by Eric Thibodeau, Hydro Quebec, Quebec, Canada
The conclusion of summer 2025 provided the backdrop for another successful and productive meeting of the IEEE PES Power System Communications and Cybersecurity Committee (PSCCC), held jointly with the Power Systems Relaying and Control Committee (PSRCC).
The event was hosted in Richmond, VA from September 8 to 11. Over 80 participants expressed their interest in the PSCC activities during the event. While the majority attended in person, the committee remains committed to maintaining an inclusive hybrid in-person and virtual format that accommodate individuals unable to participate on site.
Change is in the air for two of our subcommittees. Both the S0 – Cybersecurity committee and the P0 – Protocol and Communication Architecture Subcommittee announced they will be undergoing their periodic leadership transitions next January. Beforehand, the PSCCC extends heartfelt thanks to Scott Mix and Tom Dahlin exemplary service as Chairs for S0 and P0 respectively. Their dedication gave a strong momentum to both subcommittees, and their leadership was instrumental in pivotal times.
The PSCCC envisions a bright future for both subcommittees as high-profile candidates will take up leadership to keep the pace going. In S0, Theo Laughner will step up from Vice-Chair to Chair, with Nicholas Kraemer joining as Vice-Chair. For P0, Jim Michaelis will assume the Chair role, while Priya Raghuraman will become Vice-Chair. The committee believe this renewed leadership will sure help us to reach new heights. Welcome aboard to all!
The committee’s technical engine is running at full speed, with several Working Groups that are close to complete their efforts. Three standards should be submitted to RevCom by year end: P1686 Corrigendum on the Standard for Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED) Cybersecurity Capabilities, The P1815.2 DNP3 Profile for Distributed Energy Resources, and P1711.1 Standard for a Cryptographic Protocol for Cyber Security of Substation Serial Links (SSPP). Two more are past RevCom, in the editorial pipeline: P1222 Corrigendum on Standard for Testing and Performance of ADSS Fiber Optic Cable, and P1591.4 Testing and performance of hardware for Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Phase Conductor (OPPC). All these new/revised IEEE standards are expected to be officially published in the first quarter of 2026.
Several other Working Groups are reaching a milestone, ready to go to either ballot or recirculation.
This Fall interested people should be on the look for: P57.13.9 Standard for Power-Line Carrier Coupling Capacitors and Coupling Capacitor Voltage Transformers (CCVT), P1591.1 Corrigendum, addressing hardware for Optical Ground Wire (OPGW), and C37.236 Guide for Applying Digital Communications to Power System Protective Relay Applications. P1815 Standard for Electric Power Systems Communications-Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3).
Finishing business only leaves headway to start up new stuff. Next January, our C0 Power Line Carrier Subcommittee will start a study group to evaluate a potential revision to the C93.3 Line Trap Standard that is set to expire in 2027. We invite all interested parties to join and contribute to this new initiative.
The PSCCC is moving forward with renewed energy and a commitment to innovation. Year 2026 will be the theater of our three usual periodic meetings.
The PSCC will celebrate the new year at the IEEE Power Energy Society (PES) Joint Technical Committee meeting (JTCM) that will take place in Atlanta, GA from January 11 to 15. After that, the PSCCC will reconvene twice with the PSRCC, beginning in Cleveland, OH from May 11 to 14, and then in Reno, NV on September 14 to 17. For all three meetings, the PSCCC will provide a hybrid format once again.
More information about 2026 meetings can be found on the PSRCC website at https://www.pes-psrc.org/meetings.
To all of you who are interested in the activities of the PSCCC, please visit our website at https://site.ieee.org/pes-pscc/ and look for the “Join the PSCCC” button.
Follow @IEEE_PES_PSCC on Twitter and IEEE-PES-PSCC on LinkedIn to stay updated with our latest news and announcements!
Biography:
Eric Thibodeau is an Automation Engineer at Hydro-Québec, in the Protection Expertise team. His prior experiences include being Product Manager for Protection products at Gentec, and Software Developer specialized in communication protocols at Eaton. He is involved in the activities of the IEEE Power System Communications and Cybersecurity Committee (PSCCC) and IEEE Power System Relaying and Control Committee (PSRCC). Formerly, he obtained its B.Ing. in Computer Engineering, as well as M.Sc.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Universite de Sherbrooke. While a graduate student, he was also a lecturer in this same institution about network protocols specification and design, network components and architecture as well as electronic power supply design. His main areas of expertise are TCP/IP networking, SCADA communication and cybersecurity, and digital protective relaying. He is a registered professional engineer in the Province of Quebec.
