Control Systems Symposium

Sponsored By: 

Control systems provide the intelligence needed in order to achieve full capacity of generation and transmission and reliability throughout the grid. In fact, energy management systems control every aspect of your utility’s resources and are an essential element in enabling the smart grid. Communication networks are the essential element forming the backbone of effective control systems empowers renewable generation, demand management and market triggered responses. The goal of the sessions in this symposia is to provide attendees with necessary information on critical impact points such as substation integration and automation, application of different protocols, standards, regulations, and protective relaying applications that impact control systems.

Complete Program

Relevant Control Systems Sessions Include:

Saturday May 19, 2012

3:00  - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

Sunday May 20, 2012

7:30 a.m.
8th Annual Past Chairman's Invitational Golf Tournament
Location: Shingle Creek Golf Course

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open

9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Concurrent Tutorials

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent Tutorials

Monday, May 21, 2012

6:45 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

7:15 – 8:30 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Integrating Disruptive Technologies into your Smart Network
Symposia: Control Systems
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Tomorrow's grid will be faced with the unprecedented integration of new technologies that require a new understanding of characteristics of these new technologies. These devices include high current electric vehicle chargers, variable speed compressors and pool pumps, home and business energy management systems and more. This panel will provide insight into the future of an integrated grid and the communication requirements that make them work.

Speakers: David Flynn, Partner, Phillips Lytle
Phillip Mullins, Smart Grid Communications, IBM

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Cybersecurity in Control Systems
Symposia: Control Systems, Cybersecurity
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A3
The security of industrial control systems is the focus of an entire division with DHS. In a coordinated effort between government and private asset owners, cybersecurity training, lessons learned, actionable intelligence, forensic assistance, cybersecurity evaluation tools and risk reduction products are all available free of charge, just for the asking. In addition, the National Energy Sector Cybersecurity Organization (NESCO) is a broad-based, public/private partnership funded by DOE to enable information sharing within the electric community itself on computer and network security. This session will outline what is available to help you meet the unique security challenges of your legacy systems.

Speakers: Motty Anavi, Vice President - Business Development, RAD Data Communications
Keith Porterfield, General Counsel and Manager of Corporate Compliance, Georgia System Operations Corp

Utilizing White Spaces for Utilities Communications' Infrastructure
Symposia: Emerging Technologies, Control Systems, Wireless
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Utilities are considering using TV white spaces technologies, which is an unlicensed operation that makes opportunistic use of available TV channels, which are allocated in 6 MHz blocks of spectrum. TV white spaces can provide ample broadband level bandwidth for AMI and DA backhaul. Coupled with excellent propagation characteristics, this spectrum has the potential to provide reliable backhaul communications for hard to reach locations on the utility system. What are the upside/downside relationships of the spectrum? Who controls TV white spaces operations in the spectrum? How can products be developed and designed to smartly and dynamically utilize the changing conditions of this spectrum? Hear the answers to these questions and more during this presentation.

Speakers: Jim Carlson, CEO/President, Carlson Wireless
Frank Folz, Managing Director of Smart Grid, Airspan
Mark Gibson, Director – Business Development, Comsearch

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Networking Break

10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Advanced Monitoring Solutions for Remote Sites
Symposia: Control Systems
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Distribution Management Systems (DMS) is a key component within a utility’s operations and Smart Grid architecture. DMS is designed and programmed to monitor and control operation of Medium Voltage (MV) electric equipment in the 11-36 kV range and Extra Low Voltage electric equipment below the 60 kg range, which are installed along the distribution grid. Today, a large selection of Intelligent Electric Devices (IEDs), Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) can operate over wireless media; however, in most cases they don’t deliver adequate performance when it comes to data reliability. In order to deal with such challenges, engineering firms turn to a wireless communication integrator and ask them to quote a wireless wide area network for their system. The purpose of this discussion is to help utilities understand the design considerations and mandatory requirements for a wireless network for remote control of Medium and Extra Low Voltage devices and issues involving wireless carriers.

Speaker: Chris Anderton, Engineer Solutions, Tempest Telecom Solutions
Jesse Dennerlein, Executive Engineer, Asentria Corporation
Nicky Dibben, VP Marketing, 4RF Communications

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Networking Break

2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
UTC EXPO 2012 Open
Room: Gatlin CDE
Visit these great exhibitors!

6:30 –8:30 p.m.
UTC Gala
Room: Panzacola F-G
Party around the world with us as we host a fun networking event. The UTC Gala is a great way to network and meet with your peers and catch up from a full day of education and vendor exhibits. 

