Posts

Rel. TF Paper-Federalism in Transmission

Another paper from the DOE Reliability Task Force just arrived. I have then pdf file if you want it — should be posted shortly on the SEAB website.
http://vm1.hqadmin.doe.gov:80/seab/elec_rep.html

————————————————————–
| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 650-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 650-328-5675
| http://www.ufto.com edbeards@ufto.com
————————————————————–

Issues of Federalism in Transmission System Reliability
A Position paper of the
Electric System Reliability Task Force
Secretary of Energy Advisory Board
July 9, 1998
Introduction

Our federal system shares institutional responsibility for ensuring North American grid reliability; this paper addresses the role of state and regional authorities. Our focus is issues of siting and non-federal price regulation that have significant reliability implications. We address both constraints and opportunities. We also acknowledge an important threshold issue: whether the grid itself retains natural monopoly features that justify a continuing government role in regulating the prices of grid services.

If, as some believe, grid construction and maintenance lack compelling natural monopoly characteristics, regulated systems of cost recovery may not long endure at state or other levels. Acknowledging this viewpoint, the Task Force nonetheless believes that this sector’s monopoly aspects remain robust enough to justify improving rather than dismantling price regulation. And we are concerned that state and federal regulation is not doing enough to promote and shape sound investments in grid reliability.1 We also support an increased role for regional institutions that can help states resolve issues that transcend their individual boundaries.

Our paper is organized in four sections below. In section I, we begin with a critical review of state and local responsibility for transmission siting and evaluation of transmission alternatives. In section II, we then explore state roles in cost recovery and incentives for transmission enhancements, including but not limited to new transmission. The third section addresses states’ participation in existing regional reliability organizations. The final section is a summary of the papers recommendations.

DOE Reliability TF paper on T&D

The Department of Energy’s Electric System Reliability Task Force has written a position paper, “Incentives for Transmission Enhancement”. The report indicates that a need exists for the construction of more power lines to relieve congestion, and that regulators should provide incentives for their construction. In the report, the Task Force reviews the nature of transmission and the challenges facing transmission companies in a deregulated electric industry. The report concludes that the main concern facing grid reliability is the need for stronger state and federal-level regulation to promote sound investments.

The report and earlier materials are available on line:

http://vm1.hqadmin.doe.gov:80/seab/elec_rep.html

Electric System Reliability Task Force – Minutes and Reports

MEETING MINUTES:
Ninth Meeting – Minutes from the ninth meeting (May 12, 1998).
Eighth Meeting – Minutes from the eighth meeting (March 10, 1998).
Seventh Meeting – Minutes from the seventh meeting (January 1998).
Sixth Meeting – Minutes from the sixth meeting (November 1997).
Fifth Meeting – Minutes from the fifth meeting (September 1997).
Fourth Meeting – Minutes from the fourth meeting (July 1997).
Third meeting – Minutes from the third meeting (June 1997).
Second meeting – Minutes from the second meeting (March 1997).
First meeting – Minutes from the first meeting (January 1997).

REPORTS:
Incentives for Transmission Enhancement (in PDF) (August 1998)
Transmittal Letter to Walter Massey, Chairman of SEAB (in PDF)
Technical Issues in Transmission System Reliability (in PDF) (May
1998)
Transmittal Letter to Walter Massey, Chairman of SEAB (in PDF)
Ancillary Services and Bulk-Power Reliability (in PDF) (May 1998)
Transmittal Letter to Walter Massey, Chairman of SEAB (in PDF)
The Characteristics of the Independent System Operator (March 1998)
Transmittal Letter to Walter Massey, Chairman of SEAB
Table: Roles, Functions and Relationships of Various
Institutions with ISOs
Task Force SRRO Letter Report (November 1997)
Task Force Interim Report (July 1997)
Transmittal Letter to Walter Massey, Chairman of SEAB

For more information on the Electric System Reliability Task Force, please contact:

