The NRECA Business and Technology Strategies (BTS) department’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) work group supports electric cooperatives in extending the life of existing infrastructure, maintaining system reliability, improving power quality and leveraging advanced technologies. The work group brings together co-op engineers who provide direct support to the Rural Utilities Service and other key standards bodies, such as the National Electrical Safety code and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Work group members also collaborate on research with industry partners, such as the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the national laboratories.
Available Resources
Reports, articles, white papers and other resources related to Transmission and Distribution may be found here: Topics > Transmission & Distribution.
Transmission & Distribution Engineering Committee
The Transmission & Distribution Engineering Committee (TDEC) is a group of volunteer engineers, operational and materials managers from electric cooperatives, NRECA and engineering consultants who work with electric co-ops.
TDEC assists RUS on the development, analysis and updating of federal technical standards, guidelines and specifications. TDEC also monitors and reviews other engineering and operational standards, code changes and new designs involving the transmission-and-distribution and supply-chain-management fields, so as to maintain the competitiveness of electric cooperatives in today's changing environment.
Research Memberships
NRECA has agreements with several leading research organizations in order to provide our members with access to their research reporting, including:
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[accordion title="National%20Electric%20Energy%20Testing%2C%20Research%20and%20Applications%20Center%20(NEETRAC)"]NEETRAC is an advanced testing, analytical and applied research service working exclusively with the electric utility industry. They perform mechanical and electrical testing and evaluation of all types of underground and overhead systems and components and publish the results for their members, one of whom is NRECA.
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[accordion title="Power%20Systems%20Engineering%20Research%20Center%20(PSERC)"]Started in 1996 as a
National Science Foundation Industry-University Cooperative Research Center, the Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC) partners with private and public organizations - including NRECA - that provide integrated energy services, transmission and distribution services, power system planning, control and oversight, market management services, and public policy development. Currently the PSERC collaboration includes 13 universities and 24 industries.
The multidisciplinary expertise of PSERC’s researchers includes power systems, applied mathematics, complex systems, computing, control theory, power electronics, operations research, non-linear systems, economics, industrial organization, and public policy.
More information on PSERC[/accordion]
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Subject Matter Experts for Questions on Transmission and Distribution
Co-ops are welcome and encouraged to contact our T&D team with questions, comments and suggestions about current projects and the research agenda:
Distribution Automation Topics:Ravindra Singh, Sr. Principal, Distribution Automation - Integrated Grid:
Ravindra.Singh@nreca.coop Standards and Distribution Topics:David Farmer, Principal, Distribution Grid - Integrated Grid:
David.Farmer@nreca.coop
System Automation Topics: