Control Room Integration: Switching FocusNabil Hitti, VP Network Operations, TransmissionSeptember 14, 2009

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Switching Focus: Control Room Operation

Who is National Grid?

The Opportunity and the Challenge

Moving Forward

How it went….switching & staffing

Lessons learned

Q&A

Who is National Grid?

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National Grid

National Grid is an international electricity and gas company primarily based in the UK and northeastern US. We play a vital role in delivering gas and electricity to millions of people in a safe, efficient and reliable manner.

One of the largest investor-owned utilities in the world. It is the largest utility in the UK and the second largest utility in the US.*

Almost 18 million customers

50% UK, 50% US

50% Electricity, 50% Gas

50% Transmission, 50% Distribution

27,000 plus employees

*Based on customer numbers; includes the servicing of LIPA’s 1.1 million customers

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National Grid - UK

National Grid owns the high-voltage electricity transmission system in England and Wales, operates the system across Britain, and owns and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain.

The company also operates the UK gas distribution system, distributing gas on behalf of shippers and suppliers to 11 million consumers.

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National Grid - US

Distributes electricity to 3.3 million customers

Provides natural gas to 3.5 million customers

Services 1.1 million customers of Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)

Currently owns over 4,000MW of generation

The Opportunity and The ChallengeGiving ‘Power Control’ more control

The US Transmission Organization

EVP &Chief Operating Officer

VPNetwork Operations VP

Asset ManagementVP, Work Delivery VP

Regulation & Commercial

DirectorNY Control

DirectorAsset Strategy

DirectorSystem Delivery

DirectorT - Commercial Services

DirectorNE Control

DirectorOp. Planning & Review

DirectorEMS Program

DirectorPlanning

DirectorInvestment Mgmt.

DirectorLine Engineering

DirectorRegional Delivery

DirectorWorks Program Mgmt.

DirectorHVDC Operations

DirectorReliability Compliance

DirectorT - Policy

DirectorProject Mgmt.

US Network Operations – Control Centers

Working closely with several other transmission owners as well as the NYISO and ISO-NE

ISO-NE Peak Load: 28,000+ MW (7331 MW – NG customer load)

NYISO Peak Load: 35,000+ MW (6747 MW – NG customer load)

One NE Transmission Control Center

Previously, one NY Transmission Control Center, with system security responsibilities:

Voltage

Thermal loading

Constraints

Switching undertaken by three separate T&D Regional Control Centers

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The Business Imperative

Greater Visibility of Transmission Network Operations

Better alignment with global operating model

Internal consistency

Increased focus on transmission switching

Less reliance on our distribution control centers

Industry best practice

Increase operational efficiency

Reduce human errors

More direct implementation of new capital work plan

Moving forward

Moving Forward – in the starting blocks….

Detailed analysis of the existing hurdles we faced:

Varied switching guidelines & practices

Resources & knowledge

Training

Control room set-up

Timeline

Department / responsibility changes

Moving Forward

To address these, we had to….

Recognize training needs

Ensure adequate resources

Project team & integration / switchover plan

Three-stage process

Update switching guidelines

Staffing

To achieve smooth operational handovers

Moving Forward - approach

Project team in place2.5 FTE equivalent

Timeline agreed –April 1, 2007 – Integrate Central Region

October 1, 2007 – Integrate Western Region

April 1, 2008 – Integrate Eastern Region

Outreach & initial trainingInternal

Field Forces

How it went….switching & staffing!

How it went….switching and staffing

A whole new world – training & recruitment

New procedures for Distribution Control & Transmission Control

Added Control Room Responsibilities - NYSystem Operators – switching oversight

Control room supervisor – another set of employees

Trainer on site

Switching guidelines created for all transmission assetsLines

Busses

Other station equipment

How it went….switching and staffing

New demarcation

The high-side taggable disconnect capable of interrupting bank magnetizing current

Switch 18, right

Both control centers may operate and tag this device

Neither may go ‘beyond’this device

Upstate New York Service Territory

How it went….D-Day!

April 1, 2007 – Central RegionDay 1 – Alarms! -- minor EMS problem

Implemented on a Sunday – low work volume

Monday (4/2/07) went smoothly

Started to lose staff soon after

Staffing – An Immediate Problem

Soon after the Central integration, TCC began to lose staff

3 qualified operators filling a 6-person schedule

Pushed to keep on schedule

Retiree-contractors hired to fill union positions

How it went….D-Days(s)!

Western 0500hrs, Oct 2, 2007

Staffing challenges

Similar technical challenges

Lots of 2-way training

Similar alarms – fixed!

New ways of workingField forces

WRCC Operators

How it went….D-Days(s)!

Eastern 0500hrs, April 1, 2008

Sep 29, 2008

Technical challenges

Staffing

Similar alarms – fixed

Tribal knowledge vs. Procedures

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

Project planningIntegration process - should have started earlier

Updating switching guidelines – challenging

Scheduling Flexibility!

TrainingNeed more than a half-day of classroom training

Iterative and repetitive

Practical / field training worked well - meeting people!

Visiting major/unique substations would prove valuableAssociate an EMS screen with a field device

Unique station configurations & limitations became visible

Lessons Learned

Communication:

Sharing information

Taken for granted

Constant two-way communication

Resourcing:

Attracting qualified applicants into a new department

Past projects with limited success

Creative solutions – retiree-contractors filling union jobs temporarily

Previous regional experience was vital

Using local knowledge is key in consolidation & integration efforts

Project Summary

Where are we today?

Largely realized increased reliability and safety

HE reduction trend

Record reliability

Fully integrated TCC

Well-defined and solid operating model

Internally and externally recognized as a successful department

Lessons Learned

Above all –

be flexible….

……and be prepared!

Questions?Nabil Hitti, VP Network Operations, Transmission