Expert analysis for a more reliable, secure and resilient electric grid, plus news and updates for RF stakeholders.

Insights & Analysis

Security Matters: Travel security and situational awareness tips for all seasons

Whether traveling for business or pleasure, safety and security are excellent companions. Here are security tips to keep in mind when considering whether to travel with company equipment as well as situational awareness reminders to help ensure safe travels.

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Regulatory Affairs: Grid reliability news we’re tracking

The latest regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:

• FERC accepts new cold weather standard and directs modifications
• FERC approves NERC Rules of Procedure revisions on inverter-based resource registration
• FERC issues advance notice of proposed rulemaking on dynamic line ratings requirements
• President signs bill supporting nuclear energy

Click here to read more

News & Updates

NERC details Interregional Transfer Capability Study need and approach in new report

NERC issued a new report on the Interregional Transfer Capability Study (ITCS) that the ERO Enterprise is performing pursuant to a directive from Congress in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The report, ITCS Overview of Study Need and Approach, discusses the purpose, background, and key objectives of the ITCS, as well as the transfer capability calculations and methodology used in the ITCS.

Click here to read more

Upcoming Events

Aug. 7, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 10th Annual Protection System Workshop

This virtual workshop will cover a diverse range of topics and discussions relative to Protection Systems tailored to the needs of substation and transmission maintenance personnel; protection and controls experts; operations control room staff, including tools support personnel for EMS and SCADA; and asset design groups (substation and transmission). It will include speakers from RF, industry subject matter experts, and others.

Event details

Aug. 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 7th Annual Human Performance Workshop

This virtual workshop will focus on practical application of human performance techniques and concepts for front-line activities that attendees can retain and use in transmission reliability related work areas such as operations, asset management, design, protection, maintenance, and others. The ideas, suggestions and stories shared during this highly interactive, free event are especially relevant for human resources professionals; asset management groups; internal control champions and specialists; company trainers; and leadership and others interested in these topics.

Event details

Aug. 19, 2-3:30 p.m. | Technical Talk with RF

Join us for the August edition of Technical Talk with RF on Aug. 19. Agenda details and Webex information will be posted on the event page once available.

Event details

Sept. 16-18 | Fall Reliability & Security Summit

Join RF in Indianapolis for the 2024 Fall Reliability & Security Summit. We’ll dive into the intersection of energy policy with reliability and security, as we navigate the challenges of a changing generation mix. Find additional agenda details and registration information on the event page on our website.

Event details

Sept. 25, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | E-ISAC Physical Security Regional Workshop

E-ISAC is partnering with ReliabilityFirst, EPRI, ComEd, Edison Electric Institute, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the American Public Power Association to host this regional physical security workshop. In response to the evolving physical threat environment impacting the electric industry, we invite you to join a free discussion about the current threat landscape, mitigation strategies, and lessons learned.

Event details

To explore our full calendar of upcoming events, click here.

The post First Things RFirst: July 2024 appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

Recent regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:

FERC accepts new cold weather standard and directs modifications 

On June 27, FERC approved an order accepting NERC’s proposed Reliability Standard EOP-012-2 (Extreme Cold Weather Preparedness and Operations). The order also directs modifications within nine months: 

• To address concerns related to the term “Generator Cold Weather Constraint,” to make it objective and detailed enough for entities to understand what is required (and remove phrases such as “reasonable [or] unreasonable costs” and “good business practices” in favor of “objective, unambiguous and auditable terms”); 
• For NERC to evaluate and confirm the validity of each Generator Cold Weather Constraint invoked by a Generator Owner to ensure that the declaration can’t be used to avoid mandatory compliance with the Reliability Standard or obligations in a corrective action plan; 
• To shorten and clarify corrective action plan implementation timelines and deadlines in Requirement R7; and 
• To implement more frequent reviews of Generator Cold Weather Constraint declarations to verify that the constraint declaration remains valid. 

FERC approves NERC Rules of Procedure revisions on inverter-based resource registration 

On June 27, FERC also approved an order accepting NERC’s proposed Rules of Procedure (ROP) revisions on registration of owners and operators of inverter-based resources (IBRs) that are connected to the Bulk Power System (BPS) and have an aggregate material impact on BPS reliability. More specifically, the revisions formalize the threshold for registration to include entities that own or operate non-BES IBR resources that: “(1) have or contribute to an aggregate nameplate capacity greater than or equal to 20 MVA; and are (2) connected through a system designed primarily for delivering such capacity to a common point of connection at a voltage greater than or equal to 60 kV.” In NERC’s filing, NERC noted that this would result in about 97.5% of BPS IBRs being subject to registration and compliance with applicable Reliability Standards.   

