Inside Iowa State

June 11, 2004

Short course trains power system professionals

by Karol Crosbie, Engineering Communications

Last Aug. 14, the lights went out in dozens of cities in northeastern United States and Canada. A hundred power plants went down and 50 million people were affected.

It was a disaster that could have been prevented using one of the most effective weapons in any defense arsenal -- education. Ongoing training of power system operators, electricians and engineers is essential to the health of electrical utility companies, said Tom Baird, who coordinates Iowa State's short courses for power industry professionals.

"Electrical power is considered by many institutions to be tried, proved and staid," said Baird, who worked 40 years in Iowa's electrical industry before joining Iowa State this year. "That's a misperception. There's a lot of sophisticated technology involved in electrical power systems, and it deserves the kind of attention that Iowa State gives to it."

Iowa State has been supporting the power industry since Engineering Extension was formed in 1913, said Ron Cox, director of the Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS). A partnership between CIRAS, ISU Extension and the department of electrical and computer engineering trains 150 to 200 power system professionals every year.

Since the mammoth blackout last summer, government regulators have intensified their interest in certifying power system operators, opening new opportunities for Iowa State. ISU will apply to the North American Electric Reliability Council to become a certified provider of continuing education credits for operators.

Iowa State's experts also are planning to offer courses on streaming video so that power system professionals can receive training at work or home at their convenience.

"There's a lot of sophisticated technology involved in electrical power systems, and it deserves the kind of attention that Iowa State gives to it."