Regulatory Aspects of Implementing Advanced Technology

Power & Energy Society

Dr. Jessica Bian Electrical Engineer, FERC, Washington, DC

Refreshments – 6pm, Talk – 6:30pm

Would deploying energy storage and/or other innovative technology alter business models and the utility of the future? We are experiencing significant changes in energy supply due to a number of factors, including the increased availability of natural gas, the growth in renewable, demand-side and storage technologies. This lecture provides an overview of US federal regulation of public utilities, including rate revision, challenge process, and the landmark orders that shaped energy industries we have today. In addition, the lecture offers insights of why energy industries moved from traditional cost-based regulation to competitive markets in an open access environment, and how regulators encourage the use of advanced technology in new transmission projects. Advanced transmission technologies increase the capacity, efficiency, or reliability of an existing or new transmission facility while continuing to ensure that consumers have access to sustainable energy at a reasonable cost. Current regulations establish incentive/performance-based rates for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce by reducing transmission congestion, and stimulate investment in new transmission facilities.

Dr. Jessica Bian is a visionary leader and architect. She has spearheaded electric industry’s reliability metrics and grid risk assessment. She is currently with the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Prior to FERC, she was the Director of Performance Analysis at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Under her leadership, a total of 18 industry-wide reliability indicators and three composite indices were established first time to determine the reliability, adequacy, and associated risks to the interconnected North American bulk power system.

Before joining NERC, Dr. Bian was with PJM Interconnection and ERCOT, responsible for real-time operations support, resource economic dispatch and operator training simulator projects. She started her career at Westinghouse Electric; was involved in generator design and Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) applications.

Dr. Bian holds two patents and published over 70 articles in transactions, journals and proceedings. She received the 2014 IEEE PES Wanda Reder Pioneer in Power Award for her technical accomplishments. She has been the Secretary of the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) since 2016.

Free and Open to the Public; RSVP is appreciated

Visit the IEEE PES Boston Chapter website for further details

If you have any questions, please contact Amsa (781-907-3564) or Subhadarshi (781-907-2483)