The order also directs NERC to submit a compliance filing within 60 days explaining whether the revisions would apply to the registration of owners and operators of battery storage resources, fuel cells, and all other IBR technologies (and if not, what NERC’s plan is to include those resources).    

FERC issues advance notice of proposed rulemaking on dynamic line ratings requirements 

 On June 27, FERC staff presented (and the Commissioners approved) an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR) on dynamic line ratings requirements for transmission providers. (Transmission line ratings represent the maximum transfer capability of each transmission line, which can change based on weather conditions. Dynamic line ratings are transmission line ratings that reflect updated forecasts of weather conditions, such as ambient air temperature, wind, and solar heating).  FERC staff discussed how dynamic line ratings are more accurate, which allows for more efficient power flow, increased reliability, and reduced congestion. The ANOPR proposes requiring dynamic line ratings that reflect: 1) solar heating based on the sun’s position and forecasted cloud cover, and 2) forecasts of wind speed and direction for specific transmission lines in windy and congested areas. Before moving forward, FERC will collect more information on dynamic line ratings based on specific questions it asks in the ANOPR, with comments due in 90 days. Additional information can be found here. 

President signs bill supporting nuclear energy 

In late June, the U.S. Senate passed new nuclear legislation, the “Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2024” as part of the Fire Grants and Safety Act (S. 870), with broad bipartisan support. On July 9, President Biden signed the bill into law. The law aims to bolster the country’s nuclear capabilities (and add to the existing nuclear fleet) in several ways: 

• Supporting the development and deployment of new nuclear technologies by 1) reducing regulatory costs for companies licensing advanced nuclear reactor technologies; 2) incentivizing the deployment of next-generation reactor technologies; and 3) requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to develop a pathway for timely licensing microreactors and nuclear facilities at brownfield and retired fossil-fuel energy generation sites. 
• Strengthening the U.S. nuclear energy fuel cycle and supply chain infrastructure by 1) directing the NRC to enhance its ability to qualify and license accident-tolerant and advanced nuclear fuels for existing reactors and the next generation of advanced reactors; and 2) directing the NRC to evaluate advanced manufacturing techniques to build nuclear reactors. 
• Improving the NRC’s efficiency by 1) allowing the NRC flexibility to better manage and invest its resources in activities that support its modernization efforts and address staffing issues; and 2) giving the NRC Chair more tools to hire and retain well-qualified individuals to review and process applications for advanced nuclear reactor licenses. 

The post Regulatory Affairs news highlights: July 2024 appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) published the Interregional Transfer Capability Study (ITCS) Overview of Study Need and Approach this week, the first of four planned ITCS reports. This document details transfer capability calculations and the methodology used to make recommendations for prudent additions.

The ERO Enterprise launched the ITCS in response to a directive in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The act requires NERC, in consultation with the Regional Entities and transmitting utilities across transmission planning regions with interconnected facilities, to conduct a study to examine the total current transfer capabilities between neighboring transmission planning regions.

The ITCS will also evaluate additions to transfer capability that could strengthen grid reliability, and will provide recommendations on how to best meet and maintain total transfer capability. The ITCS will be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in December 2024, and FERC will then provide a report on it to Congress, with recommendations for any legislative action. NERC has an ITCS page on its website with additional resources as well as information on the ITCS team and advisory group, the phases and technical scope of the project.  

Click here to visit the ITCS webpage located on the NERC site.

The post NERC details Interregional Transfer Capability Study need and approach in new report appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

Expert analysis for a more reliable, secure and resilient electric grid, plus news and updates for RF stakeholders.

Insights & Analysis

2024 Summer Reliability Assessment

RF’s Summer Reliability Assessment projects the PJM and MISO areas to have adequate resources under normal demand, but if demand or resource outages are experienced beyond those projections, there is an increased likelihood that corrective actions would be needed. This risk is low in the PJM area, but it is elevated in the MISO area.

Click here to read more

The Lighthouse: The challenges of Operational Technology cyber security

Our modern civilization relies on Operational Technology (OT) to keep essential services working. The electric grid, pipelines, water treatment plants, transportation systems, and many more all depend on OT to deliver reliable services. Operating these systems securely comes with a host of cyber security challenges.

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Mackinaw City, Michigan | Photo: Lew Folkerth

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Internal Controls: If April showers bring May flowers, what does June bring?

While the answer to this question is usually a joke, this time, really ask yourself: what does June bring? In our industry, outage season has ended, temperatures start to rise, and we turn to our meteorologists forecasting summer storms. How do we ensure that we are ready for this? We trust our internal controls!

