NEPPA eNewsletter

The NEPPA Executive Committee announced that Lawrence Brownell of Glastonbury, Conn. has accepted an offer to be the association’s new executive director, effective Nov. 1, 2011. Brownell will succeed Patrick Hyland, who has served as the association’s executive director since 1989, and will be retiring from his position in December.

Brownell was selected by the Executive Committee after a lengthy search process undertaken earlier in the year. He brings an extensive background in association management and leadership to NEPPA. He has served as associate director of the California Society of CPAs, administrative officer of the Building Industry Association of Southern California and executive director of the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association. Most recently, he was chief executive officer of the Marketing Research Association, an international trade association of 3000 members dedicated to the survey and research profession. He holds a BS degree in Communications from Syracuse University and an MBA degree with an emphasis in finance and marketing from California State University.

NEPPA President John Bilda said that the Executive Committee was unanimous in its selection of Brownell for the association’s key leadership position.

"Our search process identified several individuals who we felt were more than capable of filling this position," he said. "However, the scope and diversity of Larry Brownell’s association management experience appealed to all of us. NEPPA is entering a period of significant transition with our new building project now underway, and we felt that his experience in association management, member communications and program development would be an excellent fit for NEPPA at this time. We look forward to working closely with Larry as he assumes his new duties."

Brownell will be introduced to NEPPA members at the Nov. 4th Annual Membership Meeting.

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 Several weeks ago, one of NEPPA’s long-time employees and, for many of our members, the voice and face of NEPPA, packed up her belongings and began a new chapter in her life. After serving as NEPPA’s Administrative Secretary for 13 and a half years, Sheila Boone headed off into a well-deserved retirement, where she will have more time to spend with her husband "Boonie," her daughters and grandchildren and her infinite number of friends, who are everywhere. Sheila truly has a gift for making friends, which we seemed to encounter in every restaurant, bar, hotel or church where our staff gathered for an event over the past 13 years. If she had been interested in running for public office, there is little doubt in my mind that she would have been unbeatable.

For those of us who have worked closely with Sheila here at NEPPA, her departure marks a real transition in our organization. Increasingly, for many of our members, communications with our office and staff are primarily electronic, reduced to emails or voicemails, with little time for friendly greetings or brief discussions about family or friends. And this, of course, is exactly what made Sheila such a presence in our organization. As a naturally warm and outgoing person, she loved to speak with people and could make anyone who called our office feel like a welcome addition to her large circle of friends. Members would always tell me how much they enjoyed calling our office and spending a few minutes in conversation with Sheila before turning to business. She was the ultimate ambassador of goodwill for the Northeast Public Power Association.

We will, or course, miss her laughter, her smile and her personality in our office, but we have a talented successor who will be assuming her duties. Sharon Davies, our administrative assistant since 2007, will henceforth be the person answering most of our daily phone calls and responding to members’ questions and requests. She will, I am certain, carry on the tradition of friendly service and assistance to all who call or email our office. Next time you contact the NEPPA office, be sure to introduce yourself to Sharon.

Sheila Boone after accepting the Carol Tracey Customer Service Award in 2009.

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Brian Allen, Princeton general foreman for the last seven years, has accepted an offer from the Princeton Municipal Light Department Board of Light Commissioners to become general manager.

Before coming to Princeton, Allen was in Sterling for six years and was a lineman in West Boylston for 10 years. Prior to that, Allen spent four years in the Marines doing linework.

Allen is replacing general manager Jonathan Fitch, who is leaving PMLD after 13 years to take the position of general manager for the light department in West Boylston. Fitch’s last day on the job was Oct. 21. The board presented Fitch with a Danbury clock with a photo of the PMLD staff inside. Engraved on the clock was "On behalf of the ratepayers of Princeton, the Board of Light Commissioners, and PMLD employees, we sincerely thank you for all your years of service, leadership, and vision."

Allen said he plans to keep all his certifications up so he can continue to do line work with the crew.

"I’ve spent 25 years as a general lineworker and foreman. Now, I’m in a different position but I’m ready for it," said Allen.

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PowerTech (Utility Power Supply), a long time NEPPA member, and Schneider Electric have announced the expansion of their sales representative partnership effective October 2011.

