PJM GENERATION DISPATCHER EXAMINATION PAPER 2025/2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔During a restoration process you have 6,000MW of customer demand restored and
frequency drop by 1 Hz how much load needs to be shed to restore frequency back to
where it was prior to the disturbance?
A) 180MW to 360MW
B) 300MW to 480MW
C) 360MW to 600MW
D) 480MW to 720MW - ✔✔C) 360MW to 600MW
✔✔Which of the following is/are requirements for Black Start Units? (Pick all that apply)
- Must have and maintain procedures for the unit
- Have the ability to maintain frequency and voltage under varying load
- Must be tested every 3 years
- Must be able to run for 12 hours, or defined by the TO restoration plan - ✔✔-Must
have and maintain procedures for the unit
-Have the ability to maintain frequency and voltage under varying load
- Must be tested every 3 years
✔✔Which of the following statements would be considered an implication from receiving
power from an outside entity?
A) Equipment Damage
B) Isolation of the unit from the outside entity
C) Maximize the time for generator restarts
D) Unintentional interconnection between the two areas - ✔✔D) Unintentional
interconnection between the two areas
✔✔Which of the following would be considered pre-tie preparations when
interconnecting islands? (Select 2)
- Ensure reliable communications are available for all entities involved in the
interconnection process
- Recalculation of reserves
- Identification of the transmission line to tie areas together
- Provide updated hydroelectric capability - ✔✔- Ensure reliable communications are
available for all entities involved in the interconnection process
- Identification of the transmission line to tie areas together
✔✔If a change in the capability of a Black Start resource affects the ability of a
generator to meet the Transmission Operator's individual restoration plant, the
,Generation Operator shall notify the Transmission Operator of the known changes
within.
A) 4 hours
B) 8 hours
C) 16 hours
D) 24 hours - ✔✔D) 24 hours
✔✔During a restoration process, Generation Owners are required to update their
progress by submitting a report:
A) On an hourly basis
B) Every 1/2 hour
C) For every unit returning to service
D) As conditions on the system change - ✔✔A) On an hourly basis
✔✔Concerning PJM requirements for critical start generation, which of the following
statements applies to the units capability to maintain frequency? ()
A) Dynamic offline testing of the units voltage controls
B) Picking up an isolated block of loads
C) Producing leading and lagging VARs
D) Dynamic Off-line testing of the units governor control - ✔✔B) Picking up an isolated
block of loads
D) Dynamic Off-line testing of the units governor control
✔✔During system restoration, a generator should not be loaded above the level of
available
A) operating reserve
B) synchronized reserve
C) primary reserve
D) dynamic reserve - ✔✔D) dynamic reserve
✔✔Dynamic Reserves consist of
A) Governor Reserve and load that has been restored with under frequency relays
B) Quick-start generation that can be loaded within 10 minutes
C) On-line generation that can be loaded within 10 minutes
D) Customer load that can be manually shed within 10 minutes - ✔✔A) Governor
Reserve and load that has been restored with under frequency relays
✔✔Each Generation Operator with a black start resource shall provide training to each
of its operating personnel responsible for operating the unit at a minimum of
,A) One hour of training every two calendar years
B) Two hours of training every two calendar years
C) One hour of training every three calendar years
D) Two hours of training every three calendar years - ✔✔B) Two hours of training every
two calendar years
✔✔Cold load pick-up is best described as
A) Load that is comprised of cooling equipment such as air conditioning and fans
B) Load which has been de-energized for some time and has lost its cycling
characteristics
C) Load circuits that are equipped with under-frequency relaying
D) Characteristics of load when the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit - ✔✔B)
Load which has been de-energized for some time and has lost its cycling characteristics
✔✔Who is responsible for determining the amount of Black Start generation required in
a transmission zone?
A) The Load-servicing Entities in the zone
B) The Transmission Owner
C) The Generation Owner
D) PJM - ✔✔B) The Transmission Owner
✔✔While progressing through your system restoration plan, you come across a
transmission line that has both of its breakers closed. The line is far removed from any
generation sources. Which of the following statements describes the best course of
action you should take?
A) The line is clearly faulted and should not be re-energized until all other facilities are in
service.
