The Year of Hands-On Training

2004 has become the year of hands-on training! There is no question that NERC (North American Electric Reliability Council) has become very serious about dispatcher training. A major driving factor had been the August 14, 2003 blackout, (plus several others in Europe that same summer) but the indicators were already there. It is the growth of energy trading and the various mechanisms for keeping the network "secure" that have been the consistent driving factors. Look at the rest of the world, e.g. Europe, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and the push for training dispatchers is ever increasing.

With that in mind, what are dispatcher training needs, after all? Are they in terms of basic power system principles, ability to recognize emergencies, communication skills, teamwork, problem solving, etc.? It all depends on levels of experience, but there are always more things to learn. Let’s look at voltage stability. This phenomenon was not even considered until the early eighties and researches did not manage to get to grips to understanding its effects, voltage collapse, until the early nineties. Today there are very few analysis tools that are available to the dispatcher to allow him/her to recognize the problem.

Knowing how the power system works is not enough, however! What is needed is a combination of skills to allow for the smooth working of such a highly complex system. This brings to light the theme of this report: that hands-on training, supervised by an expert instructor, is crucial in this new emerging phase. By that we mean that the trainee needs to work with a complex system, on a simulator, and that such a system needs to be both: a system different from the one he/she is used to plus the system he/she normally would be controlling. That is why the use of the Generic EPRI-OTS has become so important. Already a seasoned group of top-level trainers from the leading US utilities have been meeting regularly to develop a host of training scenarios. DSI, as a participant in such developments, has taken those into account and moved forward to more advanced topics in its new "Challenge" series. What we are looking for is full indulgence in complex problem solving.

Stay tuned till next month. In the meantime, I appreciate your direct feedback – adebs@dsipower.com