BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 METHOD:PUBLISH CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:-//WordPress - MECv7.29.0//EN X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://inl.gov/ X-WR-CALNAME:Idaho National Laboratory X-WR-CALDESC: X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Boise BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Boise X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Boise BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20260308T030000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=03;BYDAY=2SU END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20261101T010000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H X-MS-OLK-FORCEINSPECTOROPEN:TRUE BEGIN:VEVENT CLASS:PUBLIC UID:MEC-2bd4ceaa949a576abb48eb53cfd2a5c3@inl.gov DTSTART;TZID=America/Boise:20260922T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Boise:20261013T120000 DTSTAMP:20260721T072705Z CREATED:20260721 LAST-MODIFIED:20260729 PRIORITY:5 SEQUENCE:1 TRANSP:OPAQUE SUMMARY:Industry Days: World’s First Shake Table Test of Large Power Transformer DESCRIPTION:Join Idaho National Laboratory ( https://inl.gov/national-security/advanced-grid-solutions/ ), W.E. Gundy & Associates Inc. (WEGAI) Research, UC San Diego, and project partners for industry engagement sessions centered on the full‑scale HVPT shake table test.\nThis work, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) Natural Hazards program and Office Office of Electricity (OE), focuses on developing and demonstrating a hardware solution to address seismic vulnerabilities and reduce outage risk from large power transformer failure.\nThis rare event offers a firsthand look at full‑scale seismic testing, advanced instrumentation, and emerging resilience technologies for large power transformers.\nThe program will showcase transformer seismic response, evaluate mitigation technologies, and highlight lessons learned that can help accelerate practical adoption across the electric grid.\n \n Seismic Resilience Fact Sheet\n \nIndustry Day Opportunities\n September 22nd, 2026\n San Diego, CA | 9am – Noon \n\n Bushing Decoupler Test\n \n\n Live seismic testing with full data access. See the decoupler perform on a real, energizable 230kV transformer. \n \n Day 1 Registration\n \n October 13th, 2026\n San Diego, CA | 9am – Noon \n\n Base Isolation Test\n \n\n Final isolation sequences, conclusion of all experimental runs, and site cleanup. Nation’s first large-scale isolated transformer shake table test. \n \n Day 2 Registration\n \nParticipants will be shuttled to the testing site each morning, observe multiple live tests, and return by noon. More details will be posted soon.\nQuestions or interested in participating? Contact Lisa.Wilmore@inl.gov.\n\n UC San Diego earthquake simulator\nWho Should Attend\nUtilities, transformer owners, manufacturers, researchers, emergency preparedness stakeholders and standards leaders.\nWhat You’ll See\n\nMulti-directional, 6-degrees of freedom earthquake motions at full scale. \nNovel, low-cost, retrofittable bushing protection system. \nBase isolation evaluation and high-fidelity instrumentation. \nDiscussion on standards, grid resilience, and deployment pathways. \n\nWhat It Matters\n\nHigh voltage power transformers are critical and vulnerable substation assets. \nBushing failure can drive extended restoration after major earthquakes. \nTest data will support resilient grid infrastructure in seismic regions. \n\nINL Leads\n \n Bjorn Vaagensmith\n Principal Researcher\n View Profile\n \n Jake Gentle\n INL Senior Technical Relationship Manager to OE and CESER Natural Hazards\n View Profile\n \n Kris Vollmer\n Program Manager\n View Profile\n \n Chandu Bolisetti\n Senior Scientist\n View Profile\n \n \nBjorn Vaagensmith\nElectrical Engineering Researcher\nBjorn Vaagensmith is a researcher at Idaho National Laboratory specializing in electrical engineering, electronic materials and power systems. His research focuses on power transformer materials, probabilistic risk assessment, power systems modeling, cyber-physical systems and technologies that improve the resilience of electric grid infrastructure. He also designs and deploys power grid data acquisition systems and develops approaches to protect critical energy assets from external hazards.\nVaagensmith earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Dordt College and master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University, where he conducted research on transparent photovoltaics and solution-processed transparent electrodes as an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship fellow. He joined INL after completing his doctorate and received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2025 for his contributions to electronic materials research and advanced methods that integrate probabilistic risk assessment with power systems modeling.\n \n \nBjorn Vaagensmith\nElectrical Engineering Researcher\nBjorn Vaagensmith is a researcher at Idaho National Laboratory specializing in electrical engineering, electronic materials and power systems. His research focuses on power transformer materials, probabilistic risk assessment, power systems modeling, cyber-physical systems and technologies that improve the resilience of electric grid infrastructure. He also designs and deploys power grid data acquisition systems and develops approaches to protect critical energy assets from external hazards.\nVaagensmith earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Dordt College and master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University, where he conducted research on transparent photovoltaics and solution-processed transparent electrodes as an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship fellow. He joined INL after completing his doctorate and received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2025 for his contributions to electronic materials research and advanced methods that integrate probabilistic risk assessment with power systems modeling.