Richard Burrow
DOE, Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (202) 586-7092

Technology Transfer Opportunities – Oak Ridge National Laboratory

UFTO

PROPRIETARY

Final Report

Technology Transfer Opportunities in the Federal Laboratories

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge, Tennessee

June 1998

Prepared for:

Utility Federal Technology Opportunities (UFTO)

By:

Edward Beardsworth

Consultant

Contents:
Summary
Overview & Organization
Technologies & Programs

This report is part of a series examining technology opportunities at National Laboratories of possible interest to electric utilities

———————————————————–

This report is proprietary and confidential. It is for internal use by personnel of companies that are subscribers in the UFTO multi-client program. It is not to be otherwise copied or distributed except as authorized in writing.

———————————————————–

Summary

This report details findings about technology and technology transfer opportunities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that might be of strategic interest to electric utilities. It is a major update and revision materials developed previously, and is based on a visit to the lab in April 1998, and also draws from various publications, collateral information and website content.

Acknowledgments:

A special note of thanks to Marilyn Brown for arranging the agenda and her gracious and tireless support, and to all the ORNL staff who gave generously of their time and attention.

Also to Mr. Scott Penfield of Technology Insights, who accompanied the visits (as a representative of one of the UFTO utilities) and kindly provided his written account of the meetings for use in the preparation this report.

ORNL — Overview & Organization

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a “GOCO” lab (government-owned, contractor operated). Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp. is the contractor that manages ORNL. (Lockheed Martin also manages the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Idaho National Engineering Lab and Sandia National Lab.)

ORNL has a matrix organizational structure, where “divisions” aligned primarily by discipline have the people, and “programs” have the projects and budgets. On some occasions, divisions do get funds and projects of their own. ORNL finds that matrix management can work well if there is a balance of power and the right incentives.

Both divisions and programs live in research “ALD’s” or Associate Laboratory Directorates, headed by Associate Lab Directors who along with other administrative and support groups report to the Laboratory Director (Alvin Trivelpiece).

ORNL’s four research ALD’s are:

=> Energy and Engineering Sciences — Gil Gilliland 423-574-9920

(Div: Engineering Technology, Fusion., Instrum & Control)

(Prog: Energy Effic/Renew Energy, Energy Technology, Fossil Energy, Nuc Technol)

=> Life Sciences and Environmental Technologies

(Div: Chemical Technol, Energy, Environmental Sci, Life Sciences)

=> Adv. Materials, Physical and Neutron Sciences

(Div: Metals & Ceramics, Physics, Solid State, Chemical/Analytical Sci . . .)

=> Computing, Robotics, and Education

(Div: Computer Science and Mathematics, Robotics and Process Systems…)

There is work in all four ALDs of potential interest to utilities. The point of contact for this study was established through the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program, which oversees activities involving 11 different research divisions. Contact was also made with the Fossil Energy Program, with a similarly broad scope. Divisions encountered include Engineering Technology, Instrumentation & Control, Metals & Ceramics, and others.

Staffing level is now at approximately 5000, of which 1500 are scientists, of which about 1/2 are PhDs. ORNL’s 1997 budget was about $550 million. Of this amount, the largest program areas were Energy Research (28%), Environmental Management (25%) and Energy Efficiency (16%). Nuclear programs, which were once the principal focus of the Laboratory, are identified at a level of 4% in the overall budget; however, when supporting research topics (e.g., High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), materials, NRC Programs, etc.) are included, some $100 million can still be identified as nuclear related.

A major new initiative at ORNL is the Spallation Neutron Source facility. The 1999 budget year will constitute a major test for this project, as it will include a construction line item for the first time. If approved, construction is expected to take 6-7 years. A new ORNL directorate has been established to oversee the Spallation Neutron Source project.

