A method for shedding load in response to an underfrequency event in an electrical power distribution network (10; 40), wherein an AC power signal from a power source (12; 42) flows on at least one electrical line through a plurality of switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) to a plurality of groups of loads (16; 64, 66, 72, 74) provided among and between the switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70), each group of loads (16; 64, 66, 72, 74) including a plurality of individual loads that may combine to be drawing power from the network (10; 40) or providing power to the network (10;40) at any particular point in time, characterized in that the method comprising: assigning a time delay value and a frequency set-point to each switch-gear assembly (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) that are coordinated and calibrated relative to each other, where switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) that are farther downstream from the power source (12; 42) will have shorter time delay values than other upstream switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70); monitoring a frequency of the AC power signal flowing on the at least one electrical line at each switch-gear assembly (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70); determining a flow direction of the AC power signal through each switch-gear assembly (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70); determining that the underfrequency event is occurring if the frequency of the AC power signal falls below a predetermined minimum frequency; and opening a first one of the switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) having a shortest time delay value in response to the underfrequency event so as to prevent at least one of the groups of loads (16; 64, 66, 72, 74) from drawing power from the network (10; 40); preventing the first one of the switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) from opening in response to the underfrequency event if the flow direction of the AC power signal through the first one of the switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) indicates that the at least one of the groups of loads (16; 64, 66, 72, 74) is providing power to the network (10; 40). assigning a time delay value and a frequency set-point to each switch-gear assembly (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) that are coordinated and calibrated relative to each other, where switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) that are farther downstream from the power source (12; 42) will have shorter time delay values than other upstream switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70); monitoring a frequency of the AC power signal flowing on the at least one electrical line at each switch-gear assembly (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70); determining a flow direction of the AC power signal through each switch-gear assembly (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70); determining that the underfrequency event is occurring if the frequency of the AC power signal falls below a predetermined minimum frequency; and opening a first one of the switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) having a shortest time delay value in response to the underfrequency event so as to prevent at least one of the groups of loads (16; 64, 66, 72, 74) from drawing power from the network (10; 40); preventing the first one of the switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) from opening in response to the underfrequency event if the flow direction of the AC power signal through the first one of the switch-gear assemblies (14; 50, 60, 62, 68, 70) indicates that the at least one of the groups of loads (16; 64, 66, 72, 74) is providing power to the network (10; 40). <EOS>