2023 System Operator Conference #3
Expect the Unexpected
September 12-14, 2023
Franklin, TN
NERC-approved Continuing Education Hours (CEHs) will be awarded for successful completion of this learning activity. No partial credit.
Purpose :
• Provide SERC System Operators with a forum for networking with operators from across the SERC Region and sharing best practices • Develop SERC System Operators knowledge and skills using relevant scenarios modeled on an operator training simulator • Provide SERC System Operators with effective training in normal and emergency operations, operator communication and collaboration and situational awareness • Assist SERC System Operators in maintaining their NERC Certification through the award of approved continuing education hours
Hotel Information
Useful Links
Questions for SERC
Speaker Bios
Target Audience:
• System Operators with responsibility for performing real-time, reliability-related tasks on the interconnected power system (Reliability Coordinator, Balancing Authority, Transmission Operator, and Generator Operator functions) • System control center managers, supervisors, and staff • Engineers, planners, managers, marketers, technicians, or support staff who may benefit from power system operation training
COVID Protocol:
• To ensure the safety of our attendees, we are asking everyone to observe the Local and CDC Guidelines that are in effect during the System Operator Conference (SOC). • Please note that masks are not required at the SOC's. • SERC and the SOWG will provide pads and pens for attendees located at the water stations for both the General session and the Breakout rooms. In addition, we will make masks and hand sanitizer available throughout the meeting rooms (Please see Matt Bigg at the registration desk should you need assistance with these items).
Learning Objectives
Opening Speaker:
Hotel Information
Useful Links
1. State the primary responsibilities of System Operator to ensure reliability. 2. Relate the impacts to power system operations to recent changes in the Industry.
Questions for SERC
Speaker Bios
Real Time Assessments:
3. Describe the Impact of Situational Awareness on the Reliability of the Bulk Electric System (BES). 4. Define the requirements for the Real-Time Analysis. 5. Demonstrate understanding of NERC Best Practices for the Real-Time Assessment. 6. Describe the actions that can be taken for the loss of tools that are used for the Real-Time Assessment. 7. Discuss Voltage and Frequency Control as they relate to the Real-Time Assessment. 8. Discuss the role of Cyber Security in the reliability of the BES.
Bulk Power System Awareness (BPSA):
9. Identify the actions taken by NERC BPSA to maintain situational awareness. 10. Describe how BPSA communicates with multiple stakeholders to support reliable BES operations.
Inverter Based Resources (IBRs) Trends: Battery Energy Storage Systems
11. Identify characteristics associated with Inverter Based Resources that impact BES reliability. 12. Identify how IBRs are impacting energy demand. 13. Describe characteristics of a Hybrid IBR facility .
Learning Objectives
Hotel Information
Standards Game:
Useful Links
14. Identify the association of NERC Reliability Standards BAL-001-2, BAL-002-3, BAL-003-2, BAL-005-1, and COM-001-3 to the operations of the Bulk Electric System. 15. Identify the association of NERC Reliability Standards EOP-004-4, EOP-005-3, EOP-006-3, EOP-008-2, EOP-010-1, and EOP-011-1 to the operations of the Bulk Electric System. 16. Identify the association of NERC Reliability Standards INT-009-3, IRO-001-4, IRO-008-2, TOP-001-5, and VAR-001-5 to the operations of the Bulk Electric System.
Questions for SERC
Speaker Bios
PowerSimulator® Orientation Learning Objectives:
17. Identify transmission, generation, and control characteristics of the operator training simulator (OTS) – “Cascadia Model” . 18. Discuss the Cascadia Reserve Sharing Agreement. 19. Identify Cascadia IROL and mitigation plans for contingencies. 20. Discuss the Navigation Features and Displays for the operator training simulator (OTS) – “Cascadia Model.”
PowerSimulator®:
21. Assess and analyze simulated emergency scenarios. 22. Implement operator control actions to mitigate undesirable conditions on the simulated power system and return the power system to a reliable state. 23. Apply NERC Reliability Standards to RC/TOP/BA responsibilities for each scenario.
Learning Objectives
CIP/E-ISAC:
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24. Identify prominent physical security risks to the ERO as reported to the E-ISAC. 25. Identify indicators of suspicious or malicious cyber activity from a system operator’s perspective and understand the role of system operators during a Cybersecurity Incident response. 26. Discuss the impact of Drone operations to BES operations.
