NERC to host two-day virtual Reliability Leadership Summit

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and the Reliability Issues Steering Committee (RISC) will host the virtual Reliability Leadership Summit virtually on January 26 and 27.

Lead industry experts will address multiple topics relating to known and emerging risks to bulk power system reliability at the two-day event.

The hosts of the event are Mark Lauby, NERC’s senior vice president and chief engineer; Nelson Peeler, senior vice president, Transmission and Fuels Strategy and Policy, Duke Energy, and RISC chair; and Brian Slocum, vice president, Operations, ITC Holdings Corp. and RISC vice chair.

“I’m pleased that we have attracted top industry and government experts who will address wide-ranging challenges to electricity reliability, security, and resilience,” Lauby said. “Despite the virtual nature of the event, we have more than 400 registrants, and I know that — as in previous years — robust and interesting debate will be the hallmark of the summit.”

The opening keynote addresses will be delivered by Cheryl LaFleur, former FERC chair and commissioner, and Jacinda Woodward, senior vice president, Power Operations at the Tennessee Valley Authority. Manny Cancel, NERC senior vice president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the E‑ISAC; and Jim Robb, NERC president and CEO, are also speaking. Further, a reception at the end of the first day will feature an address by industry expert Peter Fox-Penner, Ph.D.

There will also be four panels focusing on Grid Transformation, Extreme Natural Events, Security Risks, and Critical Infrastructure Interdependencies. each day will conclude with a moderated open discussion.

The results and observations from the entire event will be used to identify, assess and manage reliability priorities across the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) and documented in a report anticipated to be released in August 2021.