NEPPA eNewsletter
January 2015
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NEPPA will be conducting a monthly top ten poll at the beginning of each month. You can find the question in our monthly E-Newsline or listed in our special 50th Anniversary Section on our website at www.neppa.org. Keep an eye out as results will be posted at the end of each month! January we will be starting with the following question:
What do you think is the most memorable moment in the history of NEPPA?
Please send your answers to Courtney Crouse at ccrouse@neppa.org. The deadline to respond is January 20.
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 The APPA 2015 Legislative Rally will be held March 9-11, 2015, at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C. Public power professionals who want to get involved and advocate on behalf of their community and the industry should plan to attend. Go here for details. ##SHARELINKS##
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
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Happy New Year and Happy 50th Anniversary!
This year NEPPA will engage in various activities to acknowledge our 50th Anniversary. There will be activities aimed at reminiscing and others aimed at pure celebration.
Communication activities will be a large part of the year of recognition, both publications and web. We are kicking things off in this issue of e-Newsline. Today, we begin a 12-part series of interviews with folks who helped make NEPPA what we are. These are individuals who were leaders or affiliates and others who charted NEPPA’s path. This month we start the series off with Curt Lanciani, the former General Manager of Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments. Curt was instrumental in the formation of NEPPA and I believe you will truly enjoy and learn from his thoughts. I learned that NEPPA’s purpose for formation was not what I thought it was. I will review the purpose at the end of this article.
If you have suggestions for people who should be interviewed, please contact Courtney in our offices. In addition to publishing these interviews, we will also poll all of you each month on the most significant occurrences and events of the past 50 years. We will publish the results each month in the form of top ten lists on the NEPPA website. We are currently vetting our archives for stories from e-Newsline and its predecessor, Power Lines. We will publish and distribute this commemorative piece to all members. There are further communications efforts and you can contact Courtney to find out more.
Additionally, we plan to have historical equipment and informational displays at all of the meetings and events this year. We will also have commemorative gifts.
All of these activities require the same crucial ingredient that it took to get here: you. A community was needed to make it to 50 years and it will take the participation of all of you to accurately reflect our history and celebrate it. These anniversaries always have bitter-sweet elements; we are family and sometimes we argue and sometimes we laugh. Reflecting on these moments requires participation.
If you are interested in assisting we are looking for:
Because there is great interest in being part of NEPPA’s celebration and limited opportunities in our communications and events, we have made it possible for members to purchase their promotional packages at the beginning of the year. This allows you to budget for the entire year and ensure that you are not left out of key moments when you want your presence felt. If you are a traditional advertiser or sponsor or considering it for the first time, please click here to get more information. Because it is our 50th anniversary and so many want to participate, it is strongly suggested that you sign up early. Special opportunities such as advertisements, thank yous, or shout outs in our commemorative Power Lines are also available.
Often milestones like this are times to reflect and for me an opportunity to become better acquainted with the history of NEPPA. This past month when assisting Courtney Crouse in her interview of Curt Lanciani I was corrected for an assumption I made in last month’s column. During his interview Mr. Lanciani revealed that the original group of roughly six Massachusetts public electric utilities created NEPPA for the purpose of dealing with power supply issues! We have come a long way since then including when our fledgling organization made the decision to drive the creation of MMWEC.
While our mission and offerings have changed, the growth and purpose of service to public power has not wavered. We continue even after 50 years to deliver essential services through our education, communication, mutual assistance and governmental representation of our members.
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NEPPA'S 50th ANNIVERSARY YEAR
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Our first interview to kick off the 50th Anniversary year of NEPPA is Curtis Lanciani, the retired General Manager of Littleton Electric Light Department in Littleton, Mass. After leaving high school Curt worked for his dad for about two years and after speaking with his neighbor, he joined the Sterling Light Department. Within six months at Sterling, Curtis became a First Class lineman.
Four years later Curt came to the Paxton Light Department. There he joined the crew working along two other members, and after six months he became the foreman. Before he knew it three years had passed and at the age of 25, Curt became the General Manager of Paxton. After a few years, Curt had gotten to know some of the other GMs and that was when they decided to form the Northeast Public Power Association. Curt stayed at Paxton until 1976 and was eventually hired by Littleton Electric as the General Manager until his retirement in 1993.
In the June 1993 issue of PowerLines, there was an article written on his retirement that had some great insight into his career: he had served as the NEPPA President from 1975-1977 and was on the NEPPA Board of Directors; he received quite a few awards through NEPPA including the Big Heart Award in 1972, the NEPPA Distinguished Services Award in 1985 for his initiative in establishing and running the Operations Workshop, and was named Man of the Year at the Annual Conference in 1990. Curt was the reason NEPPA deployed 10 systems to help in the wake of Hurricane Hugo, and afterward was appointed chairman of an American Public Power Association committee to establish a national emergency aid program. As a result of all his hard work, he received APPA’s Community Service Award in 1992. Curt goes on to be quoted saying, "The most important thing in life is communication. My advice to others is to be a good listener." When asked to reflect on the past 50 years, Curt had these replies:
What was NEPPA’s greatest accomplishment in 50 years? It was to bring us together and work on power supply.
What was NEPPA’s most valuable program? Power supply.
What did you see as NEPPA’S primary role? To bring the municipals together and power supply, as well as education.
Did NEPPA meet those expectations? Yes.
What do you see as NEPPA’s primary role in the future? As far as the local light departments, I would say training.
How did NEPPA help your utility? You should reverse that to, "How did our utility help NEPPA?" You got a beautiful facility here that belongs to the town of Littleton. How did NEPPA help you personally? To a certain degree, all of us looked at it as a big family.
Are there programs you wished NEPPA would have offered? More quarterly meetings for GMs and more financial programs.
What do you think of the move to Littleton? Oh, I thought it was awesome.
If you were on the NEPPA Board today and could make one change, what would that be? I would poll the board and asks what we can give you that you need that would be beneficial to you.
If I used the word "visionary," what NEPPA employee or member comes to mind? Jim Baker. He was the GM at SELCO. He was as hard as nails and when he made up his own personal mind on something he just wouldn’t budge.
Do you feel NEPPA should play a major or minor role in Washington? I think there should be a connection between Washington and the public utilities.
How do you think the challenges today compare to the challenges that your generation faced? Specifically, how do the business models of the two periods compare? The departments are much more aware of what happens in the world today and they have the technology and the equipment to deal with it much better than we did 25-30 years ago.
What has been the biggest change in the industry over the past 50 years? Well, as far as the day-to-day stuff, the equipment that’s available whether it be in the line department or in any department, such as the office, has different ways on how they run their utility.
What about the biggest event? As the GM, I say that the growth of the utility and you’re really judged on the success of the utility by the rates. I don’t think you, as a customer, really care whether our trucks are yellow or white. All you’re interested in is when you get your light bill, how does it compare to the neighboring community?
What do you think is the biggest influence on the future of the industry right now? I have concerns personally about solar panels. When are we going to get to that saturation point? Let’s say everyone in Littleton had their own solar panels. It would probably be so bad it would break the light department. And when something major happens such as a storm, what are you gonna do for power? I think it’s nice a lot of people are going solar; I’ve even thought about it myself. On the other hand, if there’s a total disconnect between you and the utility and something happens, what do you do? As a utility operator if you came to me after you had all your solar panels all put in and had a couple of months of "free electricity" and the lights went out and you didn’t have any service and it was a cold wintry day, and you called me up and said, "What can you do for me?" Well, I’m gonna say, "Well you gotta get to the end of the line." I don’t think it’s as beneficial as people are making it out to be.
How have the commissions changed over the last 50 years? Now, commissions are 5 men, I don’t think they are any 3 member commissions anymore. Were they better informed then or better informed now? That’s a tough question because that’s up to the guy. A lot of commissions, like Littleton, they go to the meeting once a month and they get to the meeting and they get through what they think is important. In most commissions they are insulated from the day to day.
