1. Operations Training Subcommittee (OTS)
Bill Simmons, SMUD
OTS Chair
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

2. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Highlights
Current Year Goals
Future of WECC Training Program
Expanding Focus of Training Beyond Operator CEHs
Pilot Program with Event Analysis Trending
Purpose: this is the agenda/pre-view of what will be discussed.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

3. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
OTS Purpose
OTS is responsible for reviewing and providing input on the direction of the WECC training program.
Purpose: This is to remind the audience of who the OTS is what their work is about.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

4. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Current Year Goals
OTS Goals
Status
Comments 1
HPWG
Ongoing
Provide support and guidance to the HPWG
Coordinate Event Analysis projects with HPWG
Consider how to integrate HP into training 2
Metrics
In Progress
­Provide metric based tools for WECC member training providers
Provide a white paper, tool sets, future ideas, starting kits, how to collect data to identify gap, references
Purpose: The following 8 goals are listed to show and explain the important work that the OTS is doing.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

5. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Current Year Goals
OTS Goals
Status
Comments 3
Peer Review
In Progress
Create method for peer review of neighboring entity training/class instruction
Define a process of how to utilize sample forms 4
Instructor Validation Guideline
Outline an instructor validation program 5
Training Needs Analysis
Work with Focus group for future projects
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

6. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Current Year Goals
OTS Goals
Status
Comments 6
Sharing information
In Progress
Review website and how to share 7
2016 Train-the- Trainer Workshop
Purpose: to share training ideas and techniques to improve the quality of trainers within the WECC region. Supporting a strong training community of practice supports reliability of the electrical system.
The 2016 TtT Workshop is July at the California ISO.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

7. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Current Year Goals
OTS Goals
Status
Comments 8
2016 WECC Human Performance Conference
In Progress
Purpose: To provide common vocabularies, tools, techniques, and training materials to assist Bulk Power System (BPS) operations and field personnel in the promotion and sustainability of Human Performance practices.
The 2016 Human Performance Conference is November 7-10 at WECC.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

8. Operator Training Attendance Trends 2009-2015
Purpose: To show attendance trends of what is growing and what is declining. The Overview class is addressing more of an outreach audience such as policy makers, managers, environmental people, legal, etc.
NOTE: This slide is missing Intro class data for 2011 and Overview class data for I will get this slide fixed and replaced.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

9. Future of WECC Training Program
Operator Training attendance dropped average of 15% per year in last six years
Overview and Introduction classes increased
WECC-wide Training Needs Analysis Survey
sent to 73 different utilities, with 54 respondents from 17 different states, Canada and Mexico.
Of the respondents, 83% have their own internal training programs with an average of 3 trainers
86% of “other” training is achieved online
2/3 prefer on-site classroom training
Purpose: to show the facts of what is declining, what is growing and the survey that shows data for why
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

10. Operator Training Options
APDA
APT College
Bismarck College
Electric Power Training Center (EPTC)
Grid Training Solutions
IEEE
IncSys
NWPP
NERC Continuing Education Providers (there are many)
Operations Training Solutions (OTS)
Operator Educational Services (OES-NA)
Powersmiths (OPS-X)
PowerWorld Corporation
Quality Training Systems (QTS)
SOS International
Other individual contractors/consultants
Utility in-house training
Purpose: to express that WECC filled the original need for training when there was none but now there are other options besides WECC for Operator training
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

11. Expanding Focus Beyond Operator CEHs
Operator Training
Status
Operating Within Limits
Voltage Stability
System Protection for Operators
Balance and Interchange
Power system Dynamics
Power System Protection
Dynamics of Disturbance
Introduction to System Operations
Declining attendance since 2011
Is expensive to maintain
Can be attained via multiple sources
Purpose: This is a list of the current WECC Operator classes and some points that are building up to why it’s ok to retire the operator training program.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

12. Expanding Focus Beyond Operator CEHs
Status
Training and Education
Attendance has been increasing
Is Western Interconnection focused
WECC adds unique value
Overview of System Operations
Human Performance Conference
Train-the-Trainer Workshop
Purpose: this is a list of the other types of training WECC is currently doing and some points to explain their value.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

13. Expanding Focus Beyond Operator CEHs
Operator Training
Training and Education
Operating Within Limits
Voltage Stability
System Protection for Operators
Balance and Interchange
Power system Dynamics
Power System Protection
Dynamics of Disturbance
Introduction to System Operations
Overview of System Operations
Human Performance Conference
Train-the-Trainer Workshop
Internal WECC staff training
Event Analysis Lessons Learned
Understanding the Standards
Other training as needed
Purpose: This shows what will be retired, what will stay the same, and what can be added. It is important to express the value of the topics added. “Other” training is things like SAT for the GOs, eTags, WECC-1 RAS, etc.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

14. Event Analysis Pilot Program
To increase awareness of Human Performance Improvement:
OTS and HPWG are working with the Operating Issues Workgroup (OIWG)
Reviewing events from the training and human performance perspective
OTS and HPWG will pilot a lessons learned or an information sharing program within the WECC region
Purpose: to introduce the work that is being done on Event Analysis and the pilot program we will roll out by end of 2016
Western Electricity Coordinating Council

15. Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Summary
Current Year Goals
Future of WECC Training Program
Expanding Focus of Training Beyond Operator CEHs
Pilot Program with Event Analysis Trending
The OTS and HPWG continue with current goals and projects along with pilot programs that improve training and human performance for the end result of maintaining reliability of the Western Interconnection.
Purpose: to summarize and put closure on the report.
Western Electricity Coordinating Council