First Things RFirst: August 2025
Expert analysis for a more reliable, secure and resilient electric grid, plus news and updates for RF stakeholders.
Insights & Analysis
Enforcement Explained: Trends in vegetation management
Learn about recent trends in vegetation management and FAC-003 (Transmission Vegetation Management) violations specifically in the latest edition of Enforcement Explained. This topic is especially relevant on the Aug. 14 anniversary of 2003 Northeast Blackout, as ineffective vegetation management (specifically a failure to adequately manage tree growth within transmission rights-of-way) was a key cause of the blackout.
Regulatory Affairs: Grid reliability news we’re tracking
The latest regulatory headlines we’re tracking include:
- President Trump nominates David LaCerte to serve as FERC commissioner
- FERC Chair Mark Christie holds last open meeting before leaving commission
- DOE releases report on grid reliability and security
- CISA, FBI, NSA, and Department of Defense issue fact sheet on cyber threats from Iran
News & Updates
FERC issues Order 909 approving new IBR standards
On July 24, FERC issued Order 909 – Reliability Standards for Frequency and Voltage Protection Settings and Ride-through for Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs), which establishes new ride-through performance requirements to mitigate reliability concerns with IBR tripping and momentary cessation.
FERC recognized the need for these protections in Order 901, where it states that “as found by multiple NERC reports, some IBRs are not configured or programmed to support grid voltage and frequency in the event of a system disturbance, and…will reduce power output, exhibit momentary cessation, or trip in response to variations in system voltage or frequency.”
In Order 909, FERC approves PRC-024-4 (Frequency and Voltage Protection Settings for Synchronous Generators, Type 1 and Type 2 Wind Resources, and Synchronous Condensers), PRC-029-1 (Frequency and Voltage Ride-through Requirements for Inverter-Based Resources), and a definition of the term “ride-through” to mean “the plant/facility remains connected and continues to operate through voltage or frequency system disturbances.”
PRC-024-4 removes language that was in PRC-024-3, R1 through R4 on IBR functionality that are now included in PRC-029-1. PRC-029-1 establishes frequency and voltage ride-through performance requirements and criteria for generator owners of IBRs. Specifically, PRC-029-1, R1-R3 establishes requirements to address abnormal IBR tripping, interruption of current injection, and reduced power output, and R4 sets out a process for generator owners to seek an exemption to R1-R3 for hardware limitations.
While FERC approves PRC-029-1 in Order 909, it also directs NERC to determine through its standards process whether and how to account for equipment limitations of HVDC-connected IBRs with choppers (which may physically prevent them from fully complying with the ride-through provisions of the standard), and the long lead time between adopting IBR design specifications and placing the IBR in service. NERC also must submit an informational filing to FERC in 18 months on the reliability impacts of the PRC-029-1, R4 exemption process (including how many exemptions were requested and granted and the reasons for the exemptions).
In Order 909 FERC also encourages NERC and the Regional Entities to “use their available tools – appropriate enforcement discretion, targeted oversight activities, compliance and enforcement guidance, and the compliance feedback loop to standards development – to ensure consistency, reasonably address noncompliance that does not impact reliability, and to identify, assess, and implement any need for additional improvements to the Standard through its approved processes.”
RF hosts Protection System and Human Performance Workshops
ReliabilityFirst hosted our 11th Annual Protection System Workshop on Aug. 6 and our 8th Annual Human Performance Workshop on Aug. 7.
The Protection System Workshop drew 250 virtual attendees and the Human Performance workshop saw 200 participants log on and attend.
These events provided an opportunity for registered entity personnel to interact with their counterparts by asking questions, learning new techniques and procedures, and sharing their real-life experiences.
If you have questions, need more information, have topic suggestions, or would like to present at future workshops, please contact our Engineering & System Performance department via the dropdown on our website here.
ReliabilityFirst Board of Directors elects two new members, and re-elects one director
The ReliabilityFirst Board of Directors elected two new directors and re-elected one current director on Aug. 1.
Robert Bradish was elected to represent the Supplier Sector, with his term set to run through December 2026. He is currently Chief Transmission Officer at AEP Transmission.
Mark Mroczynski was elected to represent the Transmission Sector, with his term set to run through December 2027. He is currently President of Transmission for FirstEnergy.
Bradish and Mroczynski will begin their terms immediately.
Medium LSE Sector Director Steve Ambrose, whose term was set to expire this year, was re-elected. His term will now run through 2028.
More information on each of these directors is included in their bios on our Board of Directors page.
Upcoming Events
Aug. 18, 2- 3:30 p.m. ET | Tech Talk with RF
Coming up on the August edition of Tech Talk with RF, we’re focusing on inverter-based resources (IBRs).
We will have a presentation on what to know about NERC Reliability Standard PRC-029-1 and how it will impact IBRs.
Then we will also have a presentation on Rate of Change of Frequency as it relates to underfrequency load shedding. With the ever-increasing mix of IBRs powering the electric grid, this relationship has gained importance, as system inertia decreases.
Sept. 8-10, 2025 | RF Fall Reliability & Security Summit
Register now for RF’s Fall Reliability & Security Summit. This year’s event will be hosted at the MGM National Harbor just outside of Washington, D.C.
Be sure to make your hotel reservation now to secure our discounted room block rate! This deadline has been extended to Monday, Aug. 18, but time is running out!
We’ll kick things off at the summit with an evening reception and our Reliability Recognition Awards Ceremony on Monday, Sept. 8.
Then, we have an exciting agenda on Tuesday, Sept. 9, where we’ll be joined by key players from across the electric industry, including:
- FERC Commissioner David Rosner
- NERC President & CEO Jim Robb
- RF President & CEO Tim Gallagher
- FERC Director of Office of Energy Infrastructure Security Joe McClelland
- AEP President & CEO Bill Fehrman
- LS Power CEO Paul Segal
- PPL Electric Utilities President Christine Martin
- Electric Power Supply Association President & CEO Todd Snitchler
- And more!
Finally, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, attendees will be able to choose from three half-day tracks, depending on which focus area makes the most sense for them. These include an energy policy leadership session, an internal controls workshop for experienced registered entity personnel, and a NERC 101 primer for new registered entities.
The full agenda and registration link are available on our website. We hope to see you there!
Nov. 18-19, 2025 | GridEx VIII
GridEx is the largest grid security exercise in North America, hosted every two years by the NERC Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). It offers E-ISAC member and partner organizations a forum in which to practice how they would respond to and recover from coordinated cyber and physical security threats and incidents.
The last event in 2023 saw more than 15,000 participants come together from approximately 250 North American organizations, including the electric industry, cross-sector partners from gas and telecommunications, and U.S. and Canadian government partners.
To explore our full calendar of upcoming events, click here.
First Things RFirst: August 2025