Grid Training Solutions

Running the electric power grid is becoming more and more compartmentalized. The general understanding of how the grid works and how generating resources affect the operation of the gird is has been lost; either from breaking up of functional duties or retirement of key personnel. This class will serve as an overview for generator operators, people who buy and schedule power for the grid, transmission operators, AGC operators, and many others by utilizing a simulator for a true hands-on experience.

In this class we will start with the concept of balancing load with generation: how this is done and what happens when the system is “out of balance”. We will cover what are reserves, why are they required and what’s the big deal if they are not available when asked for. We will then move on the concepts of “running the grid”; how generation patterns and transmission configuration can affect how resources are dispatched. Voltage control is also a major concern and continues to become a challenge as more generation is built away from the load centers. We use the simulator to show how voltage control is accomplished and what is the risk of not maintaining voltages within the proper limits. We will finish up pulling all these concepts together in a challenging exercise known as operating the power grid. Students will spend the majority of their classroom time on the simulator, visualizing and practicing the concepts they are learning.