Questions for SERC
Speaker Bios
Human Performance for System Operators:
27. Identify the human performance tools and techniques used during operations to evaluate and address error likely situations. 28. Describe how social issues and environmental factors impact system operations and Human Performance. 29. Discuss how Human Performance principles and psychological safety contribute to safe work environments.
Agenda
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 All Times are Central
Hotel Information
Useful Links
Questions for SERC
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Welcome, Safety, Confidentiality and Antitrust
Dave Miranda , Conference Facilitator, IncSys
Speaker Bios
Scotty Campbell , Chair, System Operator Working Group, Entergy
Greg Henrich , Vice President, Transmission Operations & Power Supply, Tennessee Valley Authority Dan Morse , Regional Operations Coordinator, Florida Reliability Coordinating Council
Opening Remarks
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Real-Time Assessments
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Bulk Power System Awareness
Bill Graham , Manager, Bulk Power Situational Awareness, NERC
Dan Morse , Regional Operations Coordinator, Florida Reliability Coordinating Council
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Inverter-Based Resources Trends: Battery Energy Storage Systems
Agenda
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 All Times are Central
Hotel Information
Useful Links
Questions for SERC
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
Speaker Bios
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Sharon Darwin , Power Coordination Center Training Engineer, Southern Company
NERC Standards
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
PowerSimulator® Orientation
Dr. Robin Podmore , President, IncSys
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Breakout Rooms - PowerSimulator®
All Attendees in Break-Out Groups
SOC Facilitator Teams
Agenda
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 All Times are Central
Hotel Information
Useful Links
Questions for SERC
Speaker Bios
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
OTS Scenarios PowerSimulator® AM Session
All Attendees in Break-Out Groups
SOC Facilitator Teams
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
OTS Scenarios PowerSimulator® PM Session
All Attendees in Break-Out Groups
SOC Facilitator Teams
Agenda
Thursday, September 14, 2023 All Times are Central
Hotel Information
Useful Links
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
CIP/E-ISAC
Patrick Stier , Senior Reliability & Security Advisor, Outreach and Training, SERC
Questions for SERC
Speaker Bios
Samuel Chanoski , Technical Relationship Manager - Cybercore Integration Center - Idaho National Laboratory
Samantha Lee , Senior Physical Security Manager, E-ISAC
Calvin Ramos , Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst, E-ISAC
10:00 a.m.* – 11:00 a.m. Human Performance for System Operators
LaRhonda Julien , Inspection Performance Specialist, Construction Inspection Department, Georgia Transmission Corporation
John Taylor , Human Performance Manager, Georgia Power Company
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Summary/Assessment, Closing
David Miranda , Conference Facilitator, IncSys
Scotty Campbell , Chair, System Operator Working Group, Entergy
* Extended break at 10:00 a.m. to allow attendees to check out of the hotel, if needed.
Please remember to complete your Learning Assessment
Thank you for your participation!
Hotel Information
HOTEL INFORMATION
Hotel Information
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Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville South Cool Springs 820 Crescent Dr. Franklin, TN 37067 614-515-5151
Questions for SERC
Speaker Bios
A reduced rate of $174 per night is offered to attendees. Included is a complimentary breakfast and Manager's Reception. Call 1-800-218-8712. The SERC room block will be open until Friday, August 18, 2023 or until the block is sold out, whichever comes first. Please click this LINK to make your Online reservations.
GROUND TRANSPORTATION / PARKING:
The Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville South Cool Springs does not offer complimentary transportation to and from the Nashville International Airport. Please click the LINK that will direct you to different options for Ground Transportation from the Nashville International Airport. Self-parking at Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville South Cool Springs is complimentary. Valet parking is not available.
Self-parking at Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville South Cool Springs Greenville is complimentary. Valet parking is not available.
Useful Links
Hotel Information
Topic
Purpose
Useful Links
Questions for SERC
Registered Entity Forum
If you have a question you would like to submit anonymously, you may do so by contacting one of the Registered Entity Forum Steering Committee members.
Speaker Bios
CIP REF Steering Committee Members
O&P REF Steering Committee Members
Resource Library
eLearning Modules, COVID-19, Hurricane and Cold Weather Preparedness, Supply Chain Resources. Past and present newsletters.
