NERC Training Useful Military Parallels EMS User Group Meeting September 21, 2010 Chicago, IL Presented By Robin Podmore IncSys, Issaquah, WA
Personal Observations US Naval Academy - Annapolis US Military Academy West Point USMC Basic School Quantico USN Flight School Pensacola USMC Cobra Training Squadron Camp Pendleton USMC HMLA 167 Squadron New River, NC USACE Baghdad School House Camp Kanun, Iraq USACE Camp Victory, Iraq US Army Balad Airbase, Iraq USMC Al Asad Airbase, Iraq USMC HMLA 167 Squadron Al Taqqadum Airbase, Iraq US Dept of State, International Zone, Iraq 2009 Copyright Incremental Systems Corporation
Outline The Strategic Corporal Engineers and Operators Systematic Approach Naturalistic Decision Making Military Knowledge and Skills Innovative Approaches to Learning Objectives Incident Analysis Career Performance Assessment Cross Training at Trident Training Center Applications of Simulators Power4Vets Program 2009 Copyright Incremental Systems Corporation
The Strategic Corporal General Krulak, Commandant USMC described the Strategic Corporal and the Three Block War in Marine Corps Gazette, January 1999. In many cases, the individual Marine will be the most conspicuous symbol of American foreign policy and will potentially influence not only the immediate tactical situation, but the operational and strategic levels as well... he will become, as the title of this article suggests, the Strategic Corporal. As shown by recent blackouts the actions of power system operators can have a national level impact.
Why Define the Strategic Grid Operator? To provide a focus on the System Operator for development of: New computer applications New control systems New operator training methods New college educational curricula New power system journals New power system operator career paths New IEEE PES activities New APDA Activities New DOE Research New FERC Regulations New ERO Standards
The Strategic Grid Operator Has the ability to analyze often incomplete or inconsistent information Must be able to move from routine to leading in crisis management in a matter of minutes Must know their system and components inside out Over time develops gut to distinguish between artifacts and situations Draws on a broad range of both knowledge and experience to predict and prevent major system problems Is able to manage large sources of varying data inputs and make mathematical calculations in their head on the fly Is able communicate with precision under tight time constraints Has to be ready to face the Three Minute Crisis
The Engineer vs. Operator Gap
Source: SOS International
The Engineer Operator Gap Stuff You Don t Learn in Engineering School Skills for Success in the Real World, by Carl Selinger, IEEE Press, 2004. Book smart and dumb to the world I can train an operator to be an engineer, I can t train an engineer to be an operator. Four year graduate engineers are not recruited for system operators. The rigorous technical Engineering curricula does not allow time for us to teach soft skills. New graduate engineers will not work shifts. Applications designed by engineers for engineers. Our EMS simulator is an engineers dream but an operators nightmare.
Engineer Operator Gap Engineering Schools do an inadequate job at producing well-rounded engineers with background courses in English, writing, economics, history and so on. I have fifty engineers and fifty operators. The engineers, cannot make a real-time decision. Chief System Operator of a major RTO. MIT is coming to ask us on how they can train there engineers to be leaders. Industry is telling them that there graduates cannot handle operations. Dean, United States Naval Academy. The IEEE Working Group Report is not readable by operators Some of the best candidates for power system operators are navy enlisted personnel who have completed a tour of duty on a nuclear submarine or carrier. Operations Manager for WECC Control Area.
Important Traits Source J. Theotonio NERC
Military Knowledge and Skills Leadership Teamwork Diversity and Inclusion in Action Performance Under Pressure Respect for Procedures Integrity Conscious of Health and Safety Standards Triumph over Adversity 2009 Copyright Incremental Systems Corporation
Types of Knowledge and Skills Knowledge of power system equipment and principles Knowledge of Operating Procedures NERC, Region, Utility Technical skills at operating A power system Technical skills at operating YOUR power system Soft skills: team work, communications, multi-tasking, managing stress and uncertainty Knowledge of departments/personnel you need to work with. Knowledge and Skills for operating your EMS and related communication equipment Suited for self study and Virtual Instructor
Learning Objectives Using most effective approach to meet the learning objective: Paper drills Mini applications Generic Simulator Custom Simulator Walk through of EMS Screens On the Job Operation of EMS Replica EMS Simulator
How to Train a Marine to bail out from a T34?
Incident Reporting and Analysis
Admiral Bowman USN Director Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Oversees DOE Labs, Res. Des. Acq. Inst. Cert. Test. Op. Maint of all naval a nuclear propulsion o plants Training, selection, assignment personnel Safety 103 reactors
Work Small Problems to Prevent Bigger Problems What are the facts? How do you know? Who is responsible? Who else knows about the issue and what are they doing about it? What other ships and places could be affected? What is the plan? When will it be done? Is this within our design, test, and operational experience? What are the expected outcomes? What is the worst that could happen? What are the dissenting opinions?
Examples of Applying USMC Concepts to SGO s Strategic Corporal Team Decision Making Marine Corps Gazette OODA Observation, Orientation, Decision, Action Marine for Life Teamwork of Senior Enlisted and Junior Officers Officers that lead from front Every officer is trained as a rifle man Continuous evaluation and improvement Use of simulations and dramatizations Emphasis on Making good decisions under stress
Examples of Applying USNA Concepts to SGOs Short Term Memory Some prior enlisted enter Academies One Officer per Company One Senior Enlisted per Company Team building skills Emphasis on Leadership Engineering is a minor for every graduate
Examples of Applying Flight Concepts to SGOs Crew Resource Management Flight Simulators Situational Awareness (Cockpit vs Control Room) Ground Proximity Warning Systems Wind Shear Warning Systems Stall Warning Systems
Current SGO Assessment Power System Operator Degree OIT Certificate NERC Certification Exam and Certificate CEH Test and Certificates t Future Profile of Excellent Operators Standardized JTA s Competencies OJT and Tracking Simulation based competency assessments Incident Assessments
Operator Background PAST PRESENT Lineman Substation Switchman Relay Technician USN enlisted Lineman Substation Switchman Relay Technician USN enlisted AS, AA degree BS, BA degree Secretary Scheduler Meter Reader
Strategic Grid Operator Provides Focus for Development of: New computer applications New operator training methods New college educational curricula New power system journals New power system operator career paths New IEEE PES activities New APDA Activities New DOE Research New FERC and ERO Regulations
Conclusion There are numerous proven concepts that have been successfully applied to training our marines, soldiers, sailors and pilots. These can be applied with adaptation to training Strategic t Grid Operators. Engineers often complain about non-engineers running the show. But the time has come for engineers to simplify the important messages and mental images so that the general public, regulators and operators have the right technical foundation.