New and recently updated federal regulations such as FERC Order 1000, NERC CIP Compliance and the EPA’s new carbon-emission mandates are presenting new challenges and opportunities to electric utilities, as well as system operators, developers and large industrial manufacturers as the power industry continues to undergo major changes in the 21st century.
According to ABB Power Consulting, these regulatory changes can be a challenge to entities that may not have the in-house expertise, tools or detailed models necessary to address new regulations leading to heavy penalties or missed opportunities.
“We are expanding our capabilities to help our customers effectively respond to the increasing number of regulatory challenges to the power industry,” Martin Shalhoub, manager of business development for ABB’s Power Consulting business, explaind. “Our team is uniquely positioned with both technical and economic study proficiencies, deeply experienced with systems and application knowledge."
ABB Power Consulting is an independent team of experts within ABB’s Power Systems division, providing knowledge-based approaches and solutions to electric utilities, system operators, independent power producers and industrial electric users worldwide. The consulting team offers a wide range of advisory services in the areas of transmission systems, including HVDC and FACTS, integrated T&D planning, economic/power market analysis, renewable integration, power quality, NERC compliance, T&D project justification, industrial systems, education and system/equipment selection/design.
As part of a leading power OEM, ABB Power Consulting has a suite of resources, models and tools at its disposal. “We support and empower our customers’ planners, operators and engineers by acting as an extension of their existing teams," Shalhoub explained. "Regulations can be challenging, but they can also be turned into opportunity by identifying the optimal technical/economic solutions."
ABB Power Consulting supports is clients through proper third-party verification of critical infrastructure identification, system restoration/compliance through optimal blackstart capabilities, or reactive power compensation due to retiring generation.