Industry News

Celebrating 14 Years of GridSME!

Welcoming Sofia Marcoccia to GridSME! We’re excited to introduce Sofia Marcoccia as the newest member of GridSME’s Business Development team! Meet Sofia – Our New Proposal Coordinator Sofia joins us as a Proposal Coordinator, bringing valuable experience in administrative and business operations. She has a strong background in organization, scheduling, and process management, making her a key asset in ensuring seamless proposal development and execution. A Detail-Oriented and Collaborative Team Player Sofia is highly detail-oriented, a quick learner, and passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement. Her ability to adapt to new challenges, stay organized, and collaborate across teams makes her an excellent addition to our growing Business Development group. Looking Ahead As we continue to expand our capabilities, we are thrilled to have Sofia on board to help streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and contribute to our mission of delivering outstanding solutions for our clients.  Please join us in welcoming Sofia Marcoccia to the GridSME family! We look forward to her impact and the great work she will bring to our team.

Welcome Casey James: Our New Senior Meter Engineer at GridSME We are thrilled to announce that Casey James has joined the GridSME team as our Senior Meter Engineer! With over seven years of experience in metering engineering and management, Casey brings a wealth of expertise to our clients, supporting their needs in large-scale energy projects, regulatory compliance, and advanced metering solutions. Casey holds a B.S. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, specializing in Power from California State University, Sacramento, and has built a reputation as an expert in controls and metering integration, battery energy storage systems, and both retail and wholesale metering. His skills also extend to consulting on metering regulations on a national level, where he has guided critical stakeholders and driven innovation in metering standards for the evolving power sector. In previous roles, Casey has led teams of engineers and technicians across California, establishing best practices, training programs, and compliance workflows for efficient, accurate project delivery. He has been instrumental in developing metering methodologies for some of the largest solar and battery energy projects in the country and has substantial experience with CAISO-compliant inspections, SCADA implementations, and programming complex metering algorithms. At GridSME, Casey’s technical acumen and leadership will be invaluable as he works to deliver precise, reliable, and compliant metering solutions for our clients. We are excited to have him on board to help advance our mission and further support our clients in the energy industry.  Please join us in welcoming Casey to the GridSME family!

Information regarding an upcoming NERC Alert Level 3

Welcome Casey James: Our New Senior Meter Engineer at GridSME We are thrilled to announce that Casey James has joined the GridSME team as our Senior Meter Engineer! With over seven years of experience in metering engineering and management, Casey brings a wealth of expertise to our clients, supporting their needs in large-scale energy projects, regulatory compliance, and advanced metering solutions. Casey holds a B.S. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, specializing in Power from California State University, Sacramento, and has built a reputation as an expert in controls and metering integration, battery energy storage systems, and both retail and wholesale metering. His skills also extend to consulting on metering regulations on a national level, where he has guided critical stakeholders and driven innovation in metering standards for the evolving power sector. In previous roles, Casey has led teams of engineers and technicians across California, establishing best practices, training programs, and compliance workflows for efficient, accurate project delivery. He has been instrumental in developing metering methodologies for some of the largest solar and battery energy projects in the country and has substantial experience with CAISO-compliant inspections, SCADA implementations, and programming complex metering algorithms. At GridSME, Casey’s technical acumen and leadership will be invaluable as he works to deliver precise, reliable, and compliant metering solutions for our clients. We are excited to have him on board to help advance our mission and further support our clients in the energy industry.  Please join us in welcoming Casey to the GridSME family!

Upcoming New Standard: PRC-030-1 Unexpected Inverter-Based Resource Event Mitigation

Understanding the NERC Standards Development for Category 2 Inverter-Based Resources (IBR)

GridU Live this October!

NERC Alert: Inverter-Based Resource Model Quality Deficiencies NERC has released a crucial alert addressing significant deficiencies in the modeling and study practices of inverter-based resources (IBR). This comes after analyzing 10 large-scale disturbances since 2016, resulting in nearly 15,000 MW of unexpected IBR output reduction, predominantly occurring between 2020 and 2024. Reporting of these efforts is required by September 2, 2024. Scroll to read the full NERC Alert Article. Key Points: 1) Modeling Deficiencies: Poor modeling practices have been identified as a major contributing factor to these disturbances. Accurate and detailed dynamic models are essential for reliable bulk power system (BPS) operation. 2) Recommendations for Improvement: Model Validation: Models should be validated at both the inverter and plant levels, ensuring they accurately reflect in-service performance. Lifecycle Updates: Continuous updates and validations of models throughout the lifecycle of IBR plants are necessary. Standard and Equipment-Specific Models: Both standard library and equipment-specific models should be used, with rigorous testing and documentation to ensure accuracy. 3) Coordination and Reporting: Generator Owners (GOs), Transmission Planners (TPs), and Planning Coordinators (PCs) must collaborate with manufacturers and third-party consultants to address modeling deficiencies. Reporting of these efforts is required by September 2, 2024.