What is the time period required for a Balancing Authority to return ACE to zero according to the DCS?

The correct answer is that a Balancing Authority must return its Area Control Error (ACE) to zero within a specified timeframe, which is 15 minutes according to the District Control Standards (DCS). This time requirement is critical because it establishes a quick response mechanism to address imbalances between generation and load within a power system.

The ACE represents the difference between the scheduled and actual generation in a balancing area, and maintaining it close to zero is essential for system reliability and stability. The 15-minute period allows Balancing Authorities to implement corrective actions, such as adjusting generation output or demand response measures, to restore balance without causing prolonged instability or risking reliability standards.

In the context of power system operations, a response time of 15 minutes helps ensure that any deviations from expected performance can be corrected swiftly, thus minimizing the risk of cascading failures or other reliability issues that could arise from sustained ACE imbalances.