A decade-long commitment to resiliency of the North American bulk power system

Since 2011, you have likely heard or read something from MRO promoting High Reliability Organization (HRO) theory. HRO theory is used by organizations in complex environments where accidents can be catastrophic. Over time, HRO theory has evolved and provides guidance for modern safety program design and is foundational to many industries seeking high reliability in critical functions.

Doctors Karl Weick and Kathleen Sutcliffe articulate in their book, Managing the Unexpected: Assuring High Performance in an Age of Complexity, the five overarching principles of HRO theory:

These five principles are fundamental and form the basis for improvements in quality, reliability, productivity, and resiliency. Organizations that have these qualities produce a collective state of mindfulness. To be mindful is to have a rich awareness of all operational aspects and a discriminatory sense of detail, which enhances the ability to discover and correct errors before the errors compound and escalate into a crisis. By developing mindfulness, organizations can demonstrate the capacity to anticipate and contain unexpected problems.

The modern-day landscape of the electricity sector is characterized by hyper complexity and constant change, necessitating a proactive approach to managing reliability and security risks. It is from this context that MRO adopted the HRO theory and the application of its principles to respond to bulk power system risk. This eventually led to the creation of Highly Effective Reliability Organizations^® (or HEROs). In our industry, HEROs are the companies (and individuals) that work each day to keep the small stuff small and prevent uncontrolled, cascading power system events.

HRO theory is the perfect framework for implementing the high standards of operational excellence needed to support the ERO Enterprise’s shared vision of a highly reliable and secure North American bulk power system. Taking this concept a step further, MRO translated the HRO theory to our mission statement, which is “to identify, prioritize and assure effective and efficient mitigation of risks to the reliability and security of the North American bulk power system by promoting HEROs.”

MRO promotes HEROs by sharing information, lessons learned, and best practices with industry through reliability assessments, special reports and a variety outreach and training events.

Celebrating HERO Behavior

In addition to promoting HEROs, each year MRO recognizes the dedication and commitment of individuals in the field that embody the HRO principles and promote operational excellence within their respective organizations and across the region through our annual HERO Award.

Candidates are solicited throughout the year during MRO’s outreach and training events, as well as through a formal nomination period in the third quarter. You can read more about the qualifications for the award on our website. Past award winners include:

• Brett Lawler: Awarded for forming and helping to lead MRO’s weekly Security Advisory Council Threat Forum, which is a way for security professionals across the region to share threat intelligence and raise awareness of security risks.
• Dallas Rowley: Awarded for the development and implementation of MRO’s Risk Matrix, which is used to determine the impact and probability of reliability and security risks and prioritize mitigation efforts.
• Joseph DePoorter: Honored for exemplary leadership in promoting HRO principles and developing risk management programs across the region.
• Mark Buchholz: Recognized for coordinating event analysis programs and collaborating with other utilities to share information on event causes and key trends.
• Sharon Koller: Celebrated for participation on MRO and NERC organizational groups and helping to develop, implement and provide clarity on the Critical Infrastructure Protection Reliability Standards.
• Tony Eddleman: Selected for leading mitigation of supply chain security risks – one of the high risks identified in MRO’s Regional Risk Assessment.

These individuals have demonstrated the direct impact HRO behavior can have on supporting reliability, security, and resiliency of the regional power grid.

Do you know if your organization is a HERO?

MRO adapted a HERO Survey that allows companies to assess how well they implement several activities that support the five HRO principles. The survey results inform respondents of where they are highly effective and reliable, and where work remains to be done. The survey results are returned to the individual completing the survey, and not shared with MRO.  The survey can be downloaded from our website and shared across your organization. You can take the survey now, and then take it again after implementing changes based on the survey results.

The survey is an excellent tool to strengthen awareness and build a capacity for mindfulness within your organization – we encourage you to take it!