———————–

Key Contacts:

Website: http://www.ornl.gov

Primary UFTO contact:

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program:

A.C.(Tony) Schaffhauser, Director, 423-574-4826, schaffhausac@ornl.gov

Marilyn Brown, Deputy Director, 423-576-8152, brownma@ornl.gov

Working with ORNL:

Technology Transfer: (Licensing and CRADAs)

Dean Waters, Acting Director, Office of Technology Transfer,

423-576-8368, watersda@ornl.gov

Sylvester Scott, Director, Licensing, 423-576-9673, scotts@ornl.gov

Partnerships: (CRADAs, User Program, Personnel Exchanges, Guest Research Assignments)

Louise B. Dunlap, Director, Office of Science and Technology Partnerships,

423-576-4221, dunlaplb@ornl.gov

Public Relations: Joe Culver, Director, Public Affairs,

423-576-0235, culverjw@ornl.gov

Partnership Mechanisms

ORNL makes use of an increasingly broad array of contracting mechanisms, including CRADAs, Work for others, User Facility Agreements, etc. Greater use of simpler standard formats makes the process much quicker than in the past.

They are seeing an increasing number of “100% funds-in CRADAs” (i.e. no cost sharing by the lab) from industry, as a cheaper alternative to work-for-others with essentially equivalent intellectual property rights. The Lab also will have as many as 4000 guest assignments per year, 1/4 of which are from industry, where visitors use the facilities or work with staff on CRADAs, etc.

———————–

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program

Tony Schaffhauser, Director 423-574-4826 schaffhausac@ornl.gov

Marilyn Brown, Deputy Director 423-576-8152 brownma@ornl.gov

The EE/RE Program is a matrix organization that draws on several line divisions at ORNL for the majority of its personnel and technical facility resources, to set up multi disciplinary teams. DOE is the sponsor for most of the work, but they see industry and the public as the real customer.

ORNL budget expenditures controlled through the EE/RE Program office amount to some $80 million. The ORNL Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy (EE/RE) budget was lower in 1996, but the level now appears to be stable.

Major Research and Development Areas

=> Transportation systems, including advanced automotive technologies, advanced materials, utilization of alternative fuels including biofuels, and transportation data.

=> Efficient building systems and for state and community programs, including heating, cooling, and refrigerating equipment; roofs, walls, and foundations; insulating materials; technology transfer; and retrofit of existing residential and commercial structures.

=> Industrial processes, such as bioprocessing, electric motor systems, advanced turbine systems, advanced materials, industrial heat pumps, and evaluations of energy-related inventions.

=> Utilities, including high-temperature superconductors (for transformers and transmission cables), power transmission and distribution systems, electric and magnetic field effects, biomass for power generation, and international programs (including IEA and APEC programs).

Technologies & Programs

Superconducting Technology Program for Electric Energy Systems

Fossil Energy Technologies

Real-Time Corrosion Monitoring

Hot Gas Filters

Materials R&D

Furnace Wall Corrosion with retrofit low-NOx burners

Effects of Coal impurities on fireside corrosion

Improved Stainless Steels

“Perfect Microstructures”

Nickel-Aluminide Alloys

Sulfidation Resistant Alloys

Building Technology Center

Frostless Heat Pump

High Efficiency Refrigerator (1 kwh/day)

Power Systems Technology Program

Energy Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers

Flywheels and Energy Storage Technologies

Utility Restructuring and Electric Power Ancillary Services

Grid Reliability-Control Center Survey

Electric and Magnetic Fields Bioeffects

Research and Public Information Dissemination (RAPID) Program

Advanced Turbine Systems

Bioenergy Program

Motor, Steam, and Compressed Air Challenge Programs

Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology (ORCMT)