Click here to read more

Regulatory Affairs: Grid reliability news we’re tracking

The latest regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:

• FERC issues landmark Order 1920 on regional transmission planning and cost allocation
• FERC issues Order 1977 on interstate electric transmission facility siting process
• U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds hearing on growth in demand and for electric power

Click here to read more

News & Updates

Impact Report highlights RF’s value to electric grid reliability and security

ReliabilityFirst published its 2023 Impact Report Monday, highlighting the value our organization provides to North Americans through our work to support the reliability and security of the electric grid.

This document captures RF’s strategic vision and work product in support of these goals throughout 2023, including how we’re tackling the initiatives in our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and the risks pinpointed in our Regional Reliability Assessment.

The Impact Report also serves as a great high-level resource for our stakeholders to better get to know our organization at a glance.

Click here to read more

Upcoming Events

July 15, 2-3:30 p.m. EST | Technical Talk with RF

Join us for the next edition of Technical Talk with RF on July 15, where we’ll be focusing on cold weather preparation and winterization standards for registered entities as part of our annual “Christmas in July” episode of Tech Talk. Full agenda details will be posted on our website once they are available.

Event details

Aug. 7, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 10th Annual Protection System Workshop

This workshop will cover a diverse range of topics and discussions relative to Protection Systems tailored to the needs of substation and transmission maintenance personnel; protection and controls experts; operations control room staff, including tools support personnel for EMS and SCADA; and asset design groups (substation and transmission). It will include speakers from RF, industry subject matter experts, and others.

Event details

Aug. 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 7th Annual Human Performance Workshop

This workshop will focus on practical application of human performance techniques and concepts for front-line activities that attendees can retain and use in transmission reliability related work areas such as operations, asset management, design, protection, maintenance, and others. The ideas, suggestions and stories shared during this highly interactive, free event are especially relevant for human resources professionals; asset management groups; internal control champions and specialists; company trainers; and leadership and others interested in these topics.

Event details

Sept. 16-18 | Fall Reliability & Security Summit

Registration is now open for the 2024 Fall Reliability & Security Summit. Join us in Indianapolis, starting with our annual Awards Ceremony and reception on the evening of Monday, Sept. 16, followed by a full day of panels and presentations on Sept. 17, and additional presentations and industry committee meetings on the morning of Sept. 18.

We’ll be diving into the intersection of energy policy with reliability and security, as we navigate the challenges of a changing generation mix. We’ll have speakers from state government, including an energy policy legislator panel featuring:

• Maryland State Sen. Brian Feldman
• Delaware State Sen. Stephanie Hansen
• Indiana State Sen. Eric Koch
• Ohio State Rep. Dick Stein

And our preliminary agenda for the event also includes:

• FERC update
• NERC Interregional Transfer Capability Study (ITCS) update | John Moura, Director, Reliability Assessment and Performance Analysis, NERC
• How to develop a responsive workforce to address the threats of the future | Tim Conway, Technical Director, ICS at SANS Institute
• What keeps a CSO up at night | Felek Abbas, Chief Security Officer, Southwest Power Pool
• Socioeconomic considerations for the electric grid | Jerome Dumortier, Associate Professor and Director of Research, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University Indianapolis
• MISO Reliability Imperative | Todd Hillman, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, MISO
• Project 2016-02 Modifications to CIP Standards | NERC Engineering and Standards
• The sandbox of reliability, risk and compliance | Jason Thornton, Principal Technical Auditor, RF Operations & Planning Compliance Monitoring

This event will be held at the Conrad Indianapolis hotel, where breakfast and lunch will be available Tuesday and Wednesday. We hope to see you there!

Event details

To explore our full calendar of upcoming events, click here.

The post First Things RFirst: June 2024 appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

Recent regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:

FERC issues landmark Order 1920 on regional transmission planning and cost allocation

On May 13, FERC issued a high-profile order (Order 1920) on regional transmission planning and cost allocation. FERC noted that the order is the first time FERC has ever directly addressed the need for long-term transmission planning, and the docket includes thousands of pages of comments from stakeholders (the largest public record ever considered by FERC).

