IEEE Power Engineering Society
Entity Annual Report

Entity: Power System Operations Committee
Chair: William Cassel
Vice-Chair: Antonio Conejo
Secretary: Hong Chen

1. Significant Accomplishments (include details and examples):

a. Standards, Guides, and Reports Summary – PSOC does not sponsor any standards, mainly because comprehensive operations standards in the United States are maintained by NERC under the legal authority of FERC. A similar situation (without the legal authority) exists in Europe. Other countries have established similar standards or operating guidelines.

b. Tutorials and Panels Summary – PSOC sponsors four subcommittees—System Operations and Control Centers, Transmission Security, Operational Methods, and Electricity Market Economics. Each of these subcommittees organizes panel sessions at the General Meeting on relevant topics. In addition, PSOC sponsors paper and paper forum sessions. At GM 2011, PSOC and its subcommittees conducted nine panel sessions, one paper session, four paper forum sessions, and one poster session.

c. Other Committee and Subcommittee Activities – At GM 2011, PSOC conducted a meeting of the Administrative Subcommittee and a meeting of the Main Committee. Each of the subcommittees met during GM 2011 to conduct its business and plan future work. Three task forces—Integrating Wind into Power System Operations, Market Efficiency, and State Estimation Concepts and Terminology—met at GM 2011.

In addition to the GM 2011 activities, PSOC, through the System Operations and Control Centers Subcommittee, sponsors the Working Group for Operator Trainers, which conducts a two-day workshop each year separate from the GM. This year’s workshop was held December 6-7, 2011 in Orlando, FL. The Operator Trainers Workshop provides practical information regarding training techniques, technologies, and requirements relevant to all power system operators globally.

2. Benefits to Industry and PES Members from the Committee Work:

By presenting and discussing the operational aspects of power system technologies and operations, PSOC activities help guide research and development activities. In addition, PSOC shares information about operations experiences under both routine and extreme conditions to provide feedback to the industry regarding the effectiveness of new techniques and methodologies.

3. Benefits to Volunteer Participants from the Committee Work:

Through their contacts with other participants, volunteer participants in PSOC work gain knowledge and experience they can apply in their jobs.

4. Recognition of Outstanding Performance (include all award winners and their affiliations for which your area is responsible):

5. Coordination with Other Entities (PES Committees, CIGRE, standards, etc.)

PSOC coordinates with several other PES committees, notably PSACE and PDSP. Coordination sometimes includes joint sponsorship of GM sessions. PSOC has supported the work of several ad hoc task forces by providing operational perspectives via a liaison.

6. New Technologies of Interest to the Committee:

The major new technologies of interest to PSOC include the impact on power system operations of significant penetration of variable generation resources, and the operational issues and opportunities related to smart-grid technologies.

7. Problems and Concerns:

The most significant concern for PSOC is attracting participation and attendance from practicing power system operations personnel. Prior to deregulation of the industry, power system operators were well represented, but deregulation-imposed restrictions on information sharing, coupled with utility cost controls, have made it difficult for power system operations personnel to participate actively.

8. Significant Plans for the Next Period:

PSOC will continue its information sharing activities at GM 2012, as well as the Operator Trainers Workshop.

Submitted by: William Cassel Date: June 20, 2012