Author: TariffShark

PowerShark EQR Update – Release 1.3

Since its initial release in August 2013, PowerShark EQR has quickly been adopted by many utilities who were looking for a simple yet powerful and affordable FERC EQR solution. Today, many companies across the country are running PowerShark EQR as an Enterprise solution or as a Hosted solution in our SSAE 16 SOC II certified data center.

New PowerShark EQR Release Available

Links Technology Solutions, Inc. is pleased to announce the immediate availability of PowerShark EQR Release 1.3. This software release is freely available to existing customers at no additional cost. Upgrade today to gain all of these benefits.

New Features

  • PowerShark EQR Viewer
  • Save Multiple Copies of EQRs
  • Export in FERC CSV Format
  • Transaction Metrics
  • Enter Contact Details More Easily
  • Import and Validation Report Clean-Up

Improvements and Enhancements

  • Enhanced FERC Compliance
  • New and Improved Validations
  • Smarter Import with Better Feedback
  • More Flexible and Faster Export
  • Additional Bulk Update Tools
  • Streamlined Client Installation
  • And More…

If you haven’t seen PowerShark EQR in action or it’s been a while since you last saw a demo, then maybe it’s time you took another look at our product and see what many are saying is the most complete and affordable EQR solution available!  Please contact Bob VanValkenburg at sales@powersharkeqr.com or call 847-252-7286 to schedule a demo or free trial of PowerShark EQR today!

FERC Decides Not to Collect e-Tag Data in EQR

On Friday, February 6, 2015, FERC issued an order on rehearing stating that the Commission will not collect e-Tag data within Electric Quarterly Reports (EQRs). The key excerpt from the order appears below. The full order is available for download at http://elibrary.ferc.gov/IDMWS/common/OpenNat.asp?fileID=13766528.

After further assessment and consideration of the arguments raised in the rehearing requests, we are persuaded that the initial and ongoing compliance burdens and costs may be significantly higher than the Commission’s estimates included in Order No. 768. Although the requirement to file e-Tag information in the EQR could improve the usefulness of EQR data, the Commission grants rehearing due to the likely substantial costs of complying with such a requirement at this time. Therefore, the Commission will not require that EQR filers submit e-Tag IDs for each transaction reported in the EQR if an e-Tag was used to schedule the transaction.

Links Technology Wins STC Awards for PowerShark EQR Training Videos and User Guide

Links Technology has been recognized in the Chicago Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication annual publications competition for outstanding work on the PowerShark EQR User Guide and Training Videos. Products that receive the STC awards show exceptional performance according to a list of standards that STC has established over decades as benchmarks in the technical communication field. STC is the world’s largest and oldest professional association dedicated to the advancement of the field of technical communication.

“We have been excited to provide our customers with these materials to help simplify the EQR filing process and these awards serve to confirm that we have met our goal,” says Gary Kravis, Links’ Director of Software Solutions, who collaborated with instructional designer Mary Whalen to create the user guide and training videos.

The PowerShark EQR User Guide received an award of “Excellence,” which STC describes as “Entry consistently meets high standards in all or most areas,” and the PowerShark EQR Training Videos received an award of “Distinguished,” which STC describes as “Entry meets or exceeds high standards in all areas.”

Other Links Technology clients will be able to enjoy the same level of training experience, as Links will soon release training videos for its TariffShark product line. “There are videos for all levels of users to expand their use of TariffShark and perform more efficiently,” says Gary Kravis.

New FERC Updates for PowerShark EQR

During the evening of April 17, 2014, FERC updated its online EQR system to version 2.8.  FERC has made the release notes available here.  The change that would most directly impact PowerShark EQR is the addition of the following Balancing Authorities:

 

  • BANC   Balancing Authority of Northern California
  • BRAZ    CECD, LLC
  • CSTO    CECD, LLC
  • EAI       Entergy Arkansas, Inc.
  • NSSO   Nova Scotia Power System Operator
  • SPRM   City Utilities of Springfield
  • WWA    CECD, LLC

 

It turns out that FERC had erroneously removed these balancing authorities from the EQR XML schema in March 2014 and this release restores them to the schema.  Back in March, Links Technology recognized that their removal had been accidental and included them in PowerShark EQR.  Therefore, no changes are necessary in PowerShark EQR.  As of this writing, PowerShark EQR release 1.2 is fully compliant.