The order finds that regional transmission planning and cost allocation to meet long-term transmission needs is not occurring on a sufficient basis, resulting in “piecemeal” transmission expansion. The order requires transmission providers to conduct regional transmission planning on a sufficiently long-term, forward-looking, and comprehensive basis to identify long-term transmission needs. These requirements for transmission providers include:

• Planning at least 20 years out to identify long-term needs and the facilities needed to meet those needs.
• Conducting long-term planning at least every five years using specific scenarios and applying specific factors (such as laws/regulations, integrated resource plans, fuel costs, generator retirements, interconnection requests/withdrawals, and policy goals and corporate commitments).
• Using an evaluation process to identify long-term regional transmission facilities for potential selection in the regional plan, considering at least seven specific economic and reliability benefits during the evaluation (e.g., reduced loss of load probability, mitigation of extreme weather events, reduced congestion).
• Including a process to allow states and customers to fund all or a portion of the cost of long-term regional transmission facilities that otherwise would not meet the transmission provider’s selection criteria.
• Reevaluating long-term regional transmission facilities that previously were selected in a regional transmission plan, if there are delays or cost overruns.
• Considering transmission facilities that address interconnection-related needs identified multiple times in existing generator interconnection processes, but that have not been built.
• Considering the use of grid enhancing technologies such as dynamic line ratings, advanced power flow control devices, advanced conductors and transmission switching.
• Filing one or more methods to allocate the costs of the long-term regional transmission facilities that are selected.
• Holding a “six-month engagement period” with relevant state entities to discuss/negotiate cost allocation methods and/or a create a “state agreement process” prior to the order’s compliance deadline.

For additional information, see FERC’s press release on the order, Chair Willie Phillip’s media briefing, and FERC staff’s presentation of the order to the commissioners.

FERC issues Order 1977 on interstate electric transmission facility siting process

FERC also issued Order 1977 on May 13, which updates regulations governing the permitting process for the limited circumstances when FERC is called upon to exercise its transmission siting authority. The authority to site electric transmission facilities has traditionally resided with states, but Section 216(b) of the Federal Power Act (FPA) authorizes FERC, in specific circumstances, to issue permits to build or modify electric transmission facilities in National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs) designated by the Department of Energy (DOE). Key provisions in Order 1977 include the following:

• Clarification that FERC has the authority to issue permits to construct or modify electric transmission facilities in a NIETC if a state has denied a siting application. These clarifications reflect recent amendments to FPA Section 216 enacted under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
• Creation of a “Landowner Bill of Rights,” which requires notification of landowners who would be affected by a proposed transmission line of their right to intervene in any open FERC proceeding.
• Creation of an “Applicant Code of Conduct,” which specifies ways that an applicant can demonstrate that it has “made good faith efforts to engage with landowners early in the applicable permitting process” as required by FPA Section 216(e)(1). (The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 amended FPA Section 216(e) to require FERC to determine, as a precondition to a permit holder exercising eminent domain authority, that the permit holder has made “good faith efforts to engage with landowners and other stakeholders early in the applicable permitting process.”)
• A requirement for applicants to develop 1) engagement plans that describe completed and planned outreach to environmental justice communities and American Indian tribes and 2) new resource reports on the project’s impacts on air quality and environmental noise, environmental justice communities, and tribal resources.

U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds hearing on growth in demand for electric power 

On May 21, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the opportunities, risks, and challenges associated with growth in demand for electric power. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) provided opening remarks, noting the challenge faced by the electric industry to meet unprecedented demand growth caused by increases in technology and manufacturing, artificial intelligence and data centers, and electric vehicles, while citing NERC’s 2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment forecast predicting 90 GW of demand growth by 2030. Manchin also noted that he and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) have been working on a permitting bill that they will share soon.

The hearing featured four witnesses: Ben Fowke, interim CEO and president of American Electric Power (AEP); Karen Onaran, president and CEO of the Electricity Consumers Resource Council; Scott Gatzemeier, corporate vice president of front-end U.S. expansion at Micron Technology; and Mark Mills, executive director at the National Center for Energy Analytics. The witnesses expressed concerns about the increasing demand for power paired with the retirement of conventional generation resources.

For example, Fowke discussed how power demand from data centers is expected to double nationwide in three years, and that in some areas, demand is growing faster than capacity. He noted that AEP currently has requests from large customers that would more than double the existing peak demand AEP serves today. Mills discussed how AI-infused data centers may require up to four times the amount of power as those without. The full webcast of the hearing can be viewed here, as well as remarks from Manchin and written testimony from Ben Fowke, Karen Onaran, Scott Gatzemeier, and Mark Mills.

The post Regulatory Affairs news highlights: June 2024 appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

ReliabilityFirst published its 2023 Impact Report Monday, highlighting the value our organization provides to North Americans through our work to support the reliability and security of the electric grid.

This document captures RF’s strategic vision and work product in support of these goals throughout 2023, including how we’re tackling the initiatives in our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and the risks pinpointed in our Regional Reliability Assessment.