Electric Machinery Center

Power Electronics Technology Center and Inverter Technology

Instrumentation & Controls

Machine Condition Monitoring and Diagnostics

Electrical Signature Analysis (ESA) for Utility Applications

Nonlinear data analysis–Component Failure Prediction

NRC/INPO plant database

Photonics and Hybrid Lighting

Superconducting Technology Program for Electric Energy Systems

Bob Hawsey 423-574-8057 hawseyra@ornl.gov

Web sites: http://www.ornl.gov/HTSC/htsc.html

http://www.eren.doe.gov/superconductivity/

(See special report and series of articles on “Superconductivity in Electric Power,”

pp 18-49, IEEE Spectrum, July 1997)

The discovery of high-temperature (i.e., above the boiling temperature of liquid nitrogen) superconductor materials dates to 1986. Since that time, the challenge has been to develop these brittle, ceramic-based materials into a form that can be produced and practically used. DOE research in this area has taken a major step increase, from $19 million in 1997 to $32 million in 1998. (By comparison, Japan is investing $100 million/year in superconductor research.)

DOE HTS Program

Contacts:

Jim Daley, Team Leader, 202-586-1165, james.daley@ee.doe.gov

or Joe Mulholland, Utility Liaison

202-586-1491, joseph.mullholland@hq.doe.gov

The DOE HTS program supports a balanced technology development effort. Wire and device technologies are developed through a large number of collaborative projects between U.S. national laboratories and industry, and systems technologies are supported through the SPI and other vertically integrated project teams.

DOE’s Superconducting Partnership Initiative (SPI) is a systems technology program designed to accelerate the development of HTS electric power systems. Begun in the fall of 1993, the SPI encourages the formation of vertically integrated teams comprised of partners who usually do not interact in the development cycle, involving close collaboration among system integrators, wire and device manufacturers, end-users (typically electric utilities)

Major projects include

– 5,000 hp high-temperature superconducting (HTS) motor

– 100 MVA HTS generator,

– 115 kV and 12.5 kV HTS transmission cable (2 projects)

– 5/10 MVA HTS transformers (2 projects)

– 15 kV HTS fault current limiter (2.4 kV successfully tested in 9/95 at a utility host site)

Fault Current Limiter

Later this year, pre-commercial (alpha) prototype will be tested by So Cal Edison and Lockheed Martin. Rating is 15-kV, normal 2 kA, intercepts/reduces by 80% a 20-kA peak symmetric or 45 kA peak assymmetric fault. Also functions as a 1/2 cycle circuit breaker. If demo successful, Edison will install it at a substation, and anticipates $1million in savings from avoiding need for a second bus. Next stage will be beta units.

Contact: Eddie Leung, Lockheed Martin program manager

619-874-7945, ext. 4636, eddie.leung@lmco.com

ORNL is participating in two of these partnerships.

Transformers — There is a strong need for medium power transformers (10-150 MVA) that are smaller, more efficient and free of fire hazard, to meet the growth in urban power density. These transformers will go inside building and in multistory substations, and provide higher ratings from existing substations.

— Waukesha Electric Systems (WES), Waukesha, WI

For the Waukesha program, ORNL is responsible for the engineering, design and science of the cooling system, while Intermagnetic General is producing the HTSC coil. WES did the core, instrumentation tank, pumps and test rig. An initial 1 MVA prototype has been constructed and entered testing at WES in February 1998. Initial results are good–the first operational US HTSC transformer easily sustains 2X overloads. Rochester Gas & Electric (RG&E) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) participated in this initial demonstration.

The next step will be a 5 MVA system, which will provide power to the WES plant beginning in 1999. A larger utility advisory group is participating in this second step (includes several UFTO members). The initial commercial target is a transformer in the range of 10-30 MVA.

Contact: Pat Sullivan, VP Marketing, Waukesha, 414-547-0121, x 1531.

There is a separate transformer development effort that involves ABB, EdF, Los Alamos National Lab (LANL) and American Superconductor.

Cable — HTSC Cables hold the promise of far greater capacity– 5X the power in the same 8″ diameter pipe of conventional buried cable, and without the losses, heat, oil and range limitations.