PowerTech will provide customer support and sales support for electric utility customers in the New York and New England regions. PowerTech will expand its manufacturer’s representative role to include a larger portfolio of products, solutions and services offered by the Schneider Electric Energy Business Unit including:

• Medium voltage substation class vacuum circuit breakers from 15 to 50 kv
• Switchgear - metal-clad, metal-enclosed, unit substations, vacuum breakers, arc resistant, gas insulated switchgear and custom enclosures
• Overhead switchgear - circuit reclosers, load break switches, sectionalizers and associated protection and control solutions
• Overhead and underground faulted circuit indicator solutions for feeder automation and outage management
• ION grid revenue and power quality metering
• Electrical distribution services - preventive maintenance, testing, emergency service, start-up and commissioning
• Engineering services - power system studies, arc flash assessments, power quality analysis, substation design and construction
• Modernization services - Low and medium voltage equipment reconditioning, replacement and retrofit solutions

PowerTech Associates and Utility Power Supply offer the latest products and solutions available in the utility industry. Since its inception in 1992, PowerTech has provided products for underground and overhead distribution, substations, metering, testing and transmission. The firm has a commitment to meeting the needs of customers through quality product solutions and proven customer service.

As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable and efficient, the company's 110,000 plus employees achieved sales of more than $26 billion in 2010 through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations "make the most of their energy."

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 Scrap Safe is a New Hampshire-based company incorporated in 2010 that provides a patent pending de-manufacturing service for retired/decommissioned electrical, water and gas meters for utility companies. The firm provides optimized scrap value back to the utility company as well as "peace of mind" from the exposure to potential environmental issues by providing Certificates of Destruction (CoD).

Understanding the larger scope of any new meter deployment (large or small), Scrap Safe facilitates the meter disposal process for the utility company so that they can focus on the more important set up of the system infrastructure. The process resembles a partnership where a "phone call" is all that is needed to arrange a pick up – Scrap Safe does the rest.

Scrap Safe’s de-manufacturing process includes removal of all hazardous waste including batteries, printed circuit boards, other electronics and any ERT modules that may contain mercury tilt switches. All hazardous waste is sent to an EPA-licensed waste site and an itemized CoD by meter make, model and serial number is provided back to the utility for their records.

Scrap Safe has test equipment to provide the final retirement calibration test of the meter, recording the required data in a user-friendly format. Considering space constraints, this helps move them out of the storage location. Scrap Safe also provides storage of meters based on requirements to retain them for post-use calibration.

Scrap Safe is located at 10 Main Street, Suite 201, Gonic, NH 03839 and you can visit their website at ScrapSafe.com. To learn more about Scrap Safe or review a sample CoD, contact Matthew Therrien at 603-948-1026 or info@scrapsafe.com.

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There’s a phrase in the building industry, "re-pointing the foundation," which means that sometimes it’s necessary to strengthen your basic understanding of something. That’s what 25 individuals from NEPPA member utilities did on Thursday, Oct. 20, when they attended a day-long program on Electric Utility Basics at the Shrewsbury (Mass.) Town Hall. Shrewsbury Electric & Cable Operations (SELCO) hosted the event.

The program featured four speakers who gave an overview of the electric industry in New England and the operation of consumer-owned utilities.

Leading off was Patrick Hyland, NEPPA executive director, who spoke about power suppliers and regional institutions, as well as deregulation and competitive wholesale power markets. Some of the questions he answered were, "Where does electric power come from in New England?" "What is electric deregulation, and how do power markets operate?" and "What do NEPOOL, FERC, NERC and ISO-NE mean?"

Next up was Steve Socoby, NEPPA technical trainer. With more than 35 years of line experience, Steve was in a good position to explain how utilities distribute electricity. He used photographs and drawings to identify poles, wires, transformers, substations and overhead and underground systems.

Vinnie Cameron, Jr., general manager of the Reading Municipal Light Department, then talked about the cost of electric service, clarifying how costs are determined and rates calculated, what demand charges are and how to understand an electric bill.

The final speaker, Brian Choquette, assistant manager of the Hudson Light and Power Department, showed in detail the relationships among the various departments of an electric utility. He took the audience through a step-by-step process of how those departments work with each other to complete a job for a customer.