Newsroom
Events Calendar
Register for SERC ’ s upcoming outreach events
Acronym List
Industry Acronym Reference Index
Questions for SERC
• •
Q&A Process
Entity Assistance
Hotel Information
Topic
Useful Links
Questions for SERC
•
General inquiries / FAQ
Speaker Bios
• Seminar & W ebinar Topic Suggestions • Media inquiries • SERC Membership • SERC Committees • SERC Compliance & Committee Portal/Committee related issues
Support@serc1.org
• Registration and CertificationIssues • Compliance monitoringmethods: o Self-Certification o Self-Report submittals o Compliance data submittals • Enforcement and Mitigation o Mitigation Plan submittals • SERC Compliance & Committee Portal-Compliance related issues
SERCComply@serc1.org
• Reliability Assessment data reporting • Reliability Assessmentforms • Annual Voting Rights • Reliability Data Reporting Portal
RAStaff@serc1.org
• Industry Subject Matter Expert (ISME) Program • Submittingan ISME application
ISME@serc1.org
• •
Situational Awareness
SAEA@serc1.org
Events Analysis
Speaker Biographies
Greg Henrich – Tennessee Valley Authority Greg Henrich is the Vice President of Transmission Operations and Power Supply at TVA and is accountable for real-time operation of TVA’s bulk transmission system and power supply for the 10 million people of the Tennessee Valley. He is currently leading a grid modernization effort to prepare TVA for the grid of tomorrow. He has been a member of the NERC Operating Committee, North American Transmission Forum, an EPRI advisor, and Southeast Energy Exchange Market Board member as a representative for TVA. While at TVA, Greg served as a leader setting direction for the twenty-year asset strategy, planning the transmission system, overseeing transmission maintenance, developing telecommunication planning and maintenance strategy, and as a NERC certified system operator. Mr. Henrich received his B.S. in Computer Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and his Master’s in Business Admin istration from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
Dan Morse – Florida Reliability Coordinating Council Dan is the primary liaison between the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) and several operating entity stakeholder groups responsible for managing the activities to ensure that the FRCC Bulk Electric System (BES) is operated in a reliable manner and in accordance with NERC Reliability Standards and FRCC policies and procedures. He is also responsible for the development and implementation of FRCC training activities for the FRCC System Operator Seminars and the FRCC System Operator Continuing Education program. Dan’s previous experience includes being a NERC Certified System Operator and trainer at PG&E and Gainesville Regional Utilit ies, Lead Maintenance Planner at Three Mile Island, NERC Certified System Operator and trainer at PG&E, and instructor in the U.S. NAVY, Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, and Nuclear Power School. He completed his MS in Electrical Engineering from UC Riverside, BS in Electrical Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University and is an Engineer in Training (EIT). He is also involved in a variety of industry groups. Including former Vice President of the American Power Dispatchers Association (APDA), NERC PCGC, Vice Chair of the FRCC SOS, and SERC SOWG.
Speaker Biographies
Bill Graham - NERC
Bill Graham assumed the role of Manager, Bulk Power System Awareness (BPSA) of NERC in May 2021.
Mr. Graham oversees BPSA’s mission of monitoring conditions on the North American bulk power system (BPS) and providing leade rship coordination, technical expertise, and assistant to the industry in response to events. He leads a team of five NERC Certified System Operators who coordinate BPSA activities with government agencies, the ERO Enterprise, and Reliability Coordinators. BPSA maintains real-time situation awareness of conditions on the BPS, notifies the industry of significant BPS events, maintains and strengthens high-level communications, and enables the reliable operation of the BPS by facilitating information exchange and coordination. Mr. Graham has been with NERC since October 2011, joining the Reliability Assessment and Performance Analysis Department and BPSA group in May 2014. He has participated in various key projects as Principal Situational Awareness Coordinator including root cause analysis, GridEx training exercises, emerging technologies analyst, and winterization performance reviews. Bill Graham has thirty ‐ two years of experience within the power generation industry. Prior to NERC, he worked as a shift supervisor at a 750 MW combined cycle generating facility in West Texas. Mr. Graham has provided project management support for power plants throughout the United States and Mexico. He has lead teams during root cause analysis investigations and procedure development, as well as, completed the duties of quality control inspector and safety auditor. His broad range of generation experience has included projects at nuclear, natural gas, coal, fuel oil, and diesel facilities.
Bill Graham is a NERC Certified System Operator at the Reliability Coordinator level. Mr. Graham has undergone the NERC background check, the personnel risk assessment, and has signed the NERC non ‐ disclosure agreement.
Speaker Biographies
Sharon Darwin - Southern Company
Sharon Darwin currently works in the Bulk Power Operations organization of Southern Company as the Senior Engineer of Training. In this role, Sharon leads the effort to get new operators RC certified, maintains records for the training organization, and brings her knowledge from her previous roles into operator training.
Those previous roles include serving as the Southern Company Transmission Outage Coordinator; setting the Southern Company Total Transfer Capability limits for the daily market; serving as the support engineer for the Southeastern Reliability Coordinator and working in the field as a Protection and Control engineer. Sharon has held a NERC certified system operator certification since 2017.
Sharon and her daughter, Charlie, live with their two Labradors in Birmingham, Alabama. She serves on the Board of Directors for a local special needs camp for children. In her spare time, she likes to foster dogs for a local animal shelter and binge-watch Survivor.
Dr. Robin Podmore – IncSys
Dr. Podmore has dedicated his 50-year power industry career to development of computer applications for power system operations with a focus on Operator Training Simulators and Digital Twins.
IncSys with its partner PowerData has grown to be the premier independent supplier of Digital Twins worldwide. IncSys and PowerData have the reputation of being called in to help train the operators of the world’s most challenging power systems. Dr. Podmore has been certified as a NERC Transmission and Balancing Operator and a Reliability Coordinator. The IncSys Academy and the Power4Vets program, which Dr. Podmore founded in 2010, have now placed or promoted over 400 veterans as system operators. He is the primary author for over 55 hours of NERC- approved online tutorials and simulator-based exercises. He is currently focused on updating the simulations and content for the IncSys Academy in order to maintain a 90% pass rate for NERC Certification. www.incsys.com.
As an IEEE Smart Village co-founder and volunteer and Rotarian, Dr. Podmore has helped 20-plus entrepreneurs improve living standards in villages with productive applications of renewable electricity across twelve developing countries. https://smartvillage.ieee.org/.
Dr. Podmore is an IEEE Life Fellow, a Member of the National Academy of Engineers, and a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of California. He enjoys using mechanical analogies to explain complex power system phenomena.
Speaker Biographies
Patrick Stier – SERC
Patrick Stier is a Senior Reliability and Security Advisor at SERC Reliability Corporation. Mr. Stier has 34 years in the security industry as a National Security leader, specializing in high-profile technical security, risk management, financial leadership, operational efficiency, and crisis management.
Prior to joining SERC, Mr. Stier served in the U.S. Navy (Special Operations) and the U.S. Secret Service, providing physical and technical security for numerous U.S. Presidents and Foreign Heads of State, including hundreds of different protected venues and National Special Security Events.
Mr. Stier has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. He also holds Board Certifications in Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP), Professional Certified Investigator (PCI), Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM), Certified Technical Investigator (CTI), Network Intrusion Investigator (NITRO) and Enterprise and Broadband Network Administration.
Sam Chanoski - Idaho National Laboratory
Sam Chanoski delivers technical leadership, expertise, and strategic insights to Cybercore’s portfolio of multi -million-dollar critical infrastructure security and resilience projects sponsored by the Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense. He influences the development of large, long-term sustained programs for research, development, demonstration, and deployment associated with control system cybersecurity for nationally critical infrastructure, with a particular focus on the energy sector. Prior to joining INL, Sam spent sixteen years working in intentionally diverse positions across the electricity industry including real-time operations and maintenance with three large investor-owned utilities, situation awareness and event analysis with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, intelligence with Electricity ISAC, and as the global security incident response team leader for a major manufacturer.
Sam’s professional interests include real -time transmission and distribution operations, organizational behavior, control systems cybersecurity, and emergency management and resilience.
Speaker Biographies
Samantha Lee - E-ISAC
Samantha Lee is a Senior Physical Security Analyst for the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). She provides in depth quality analysis and risk management expertise, as well as directly engages and collaborates with the Electricity Industry Asset Owners and Operators across North America. She is a dedicated and experienced physical security professional with over 14 years of experience working with both private and government sector entities supporting their critical missions and operations. She is recognized as a specialist security resilience, risk management and analysis, with a focus on critical infrastructure and continuity of operations.
Samantha is certified as an Insider Threat Program Manager (ITPM) from Carnegie Mellon University, with a Bachelor’s degree f rom Gallaudet University where she majored in Interpreting.
