The a+ advanTage: ace 2026/2027
neRc ceRTificaTion examinaTion
wiTh This sTudy guide
compRehensive q & a
◉Who must be included in the RC System restoration drills,
exercises or simulations held each year? Answer: GO and TO as
directed by the scope of the drill
◉How often must a TO or GO be requested to participate in an RC
system restoration drill, exercise or simulation? Answer: At least
once every two years
◉What is the purpose of the Loss of Control Center Functionality
standard? Answer: To ensure continued reliability of the BES in the
event a control room is compromised
◉What 3 entities does the Loss of Control Center Functionality
standard apply to? Answer: TO, RC and BA
◉What is each TO, BA and RC required to have in regard to the loss
of primary control center functionality? Answer: Each must have an
Operating Plan describing how it will continues to control the BES
◉Name 5 things required to support a backup control centers
functionality: Answer: Tools and applications giving BES situational
,awareness; Data comms; Voice comms; Power souce; Physical and
cyber security
◉Name 5 components of the Backup Control Facility Operating Plan:
Answer: Location and method to provide backup functionality until
primary is restored; a summary of backup functionality elements;
plan to keep backup consisten with primary function; a transition
period between loss of primary and fully implemented backup
funcitionality; actions required to be taken during the transition
◉Within what time frame must a backup control facility be fully
functional? Answer: Less than or equal to two hours
◉What 3 elements must be included in the control center transfer
Operating Process? Answer: Entiites to notify; Actions to manage
risk of the BES; Identification of Roles during transition
◉Where must a copy of the control center transition Operating Plan
be kept? Answer: A copy in the primary and backup control
facilities
◉How long can an RC have only one available control center?
Answer: Planned outages of primary or backup facilities of two
weeks or less do not require the minimum two facilities
, ◉An RC backup control facility is not required to be available during
what two conditions? Answer: Planned outages of two weeks or
less; unplanned outages
◉What 4 things must be at a backup control facility in regard to
operation of the BES? Answer: Monitoring, control, logging, and
alarming sufficient for maintaining compliance with standards
◉How often must a RC, BA, or TO review and approve its Operating
Plan for Backup functionality? Answer: Annually
◉If the Operating Plan for Backup functionality is changed, within
what time frame must an update and approval be issued? Answer:
60 days
◉What does independence mean in regard to control rooms?
Answer: The primary and backup functionality must not depend on
each other for anything required to be in Reliability Standard
compliance.
◉What two things are required in the annual backup control facility
functional test? Answer: The transition time between simulated loss
of primary to fully functional backup facility; Backup functionality
for minimum 2 hours
neRc ceRTificaTion examinaTion
wiTh This sTudy guide
compRehensive q & a
◉Who must be included in the RC System restoration drills,
exercises or simulations held each year? Answer: GO and TO as
directed by the scope of the drill
◉How often must a TO or GO be requested to participate in an RC
system restoration drill, exercise or simulation? Answer: At least
once every two years
◉What is the purpose of the Loss of Control Center Functionality
standard? Answer: To ensure continued reliability of the BES in the
event a control room is compromised
◉What 3 entities does the Loss of Control Center Functionality
standard apply to? Answer: TO, RC and BA
◉What is each TO, BA and RC required to have in regard to the loss
of primary control center functionality? Answer: Each must have an
Operating Plan describing how it will continues to control the BES
◉Name 5 things required to support a backup control centers
functionality: Answer: Tools and applications giving BES situational
,awareness; Data comms; Voice comms; Power souce; Physical and
cyber security
◉Name 5 components of the Backup Control Facility Operating Plan:
Answer: Location and method to provide backup functionality until
primary is restored; a summary of backup functionality elements;
plan to keep backup consisten with primary function; a transition
period between loss of primary and fully implemented backup
funcitionality; actions required to be taken during the transition
◉Within what time frame must a backup control facility be fully
functional? Answer: Less than or equal to two hours
◉What 3 elements must be included in the control center transfer
Operating Process? Answer: Entiites to notify; Actions to manage
risk of the BES; Identification of Roles during transition
◉Where must a copy of the control center transition Operating Plan
be kept? Answer: A copy in the primary and backup control
facilities
◉How long can an RC have only one available control center?
Answer: Planned outages of primary or backup facilities of two
weeks or less do not require the minimum two facilities
, ◉An RC backup control facility is not required to be available during
what two conditions? Answer: Planned outages of two weeks or
less; unplanned outages
◉What 4 things must be at a backup control facility in regard to
operation of the BES? Answer: Monitoring, control, logging, and
alarming sufficient for maintaining compliance with standards
◉How often must a RC, BA, or TO review and approve its Operating
Plan for Backup functionality? Answer: Annually
◉If the Operating Plan for Backup functionality is changed, within
what time frame must an update and approval be issued? Answer:
60 days
◉What does independence mean in regard to control rooms?
Answer: The primary and backup functionality must not depend on
each other for anything required to be in Reliability Standard
compliance.
◉What two things are required in the annual backup control facility
functional test? Answer: The transition time between simulated loss
of primary to fully functional backup facility; Backup functionality
for minimum 2 hours
