Apr 30, 2025

Understanding the New Power System Protection and Control (PRC) Requirements: PRC-028, PRC-029, and PRC-030

In the ever-evolving landscape of the electric power industry, staying compliant with regulatory standards is crucial for ensuring grid stability and reliability. The latest updates to the PRC requirements, specifically PRC-028, PRC-029, and PRC-030, are designed to address the challenges posed by and ensure the reliable operation of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs). In this blog, we'll explore what these new PRC standards entail, why they are important, and how Commonwealth can help your organization navigate these changes.

What is PRC?

PRCs are the Protection and Control Standards established by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to ensure the reliability and stability of the bulk power system. These standards are critical for maintaining the integrity of the electric grid, especially as the industry transitions to more renewable energy sources and advanced technologies.

Key Changes in PRC-028, PRC-029, and PRC-030

The new PRC standards introduce several significant changes aimed at maintaining grid stability amidst the rising use of IBRs. Here's a breakdown of the key updates:

PRC-028-1

In addition to being applied to Battery Energy Storage (BES), Inverter Based Resources (IBR), this standard applies to any non-BES IBR that either have or currently contribute to an aggregate nameplate capacity of 20MVA or more, connected at 60kV or above.
Expectation of IBR units in service before the effective date of this standard to have certain fault data recording (Section R1.3)
Significantly more specific quantities required to be measured during fault conditions (Section R2).
Increased required length of events from 30 cycles to 120 cycles.
Increased sample rate from 16 to 64 samples per cycle.
Much more specific trigger conditions, now including overvoltage and frequency.
Increased data retrieval window from 10 days to 20 days.

Comparison between PRC-028-1 and PRC-002-5 Standards*

*PRC-0028-1 is not replacing PRC-002-5. The new standard will have different requirements for other types of station and equipment.

Aspect	PRC-002-5	PRC-028-1
Application	Applied to BES elements	Applied to BES elements and any non-BES IBR that either have or contribute to an aggregate nameplate capacity of 20MVA or more, connected at 60kV or above
Data Recording	Standard data recording requirements	Expectation of certain data recording for IBR units in service before the effective date (Section R1.3)
Measured Quantities	Specific quantities required	Significantly more specific quantities required to be measured during fault conditions (Section R2)
Event Length	30 cycles	120 cycles
Sample Rate	16 samples per cycle	64 samples per cycle
Trigger Conditions	General trigger conditions	More specific trigger conditions, now including voltage and frequency
Data Retrieval Window	10 days	20 days

PRC-029-1

In addition to being applied to BES IBRs, this standard applies to any non-BES IBR that either have or contributes to an aggregate nameplate capacity of 20MVA or more, connected at 60kV or above.
Includes several sections detailing adherence to voltage performance requirements for IBRs.
Very specific requirements for behavior, ride-through, and documentation process for equipment that deviates from these requirements.
No regional variances.
New ride-through criteria: two voltage ride-throughs (one for wind farms and one for all other installations) and one frequency ride-through.

Comparison between PRC-029-1 and PRC-024-4 Standards

*PRC-0029-1 is not replacing PRC-024-4. The new standard will have different requirements for other types of station and equipment.

Comparison	PRC-024-4	PRC-029-1
Applicability	BES elements only	BES elements and non-BES IBR with ≥20 MVA, 60 kV or above
Voltage Performance Requirements	Less detailed	Detailed adherence for IBRs
Behavioral Requirements	General	Specific for behavior, ride-through, documentation
Regional Variances	May include	No regional variances
Ride-Through Criteria	General	New criteria incl. two voltage ride-throughs and one frequency ride-through

PRC-030-1

In addition to being applied to BES IBRs, this standard applies to any non-BES IBR that either have or contribute to an aggregate nameplate capacity of 20MVA or more, connected at 60kV or above.
Every IBR generator owner must have a process to identify unintentional deviations in real power.
These excursions must be analyzed within 90 days of an event, including determining the cause, applicability to other IBR locations, and notifying all applicable authorities.
A corrective action plan must be provided 60 days after the analysis.

Why Compliance is Important

Compliance with these new PRC standards is essential for several reasons:

Grid Stability: Ensuring that IBR installations and sites adhere to these standards helps maintain the stability and reliability of the electric grid, preventing disruptions and outages.
Regulatory Requirements: Non-compliance can result in significant penalties and legal issues, making it crucial for organizations to stay up to date with the latest standards.
Operational Efficiency: Adhering to these standards can improve the overall efficiency and performance of IBRs, leading to better operational outcomes and reduced risks.

How Commonwealth can Help

At Commonwealth , we understand the complexities of the electric power industry and the importance of staying compliant with regulatory standards. Here's how we can help your organization navigate the new PRC requirements:

Expertise and Experience: With a strong track record in providing innovative solutions across the high-voltage electric power industry, we have the expertise to help you meet the new PRC standards. Our experience in transmission line upgrade projects and partnerships with major utilities demonstrate our capability.
Comprehensive Compliance Solutions: We offer comprehensive solutions that include disturbance monitoring, voltage performance adherence, and output excursion analysis. Our expertise in protection and controls project with major utilities can be a key asset for your organization.
Tailored Consulting Services: Our consulting services can help you understand and implement the new PRC standards. We provide grid interconnection impact studies, site arrangements, electrical one-line diagrams, and capital cost estimates.
Advanced Technologies: Utilizing Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other advanced technologies, we streamline project planning and execution. Our recent webinar on BIM and its applications in the power industry can be a valuable resource for clients looking to modernize their operations.

The Power of Partnership

The new PRC requirements, PRC-028, PRC-029, and PRC-030, are critical for ensuring grid stability and reliability in the face of increasing use of Inverter-Based Resources. Compliance with these standards is essential for maintaining operational efficiency and avoiding regulatory penalties. Commonwealth is here to help your organization navigate these changes with our expertise, comprehensive solutions, and advanced technologies.

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Navigating the New PRC Standards