\n \n \nJake Gentle\nPortfolio Manager, Area Lead – Grid Reliability & Adaptability\nJake Gentle is a senior technical manager and area lead for Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Grid Solutions Portfolio and Distributed Energy Systems Area. A power systems engineer, he serves as INL’s laboratory relationship manager for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity, Integrated Energy Systems Office and the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response’s Natural Hazards Program. He leads multidisciplinary research teams, provides technical oversight and works with industry partners to develop and deploy advanced energy technologies.\nSince joining INL in 2009, Gentle has helped build research programs that improve grid reliability, resilience and performance. His work includes dynamic line ratings, power flow control, topology optimization, advanced conductor testing, distributed power system cybersecurity, microgrid resilience and the verification and validation of advanced transmission technologies. He serves in leadership roles with the Smart Electric Power Alliance, RE+ and international standards organizations, and holds multiple patent applications, copyrights and more than 100 publications and conference proceedings.\n \n \nJake Gentle\nPortfolio Manager, Area Lead – Grid Reliability & Adaptability\nJake Gentle is a senior technical manager and area lead for Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Grid Solutions Portfolio and Distributed Energy Systems Area. A power systems engineer, he serves as INL’s laboratory relationship manager for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity, Integrated Energy Systems Office and the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response’s Natural Hazards Program. He leads multidisciplinary research teams, provides technical oversight and works with industry partners to develop and deploy advanced energy technologies.\nSince joining INL in 2009, Gentle has helped build research programs that improve grid reliability, resilience and performance. His work includes dynamic line ratings, power flow control, topology optimization, advanced conductor testing, distributed power system cybersecurity, microgrid resilience and the verification and validation of advanced transmission technologies. He serves in leadership roles with the Smart Electric Power Alliance, RE+ and international standards organizations, and holds multiple patent applications, copyrights and more than 100 publications and conference proceedings.\n \n \nKris Vollmer\nProgram Manager\nKris Vollmer is a Program Manager at Idaho National Laboratory, where he leads the Infrastructure Resilience and Analysis department in delivering critical infrastructure protection capabilities to federal partners including DHS CISA and the Department of Energy. With over a decade at analytical workforce development, multi-year government contracts, and cross-sector infrastructure risk analysis. He holds a Project Management Professional certification and a Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University and brings a background in financial analysis and organizational management that informs how he connects research capability to customer value. In his current role, Kris oversees programmatic strategy and team development for a department focused on infrastructure resilience in support of national priorities.\n \n \nKris Vollmer\nProgram Manager\nKris Vollmer is a Program Manager at Idaho National Laboratory, where he leads the Infrastructure Resilience and Analysis department in delivering critical infrastructure protection capabilities to federal partners including DHS CISA and the Department of Energy. With over a decade at analytical workforce development, multi-year government contracts, and cross-sector infrastructure risk analysis. He holds a Project Management Professional certification and a Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University and brings a background in financial analysis and organizational management that informs how he connects research capability to customer value. In his current role, Kris oversees programmatic strategy and team development for a department focused on infrastructure resilience in support of national priorities.\n \n \nChandu Bolisetti\nElectrical Engineering Researcher\nChandu Bolisetti is a senior scientist at Idaho National Laboratory whose research focuses on reducing the cost of nuclear energy, particularly through improvements in construction methods and project delivery. His expertise includes capital cost economics, structural and seismic design, construction practices, and quality assurance for nuclear facilities. He has also conducted research in probabilistic risk assessment and advanced modeling and simulation of critical infrastructure exposed to earthquake hazards.\nBolisetti joined INL as a postdoctoral researcher in 2014 after earning a Ph.D. in structural and earthquake engineering from the University at Buffalo, SUNY. His work supports the development and deployment of safe, economically competitive nuclear energy technologies.\n \n \nChandu Bolisetti\nElectrical Engineering Researcher\nChandu Bolisetti is a senior scientist at Idaho National Laboratory whose research focuses on reducing the cost of nuclear energy, particularly through improvements in construction methods and project delivery. His expertise includes capital cost economics, structural and seismic design, construction practices, and quality assurance for nuclear facilities. He has also conducted research in probabilistic risk assessment and advanced modeling and simulation of critical infrastructure exposed to earthquake hazards.\nBolisetti joined INL as a postdoctoral researcher in 2014 after earning a Ph.D. in structural and earthquake engineering from the University at Buffalo, SUNY. His work supports the development and deployment of safe, economically competitive nuclear energy technologies.\nContributing Partners\n\n\n\n\n URL:https://inl.gov/events/shake-table/ ORGANIZER;CN=Idaho National Laboratory:MAILTO: CATEGORIES:National Security ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://inl.gov/content/uploads/2026/07/26-50570_Seismic-Resilience-Banner_R0_1200x675-scaled.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR