(a) Nothing in this section shall be construed to preempt any authority of any state to take action to ensure the safety, adequacy, and reliability of electric service within that state, as long as such action is not inconsistent with any Reliability Standard, except that the State of New York may establish rules that result in greater reliability within that state, as long as such action does not result in lesser reliability outside the state than that provided by the Reliability Standards.

(b) Where a state takes action to ensure the safety, adequacy, or reliability of electric service, the Electric Reliability Organization, a Regional Entity or other affected person may apply to the Commission for a determination of consistency of the state action with a Reliability Standard.

(1) The application shall:

(i) Identify the state action;

(ii) Identify the Reliability Standard with which the state action is alleged to be inconsistent;

(iii) State the basis for the allegation that the state action is inconsistent with the Reliability Standard; and

(iv) Be served on the relevant state agency and the Electric Reliability Organization, concurrent with its filing with the Commission.

(2) Within ninety (90) days of the application of the Electric Reliability Organization, the Regional Entity, or other affected person, and after notice and opportunity for public comment, the Commission will issue a final order determining whether the state action is inconsistent with a Reliability Standard, taking into consideration any recommendation of the Electric Reliability Organization and the state.

(c) The Commission, after consultation with the Electric Reliability Organization and the state taking action, may stay the effectiveness of the state action, pending the Commission's issuance of a final order.