The Impact Report also serves as a great high-level resource for our stakeholders to better get to know our organization at a glance.

Click here to read the full report.

### 

ReliabilityFirst is one of six regional organizations which, in conjunction with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), are known as the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) Enterprise, responsible for ensuring the reliability and security of the North American Bulk Electric System. Under the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), we audit utility companies on mandated standards related to cybersecurity, vegetation management near vital power lines, preparation for extreme weather and more. We also promote the reliability and security of the electric grid through outreach, training and analysis, that includes partnership with communities and experts. We are based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and our footprint includes the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic areas of the United States.  

The post Impact Report highlights RF’s value to electric grid reliability and security appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

Expert analysis for a more reliable, secure and resilient electric grid, plus news and updates for RF stakeholders.

Note from the publisher

Welcome to the new-look version of the ReliabilityFirst newsletter, First Things RFirst! Expect to find the same great content here from our talented and knowledgeable staff as well as key updates you won’t want to miss. We hope this new format will make articles more shareable as well as easier to find, whether you are searching for something you previously read and want to reference again or you are looking for guidance on a topic in our Resource Center. If you want to share any feedback, feel free to send us a note here. Happy reading!

Insights & Analysis

Enforcement Explained: The challenges of managing vendor access

While services and responsibilities are structured differently at every entity in the ReliabilityFirst footprint, one similarity exists for a vast majority of entities, and that is reliance on vendors. This reliance on third parties can introduce challenges, especially when it comes to access management and revocation.

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The emerging risk of NOT using cloud services

In the ERO we are seeing forces that foretell an inevitable move to cloud-based services for many operational technology applications and services, and with this shift there will also be compliance concerns. This article dives into the efforts underway to identify the risks to reliability, security, and compliance that our industry must address before we can move forward in this area.

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Q&A: Amory Lovins shares his thoughts on grid transformation, energy efficiency, electricity load growth, supply chain and more

In February, ReliabilityFirst welcomed Amory Lovins, co-founder and chairman emeritus of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and adjunct professor at Stanford University, to Technical Talk with RF to discuss socio-economic impacts of the great energy transition. Lovins’ presentation spurred heavy engagement from our virtual audience and we ran out of time to get to all of our viewers’ questions. The questions in this piece were submitted by the audience and shared with Lovins, who offered his thoughts on them via email after the fact.

Click here to read more

Regulatory Affairs: Grid reliability news we’re tracking

The latest regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:

• FERC and NERC staff present results of system performance review of January 2024 winter storms
• Department of Energy releases Future of Resource Adequacy report
• Department of Energy report highlights potential benefits and risks of using AI for critical energy infrastructure

Click here to read more

News & Updates

NERC issues Level 2 NERC Alert to industry

On April 23, NERC issued a Level 2 Alert 6 GHZ Communication Penetration in the Electric Industry to Distribution Provider (DP), Distribution Provider UFLS-Only (DP-UFLS), Generator Owner (GO), and Transmission Owner (TO).

The alert includes a series of questions that are intended to determine an initial extent of condition in assessing the depth of reliance on 6 GHz communications technology and the potential severity of interference.

NERC registered entities should note that only entities registered as the above mentioned will be able to view and respond to the alert in the NERC Alert System. However, the alert is public and may be viewed at the link above.

The alert has a response due date of July 8, 2024. Inquiries regarding the subject matter of this industry advisory should be directed to: NERC Alerts at nerc.alert@nerc.net.

NERC posts Q1 2024 IBR Registration Initiative Update

NERC published its first quarterly update for the IBR Registration Initiative to the NERC website in April. This update outlines the many different activities associated with this important initiative and provides status updates related to the proposed revisions to the NERC Rules of Procedures (RoP), registration of IBRs, stakeholder outreach, standards, and provides links to valuable resources about inverter-based resources.

Click here to read more on the NERC site

RF Board of Directors holds Q1/Q2 meeting in Cleveland

RF held its first full board meeting of the year on May 2 at our offices in Cleveland. Elizabeth Cook, vice president of technical strategy at the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies and a consultant in grid modernization, provided an engaging keynote. Presentations from RF President and CEO Tim Gallagher, NERC Vice President of Compliance Assurance and Registration Howard Gugel, and others followed. The board also approved the RF’s 2025 Draft Business Plan and Budget for publication for 30-day industry comment.

The RF Board of Directors meets on May 2, 2024, at the RF Offices in Cleveland.

