April 12th, 2026, at 08:00 PM EDT
How do electricity grids work? What are their major components? What is required for an electricity grid to operate 24x7x365 in all weather conditions and always deliver reliable, consistent, dependable, safe, and affordable electricity? What are ancillary services, and why are they so critical to reliable electricity grid operations?
Jason Doering is a recently retired power system engineer who spent much of his career trying to keep Alberta’s electricity system reliable, affordable, and mostly behaving itself. Over more than two decades, he worked across engineering, market, and system operations, and leadership roles at Manitoba Hydro, the Alberta Electric System Operator, and ENMAX.
His experience spans maintenance engineering, market operations, system planning and operations, and a variety of senior leadership roles — confirming his long-held belief that the power business is as much about people and judgment as it is about physics.
Jason holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Psychology from the University of Manitoba and is a Professional Engineer. In retirement, he continues to be engaged in discussions on grid reliability, market evolution, and the energy transition. When not pontificating about the power system, Jason can be found riding or working on bikes, enjoying good coffee, traveling, and enjoying not being in meetings.