B) The line is not faulted and can be re-energized immediately.
C) Clear the remaining breakers on the bus and test energize it with a remote line
D) Have field personnel check the relay targets at both terminals to determine if the line
is faulted - ✔✔D) Have field personnel check the relay targets at both terminals to
determine if the line is faulted
✔✔Using the following information, determine the maximum amount of load that should
be restored (assume a 5% governor droop).
Generation Capacity on-line = 1000MW
System Load = 800MW
System Frequency = 60.5 Hz
A) 50MW
B) 90MW
, C) 120MW
D) 150MW - ✔✔A) 50MW
*Do not restore load blocks that exceed 5% of the synchronized gen capacity*
✔✔Which of the following would be considered as the 'final step' in determining the
status of generation after a disturbance or event has occurred?
A) Determine the status of generation that was off-line prior to the event
B) Stabilize surviving on-line generation
C) Determine what generation survived the event and is still in service
D) Determine the status of generation that was off-line prior to the event - ✔✔C)
Determine what generation survived the event and is still in service
✔✔According to PJM, how many critical Blackstart Unit outages may there be per
station?
A) 3
B) 2
C) 4
D) 1 - ✔✔D) 1
*2 are allowed per zone but must be at different stations*
✔✔Which of the following are considered as 'critical load' by PJM?
A)Two independent feeds into each nuclear facility for station start-up
B) Power to pumping plants for underground cables
C) Gas infrastructure equipment
D) Light and power to critical substations - ✔✔C) Gas infrastructure equipment
✔✔During system restoration operations, a member company has a steam capacity of
600MW, combustion turbine capacity of 200MW and 100MW of hydro capacity. The
load factors (governor response) are 5%, 25%, and 15% respectively. Also, 50MW of
load with underfrequency load shedding enabled has been restored. What is the total
governor reserve capability of the company's steam, combustion turbine and hydro
units? - ✔✔95MW
✔✔During system restoration prior to synchronization of a unit, the dispatcher should
ensure sufficient load is available to
A) economize unit operation
B) maximize unit operation
c) stabilize unit operation
D) minimize unit operation - ✔✔c) stabilize unit operation
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEE A+
✔✔During a restoration process you have 6,000MW of customer demand restored and
frequency drop by 1 Hz how much load needs to be shed to restore frequency back to
where it was prior to the disturbance?
A) 180MW to 360MW
B) 300MW to 480MW
C) 360MW to 600MW
D) 480MW to 720MW - ✔✔C) 360MW to 600MW
✔✔Which of the following is/are requirements for Black Start Units? (Pick all that apply)
- Must have and maintain procedures for the unit
- Have the ability to maintain frequency and voltage under varying load
- Must be tested every 3 years
- Must be able to run for 12 hours, or defined by the TO restoration plan - ✔✔-Must
have and maintain procedures for the unit
-Have the ability to maintain frequency and voltage under varying load
- Must be tested every 3 years
✔✔Which of the following statements would be considered an implication from receiving
power from an outside entity?
A) Equipment Damage
B) Isolation of the unit from the outside entity
C) Maximize the time for generator restarts
D) Unintentional interconnection between the two areas - ✔✔D) Unintentional
interconnection between the two areas
✔✔Which of the following would be considered pre-tie preparations when
interconnecting islands? (Select 2)
- Ensure reliable communications are available for all entities involved in the
interconnection process
- Recalculation of reserves
- Identification of the transmission line to tie areas together
- Provide updated hydroelectric capability - ✔✔- Ensure reliable communications are
available for all entities involved in the interconnection process
- Identification of the transmission line to tie areas together
✔✔If a change in the capability of a Black Start resource affects the ability of a
generator to meet the Transmission Operator's individual restoration plant, the
,Generation Operator shall notify the Transmission Operator of the known changes
within.
