Region 2 is comprised of 11 chapters, including 3 PES/IAS joint chapters and 1 PES/IAS/PELS joint chapter.  These are Akron-Canton, Baltimore, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Delaware Bay, Lehigh Valley, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown.  There are always opportunities for volunteers to participate in an existing chapter or start a new one.

IEEE PES Region 2 Highlights

Lehigh Valley PES Chapter

IEEE Lehigh Valley has several events and presentations on a variety of topics planned for the winter and spring of 2016.  These are:

Jan 28 – Energy Storage Techniques
Feb 23 – East Penn-Development & Manufacturing of Storage Batteries
Mar 23 – Global Energy Outlook
Mar 29 – Current-Limiting Protector
Late Spring – Power System Protection, Automation and Control

Dayton PEAL (PE/IA/PEL) Chapter

On March 1st, 2016, the IEEE Dayton Section PEAL chapter hosted Power and Energy Society Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. George Gross from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Gross discussed a Vehicle-to- Grid concept to 17 PEAL members and 5 guests. An engaged audience asked questions as Dr. Gross discussed the potential benefits of using plug-in electric vehicles as distributed energy sources for grid stability, load balancing, and system benefits.

On October 6, 2015 the PEAL chapter worked with other Dayton chapters to host IEEE Day. IEEE members and non-members were invited to Proto Build Bar for a night of networking, membership recruitment, and inspiration. Proto Build Bar is the country’s first bar/maker space. The networking event took place on IEEE day – Oct. 6, 2015. A pizza dinner and drinks were sponsored by IEEE Dayton Section, Women in Engineering-Young Professionals (WIE-YP) and IEEE Region 2 & Dayton Section PEAL Chapter. Attendees used workbenches for soldering projects and door prizes were given out for time on the 3D printers.  Attendees had such a great experience it might be an annual event for the local IEEE community.

They are also planning a tour of Mound Science Energy Museum, a joint event between a high school First Robotics team and the University of Dayton IEEE Solar Splash Challenge (PELS sponsored) team, a get to know our chapter member night in October where volunteers can have 3-5 minutes to speak about themselves, an interesting project, or their company, a Young Professional event in conjunction with the Dayton Section at BuildBar similar to the 2015 IEEE Day, and a joint event with a local AIAA chapter on Electric Flight.

Philadelphia PES/IAS Chapter

The Philadelphia chapter is planning the following events:

• January: Circuit Breaker Control & Automatic Transfer (Timothy McBride, Eaton)
• February: Using Syncrophasors to Monitor the Power Grid (Sean Murphy, PJM)
• March: SCADA for Smart Substation (Antonio Carvalho, QEI/CG Automation)
• April:  The History of & Preventing Blackouts (Robert Swayne, Burns Engineering, Inc.)
• May:  Tour of Exelon’s Conowingo Dam

The fall agenda is not yet final, but the topics will likely include Microgrids, Substation Grounding, Transformer Design, and Power Quality

Baltimore PES Chapter

The Baltimore Chapter of the IEE PES will be hosting Scott Baker, Sr. Business Solutions Analyst with PJM interconnection LLC who will discuss how distributed energy resources are continuing to evolve as a tool for PJM dispatchers to balance the bulk electric power system.  In this talk, Scott will address the various technologies, market rules, and PJM business tools that allow distributed energy resources from electric water heaters and air conditioners (residential) to batteries and combined heat and power plants (C&I) to act as balancing and reserve resources for the regional electric power system.

Other events are being planned for later in the year.