— Southwire,Carrolton, GA

The Southwire HTSC cable project is expected to culminate in an initial demonstration at Southwire in 1999. The planned 100 ft, 3-phase, 12.4 kV, 1250 Amp cable will provide power (30 MVA) to Southwire facilities. Southern Co, Georgia Transmission Co, and So Cal Edison are partners. DOE is providing half of the $14 million. Southwire has built a 200 ft clean room manufacturing facility, and recently delivered a 5 meter test cable to ORNL for testing.

Pirelli and Los Alamos are pursuing a parallel HTSC cable initiative, with participation by Detroit Edison. The initial objective is a 25 kV line.

Other HTSC development initiatives mentioned include motors/generators (including flywheel motors/generators under development at Boeing) and kaolin magnetic separation equipment being developed by Dupont for the paper industry.

NOTE- More uility participation is needed–to provide advice, and as partners, cofunders and beta test hosts. Any kind of innovative proposal is more than welcome.

RABiTS (TM) Process for Coated High-Temperature Superconductors

http://www.ornl.gov/~vhk/rabits.html

Oak Ridge researchers have produced a roll-textured, buffered metal, superconducting tape with a critical current density of 300,000 amperes per square centimeter in liquid nitrogen, which may pave the way for the future manufacture of practical yttrium- or thallium-based conductors for electric power applications.

To produce a superconducting wire sample, the ORNL researchers first developed a process called rolling-assisted biaxial textured substrates, or RABiTS(TM), which enables the superconducting materials to have a high degree of grain alignment in all directions, a necessary condition for more efficient current flow through the superconductor.

MicroCoating Technologies (MCT) in Atlanta and ORNL announced on April 16 that MCT has licensed key patents. “MCT scientists within a six-month period have successfully deposited both HTS coatings and oxide “buffer layers” on several single crystal oxide substrates. MCT also successfully deposited buffer layer on textured nickel. The epitaxy of some buffer layers is as good or better than with any other deposition technique to date. In addition, MCT’s open atmosphere process can meet or exceed industry-wide cost targets to enable commercial-scale production of superconductor technology.”

Other licensees include Midwest Superconductivity and Oxford Superconducting Technology, with two more pending.

Fossil Energy Technologies

Rod Judkins 423-574-4572 judkinsrr@ornl.gov

ORNL described some additional advancements in materials and technology for fossil and related applications that were not addressed in the ORNL survey of utilities (developed by Technology Insights and sent to UFTO members in mid 1997). Some examples are:

Real-Time Corrosion Monitoring: A flash of laser light is impinged on a fossil boiler wall. By observing the infrared response of the area, corrosion related effects, such as thinning, debonding and delamination can be inferred.

Hot Gas Filters: In partnership with manufacturers, ORNL has developed two distinct classes of hot gas clean up filters.

– A ceramic composite (SiC-based) filter developed with 3-M is primarily targeted to fluidized bed combustion applications. The filter has been tested in AEP’s Tidd Plant and a Studvik incinerator in S. Carolina. It is available through 3-M. Contact Ed Fisher, 612-736-1005

– A lower temperature (700 – 1000 deg C) iron-aluminide filter, with high resistance to sulfidation, has been developed in partnership with Pall Corp. (Portland NY) and is nearing commercial introduction. An alternative to ceramics, it can be made with standard manufacturing equipment. Tests at the University of Cinncinnati show excellent corrosion resistance. Coal gasification is the target application.

