IEEE’s Power and Energy Society Switchgear Committee

An electrical engineer with more than three decades of experience as a safety and quality management professional, Dianoush Emami is responsible for the development and implementation of safety, health, and environmental programs. Dianoush Emami also belongs to multiple committees for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), such as the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) Switchgear Committee. 

The committee produces and maintains documents for the IEEE C37 Standard Collection and keeps a record of important matters involving the electrical engineering practice, such as environmental effects and statistics for increased employment. Standards outlined by the committee support the need for continuing development, and an efficient power system infrastructure maintained through safety and reliability. Members of the committee consist of managerial and technical representatives from end-users, vendors, consultants, and manufacturers of electrical switchgear components.

Committee members oversee sponsorship and development for a number of operational points, including standards, policies, and recommended practices. They also handle matters regarding the design, construction, and operation of assembled gear and devices for electric circuits. The scope of these devices range from fuses and cutouts to gas-insulated switchgears and power circuit breakers. 

Committee meetings take place twice a year and focus on technical discussions with a strict non-commercial policy.

A Look at the California ISO’s Market Processes and Products

Dianoush Emami is a graduate of the University of Southern California and has served as a safety professional for nearly forty years. The former director of WESCON, Dianoush Emami has emerged as a leader in the safety industry due to the scope and quality of his work.

For example, Mr. Emami completed a technical audit for the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) that involved a review of the generation control systems for the state of California. An independent electrical grid operator, CAISO manages the flow and distribution of electricity across California’s electrical grid.

CAISO also operates a wholesale energy market that includes five core service offerings. In addition to a day-ahead market in which energy is distributed based on a bidding system, the organization manages a real-time market that allows utilities to purchase power to cover electrical shortages not met by bids placed in the day-ahead market.

CAISO also offers ancillary services to maintain grid stability, and financial instruments known as congestion revenue rights (CRRs) that allow utilities to address grid congestion costs. Moreover, participants in the electrical market can engage in convergence bidding through CAISO. Convergence bidding allows energy to be bought in the day-ahead market and sold in the real-time market.