Operational Challenges to an Evolving Electric System
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Brad VerMeer, Director-Utility Automation, Black & Veatch 

Tuesday, March 23, 1:00 p.m.
As the electric system continues to evolve many utilities face new operational challenges that they must overcome. This session will dive into three of those emerging challenges; arc flash, callout resource management, and phasor measurement. Each of these presentations will discuss how the utility faced its particular challenge as an opportunity to move forward.

Analyzing Arc Flash Energy on Multi-Source Circuits
Author(s):

• Cory G. Shaw, Engineer, Notheast Utilities Service Company

Meeting Today’s Economic and Operational Challenges
Author(s):

• Clyde B. Herring, OMS Product Manager, Alabama Power Company
• Mark Furst, Vice President Marketing, ARCOS, Inc.

The Smart Grid: Enabling Revolutionary Workforce Change
Author(s):

• William Devereaux, Senior Director, Smart Metering, Pacific Gas & Electric
• Susan W. Christensen, Partner, Talent and Organization Performance – Resources Industry, Accenture

Distribution Systems Planning: A Smart Strategic Perspective
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Umesh Singh, Chief Consulting Engineer, GE Energy T&D Automation

Tuesday, March 23, 3:00 p.m.
This session will discuss smart options for designing and planning distribution networks, what to do and what not to do, case studies, DSTAR utility consortium research results and more.

Best Practices for Storm Response on U.S. Distribution Systems
Author(s):

• Lavelle Freeman, Principal/DSTAR Program Manager, GE Energy
• Gregory Stano, Standards Engineer, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation
• Martin Gordon, Independent Consultant (former Program Manager, NRECA CRN), Gordon Utility Consulting

Next Generation System Planning
Author(s):

• Robert Sarfi, Partner, Boreas Group, LLC
• Domenic Pellegrino, Manager, Engineering Systems, Manitoba Hydro
• Michael Tao, Partner, Boreas Group, LLC

The Breakdown and Mitigation of Technical Losses on Distribution Power Systems
Author(s):

• Bo Yang, Senior Engineer, General Electric - Energy
• James Weiss, Engineer, Ameren Corporation
• Reigh Walling, Director, General Electric - Energy
• Lavelle Freeman, Principal/DSTAR Program Manager, GE Energy
• Mike Marshall, Executive Advisor, Quanta Technology

Smart Grid: Enhanced Grid Management, Stability and Reliability
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Paul Yarka, Senior Executive, Accenture Smart Grid Services

Wednesday, March 24, 9:30 a.m.
This session focuses on a range of topics addressing enhanced approaches to managing the grid leveraging smart grid innovations and technology to improve grid stability and reliability. From SDG&E’s experiences with a variety of smart grid technology, system and integration initiatives to optimum use of integrated distribution volt/VAR/kw management systems, forecast benefits and actual outcomes will be discussed, as well as, leveling of feeder voltage profiles, increasing power delivery capability, maintaining power quality and analyzing equipment conditions and operations. Performance analysis of faulted circuit indicators at Exelon, the value of expanded distribution system data, and improvements in enabling analytics and visualization will be reviewed from multiple utility perspectives.

The SDG&E Smart Grid: Today’s Foundation, Tomorrow’s Vision
Author(s):

• Lee Krevat, Director, Smart Grid, San Diego Gas & Electric

Smart Grid Enhancements to Distribution Volt/VAR/kw Management
Author(s):

• E. Tom Jauch, Application Consultant, Beckwith Electric Co., Inc.

Transforming a Faulted Circuit Indicator into a Wireless Sensor
Author(s):

• Tony Vitucci, Engineering Manager, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
• Thomas Callsen, Consulting Engineer, Distribution Standards, Commonwealth Edison
• Ryan Swartzendruber, Circuit Design Engineer, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

Innovative Maintenance and Asset Management Techniques
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Gary Rackliffe, Vice President, Marketing and Sales, ABB, Inc.

Wednesday, March 24, 2:30 p.m.
This session will address system monitoring, simulation and reliability assessment, the new NERC protection system maintenance standard and engineering concepts for taking advantage of methods for extending maintenance intervals, and the use of protection relays as an asset management tool.

Power Delivery System Reliability Assessment using High-Definition System-wide Model
Author(s):

• Peter Evans, President, New Power Technologies

The New NERC Protection System Maintenance Standard
Author(s):

• Eric A. Udren, Executive Advisor, Quanta Technology, LLC
• Charles W. Rogers, Principal Engineer, Planning & Protection, Consumers Energy

Using Numerical Protection Relays as Asset Management Tools and Modern Test Methods
Author(s):

• Steve Turner, Senior Applications Engineer, Beckwith Electric Company, Inc.

Optimization of Low Voltage Assets and Designs
Paper Session
Session Moderator: Jim Tracey, Product Manager, OMS/DMS, GE Energy

Thursday, March 25, 10:00 a.m.
Low voltage secondary design and infrastructure is many times overlooked as utilities focus on primary design. This session will focus on ways for utilities to take a look at the key characteristics for optimal secondary and infrastructure design. Aspects will include conductor sizing, transformer rating and sizing as well as other design characteristics important to operational secondary design.

A Novel Method for Planning Low Voltage Secondary Distribution Networks:
Optimal Selection of Transformer Ratings and Conductor Type
Author(s):

• Prashanth Duvoor, Consultant, Siemens Power Technologies International
• Juan Carlos Ledezma, Associate Director, Siemens Utility Transformation Services
• Nelson Jose Bacalao, Senior Manager, Consulting, Siemens Power Technologies International

A Practical Approach for Designing Operationally Efficient Secondary Distribution Systems
Author(s):

• Devin Van Zandt, Software Products Manager, GE Energy
• Don Guinn, Lead Engineer, Progress Energy
• Mark Danna, Lead Engineer, Distribution Standards, Progress Energy

New Vision of the Real Average Load of Transformers in the Latin America’s Distribution Networks
Author(s):

• Orlando Giraldo, Electrical Engineer, HJ International Latin America

Conference Details

Advanced Metering
Customer Service and CIS
Demand Response and Energy Efficiency
Distribution Automation
Enterprise Information and Asset Management
Mobile and Geospatial Solutions
Renewables and the Grid
SCADA and Network Management
Substation Automation
T&D Engineering and Operations
Transmission
Water
Mega Session