Materials R&D

Ron Bradley 423-574-6095 bradleyra@ornl.gov

Ian Wright, 423-574-4451 wrightig@ornl.gov

Furnace Wall Corrosion with retrofit low-NOx burners — root cause is flame licking walls, so that control of flame characteristics using sensor-feedback arrangements should be the best solution. Hence, there is a need to develop sensors to monitor flame condition as input to control mechanism. ORNL has approaches for this, using chaos theory to analyse the flame signatures, for instance (Stuart Daw, David Schoenwald). There will also be a continuing practical need for diagnostics, coatings, repair techniques, etc., since not all boilers will be amenable to combustion control, and the use of multiple and varying coal sources will lead to continuing corrosion problems in some parts of the furnace wall. Sulfidation-resistant ferritic alloys (ORNL’s iron aluminides) promising as overlay/cladding, but difficult to apply reproducibly. Development program with Lehigh Univ-utility boiler consortium (Prof. Arnie Marder) is showing good promise.

Effects of Coal impurities on fireside corrosion — Chlorine limits based on fundamental misunderstanding–only a problem when other combustion problems (flame impingement) present. Developing in situ probes to measure short-term corrosion.

DOE Elec Reliability TF Papers

Two papers were approved by the DOE Task Force on Electric System Reliability at its meeting on May 12.

– “Technical Issues in Transmission System Reliability”

They were just posted (May 21) on the SEAB website, along with cover letters,in PDF Acrobat format.

They can be found under “Minutes and Reports” at
http://www.hr.doe.gov/seab/electsys.html

Next Meeting-DOE Reliability Task Force

DOE Secretary of Energy Advisory Board
Notice of Open Meeting
Electric System Reliability Task Force

Tuesday, May 12, 1998, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM.
The Madison Hotel, Dolley Madison Ballroom, 15th and M Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20005

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard C. Burrow, Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (AB-1), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586-1709 or (202) 586-6279 (fax).

Information on the Electric System Reliability Task Force and the Task Force’s interim report may be found at the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board’s web site,
http://www.hr.doe.gov/seab.

Background
The electric power industry is in the midst of a complex transition to competition, which will induce many far-reaching changes in the structure of the industry and the institutions which regulate it. This transition raises many reliability issues, as new entities emerge in the power markets and as generation becomes less integrated with transmission.

Purpose of the Task Force
The purpose of the Electric System Reliability Task Force is to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board regarding the critical institutional, technical, and policy issues that need to be addressed in order to maintain the reliability of the nation’s bulk electric system in the context of a more competitive industry.

Tentative Agenda Tuesday, May 12, 1998
8:30AM Opening Remarks & Objectives — Philip Sharp, ESR Task Force
Chairman
8:45AM Working Session: Discussion of Draft Position Paper on Technical
Issues in Transmission Reliability — Facilitated by Philip Sharp
10:00AM Working Session: Discussion of International Lessons Learned —
Facilitated by Matthew Holden
10:30AM Break
10:45AM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper on
State/Regional Reliability Issues — Facilitated by Ralph Cavanagh
11:45PM Working Session: Planning for the Final Report — Facilitated by Philip Sharp
12:00PM Lunch
1:00PM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper on
Incentives for Transmission Enhancement — Facilitated by Susan Tierney
2:15PM Working Session: Discussion of Draft Position Paper on Ancillary
Services and Bulk-Power Reliability — Facilitated by Philip Sharp
3:30 Public Comment Period
4:00 PM Adjourn
This tentative agenda is subject to change. The final agenda will be
available at the meeting.

DOE Reliability TF draft papers

(Forwarding information from the DOE SEAB TF. I’ve reformatted the attachments for convenience. The minutes will be posted on their website — http://www.hr.doe.gov/seab — but probably not the draft papers.)