Click here to read more

Upcoming Events

May 20, 2-3:30 p.m. EST | Technical Talk with RF

Join us for Tech Talk on May 20, 2024, at 2 p.m. EST. We’ll be focusing on Generator Owners (GOs) and Generator Operators (GOPs), with a presentation on risks to the grid, standards and mitigations from RF Compliance Monitoring Auditors Shon Austin and Ash Chappell. Then, DTE Energy will present on internal controls best practices for GOs and GOPs.

Event details

June 10, 2-3:30 p.m. EST | Technical Talk with RF

The June edition of Tech Talk will be one week early, on June 10, 2024 at 2 p.m. EST. We’ll hear from RF Managing Enforcement Counsel Tom Scanlon, who will give an overview of the findings highlighted in the latest Critical Infrastructure Protection Themes & Lessons Learned Report. The report aims to outline areas for improvement with the goal of driving continued progress toward our shared mission of ensuring a reliable power system.

Then RF’s Tim Fryfogle, Principal Engineer – Resources, will break down RF’s 2024 Summer Reliability Assessment, giving an overview of our resource adequacy projections in both the PJM and MISO portions of our footprint through the upcoming warm weather season.

Event details

Aug. 7, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 10th Annual Protection System Workshop

This workshop will cover a diverse range of topics and discussions relative to Protection Systems tailored to the needs of substation and transmission maintenance personnel; protection and controls experts; operations control room staff, including tools support personnel for EMS and SCADA; and asset design groups (substation and transmission). It will include speakers from RF, industry subject matter experts, and others.

Event details

Aug. 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 7th Annual Human Performance Workshop

This workshop will focus on practical application of human performance techniques and concepts for front-line activities that attendees can retain and use in transmission reliability related work areas such as operations, asset management, design, protection, maintenance, and others. The ideas, suggestions and stories shared during this highly interactive, free event are especially relevant for human resources professionals; asset management groups; internal control champions and specialists; company trainers; and leadership and others interested in these topics.

Event details

Sept. 16-18 | Fall Reliability & Security Summit

Registration is now open for the 2024 Fall Reliability & Security Summit. Join us in Indianapolis, starting with our annual Awards Ceremony and reception on the evening of Monday, Sept. 16, followed by a full day of panels and presentations on Sept. 17, and additional presentations and industry committee meetings on the morning of Sept. 18.

We’ll be diving into the intersection of energy policy with reliability and security, as we navigate the challenges of a changing generation mix. We’ll have speakers from state government, including an energy policy legislator panel featuring:

• Maryland State Sen. Brian Feldman
• Delaware State Sen. Stephanie Hansen
• Indiana State Sen. Eric Koch
• Ohio State Rep. Dick Stein

Coordination, collaboration, and cooperation are critical to this great energy transition, and we will also have speakers from industry, academia and ReliabilityFirst. The full agenda will be posted to our website when available. We hope to see you in Indianapolis!

Event details

To explore our full calendar of upcoming events, click here.

The post First Things RFirst: May 2024 appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

Recent regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:

FERC and NERC staff present results of system performance review of January 2024 winter storms

At FERC’s open meeting on April 25, FERC and NERC staff presented findings from FERC, NERC, and the Regional Entities’ review of system performance during January 2024’s Winter Storms Gerri and Heather. They explained how a performance review is different than past winter storm inquiries, as it consists of structured interviews with entities from the natural gas and electric industries regarding their preparation and operations during the winter storms.

The presenters reported that the electric and natural gas industries operated largely without incident during the storms, although some entities did experience challenges. They also reported that during the winter storms, there was zero system operator-initiated load shed. Generators reported fewer derates and outages compared to past winter storms, which the generators attributed to improved winter preparedness, proactive generator commitment, improved gas generator stability due to variable fuel supply methods, and incorporating operating limitations into operating plans. The FERC commissioners noted that these positive results show the benefits of recommendations from prior winter storm inquiries, and the importance of continuing to follow these recommendations.

FERC staff then provided an update on the status of recommendations from the Winter Storm Uri and Elliott reports. They noted that progress has been made on two-thirds of the 39 recommendations from those two reports (including the development of mandatory cold weather reliability standards). However, the remaining one-third of the recommendations require additional effort to improve natural gas cold weather preparedness and gas-electric coordination. Following this update, FERC Chair Willie Phillips called on Congress to establish an entity responsible for the creation, monitoring, and enforcement of gas system reliability standards. A recording of the open FERC meeting, including the presentation, can be viewed here, and presentation slides and a transcript are available here.