Calvin Ramos- E-ISAC
Calvin Ramos is a Senior Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst for the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). Calvin plays a major role in the E- ISAC’s threat hunting exercises and is passionate about defending cyber-physical space to ensure grid reliability through collaboration of vetted assessments.
Speaker Biographies
LaRhonda Julien - Georgia Power Company LaRhonda Julien is Inspection Performance Specialist for the Construction Inspection department at Georgia Transmission Corporation – a not-for-profit utility company that connects power plants to local electric member cooperatives by planning, building, and maintaining the high-voltage transmission lines and power grid infrastructure throughout Georgia. Her major duties involve implementing human performance improvement, overseeing business continuity, and change management processes along with coordinating capital construction projects and environmental protection activities. She chairs the company’s Human Performanc e Strategic Team. LaRhonda earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology with a minor in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. She received a Lean Six Sigma green belt from the University of Georgia. She has professional memberships with the American Psychological Association, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the International Erosion Control Association, the Women’s International Network of Utility Profes sionals, and the Cobb Association of REALTORS. She also serves as a member of the North American Transmission Forum’s Human Performance Core Team. She is an inducted membe r of the National Society of Leadership Success.
LaRhonda lives in the suburbs of Atlanta. She is an avid runner and an ambassador for the Atlanta Track Club.
John Taylor – Georgia Power Company
John started his service with Georgia Power in Power Generation as a Utilityman in 1985. He then moved into a Switchman position in Coal Handling before leaving Power Generation to start his service in the Distribution Line Department as a helper in 1986. John progressed to the position of Lineman in 1994 and later to Lead Lineman before accepting the role to serve as a Methods & Training Specialist as an instructor in the Lineman Development program in 2005. John transitioned to serve as a Distribution Safety & Health Specialist in 2008 and then moved to Work Force Development as the Training Coordinator for the Supervisor Pipeline program in 2014. John became a Distribution Safety Supervisor in 2015 serving for 5 years before moving into the Safety & Health Coordinator position in 2020. In that role, he served as the HP facilitator for safety-related learning opportunities. John accepted the role to serve as the Human Performance Manager for Power Delivery in June of 2022. John has been employed with Georgia Power for 38 years and is a Certified Utility Safety Professional. He has been married to his wife Sandra for 38 years and has three daughters, three sons-in-law, three grandchildren, and another on the way. He enjoys being outdoors fishing, hunting, hiking, and spending time with his family.
Speaker Biographies
Scotty Campbell – Entergy
Scotty Campbell is a System Operations Specialist in Entergy’s Learning and Development - Operations department. His team provides initial and continuing training to hundreds of learners in power plants, transmission, distribution, and balancing control centers. The group also trains field personnel for distribution, transmission, and substation functions. Scotty is a NERC certified Reliability Coordinator and has over twenty years of operational experience. Before joining L&D, he worked his way up from a distribution operator in North Louisiana to a Lead System Operator for the entire Entergy footprint. For the past five years, he has been part of the leadership team of the SERC System Operator Working Group and currently serves as Chair. He also serves as Entergy’s representative on the SERC Operating Committee.
David Miranda – IncSys
A 30- year decorated Navy Veteran, with a Master’s Degree in Human Resources with an emphasis in Program Management. David works fo r IncSys as the Power4Vets Program Manager, Recruiter and Placement Agent, and NERC CE Enrollment Administrator. Responsible for the day-to-day management of the Power4Vets program, recruiting and screening eligible Veterans, and facilitating their placement within the utility industry. Since the Power4Vets program's inception in early 2011, more than 400+ Veterans have benefitted from the program and have been placed into career jobs in the utility industry all across the United States. Over 150+ of these Veterans have achieved NERC Certification, with many others in the training pipeline waiting to obtain NERC Certification. IncSys and the Power4Vets program were recognized at the 2013 Electric Power Industry Conference, in New Orleans, Louisiana as part of their “Veterans in Power Industry” initiative and were presented the “Faraday Award” for these efforts. David is also responsible for the admini strative enrollments of all the System Operators who have desired to use IncSys Academy as their vendor of choice for NERC CE Training Courses and also handles all of the east coast PowerSimulator accounts.
Thank You
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Questions concerning registration and meeting content - Marty Sas Questions concerning hotel accommodations - Matt Bigg
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