2026 Substation I Program (Session II)
NEPPA’s Substation I Program has been redesigned for 2026! We are excited to offer new content and more interactive learning in this program. Substation I is held in 4 in-person sessions, each lasting 3 days (Tuesday-Thursday) from 8:00am – 2:00pm. Participants are expected to attend all sessions. Substation I is designed to be an introduction to substations including safety, design, operation, equipment and theory. Upon successful completion of the Program, students are awarded a Certificate of Completion.
In addition to in-class lecture, the Substation I Program incorporates hands-on application of concepts and testing, field visits and tours of different installations, and weekly testing including a final exam to demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the course content.
Who Should Attend
This program is designed for those who are responsible for working in or maintaining utility substations or those who wish to expand their knowledge to grow into a substation role.
- Lineworkers or operations employees
- Substation Technicians
- Employees or Supervisors transitioning from other departments
- New Engineers
- Construction Supervisors
- Project Managers
Course Dates & Hours
Unless otherwise noted, sessions are held in-person from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm Tuesday – Thursday.
Dates are subject to change however advance notice will be provided, as needed.
Session I: March 17 – 19, 2026
Session II: March 31 – April 2, 2026
Session III: April 14 – 16, 2026
Session IV: April 28 – 30, 2026
Location
NEPPA Training Center
200 New Estate Road
Littleton, MA 01460
Learning Objectives
- Recognize safety hazards in a substation
- Demonstrate a foundational knowledge of how electricity is transmitted through substations
- Practice safely entering, exiting and performing maintenance in a substation.
- Apply concepts of the substation’s role in a distribution system.
- Identify and classify equipment found in a substation, including applicable safety precautions including PPE
- Demonstrate an understanding of SCADA, as well as basic switching and tagging.
- Ability to deenergize and reenergize a power transformer
- Recognize applicable standards, specifications and regulations such as OSHA and the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC).
Topics to be Discussed
Week 1:
Applied mathematics
Basic electrical theory
NEPPA Safety
Week 2:
Electrical systems
Substation maps & standards
NEPPA NESC review
Week 3:
Disconnects & switches
Circuit breakers
Transformers
Week 4:
Capacitors, reactors & surge arrestors
Metering & instrument transformers
Intro to Substation DC systems
Course Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Instructor
John Lanciani
Trainer
John grew up in Littleton, MA, graduating in 1988 and became an Apprentice Electrician for Interstate Electric. In 1990, he started working for Littleton Electric Light Department as an Apprentice Lineman, completing NEPPA’s Line School in 1994. John worked his way up from Journeyman Lineman to Engineering Technician, gaining skills on the more technical aspects of distribution such as substations, scada and automated distribution. He oversaw the meter department, planning for and installing Littleton Electric Light Department’s first AMR system and upgrading all metering to solid state. In the early 2000s, he worked to upgrade their substation by replacing the oil filled breakers with air insulated as well as replacing all mechanical relays w/ solid state. In 2005, John took on a supervisory role, overseeing line crews for after-hours coverage. He has been involved with public power his whole life, as his father was a lineman in Sterling, MA in the 50’s before becoming the Manager in Paxton and then Littleton. NEPPA is happy to have his expertise as an instructor, helping to expand NEPPA’s training program with this knowledge and experience.
Registration Fees
2026 Registration fees include coffee and lunch each day. If you have any dietary restrictions or considerations, please make note on your registration.
| Members: | $3,100 |
| Non-Members: | $4,600 |
Cancellations
Cancellations are accepted until one month prior to the start of the program. Substitutions are not accepted.
Lodging
Lodging is not included in your registration fees and must be arranged directly with the hotel. If you need overnight accommodations, please visit our lodging information page for discounted rates.