Department of Energy releases Future of Resource Adequacy report

In April, the Department of Energy (DOE) released a report titled The Future of Resource Adequacy: Solutions for Clean, Reliable, Secure, and Affordable Electricity. Amidst rising electricity demand, partially attributable to the growth of data centers, manufacturing, and electrification, the report states that the United States should develop a “portfolio approach” to ensuring resource adequacy. This portfolio approach includes technology solutions related to generation and storage, grid enhancement and expansion, and demand resources, which are discussed within the report. The report also states that the methods for assessing resource adequacy need to significantly advance and discusses emerging best practices in resource adequacy assessment.

Department of Energy report highlights potential benefits and risks of using AI for critical energy infrastructure

The DOE’s Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) released a report on the potential benefits and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) use for critical energy infrastructure. The report identifies 10 high level categories of AI applications for critical energy infrastructure and looks at their current use and potential future uses. The AI application categories include:

• Infrastructure Operational Awareness (rapidly characterizing changes in the system, even with limited or incomplete data)
• High-Complexity Modeling & Simulation (such as AI-based modeling and energy system simulation)
• Active Controls (supporting real-time control of energy infrastructure)
• Predictive Maintenance (warning of potential energy equipment degradation or failure)
• Anomalous Event Detection & Diagnosis (identifying non-malicious anomalies such as arcs or pipe freezes in real time)
• Malicious Event Detection & Diagnosis (new and enhanced ways to detect, identify, and respond to malicious activity)
• Forecasting (enhancing prediction of key operating factors like weather conditions and market prices)
• System Planning (accelerating the identification of optimal system configurations)
• Scenario Generation (generating synthetic-but-realistic system data that can be used to train system operators)

The post Regulatory Affairs news highlights: May 2024 appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

The ReliabilityFirst Board of Directors had an active start to the year, including an early election to welcome Craig Grooms, Chief Operating Officer at Buckeye Power and Ohio Electric Cooperatives, to represent the Small Load Serving Entity Sector as our newest director. The board also approved budget assumptions so that RF could prepare the 2025 Draft Business Plan and Budget, which is currently posted for public comment through June 1. The board has been working to replace our at-large and independent director openings and looks forward to presenting outstanding candidates for our members to vote on in July.

We held the first full board meeting of the year on May 2 at our offices in Cleveland. Elizabeth Cook, vice president of technical strategy at the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies and a consultant in grid modernization, provided an engaging keynote. Her work is focused on solutions for the dynamic energy transformation we are in the midst of. She shared her vision for building a roadmap with energy resources to support grid modernization. Cook highlighted technology, IT systems, and communication network needs to meet the growing electrification demand. She also emphasized understanding the power of data and how AI can fill in gaps and drive efficiency. Cook believes in the potential for utilities to give individuals the tools and data to understand their own energy use, so they can be more efficient and work with utilities in a symbiotic way that benefits everyone. She is an advocate and educator around the digital transformation, believing in attracting the talent necessary to truly transform the industry.

The RF Board of Directors meets on May 2, 2024, at the RF Offices in Cleveland.

RF President and CEO Tim Gallagher provided a president’s report with updates including working with the North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) to convert the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) roadmap into a long-term strategic plan. He highlighted participation in recent engagements, including speaking at the North American Transmission Forum (NATF) and attending an AEP Compliance Seminar. Gallagher noted that RF and the board will continue discussion of the risks that large load data centers can create for the grid and how to address this. He also provided a very warm welcome for guest speaker, Howard Gugel, NERC’s vice president of compliance assurance and registration.

Gugel shared NERC’s findings from its 2023 ERO Reliability Risk Priorities Report. Highlights included the addition of policy as a new risk profile, and how state and federal policy have affected the industry as a whole and are being built into load forecasts. He also covered inverter-based resources (IBRs) and the next steps for IBR registration.

Davey Lopez, MISO’s lead – resource adequacy planning, and Asanga Perera, PJM’s senior manager – planning, also joined our board meeting to discuss resource adequacy studies and projections in the PJM and MISO footprints.

The board also received updates from RF Senior Director of Corporate Services Beth Dowdell on RF’s financial position, from Chief Security Officer Marcus Noel on RF’s organizational security maturity and goals, and from Diane Holder, vice president of entity and engagement and corporate services, on RF’s state outreach work and upcoming events, including RF’s Fall Reliability & Security Summit in Indianapolis. The chairs of each of the board committees (Risk & Compliance, Finance & Audit, Talent & Compensation, Nominating & Governance) also shared updates from their meetings the day before.

The post RF Board of Directors holds Q1/Q2 meeting in Cleveland appeared first on ReliabilityFirst.

Expert analysis for a more reliable, secure and resilient electric grid, plus news and updates for RF stakeholders.