Pat, Steve, Vinnie and Brian covered different topics, but each one translated very technical information into understandable language, which pleased both new and experienced attendees alike. "It was very informative," said Sue Curll, billing coordinator at the Sterling (Mass.) Municipal Light Department. "I liked that everything was explained in layman’s terms."

The program was videotaped by Bill Nay and John McDonald of the Shrewsbury Media Connection, and DVD copies will be distributed to program participants as well as NEPPA utilities that could not be represented that day.

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 More than 30 public power officials from throughout New England attended a workshop on customer bankruptcies hosted by NEPPA on Oct. 14 at the Braintree Electric Light Department. The workshop was led by David Fixler, a partner with the law firm Rubin and Rudman, LLP, who provided an in-depth review of the federal bankruptcy code and the rights and responsibilities of utility companies whose customers file for banktruptcy. He outlined the various types of bankruptcies that typically confront utilities, along with the three types of creditors: administrative, secured and unsecured.

He also listed the various restrictions that are placed on utility providers in the event of a bankruptcy, as well as the steps that utilities should take immediately after being notified of a customer bankruptcy filing. Finally, he emphasized the importance of "pre-bankruptcy strategies" that are available to utilities, such as adequate security deposits for customers with large usage patterns.

Copies of Mr. Fixler’s workshop slides are available on the NEPPA website.

http://www.neppa.org/presentations/CustomerBankruptcies.PPT

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November 4 Annual Membership Meeting White Cliffs Northboro, Mass.

November 16-18 Public Utility Management Program Cranwell Conference Center Lenox, Mass.

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Certified Utility Safety Professional Program Offers Utility-Specific Safety Credentials

The Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network (USOLN) is pleased to announce that David Fabrizius, NEPPA Safety Director and William Hesson,NEPPA trainer,have received the Certified Utility Safety Professional (CUSP) credential. They took part in the  Louisville, Ky. class that took the CUSP exam on October 6.

The CUSP program was developed by the USOLN to promote safety leadership in the utility industry by formally recognizing those individuals who meet specific eligibility requirements and pass the CUSP exam. The exam is designed to test a broad-based understanding of utility safety regulations, competencies and task-directed skills. CUSP certification encourages continued personal and professional growth in the practice of utility safety leadership and provides a national standard of requisite knowledge required for certification. CUSP certification is the only program that offers utility-specific safety credentials to meet the unique requirements of utilities and related utility contractors.
 
CUSP certification is a two-tiered, color-designated program. To be eligible for the CUSP Green - Safety Management program, an individual must have three years of safety experience in the utility industry and at least five years in an assumed safety position. The CUSP Blue  -  Operations Management, Supervisory and Foreman program requires three years of utility field experience and at least one year in an assumed safety position. All eligible individuals must pass either the CUSP Green or CUSP Blue exam in order to be certified.

Fabrizius and Hesson met the eligibility requirements for the CUSP Blue program and passed the exam to receive their CUSP Blue credentials.

"Successful completion of the CUSP Blue exam confirms a high level of knowledge in the utility safety discipline and allows the group from Northeast Public Power Association to use the CUSP credential," said Carla Housh, USOLN executive director. "We congratulate the Northeast Public Power Association employees on this significant accomplishment in their careers, which will only enhance their value to their employer and the industry. The USOLN is proud that David and William were some of the first individuals to take the step of becoming CUSPs."

Before taking the CUSP Blue exam, the group completed a comprehensive two-day safety leadership course offered by the USOLN. It is designed to enhance job safety knowledge and leadership skills, and to help prepare for the CUSP exam. While it is optional, the USOLN recommends that individuals planning to take the CUSP exam enroll in this valuable training course. For further information on the the two-day safety leadership course, the CUSP program and the exam schedule, visit www.usoln.org or call Carla Housh at 815-459-1796.

The Utility Safety & Ops Leadership Network is a group of utilities, contractors and communications providers working together to establish strong safety leadership through a reliable Certified Utility Safety Professional program, legislative and regulatory updates, and networking resources.

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APPA Academy Webinar Series
Co-hosted by NEPPA
An internet connection and a computer are all you need to educate your entire staff for just $89. Click here for more information. Click here for more information.

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