The SERC Agreement sets forth the purpose of the organization and the responsibilities of and criteria for membership. Membership in SERC is voluntary, but members recognize a commitment to comply with NERC and SERC policies and principles for the planning and operating of the interconnected electric power system.
Membership Requirements3.1 General. The Corporation shall be a membership corporation. Members shall hereinafter be referred to collectively as "Members" or "Member Systems."
3.2 Eligibility. Membership in the Corporation is open to any entity that is a user, owner or operator of the Bulk-Power System and subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the purpose of complying with Reliability Standards established under Section 215 of the Federal Power Act and all amendments thereto. Membership in the Corporation is voluntary; however, membership is predicated on mandatory acceptance of the responsibility to promote, support, and comply with Reliability Standards of the Corporation and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation ("NERC"), and to assist the Corporation in its compliance with the terms and provisions of a Delegation Agreement (a “Delegation Agreement”) with NERC, by which NERC delegates authority to propose and enforce Reliability Standards, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 824n. For purposes of these Bylaws, the terms “Bulk-Power System,” “Reliability Standards” and “Regional Entity” shall be as defined in 16 U.S.C. § 824n.
3.3 Termination. Members may cease to be a member of the Corporation by giving the Board of Directors at least 30 days written notice of their intention to cease such membership (such members shall hereinafter be referred to as "Terminated Members"). Terminated Members shall nevertheless continue to be liable for any and all obligations they may have had to pay of a share of the expenses of the Corporation incurred prior to the end of the calendar year in which such notice is given. In addition to termination of membership by the Member, the Board of Directors, following notice to the Member, may terminate the membership of a Member if in the judgment of the Board of Directors that Member has violated its obligations and responsibilities to the Corporation. This termination shall require a Bicameral Supermajority vote.
3.4 Sectors. Each Member and the Customer Representatives shall be classified by the Executive Committee in one of the following seven Sectors (each a “Sector”, and collectively, the “Sectors”):
(a) Investor-Owned Utility Sector – This Sector includes any investor-owned entity with substantial business interest in ownership and/or operation in any of the asset categories of generation, transmission or distribution.
(b) Federal/State Sector – This Sector includes any U.S. federal entity that owns and/or operates electric facilities and/or provides balancing authority services, in any of the asset categories of generation, transmission, or distribution; or any entity that is owned by or subject to the governmental authority of a state and that is engaged in the generation, delivery, and/or sale of electric power to end use customers primarily with the political boundaries of the state.
(c) Cooperative Sector – This Sector includes any non-governmental entity that is incorporated under the laws of the state in which it operates, is owned by and provides electric service to end-use customers at cost, and is governed by a board of directors that is elected by the membership of the entity; and any non-governmental entity owned by and which provides generation and/or transmission service to such entities.
(d) Municipal Sector – This Sector includes any entity owned by or subject to the governmental authority of a municipality, that is engaged in the generation, delivery, and/or sale of electric power to end-use customers primarily within the political boundaries of the municipality; and any entity, whose members are municipalities, formed under state law for the purpose of generating or purchasing electricity for sale at wholesale to their members.
(e) Marketer Sector– This Sector includes any entity that is engaged in the activity of buying and selling of wholesale electric power in the Region on a physical or financial basis.
(f) Merchant Electricity Generator Sector – This Sector includes any entity that owns or operates an electricity generating facility or provides balancing authority services for such entities. This includes, but is not limited to, small power producers and all other non-utility producers such as exempt wholesale generators who sell electricity at wholesale.
(g) ISO-RTO/Customer Sector– This Sector includes (i) any entity that operates a FERC approved ISO or RTO and (ii) the Customer Representatives.
The Executive Committee’s classification of a Member in a particular Sector may only be changed by the Executive Committee. For purposes of these bylaws, the term “Customer Representative” shall mean a person who represents an entity that receives service at retail and does not otherwise sell, purchase, or transmit power over the Bulk-Power System or own, operate or maintain, control or operate facilities or systems that are part of the Bulk-Power System.
3.5 Transfer of Membership. A Member may not give or otherwise transfer its membership, except to a successor that becomes a Member, and provided that the successor continues to meet its predecessor’s obligations.
Becoming a member of SERC To apply for membership, please complete the online
application ; you will receive acknowledgement of receipt within 3 business days.
If you have any questions about applying for membership, please contact our office via email or at 704-357-SERC (7372).