Note from the publisher

Welcome to the new-look version of the ReliabilityFirst newsletter, First Things RFirst! Expect to find the same great content here from our talented and knowledgeable staff as well as key updates you won’t want to miss. We hope this new format will make articles more shareable as well as easier to find, whether you are searching for something you previously read and want to reference again or you are looking for guidance on a topic in our Resource Center. If you want to share any feedback, feel free to send us a note here. Happy reading!

RF Insights & Analysis

The Lighthouse: Quantum computing and operation systems

Think of a world where anything you write, say, or do can be intercepted and understood by anyone. That is the world we might live in if we didn’t have cryptography.  Several of the types of cryptography we use without knowing it are threatened by computing advances on the horizon. Read about what’s coming in cryptography, how it could affect cybersecurity in operational systems, and how to begin preparing for these changes.

McGulpin Point Lighthouse (Photo: Lew Folkerth)

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Continuous Improvement: Freeze protection requirements and winterization best practices

This article discusses how a continuous improvement mindset is a great way to approach NERC’s cold weather Standard EOP-012, as well as winterization preparedness and best practices by taking a look at RF’s Cold Weather Winterization Program.

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Internal Controls: Spring cleaning to ensure critical controls and compliance steps are in place in 2024

While 2023 may be behind us, 2024 marches on – and the ever-evolving risk landscape with it. How do we ensure we’re ready? It’s almost spring – consider doing some spring cleaning of your controls! Here are some questions entities can consider in 2024 that promote a sustainability mindset beyond just “do we meet the Standard and Requirement as stated”?

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Preparing for an early spring: Common reliability challenges surrounding vegetation management

Unseasonably warm temperatures have dominated Northeast Ohio for the majority of the year, which means that a longer, larger spring growth flush could be right around the corner for vegetation on and alongside the transmission rights-of-way. Are your programs ready with the necessary controls in place?

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Regulatory Affairs: Grid reliability news we’re tracking

The latest regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:

• FERC establishes Federal and State Current Issues Collaborative
• FERC approves EOP-011-4 and TOP-002-5
• FERC, NERC, and Regional Entities to conduct joint review of Winter Storms Gerri and Heather
• FERC issues RTO-ISO metrics report
• FERC and Nuclear Regulatory Commission hold joint meeting
• NERC files IBR standards work plan with FERC

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News & Updates

Regional Risk Assessment highlights top eight risk priorities in the ReliabilityFirst region

RF collaborated with industry stakeholders on our technical committees and subcommittees to pinpoint the top eight risk priorities in our region. Read more about these risks, how they interrelate, and our work to mitigate them in our 2023-24 Regional Risk Assessment.

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RF encourages registered entities to join the E-ISAC for grid security information, analysis and events

RF understands that as threats to the grid continue to grow, so does the need for real-time, trusted information for electricity industry professionals. The Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) keeps asset owners and operators informed about cyber and physical threats to the North American bulk power system through around-the-clock situational awareness and expert analysis.

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NERC launches IBR registration resources for entities

As part of its Inverter-Based Resource Strategy, NERC is dedicated to identifying and addressing challenges associated with inverter-based resources (IBR) as the penetration of these resources continues to increase. NERC has launched several initiatives to ensure industry stakeholders are kept informed throughout this critical, three-phase project.

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Upcoming Events

April 15, 2-3:30 p.m. EST | Technical Talk with RF

Join us for Tech Talk on April 15, 2024, at 2 p.m. EST. We’ll be joined by David Batz, Managing Director of Cyber and Infrastructure Security at Edison Electric Institute. Batz will offer insight on one of the biggest risks the electric grid is facing today – transformer supply chain shortages and dependence on China and other foreign nations for these devices.

As we electrify the grid, expand distribution and transmission, and respond to extreme weather events, maintaining a secure, reliable supply of transformers is critical to our national security. Batz will discuss the risks, the challenges, the mitigations, and spare equipment strategies.

Event details

Aug. 7-8 | Protection System and Human Performance Workshops

Registration is now open for the annual Protection System and Human Performance Workshops. Don’t miss these opportunities to collaborate, learn from peers and adopt best practices on these important aspects of maintaining the reliability and security of the electric grid. Both events will be held virtually this year. Stay tuned for more detailed agenda information to come soon.

Protection System Workshop | Aug. 7, 2024, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Human Performance Workshop | Aug. 8, 2024, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sept. 17-18 | Fall Reliability & Security Summit

Formerly known as the Fall Workshop, the 2024 Fall Reliability and Security Summit will take place Sept. 17-18, 2024, in Indianapolis. Please save the date, mark your calendars, and stay tuned for additional information on topics and agendas.

Event details

To explore our full calendar of upcoming events, click here.

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