Changes with the bucket trucks? Oh big time! I’m going to tell you that probably right now, 20 percent of the work force that’s out there now that are in buckets wouldn’t be climbing poles. Climbing poles is an art. You can tell the difference if you see a lineman and when he’s climbing a pole if he’s looking down at his feet or straight ahead. They should be looking straight ahead. You should be able to climb a pole without worrying where your feet are.
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Next year is going to be a big year for NEPPA as we celebrate our 50th year! We are asking YOU, the members, to help us in gathering old photos, mementos, plaques, or anything you think that best describes or illustrates what NEPPA is or what we do! Please contact Courtney Crouse at ccrouse@neppa.org if you would like to contribute!
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AROUND NEW ENGLAND
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On Thursday, November 27, as people were hoisting turkeys into ovens or mashing potatoes, a couple of Stowe Electric Department line workers packed their gear and went to rescue New Hampshire.
On Wednesday night, Thanksgiving Eve, New Hampshire was pounded by a storm, and a foot of wet, heavy snow weighed down tree branches and snapped power lines.
Gov. Maggie Hassan said roughly 207,000 people lost their electricity -- the fourth-highest number in state history. New Hampshire’s population is 1.3 million.
Of those 207,000, about 22,000 can be thankful for Stowe Electric.
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On November 25, 2014, the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant held a luncheon to commemorate three recent special events. First, General Manager Richard F. Joyce presented service awards to the following employees:
Second, WMLP Board member, Gordon Kinsley and General Manager Richard Joyce presented Mr. Peter Bracken with a portrait that will be hung in the Gathering Room in dedication to Peter’s outstanding and faithful service to the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant throughout his career.
Thirdly, the entire crew at WMLP was honored for breaking its record of 1,376 days without a loss time accident, which had been achieved on November 15, 2014. Steve Socoby represented the entire NEPPA staff and congratulated the crew on an outstanding safety record and encouraged each employee to remain diligent in the future to always work safe. Mr. James Moore and Mr. Thomas Lewis from Mass Development-Devens also spoke in praise of the WMLP crews on the professional and safe way they perform at Devens.
  A good safety program starts at the top. Dick Joyce is also to be congratulated. Mr. Joyce most often attends the safety meetings that are held at WMLP and he makes sure the supervisors are also in attendance. His presence at those meetings undoubtedly lets his crews know that he truly cares about their safety. However, it takes a cooperative effort by management and the crews working together to create as safe an environment as possible in which to work. Congratulations to Wellesley Municipal Light Plant for an outstanding job!
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ASSOCIATION HAPPENINGS
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NEPPA welcomes High Purity Northwest as an associate member as of Wednesday, December 17, 2014! High Purity Northwest is a manufacturer of transformer oil purification and degassing equipment. The company is located at 1577 NW Ballard Way, Seattle, WA 98107. The primary contact person is Steve Cook, who is a sales manager. He can be reached at steve@hpnwinc.com or 206.782.2388 (phone). NEPPA welcomes back AvCom, Inc. who rejoined on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 as an associate member! AvCom, Inc. is a manufacturer, representative and distributor. They also sell products for distribution, substation, transmission automation, and metering. The company is located at P.O. Box 333, Scituate, MA 02066. The primary contact person is Fred Avila and he can be reached at favila@avcomsolutions.comor 781.544.3924 (phone) or 781.544.3925 (fax). ##SHARELINKS##
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CALENDAR
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Omni Hotels & Resorts believes in providing the very best personalized experiences for our guests. By catering to every need and providing an authentic feel for the local flavor, we act as a gateway to a richer, more fulfilling stay in each of our destinations across North America.
We believe truly exceptional service is built from the ground up. We’ve cultivated a corporate culture that recognizes the extra care and contributions each of our team members brings to your travel experience. We believe the results, and the many service awards we’ve received, speak for themselves.