A) 4 hours
B) 8 hours
C) 16 hours
D) 24 hours - ✔✔D) 24 hours
✔✔During a restoration process, Generation Owners are required to update their
progress by submitting a report:
A) On an hourly basis
B) Every 1/2 hour
C) For every unit returning to service
D) As conditions on the system change - ✔✔A) On an hourly basis
✔✔Concerning PJM requirements for critical start generation, which of the following
statements applies to the units capability to maintain frequency? ()
A) Dynamic offline testing of the units voltage controls
B) Picking up an isolated block of loads
C) Producing leading and lagging VARs
D) Dynamic Off-line testing of the units governor control - ✔✔B) Picking up an isolated
block of loads
D) Dynamic Off-line testing of the units governor control
✔✔During system restoration, a generator should not be loaded above the level of
available
A) operating reserve
B) synchronized reserve
C) primary reserve
D) dynamic reserve - ✔✔D) dynamic reserve
✔✔Dynamic Reserves consist of
A) Governor Reserve and load that has been restored with under frequency relays
B) Quick-start generation that can be loaded within 10 minutes
C) On-line generation that can be loaded within 10 minutes
D) Customer load that can be manually shed within 10 minutes - ✔✔A) Governor
Reserve and load that has been restored with under frequency relays
✔✔Each Generation Operator with a black start resource shall provide training to each
of its operating personnel responsible for operating the unit at a minimum of
,A) One hour of training every two calendar years
B) Two hours of training every two calendar years
C) One hour of training every three calendar years
D) Two hours of training every three calendar years - ✔✔B) Two hours of training every
two calendar years
✔✔Cold load pick-up is best described as
A) Load that is comprised of cooling equipment such as air conditioning and fans
B) Load which has been de-energized for some time and has lost its cycling
characteristics
C) Load circuits that are equipped with under-frequency relaying
D) Characteristics of load when the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit - ✔✔B)
Load which has been de-energized for some time and has lost its cycling characteristics
✔✔Who is responsible for determining the amount of Black Start generation required in
a transmission zone?
A) The Load-servicing Entities in the zone
B) The Transmission Owner
C) The Generation Owner
D) PJM - ✔✔B) The Transmission Owner
✔✔While progressing through your system restoration plan, you come across a
transmission line that has both of its breakers closed. The line is far removed from any
generation sources. Which of the following statements describes the best course of
action you should take?
A) The line is clearly faulted and should not be re-energized until all other facilities are in
service.
B) The line is not faulted and can be re-energized immediately.
C) Clear the remaining breakers on the bus and test energize it with a remote line
D) Have field personnel check the relay targets at both terminals to determine if the line
is faulted - ✔✔D) Have field personnel check the relay targets at both terminals to
determine if the line is faulted
✔✔Using the following information, determine the maximum amount of load that should
be restored (assume a 5% governor droop).
Generation Capacity on-line = 1000MW
System Load = 800MW
System Frequency = 60.5 Hz
A) 50MW
B) 90MW
, C) 120MW
D) 150MW - ✔✔A) 50MW
*Do not restore load blocks that exceed 5% of the synchronized gen capacity*
✔✔Which of the following would be considered as the 'final step' in determining the
status of generation after a disturbance or event has occurred?
A) Determine the status of generation that was off-line prior to the event
B) Stabilize surviving on-line generation
C) Determine what generation survived the event and is still in service
D) Determine the status of generation that was off-line prior to the event - ✔✔C)
Determine what generation survived the event and is still in service
✔✔According to PJM, how many critical Blackstart Unit outages may there be per
station?
A) 3
B) 2
C) 4
D) 1 - ✔✔D) 1
*2 are allowed per zone but must be at different stations*
✔✔Which of the following are considered as 'critical load' by PJM?
A)Two independent feeds into each nuclear facility for station start-up
B) Power to pumping plants for underground cables
C) Gas infrastructure equipment
D) Light and power to critical substations - ✔✔C) Gas infrastructure equipment
✔✔During system restoration operations, a member company has a steam capacity of
600MW, combustion turbine capacity of 200MW and 100MW of hydro capacity. The
load factors (governor response) are 5%, 25%, and 15% respectively. Also, 50MW of
load with underfrequency load shedding enabled has been restored. What is the total
governor reserve capability of the company's steam, combustion turbine and hydro
units? - ✔✔95MW
✔✔During system restoration prior to synchronization of a unit, the dispatcher should
ensure sufficient load is available to
A) economize unit operation
B) maximize unit operation
c) stabilize unit operation
D) minimize unit operation - ✔✔c) stabilize unit operation
