This is about as poorly-written an article as could be expected. Obviously, the journalist doesn’t have a grasp of the situation or the proposal at all.
The standards for operating frequency remain the same - normal operations are within 0.05 HZ of 60 HZ, and typically run from 59.98 to 60.02. It fluctuates during the course of the day as customers bring on loads and generators adjust output to compensate. If the generation output is higher than the load, the frequency will tend to rise as generators speed up. If the load requirement is higher than the generation, the frequency will tend to fall as generators slow down.
The requirements to operate within the same bandwidth remain the same. Automatic load shed requirements at very low frequencies still exist. Automatic Generation Control response characteristics remain the same. Reporting requirements for wide frequency excursions or sustained operation outside of normal limits (typically +/- 0.05 HZ) remain the same.
What is changing is the mandatory requirement to correct accumulated frequency error. When time error accumulates + or - 10 seconds, a time error correction is called. In time correction, the standard frequency is raised 0.02 Hz if the time is negative (slow) or lowered 0.02 Hz if the time error is positive (fast). This allows older synchronous clocks to remain at the correct time.
Fact is, there are very few older synchronous clocks around any more. And odds are, nobody would notice the 10 or 20 second error that had accumulated over time even if there were.
So, is there any effect on 60 HZ equipment from this? Corrected or not?