Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1485Show full title

TITLE 4 TRAINING

Article 58 Training program

1. By 18 months after entry into force of this Regulation each TSO shall develop and adopt:

(a) an initial training program for the certification and a rolling program for the continuous training of its employees in charge of real-time operation of the transmission system;

(b) a training program for its employees in charge of operational planning. Each TSO shall contribute to developing and adopting training programs for employees of the relevant regional security coordinators;

(c) a training program for its employees in charge of balancing.

2. The TSO's training programs shall include the knowledge of the transmission system elements, the operation of the transmission system, use of the on-the-job systems and processes, inter-TSO operations, market arrangements, recognising of and responding to exceptional situations in system operation, operational planning activities and tools.

3. TSO employees in charge of real-time operation of transmission system shall, as a part of its initial training, undergo training on interoperability issues between transmission systems based upon operational experiences and feedback from the joint training carried out with neighbouring TSOs in accordance with Article 63. That training on interoperability issues shall include preparation and activation of coordinated remedial actions required in all system states.

4. Each TSO shall include in its training program for the employees in charge of real-time operation of the transmission system the frequency of the trainings and the following components:

(a) a description of the transmission system elements;

(b) operation of the transmission system in all system states including restoration;

(c) use of the on-the-job systems and processes;

(d) coordination of inter-TSO operations and market arrangements;

(e) recognition of and response to exceptional operational situations;

(f) relevant areas of electrical power engineering;

(g) relevant aspects of the Union internal electricity market;

(h) relevant aspects of the network codes or guidelines adopted according to Articles 6 and 18 of Regulation (EC) No 714/2009;

(i) safety and security of persons, nuclear and other equipment in transmission system operation;

(j) inter-TSO cooperation and coordination in real-time operation and in operational planning at the level of main control rooms which shall be given in English unless otherwise specified;

(k) joint training with transmission-connected DSOs and SGUs, where appropriate;

(l) behavioural skills with particular focus on stress management, human acting in critical situation, responsibility and motivation skills; and

(m) operational planning practices and tools, including those used with the relevant regional security coordinators in the operational planning.

5. The training program for employees in charge of operational planning shall include at least the aspects in points (c), (f), (g), (h), (j) and (m) of paragraph 4.

6. The training program for employees in charge of balancing shall include at least the aspects in points (c), (g) and (h) of paragraph 4.

7. Each TSO shall maintain records of employees' training programs for their period of employment. Upon request of the relevant regulatory authority, each TSO shall provide the scope and details of its training programs.

8. Each TSO shall review its training programs at least annually or following significant system changes. Each TSO shall update its training programs to reflect changing operational circumstances, market rules, network configuration and system characteristics, with particular focus on new technologies, changing generation and demand patterns and market evolution.

Article 59 Training conditions

1. Each TSO's training programs for employees in charge of real-time operation shall include on-the-job and offline training. On-the-job training shall be carried out under the supervision of an experienced employee in charge of real-time operation. Offline training shall be carried out in an environment which simulates the control room and with network modelling details at a level appropriate to the tasks being trained for.

2. Each TSO shall implement training for employees in charge of real-time operation based on a comprehensive database model of their network with respective data from other networks of, at least, the observability area, at a level of detail which is sufficient to replicate inter-TSO operational issues. Training scenarios shall be based on real and simulated system conditions. Where relevant, the role of other TSOs, transmission-connected DSOs and significant grid users shall also be simulated unless they can be directly represented in joint trainings.

3. Each TSO shall coordinate the offline training of the employees in charge of real-time operation with the transmission-connected DSOs and SGUs regarding the impact of their facilities on real-time operation of the transmission system, in a comprehensive and proportionate manner, reflecting the up-to-date network topology and characteristics of secondary equipment. When relevant, TSOs, transmission-connected DSOs and SGUs shall run joint offline training simulations or training workshops.

Article 60 Training coordinators and trainers

1. The training coordinator's responsibilities shall include the designing, monitoring and updating of the training programs, as well as the determination of:

(a) the qualifications and selection process for TSO employees to be trained;

(b) the training required for certification of the system operator employees in charge of real-time operation;

(c) the processes, including relevant documentation, for the initial and the rolling training programs;

(d) the process for certification of system operator employees in charge of real-time operation; and

(e) the process for extension of a training period and certification period for the system operator employees in charge of real-time operation.

2. Each TSO shall determine the skills and the level of competence of on-the-job trainers. On-the-job trainers shall have an appropriate level of operational experience following their certification.

3. Each TSO shall have a register of the system operator employees in charge of real-time operation who carry out the functions of on-the-job trainers and review their capability to provide practical training when deciding upon the extension of their certification.

Article 61 Certification of system operator employees in charge of real-time operation

1. An individual may become a system operator employee in charge of real-time operation provided he or she is trained and subsequently certified by a nominated representative from his or her TSO for the concerned tasks within the timescale defined in the training programme. A system operator employee in charge of real-time operation shall not work unsupervised in the control room unless he or she is certified.

2. By 18 months after entry into force of this Regulation, each TSO shall define and implement a process, including the level of competence, for the certification of the system operator employees in charge of real-time operation.

3. TSO employees in charge of real-time operation shall be certified following a successful formal assessment which shall comprise an oral and/or a written exam, and/or a practical assessment with pre-defined success criteria.

4. The TSO shall keep a copy of the issued certificate and of the formal assessment results. Upon request by the regulatory authority, the TSO shall provide a copy of the certification examination records.

5. Each TSO shall record the period of validity of the certification issued to any employee in charge of real-time operation.

6. Each TSO shall determine the maximum period of the certification, which shall not exceed 5 years but which may be extended on the basis of criteria determined by each TSO, and may take into account the participation of employees in charge of real-time operation in a continuous training programme with sufficient practical experience.

Article 62 Common language for communication between the system operator employees in charge of real time operation

1. Unless otherwise agreed, the common contact language between the employees of a TSO and those of the neighbouring TSO shall be English.

2. Each TSO shall train its relevant system operator employees to achieve sufficient skills in the common contact languages agreed with the neighbouring TSOs.

Article 63 Cooperation between TSOs on training

1. Each TSO shall organise regular training sessions with its neighbouring TSOs to improve the knowledge of the characteristics of neighbouring transmission systems as well as the communication and coordination between employees of neighbouring TSOs in charge of real-time operation. The inter-TSO training shall include detailed knowledge of coordinated actions required under each system state.

2. Each TSO shall determine, in cooperation with at least the neighbouring TSO, the need and frequency for joint training sessions, including the minimum content and scope of those sessions, taking into account the level of mutual influence and operational cooperation needed. This inter-TSO training may include, but should not be limited to, joint training workshops and joint training simulator sessions.

3. Each TSO shall participate with other TSOs, at least once a year, in training sessions on the management of inter-TSO issues in real-time operation. The frequency shall be defined taking into account the level of mutual influence of transmission systems and the type of interconnection — DC/AC links.

4. Each TSO shall exchange experiences from real-time operation, including visits and the exchange of experiences between system operator employees in charge of real-time operation, with their neighbouring TSOs, with any TSO with which there is or has been inter-TSO operational interaction and with the relevant regional security coordinators.