Area is experiencing low voltage. What
Operating Instructions should the RC issue?
A) Lower transfers across area and decrease generation
B) Increase transfers across area and decrease generation
C) Lower transfers across area and increase generation
D) Increase transfers across area and increase generation - ANS C) Lower transfers
across area and increase generation
\Q5: Interconnection frequency is at 59.85 Hz. The System Operator has not experienced
any disturbances. What does this indicate?
A) Interconnection voltage and load are not balanced
B) Interconnection system loads are higher than on-line generation
C) Collective system generation is higher than system load
D) A loss of load - ANS B) Interconnection system loads are higher than on-line
generation
\Q6: As a general rule of thumb, a 5% reduction in customer voltage will lead to what
level of reduction in load magnitude?
A) 1.0%
, B) 3.0%
C) 5.0%
D) 6.3% - ANS B) 3.0%
\Q7: You receive an alarm that indicates low gas pressure on a SF6 transmission breaker.
Indications show the pressure is continuing to drop. What action would you take?
A) Isolate the breaker and dispatch maintenance personnel to inspect
B) Operate the breaker to see if the alarm will clear
C) Reduce the power flow through the breaker
D) Wait to see if the breaker trips - ANS A) Isolate the breaker and dispatch maintenance
personnel to inspect
\Q8: Which of the following is used to help balance a system after it separates from the
Interconnection during a disturbance?
A) Automatic Under-Frequency Load Shed {UFlS)
B) Automatic Under-Voltage Load Shed {UVLS)
C) Generator under-frequency trips
D) Automatic Generation Control {AGC) - ANS A) Automatic Under-Frequency Load Shed
{UFlS)
\Q9: In the initial stages of a restoration condition, high transmission system voltage
problems are more likely than low transmission system voltage problems. Why?
A) Because of the excessive MVAR supply from too many on-line generators
B) Because of the deficiency in MVAR from too much customer load energization
C) Because of the deficiency in MWs from too much customer load energization
D) Because of the excessive MVAR supply from the energization of transmission lines -
ANS D) Because of the excessive MVAR supply from the energization of transmission
lines
\Q10: A system operator has exhausted all available resources and re-dispatch options.
System voltage continues to decline. What should the system operator do next?
A) Contact the Reliability Coordinator
B) Shed load in the low voltage area
C) Start a VAR import schedule
D) Check on the under-voltage settings - ANS B) Shed load in the low voltage area
\Q11: A geomagnetic disturbance is predicted to occur tomorrow. Which parts of the
system are most likely to experience problems?
A) HVDC transmission lines
B) Delta connected transformers
C) Wye connected transformers
D) Large generators - ANS C) Wye connected transformers
\Q12: A severe disturbance has caused a total system shutdown. ou are in the process of
initiating system restoration procedures. An open all breaker command is an option on
your EMS system. What would be the consequences of using this command?
A) Restoration would take longer
B) Critical substation battery would be depleted
C) Visual inspect ion is needed prior to breaker operation
Emergency Preparedness
Q1: For the annual test of an entity's back-up functionality Operating Plan to be valid, it
must demonstrate which of the following?
A) Back-up functionality is maintained for at least 2 continuous hours
B) All shift personnel are comfortable at the backup site
C) Transition time is one hour or less
D) The backup site is secure - ANS A) Back-up functionality is maintained for at least 2
continuous hours
\Q2: A BA is experiencing low voltage in the northeast region. A 50 MVA generator in that
area is loaded at 50 MWs. What action could a System Operator take to increase the
voltage in that area?
A) Increase generation to overload capacity
B) Decrease reactive power until voltage increases
C) Do nothing; the AVR will take care of it
D) Decrease real power and increase reactive power - ANS D) Decrease real power and
increase reactive power
\Q3: Maintenance in the area has resulted in the ICCP communication line being cut to
the control room. Which of the following actions is most appropriate?
A) Implement the plan for Loss of Control Center Functionality
B) Manually update State Estimator with the most current information
C) Report the loss of ICCP to NERC
D) Switch AGC to Flat Frequency Control - ANS C) Report the loss of ICCP to NERC
\Q4: A portion of a Reliability Coordinator Area is experiencing low voltage. What
Operating Instructions should the RC issue?
A) Lower transfers across area and decrease generation
B) Increase transfers across area and decrease generation
C) Lower transfers across area and increase generation
D) Increase transfers across area and increase generation - ANS C) Lower transfers
across area and increase generation
\Q5: Interconnection frequency is at 59.85 Hz. The System Operator has not experienced
any disturbances. What does this indicate?
A) Interconnection voltage and load are not balanced
B) Interconnection system loads are higher than on-line generation
C) Collective system generation is higher than system load
D) A loss of load - ANS B) Interconnection system loads are higher than on-line
generation
\Q6: As a general rule of thumb, a 5% reduction in customer voltage will lead to what
level of reduction in load magnitude?
A) 1.0%
, B) 3.0%
C) 5.0%
D) 6.3% - ANS B) 3.0%
\Q7: You receive an alarm that indicates low gas pressure on a SF6 transmission breaker.
Indications show the pressure is continuing to drop. What action would you take?
A) Isolate the breaker and dispatch maintenance personnel to inspect
B) Operate the breaker to see if the alarm will clear
C) Reduce the power flow through the breaker
D) Wait to see if the breaker trips - ANS A) Isolate the breaker and dispatch maintenance
personnel to inspect
\Q8: Which of the following is used to help balance a system after it separates from the
Interconnection during a disturbance?
A) Automatic Under-Frequency Load Shed {UFlS)
B) Automatic Under-Voltage Load Shed {UVLS)
C) Generator under-frequency trips
D) Automatic Generation Control {AGC) - ANS A) Automatic Under-Frequency Load Shed
{UFlS)
\Q9: In the initial stages of a restoration condition, high transmission system voltage
problems are more likely than low transmission system voltage problems. Why?
A) Because of the excessive MVAR supply from too many on-line generators
B) Because of the deficiency in MVAR from too much customer load energization
C) Because of the deficiency in MWs from too much customer load energization
D) Because of the excessive MVAR supply from the energization of transmission lines -
ANS D) Because of the excessive MVAR supply from the energization of transmission
lines
\Q10: A system operator has exhausted all available resources and re-dispatch options.
System voltage continues to decline. What should the system operator do next?
A) Contact the Reliability Coordinator
B) Shed load in the low voltage area
C) Start a VAR import schedule
D) Check on the under-voltage settings - ANS B) Shed load in the low voltage area
\Q11: A geomagnetic disturbance is predicted to occur tomorrow. Which parts of the
system are most likely to experience problems?
A) HVDC transmission lines
B) Delta connected transformers
C) Wye connected transformers
D) Large generators - ANS C) Wye connected transformers
\Q12: A severe disturbance has caused a total system shutdown. ou are in the process of
initiating system restoration procedures. An open all breaker command is an option on
your EMS system. What would be the consequences of using this command?
A) Restoration would take longer
B) Critical substation battery would be depleted
C) Visual inspect ion is needed prior to breaker operation
