The Reactivity Management Gap Focus Area assessments captured items impacting the industry reactivity management key performance indicator and current station processes that impact reactivity management performance – both human performance and equipment reliability. USA team members developed an Excellence Standard using industry practices and an assessment tool to evaluate excellence at each USA site. The initial assessments conducted in the first quarter of 2017 focused on processes impacting reactivity management performance. The follow-up reviews conducted this summer looked at each sites specific progress and status of action items and completion details.

At the September USA Board of Directors meeting, members were briefed on progress being made by the fleet. USA fleet average improved from 92.18 percent third quarter 2016 to 94.5 percent in July 2017 with projected green (95.8 percent) by the third quarter 2017. In addition, by reducing the number of Level 3 Reactivity Management events in 2017 the USA fleet is on-track for a $400,000 cost avoidance associated with these types of events.

Continued improvement and sustained strong performance will be accomplished thorough implementing a cycle-specific reactivity management excellence plan, which was developed through benchmarking, piloted by a USA member utility and incorporated feedback from the other USA sites. All sites recently performed a gap analysis to station processes and resolve any gaps by year end.

Overall the 2017 Reactivity Management Gap Focus Area for the USA fleet yielded positive results with all stations on-track for green performance by December 2017.