AssurX Releases CATSWeb ER Version 2 Electric

Morgan Hill, CA - AssurX, Inc., the leader in enterprise quality management, risk and regulatory compliance solutions, recently announced the release of its new CATSWeb ER Version 2 -- offered either as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or OnPremise software delivery model -- a robust electric reliability compliance system for monitoring new and revised standards, assigning remediation tasks, scheduling and conducting internal reviews, and managing filings and self-certification forms. Numerous leading utility companies have already implemented CATSWeb ER to ensure they are compliant with the NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) Mandatory Reliability Compliance Standards.

CATSWeb ER Version 2 is a turnkey solution specifically designed to manage NERC and regional reliability compliance for the utility industry. The system comes loaded with currently approved NERC standards and provides the ability to upload drafts, new and revised ones as they are released. This saves time and allows utilities to instantly sort requirements by measure, compliance level, risk factor and entity.

CATSWeb is a mature compliance management system with built-in audit trail and electronic signature functionality that meets the rigorous regulatory requirements established by various government entities. Proactive electric utility companies are using the system to conduct gap analyses, develop and implement action plans to close identified gaps, and monitor progress and identify risks via the built-in executive dashboard. While larger utilities have installed the system on their own servers (on-premise) and given the urgency around mandatory compliance, AssurX is also offering the solution on a subscription basis (Software-as-a Service) eliminating the need to procure hardware and perform installation tasks. The OnDemand offering also provides an economical and convenient pay-as-you-go solution that can be brought in house at any time.

Key features in CATSWeb ER Version 2 include the ability to:

• Manage compliance with NERC and regional reliability requirements
• Track and store compliance documentation for FERC reporting and audits
• Document and coordinate compliance plans and activities
• Automate records approval and escalation rules
• Assign and manage requirement gap analysis tasks
• Directly link to Reliability Standards Audit Worksheets from gap analysis records
• Collect and store evidentiary documentation for proof of compliance to requirements, including documentation reports based on NERC questionnaires
• Assign and manage mitigation plans to close compliance gaps
• Import newly approved and revised NERC standards
• View and track scheduled events and submission deadlines in a compliance calendar report with live links
• Track due dates for submission deadlines at the requirement level and schedule events of any type with automatic email notification to participants
• Manage and report on requirements, measures, levels, risk factors and entities
• Plus many more standard features including: Ad-hoc query tool, other built-in quality processes (audits, corrective/preventive actions, issue tracking, etc.), security permissions, and built-in user-configurable management dashboards.

Over the past year, the electric industry has adjusted to the change from a voluntary system of compliance with reliability standards to a new mandatory system of reliability standards and compliance that would be backstopped in the United States by FERC. Many utilities in the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) fields have never been under this kind of scrutiny and have to adjust to this new regulated environment being imposed by FERC.

SOURCE: AssurX, Inc.