Attached for your information are four draft papers that will be discussed by the DOE Task Force on Electric System Reliability at their meeting on March 10 at the ANA Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Also attached are the minutes of the January Task Force meeting.
—————————–

esr#7min.rtf
Minutes of Seventh Task Force Meeting January 13, 1998
tech-13.rtf
Technical Issues in Transmission System Reliability
trans02.rtf
INCENTIVES FOR TRANSMISSION ENHANCEMENT
tfanc02.rtf
ANCILLARY SERVICES AND BULK-POWER RELIABILITY
iso-14.rtf
The Characteristics of the Independent System Operator
———————————

(for those new to the distribution list, here is the earlier note about the
March meeting. Note website reference at end.)
———————————
Subject: UFTO Note- Next Meeting DOE Reliability TF
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998
————————————————————–
Next (8th) Meeting DOE/SEAB- Electric System Reliability Task Force
Tuesday, March 10, 1998, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM.
ANA Hotel, Ballroom I, 2401 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037

Background The electric power industry is in the midst of a complex transition to competition, which will induce many far-reaching changes in the structure of the industry and the institutions which regulate it. This transition raises many reliability issues, as new entities emerge in the power markets and as generation becomes less integrated with transmission.

Purpose of the Task Force The purpose of the Electric System Reliability Task Force is to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board regarding the critical institutional, technical, and policy issues that need to be addressed in order to maintain the reliability of the nation’s bulk electric system in the context of a more competitive industry.

Tentative Agenda
Tuesday, March 10, 1998
8:30 – 8:45 AM Opening Remarks & Objectives
— Philip Sharp, ESR Task Force Chairman
8:45 – 10:15 AM Working Session: Discussion of Draft Position Paper
on Technical Issues in Transmission System Reliability
10:15 – 10:30 AM Break
10:30 – 11:45 AM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper
on the Role and Shape of the Independent System Operator
11:45 – 12:45 PM Lunch
12:45 – 1:45 PM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper
on Ancillary Services and Bulk-Power Reliability
1:45 – 2:45 PM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper
on Incentives for Transmission Enhancement
2:45 – 3:30 PM Working Session: Guest Presentation & Discussion of
State and Regional Reliability Issues
— Philip Carver, Oregon Office of Energy
3:30 – 4:00 PM Public Comment Period
4:00 PM Adjourn

Information on the Electric System Reliability Task Force and the Task Force’s interim report may be found at the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board’s web site, located at http://www.hr.doe.gov/seab.

Next Meeting DOE Reliability TF

Next (8th) Meeting DOE/SEAB- Electric System Reliability Task Force
Tuesday, March 10, 1998, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM.
ANA Hotel, Ballroom I, 2401 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard C. Burrow, Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (AB-1), U.S. Department of Energy, (202) 586-1709 or (202) 586-6279 (fax).

Background

The electric power industry is in the midst of a complex transition to competition, which will induce many far-reaching changes in the structure of the industry and the institutions which regulate it. This transition raises many reliability issues, as new entities emerge in the power markets and as generation becomes less integrated with transmission.

Purpose of the Task Force The purpose of the Electric System Reliability Task Force is to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board regarding the critical institutional, technical, and policy issues that need to be addressed in order to maintain the reliability of the nation’s bulk electric system in the context of a more competitive industry.

Tentative Agenda
Tuesday, March 10, 1998
8:30 – 8:45 AM Opening Remarks & Objectives
— Philip Sharp, ESR Task Force Chairman
8:45 – 10:15 AM Working Session: Discussion of Draft Position Paper
on Technical Issues in Transmission System Reliability
10:15 – 10:30 AM Break
10:30 – 11:45 AM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper
on the Role and Shape of the Independent System Operator
11:45 – 12:45 PM Lunch
12:45 – 1:45 PM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper
on Ancillary Services and Bulk-Power Reliability
1:45 – 2:45 PM Working Session: Discussion of a Draft Position Paper
on Incentives for Transmission Enhancement
2:45 – 3:30 PM Working Session: Guest Presentation & Discussion of
State and Regional Reliability Issues
— Philip Carver, Oregon Office of Energy
3:30 – 4:00 PM Public Comment Period
4:00 PM Adjourn

This tentative agenda is subject to change. The final agenda will be available at the meeting.