8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
After-Gala Chairman’s Cigar Party
Room: Butler Courtyard

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
"Power Hour" Education Sessions

T1 or Ethernet: Which Is Better for Maximizing Data Collection Reliability in a SCADA System?
Symposia: Control Systems
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Power utilities today are wrestling with whether to go with T1 or Ethernet for their principle transport application. T1 provides reliability and security for your critical traffic. Currently most high-priority SCADA communications to RTUs utilize T1 transport mechanisms. Ethernet is emerging as a viable low-cost alternative, even though it still lacks the security of T1. This session will discuss the benefits and challenges of both options and present the latest industry-recommended best practices. Come share your T1 or Ethernet experiences and hear what your peers have implemented and how it is working.

Speakers: Bill Kautz, Director of Portfolio Planning, Tellabs
John Theoret, Consulting Sales Engineer, Fujitsu

10:00 a.m.– 2:00 p.m.
UTC EXPO 2012 Open
Room: Gatlin CDE
Visit these great exhibitors!

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch in UTC EXPO 2012
Room: Gatlin CDE

2:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Synchrophasor Communications
Symposia: Control Systems
Tracks: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Deploying synchrophasors grid-wide will improve power system reliability and control. Current monitoring devices take measurements once every four seconds, while a typical synchrophaser technology takes 30 observations per second. This increased monitoring capability, added to the fact that synchrophasors can be time aligned across different utilities, make them a powerful technology. Ultimately, this technology enables a precise and comprehensive view of the entire grid—something that is necessary for next-generation grid management. This presentation will provide an overview of synchrophasors and current deployment initiatives throughout North America.

Speaker: Paul Robertson, Product Manager – Communications Group, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Networking Break

3:45 – 5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Southern California Edison (SCE) Centralized Remedial Action Scheme (CRAS) Project
Symposia: Control Systems, Cybersecurity
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
IP, VPN, Ethernet technologies enable utilities' telecommunications departments to design a highly available network that provides NERC CIP compliance and meets critical low latency requirements, reducing operations, manpower and general administration costs. Utilities are deploying and testing standard Internet Protocol (IP) and IEC61850 GOOSE standard to support time-sensitive applications such as tele-protection and centralized remedial action scheme (CRAS). This session will present LAN and WAN test data along with conceptual design and architecture use cases, documenting how one utility is translating the strengths and benefits of IP and IEC61850 standards into better protecting and operating the electrical power grid in real-time.

Speaker: Dane Speakman, CSA CISCO

5:00 - 6:00
Focus on 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband Network – Legal, Technical and Practical Implications for Sharing
Tracks: Technical, Management, Legal
Room: Gatlin A3
Utilities can share the 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN), thanks to Title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (PL 112-96) which became law on February 21, 2012. Potentially, utilities could access up to 20 MHz of spectrum on a shared basis, which would help them meet their increasing communications needs for wide-area, high capacity voice and data. During this informative and interactive session, UTC experts will provide an outline of the opportunities available,the challenges associated with those opportunities, and the best strategies for utilities to ensure that the network will meet their communications needs.

Speakers: Brett Kilbourne, Vice President, Government and Industry Affairs and Deputy General Counsel, UTC
Prudence Parks, Director, Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel, UTC

6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
UTC Awards Dinner Reception
Room: Panzacola East Foyer

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
UTC Awards Dinner
Room: Panzacola F
The UTC Awards Dinner celebrates the achievements of individuals and utilities involved in UTC and the industry. Come join us for a semi-formal sit-down dinner as we honor individuals for Chairman’s Awards, the Dondanville Award the Meehan Award, as well as the UTC Apex Award presentation. It's a great night to celebrate!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

7:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

8:00 a.m.
UTC Fiber Optic Professional Certification & Training

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Innovation in Practice - UTC Annual Membership Meeting & Breakfast
Room: Gatlin B
As part of UTC's Annual Conference we hose a UTC Annual Membership Meeting where members are encourage to share their opinions, hear from their volunteer leaders and vote for next year's leadership.  If you are attending UTC TELECOM 2012 it is critical that you participate in this membership meeting.  Even if you aren't yet a member of UTC, you're invited to hear what UTC has planned for the upcoming year.

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Committee Meetings

12:00 p.m.
UTC TELECOM 2012 Adjourns

12:00 p.m. - on
Post Conference User Group Meetings