What is the maximum duration a Balancing Authority can operate without calculating ACE before it must notify its Reliability Coordinator?

A Balancing Authority must continuously monitor and manage its Area Control Error (ACE), an essential metric for maintaining the reliability of the grid. If the Balancing Authority cannot calculate its ACE, it is critical for operational reliability that it obeys regulatory timeframes set by reliability standards. The maximum duration specified for a Balancing Authority to operate without calculating ACE and to notify its Reliability Coordinator is 30 minutes. This timeframe helps ensure that reliability concerns are addressed promptly, thus allowing for better coordination and response actions to maintain grid stability. Notification to the Reliability Coordinator within this time frame helps facilitate a collective response to any emerging reliability problems, thereby protecting the system as a whole.