Human Performance

Starting with People

Human performance can have a significant impact on the reliability and safety of the electric grid. Diverse factors, including extreme weather, cyber-attacks and wildlife, constantly put stress on the grid, challenging grid operators, engineers and workers to make tough decisions under pressure. When these situations occur, human errors or North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Reliability Standards violations can trigger or exacerbate system events that may compromise the grid’s functionality and stability. 

Human performance is analyzed by both our Operational Analysis and Awareness team and our Enforcement team during their reviews of system events, disturbances, and violations of NERC Reliability Standards. We look at contributing causes to determine if the error was a skill-based error, rule-based error, or knowledge-based error. Often the risks are tied back to systemic, design, or organizational issues that can be addressed along with implementing training and additional barriers to help prevent these human errors.  

We learn from these incidents and share best practices, internal controls, and techniques at our annual Human Performance Workshop every August. If you are interested in learning more about human performance, please visit our Contact Us page and select the Engineering and System Performance team to begin a discussion. 

Explore additional human performance resources below.