What should a Reliability Coordinator do if an IROL violation persists after taking mitigation actions for 15 minutes?

In the event of a persistent Interconnection Reliability Operating Limit (IROL) violation after mitigation measures have been implemented for 15 minutes, the primary responsibility of a Reliability Coordinator is to safeguard the reliability of the grid. Issuing a directive to shed load becomes necessary in such situations because it directly addresses the violation by reducing the demand on the system. Shedding load helps to relieve stress on the grid and restore operational limits within safe parameters, thereby preventing potential cascading failures or blackouts.

This action is critical and immediate, as the continued violation of an IROL can pose significant risks to system reliability. The reliability of the interconnected system can be compromised if the situation is not resolved swiftly, so proactive measures like load shedding are essential. This preventive approach ensures that the system remains stable and that operators can manage conditions actively rather than simply waiting for the situation to resolve itself.

Other options, while they may be relevant in different contexts, do not provide the immediate action required to address an ongoing IROL violation effectively. Requesting additional generation might not yield results fast enough and can even exacerbate an already stressed situation. Notifying the Fundamental Control Center (FCC) is a necessary step but does not mitigate the pressing issue at hand. Waiting for the IROL to self