ReliabilityFirst

Technical Talk with RF
2026-07-13 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-08-17 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-10-26 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-11-16 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-12-14 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual (Webex)
ReliabilityFirst (RF) offers a regularly scheduled monthly call to provide entities and stakeholders with a forum for addressing topics and questions relevant to reliability, resilience and security.
While RF Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) will provide presentations and updates, they will not address entity-specific questions and issues. These types of questions can be handled offline by using the RF Assist Visit program. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mike Hughes, Entity Engagement Manager, 216-503-0617.

Protection Workshop
2026-08-05 09:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
ReliabilityFirst is hosting a virtual Protection Workshop on Aug. 5, 2026, focused on the practical challenges and emerging trends shaping protection and control of the Bulk Electric System.
This interactive session brings together industry experts to share real-world insights, lessons learned, and applied approaches that participants can leverage in their day-to-day work. Topics include transformer protection challenges, advanced line differential schemes, impacts of inverter-based resources, recent international blackout events, and high-speed system monitoring techniques.
Designed for both early-career and experienced professionals, the workshop provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen core protection fundamentals, explore evolving system conditions, and connect with peers across the industry.
Click here to register!
Intended Audience
The ideas, suggestions and stories shared during this highly interactive, free event are especially relevant for:

Protection Systems and Communications engineers
Relay & Control, and Design engineers
Commissioning engineers
Substation maintenance personnel

Agenda

Presentation
Presenter
Time (Eastern)

Welcome and introductions
Thomas Teafatiller, RF
9:00-9:10 AM

Case study: Detection of turn-to-turn faults in load tap changer mechanism
Zachary Summerford, Austin Burfield, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL)
9:10-9:40 AM

Blackouts in Brazil and Spain: What we can learn
Ricardo Abboud, SEL
9:40-10:25 AM

Break 5 minutes

Milliseconds matter: Monitoring fast load changes in modern power systems
Richard Kirby, SEL
10:30-11:00 AM

Dependable and secure line current differential protection over packet-based wide-area networks with parallel redundancy protocol (PRP)
Motaz Elshafi, SEL
11:00-11:30 AM

Break 5 minutes

The effects of renewables and inverter-based resources on effective protection and control of the electric power system
Ellery Blood, SEL
11:35 AM -12:20 PM

Transformer differential tripping on inrush currents
Daniel Zhang, Pacific Gas & Electric
12:20-12:50 PM

Wrap-up and closing remarks
Thomas Teafatiller, RF
12:50-1:00 PM

Planning Workshop
2026-08-06 09:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
ReliabilityFirst is hosting a Planning Workshop on August 6, 2026, designed specifically for transmission planning engineers. This engaging session will cover a range of topics relevant to today’s planning environment, supporting the continued development of both foundational and advanced skillsets.
The workshop will feature a mix of content tailored to both early-career and experienced professionals, offering practical insights into planning methodologies, analytical approaches, and effective use of industry tools. Attendees will gain valuable tips, techniques, and real-world perspectives to enhance their ability to perform a variety of transmission planning analyses.
Whether you are looking to strengthen core capabilities or refine advanced techniques, this workshop provides a valuable opportunity to expand your expertise and connect with peers across the profession.
Click here to register!
Intended Audience
The ideas, suggestions and stories shared during this highly interactive, free event are especially relevant for:

Engineers that perform steady-state or dynamic analysis
Transmission Planning Engineers
Transmission Operational Planning Engineers
Operations Control Rooms, including tools support personnel for EMS, SCADA, etc.

Electric Grid Bootcamp: Policymaker primer on reliability and emerging system risks
2026-08-18 08:00 - 16:00 | ReliabilityFirst, 3 Summit Park Dr #600, Independence, OH, 44131, United States
What to expect
This policymakers’ forum at ReliabilityFirst is designed to provide a practical, technical foundation in electric grid reliability and oversight. Participants will gain an overview of the respective roles of NERC, ReliabilityFirst, utilities, and regional transmission organizations, and how reliability standards are developed, monitored, and enforced. Discussion topics will include engineering assessments, system monitoring, major disturbance events, and emerging reliability risks such as: large load growth, system complexity, and resource transitions. The agenda equips policymakers and staff with a clearer understanding of how decisions made at the state and federal level intersect with real-world grid operations. The day concludes with an interactive exercise that highlights the tradeoffs inherent in energy policy choices and their implications for reliability and security.

