North American Transmission Forum Inc

THE FORUM'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN THE RELIABLE OPERATION OF THE ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM.

NATF PRACTICES: PEER DEVELOPMENT AND SHARING OF PRACTICES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS AS WELL AS COORDINATED PROJECTS FOCUSED ON IMPORTANT RELIABILITY TOPICS. NATF INITIATIVES: THE INITIATIVES FUNCTIONS LEVERAGE SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS, OFTEN IN A PROJECT LIKE FORMAT, TO PURSUE ACTIVITIES TO CLOSE RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY GAPS OR OTHERWISE IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY AND RESILIENCY OF THE ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. BIASED FOR ACTION, THE PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES FUNCTIONS COORDINATE, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE NATF MEMBERSHIP, TO COMPLETE TASKS AND PROJECTS TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY, OFTEN ACROSS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES (FOR EXAMPLE, GMD ASPECTS OF THE PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES INCLUDING MODELING, OPERATOR TOOLS, TRAINING, VENDORS, ETC.). NATF ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS TAILORED TO EACH ENTITY AS NEEDED TO PROMOTE OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. ASSIST VISITS ARE SIMILAR TO PEER REVIEWS BUT VERY NARROW IN SCOPE, WITH A SMALLER FOOTPRINT, AND ARE MUCH MORE PRESCRIPTIVE IN NATURE (E.G., IMPROVING PROGRAMS AND DEFICIENCIES ON THE SPOT OR HELPING AN ENTITY EXECUTE AN ACTION PLAN). BOTH OF THESE FUNCTIONS HELP MEMBERS IDENTIFY POTENTIAL RISKS, RELIABILITY GAPS, OR IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS; IMPLEMENT SUPERIOR PRACTICES; AND LEVERAGE SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS, PRINCIPLES OF EXCELLENCE, AND COLLECTIVE MEMBER KNOWLEDGE IN VARIOUS AREAS.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: INCLUDES INFORMATION SHARING AND METRICS PROGRAM WHICH DEFINES THE KIND OF TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE INFORMATION FOR TRACKING AND DATA ANALYTICS. THIS ACTIVITY FURTHERS THE EXEMPT PURPOSE BY DEFINING THE PARTICULAR GOALS THAT MEMBERS SHOULD STRIVE TO ACHIEVE TO PROMOTE THE COMMON BUSINESS INTEREST AMONG ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION OWNERS AND OPERATORS. THE NATF'S MEMBERS CONDUCT THIS ACTIVITY THROUGH THE ONLINE EXCHANGES AND PERSONAL MEETINGS.

PEER REVIEWS, ASSISTANCE & TRAINING: INCLUDES SELECTED EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS FOR MEMBERS, FOCUSED AND TAILORED ASSISTANCE FOR SELECT TOPICS AND PEER REVIEWS. PEER REVIEWS: PEER REVIEWS PROVIDE STRUCTURED, CONFIDENTIAL EVALUATIONS OF HOST MEMBER PROGRAMS, PROCESSES, AND OPERATIONS TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN RELIABLE, RESILIENT, AND SAFE TRANSMISSION OPERATIONS. NATF REVIEW TEAMS, COMPRISING OF MEMBER SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS AND NATF STAFF, VISIT A HOST FACILITY TO EVALUATE A BASE SET OF TECHNICAL AND CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TOPICS. PEER REVIEW TEAMS PREPARE A REPORT OF THEIR FINDINGS FOR THE HOST MEMBER, INCLUDING BOTH NOTEWORTHY POSITIVES AS WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT. SELECTED TEAM FINDINGS ARE COMMUNICATED TO THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP TO FOSTER TIMELY AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. PEER REVIEW ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ADVANCED SCHEDULING OF REVIEWS, TEAM FORMATION, DEVELOPMENT OF PROCESSES AND GUIDES, DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTION OF TRAINING, ONSITE REVIEW EXECUTION, FOLLOW-UP WITH HOSTS REGARDING RECOMMENDATION STATUS, AND VARIOUS REPORTS TO COMMUNICATE SPECIFIC AND AGGREGATED FINDINGS. PEER REVIEWS IMPROVE TRANSMISSION RELIABILITY, SECURITY, AND RESILIENCY BY PROVIDING OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENTS OF THE HOST'S PERFORMANCE IN TARGETED AREAS(THROUGH OBSERVATIONS AND EVALUATIONS OF PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES), ENABLING SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERT NETWORKING AND SHARING OF EXPERIENCE, AND IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL VULNERABILITIES APPLICABLE TO THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP. IN ADDITION, IDENTIFIED NOTEWORTHY PRACTICES CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR USE AS NATF PRACTICES. THE NATF'S MEMBERS CONDUCT THIS ACTIVITY THROUGH ONLINE EXCHANGES AND PERSONAL MEETINGS.