Manpower Strategy for Mutual Aid
Superstorm Sandy showed that when it comes to manpower, resources to execute normal operations are becoming scarcer. A new strategy is required to coordinate disaster response and recovery.
Cybersecurity, Reliability & CIP
Where Did My People Go?
Today’s talent deficiency is tomorrow’s imperative.
The utility talent gap is widening. New technologies and evolving markets call for a more proactive approach to building the future workforce.
Walking the Ports and Services Gauntlet
An approach to complying with NERC’s new cybersecurity standard, CIP-007 (R2).
NERC’s new standards require utilities to lock down network ports and services. Compliance calls for a systematic approach to cataloging and tracking.
Low Tech Resilience
Portable small-scale generators could keep vital services on line during a major power outage.
High-voltage generation reserves cost more than would portable, small-scale units to keep critical services on line during a major power outage.
Reliability by the Barrel
New England turns to fuel oil for the coming winter.
Burning oil when gas supplies are tight increases costs for customers. Is it also discriminatory?
Big Data, Big Change
Analytics chart a path for industry transformation.
“Without integrating operational data with traditional IT data, I don’t think the industry would be any further along than it was five or 10 years ago.”
~Steve Ehrlich, Space Time Insight
Toward a Self-healing Smart Grid
Advanced distribution management technology promises to revolutionize operations.
Building blocks of the self-healing grid are taking shape. End-to-end integration will enable the grid to achieve 21st-century resilience.
SGIP, New and Improved
Making the case for collaboration on interoperability standards
The mission of harmonizing industry standards moves forward in the work of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel 2.0, Inc.
Peaceful Coexistence
Independent microgrids are coming. Will franchised utilities fight them or foster them?
Despite offering a range of benefits, microgrids are proving to be controversial—especially when non-utility owned microgrids seek to serve multiple customers. The biggest battles are taking place in the realm of public policy. But utilities that pursue collaboration rather than confrontation are finding interesting opportunities for profitable investment.
'Resilience'
A new watchword for the industry and its regulators.
If the concept of resilience—including cyber and physical security—had been baked into the industry’s culture from the beginning, the energy grid might look a lot different from what it does today.