Who should attend
This event is intended for state policymakers and leaders engaged in energy oversight and decision-making, including public utility commissioners, state legislators, trade organizations, state energy office leadership, governors’ offices, and their staff. The event provides a practical forum to strengthen understanding of reliability, resilience, and emerging grid challenges affecting state policy and regulatory priorities.

Registration
Click here to register.
For any questions, please email communications@rfirst.org.

Virtual option
This event will be hybrid, with an in-person option at the ReliabilityFirst office in the Cleveland area and a virtual option via Webex (details below).
Join link:
https://reliabilityfirst.webex.com/reliabilityfirst/j.php?MTID=m15b9aa3dee316c9636a8068c136a5e00
Webinar number:
2304 936 3081
Webinar password:
[REDACTED] (0123456 when dialing from a phone or video system)
Join by phone
1-650-479-3207 Call-in toll number (US/Canada)
1-855-244-8681 Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada)
Access code: 230 493 63081

Agenda
Monday, Aug. 17

Time
Agenda item
Location

2:30 – 4:00 PM
Optional: Tour FirstEnergy Center for Advanced Energy Technology
871 Mull Ave, Akron, OH 44313

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Time
Agenda item
Speaker

8:00 – 9:00 AM
Breakfast and Networking

9:00 – 9:15 AM
Welcome
Diane Holder, VP, Engineering and Strategic Engagement, RF

9:15 – 9:35 AM
NERC & RF 101
Michelle Cross, Manager, Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, RF

9:35 – 10:00 AM
Compliance and Enforcement of NERC Standards
Kristen Senk, Deputy General Counsel and Director, Legal and Enforcement, RF

10:00 – 10:15 AM
Break

10:15 – 11:30 AM
Monitoring the System and Events
OPS-X Demonstration
Brian Thiry, Director, Strategic Engagement, RF

11:30 – 12:15 PM
Lunch

12:15 – 1:00 PM
Engineering Assessments, Modeling, Data Analysis and Energy Assessments
Johnny Gest, Manager, Engineering and System Performance, RF

1:00 – 2:15 PM
RTO Overview
Joan Soller, Vice President, Pareto Advisors

2:15 – 2:30 PM
Break

2:30 – 3:40 PM
EPA Generate: The Game of Energy Choices
Courtney Fasca, Senior Reliability Consultant, External Affairs, RF

3:40 – 3:45 PM
Closing

2026 Q3 Board of Directors Meeting
2026-08-26 08:00 - 17:00 | ReliabilityFirst, 3 Summit Park Dr #600, Independence, OH, 44131, United States

2026 Q3 Talent and Compensation Committee Meeting
2026-08-26 09:00 - 12:00 | ReliabilityFirst, 3 Summit Park Dr #600, Independence, OH, 44131, United States

2026 Q3 Risk and Compliance Committee Meeting
2026-08-26 13:00 - 15:00 | ReliabilityFirst, 3 Summit Park Dr #600, Independence, OH, 44131, United States

2026 Q3 Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
2026-08-26 15:10 - 17:10 | ReliabilityFirst, 3 Summit Park Dr #600, Independence, OH, 44131, United States

2026 Q3 Nominating and Governance Committee Meeting
2026-08-26 15:10 - 17:10 | ReliabilityFirst, 3 Summit Park Dr #600, Independence, OH, 44131, United States

2026 Fall Reliability & Security Summit
2026-09-14 - 2026-09-16 | The Ohioan Hotel & Event Center, 100 Green Meadows Dr S, Lewis Center, 43035, United States
Save the date for our 2026 Fall Reliability & Security Summit! This year’s event will be hosted in Columbus, Ohio. Stay tuned for more details.

2026 Q4 Talent and Compensation Committee Meeting
2026-12-02 09:30 - 12:00 | NERC-Washington, DC Office, 1401 H Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC, 20005

2026 Q4 Risk and Compliance Committee Meeting
2026-12-02 13:00 - 15:00 | NERC-Washington, DC Office, 1401 H Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC, 20005

2026 Q4 Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
2026-12-02 15:10 - 17:10 | NERC-Washington, DC Office, 1401 H Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC, 20005

2026 Q4 Nominating and Governance Committee Meeting
2026-12-02 15:10 - 17:10 | NERC-Washington, DC Office, 1401 H Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC, 20005

2026 Annual Meeting of Members
2026-12-03 09:30 - 10:30 | NERC-Washington, DC Office, 1401 H Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC, 20005

2026 Q4 Board of Directors Meeting
2026-12-03 11:00 - 14:00 | NERC-Washington, DC Office, 1401 H Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC, 20005