Public Participation: The Chairman of the Task Force is empowered to conduct the meeting in a fashion that will, in the Chairman’s judgment, facilitate the orderly conduct of business. During its meeting in Washington, D.C., the Task Force welcomes public comment. Members of the public will be heard in the order in which they sign up at the beginning of the meeting.

Information on the Electric System Reliability Task Force and the Task Force’s interim report may be found at the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board’s web site, located at http://www.hr.doe.gov/seab.

NERC Reliability Workshops

Announcement of Public Workshops on the NERC Electric Reliability Panel Report

The North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) is sponsoring two public workshops on the report of the Electric Reliability Panel – RELIABLE POWER: Renewing the North American Electric Reliability Oversight System. These one-day facilitated workshops are designed to explain the panel’s report and solicit comments to help NERC develop specific policy recommendations and implementation plans for redesigning NERC.

Workshop Dates and Locations:
February 17, 1998 – 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
South San Francisco Conference Center
255 South Airport Boulevard South San Francisco, California 94080
Tel: 650-877-8787

February 19, 1998 – 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel: 202-789-1600

Background
In August 1997, NERC assembled the Electric Reliability Panel to recommend the best ways to establish, oversee, and implement policies and standards to ensure the continued reliability of North America’s interconnected bulk electric systems in a competitive and restructured electric industry. NERC imposed no limits on the panel’s advice about what kind of reliability organization will be needed for the future. The panel submitted its report to NERC on December 22, 1997.

Workshop Objectives
NERC is holding these workshops to help its Future of NERC Review Team develop specific policy recommendations and implementation plans. The objectives of the workshops are: * Explain the panel’s report and answer questions. * Hear arguments for or against particular recommendations in the report. * Receive suggestions for implementing the report’s recommendations.

Public Comment Process
NERC has posted the final report of the panel on the Internet (http://www.nerc.com/ ~blue/index.html) and is providing 60 days for comments (through March 10, 1998). The questions the review team would like parties to address in their responses are attached to the Notice of Public Comment, which is also posted on the web. All comments will be accepted but must be supplied electronically. NERC will then post all comments it receives on its web site.

What’s Next
Based on comments from these workshops and comments posted on the NERC web site, the review team, assisted by several task groups that it creates, will draft policy recommendations for the NERC Board of Trustees. These recommendations will form the basis for a detailed implementation plan. The draft policy recommendations will be the subject of two additional one-day workshops, tentatively scheduled for March 30 (Dallas) and April 2 (Toronto). The review team will submit final policy recommendations to the Board for review and approval at the Board’s May 4-5, 1998 meeting.

Who Should Attend
Senior management personnel from all segments of the electric industry in North America plus federal, state, and provincial regulators and policy makers are encouraged to attend one of the workshops.

The workshops are open to the public. Dress code is CASUAL.

Preliminary Workshop Agenda 8 a.m. Registration and Coffee

9 a.m. Workshop Convenes Plenary Session * Introductions * Workshop objectives and process * NERC action plan and timetable to address the panel’s report * Background of Electric Reliability Panel study * Panel report and recommendations* Q&A

Breakout Sessions (working lunch included) * Discuss the panel’s recommendations in small, facilitated breakout groups * Develop consensus opinions and suggestions to present to the plenary session

Plenary Session * Reports from breakout groups * Q&A* Summary of agreements and actions

4 p.m. Adjourn

——————————————–
North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC)
116-390 Village Blvd. Princeton , NJ 08540 USA
Main Phone: 609 452 8060 Main Fax: 609 452 9550

Regional reliability councils composed of electric utility systems concerned with the reliability of bulk electric power supply in North America. Organizations comprising the council include in their membership utility systems operating virtually all of the generating and transmitting facilities in 48 American states, the seven bordering provinces of Canada, and a portion of the Mexican power system which is interconnected with that of California. NERC periodically reviews regional and inter-regional reliability and acts as a means for exchange of information on planning and operating matters relating to reliability and adequacy of bulk power supply. Maintains numerous technical subcommittees.