From exceptional golf and spa retreats to dynamic business settings, each Omni property blends seamlessly into the local culture. We feature four-diamond services, signature restaurants, WiFi connectivity, and a complimentary loyalty program that rewards you from your very first stay.  Room are now available to book for the conference! To make reservations, please click here. Please use the code: 082015NEPPA50TH. You can also call 603.278.1000 and refer to "NEPPA's 50th Annual Conference." ##SHARELINKS##
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16 Days
January 20 - 23 March 24 - 27
May 5 - 8
September 15 - 18
This one-year program builds on the knowledge and skills lineworkers already possess. Students are awarded a certificate in Advanced Lineworker Skills. Click here to learn more.
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16 Days February 10 - 13
April 14 - 17
June 23 - 26
August 11 - 14
This program will combine classroom instruction with hands-on, practical applications in the field. The class will be held at the NEPPA Training Center in Littleton, Mass., and in our new substation training area. Click here to learn more.
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8 Days
February 9 March 9
April 6
May 18
August 17
September 14
October 5
November 16
This program will provide an in-depth review of advanced metering concepts, technologies and applications for public power meter professionals.The class will be held at the NEPPA Training Center in Littleton, Mass. Click here to learn more.
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EDUCATION & TRAINING UPDATE
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Safety is always emphasized as the primary consideration for each lineworker and is a must while working in the pole yard. Pole top and/or bucket rescue are practiced at almost every class to ensure each student will be ready to perform a rescue if the need ever arises. On the last day of class a graduation luncheon was enjoyed by the apprentices and supervisors followed by a presentation of Certificates of Completion from Northwest Lineman College and from Northeast Public Power Association.  Graduates include:
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
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In This Issue:
Funding Bill, Extenders, Nominees Approved Before Adjournment, TRIA Expires
Following House passage of the FY 2015 appropriations omnibus to fund the federal government through the end of Sept. 30, 2015, the Senate on Dec. 13 passed the bill in a rare weekend session to avoid a government shutdown.
The measure’s final 56-40 bipartisan vote saw opposition from conservative Republicans who had tried and failed to include language in the bill to defund the President’s executive action on illegal immigration, as well as from liberal Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who objected to its inclusion of policy riders weakening the Dodd-Frank law and increasing political contribution limits.
Separately, the Senate passed (76-16) a one-year, retroactive extension of 54 tax breaks that expired in January 2014, including the Production Tax Credit. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation, which has a 10-year cost of about $42 billion. Frustration over the short-term extension was deep, with many on both sides criticizing the bill while voting for it as the only deal on the table at the end of the year.
Prior to adjourning, the Senate approved a handful of the President’s nominees for key posts, including Colette Honorable to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Honorable, an Arkansas regulator, had gained bipartisan support during her nomination process, including from fossil fuel and clean energy groups.
However, efforts to renew the federal "backstop" for insurers in the event of a terrorist attack died in the Senate.
The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) program, which expires on Dec. 31, provides for shared public and private compensation for certain insured losses resulting from a certified act of terror. Reauthorization of the program is supported by a broad coalition of business entities that have reason to believe their property could be subject to a terrorist attack, including electric utilities.
As the House debated its TRIA reauthorization bill, Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) added an unrelated Dodd-Frank provision to clarify that swaps where one of the counterparties is an end-user would not be required to post margin for trades. Public power supported this provision in the past; however some Senate Democrats – notably Sen. Warren – opposed its addition to the unrelated TRIA measure. Retiring Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) blocked the bill on its own merits, preventing its passage.
Senate Republican leaders hope to take up legislation early in the 114th Congress. An earlier TRIA bill passed the Senate on a 93-4 vote in July.
In the 114th Congress, two New England Senators will join the Energy and Natural Resources Committee: Sen. Angus King (I-ME) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Rep. Joe Kennedy III will join the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
To read the complete legislative update including the following topics, click the links below:
FERC Must Provide Ratepayer Impact on NY Capacity Zone ##SHARELINKS##
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