From the Desk of RMEL Executive Director Rick Putnicki

Virtual Fall Convention Registration is Now Open – Corporate Registration Package and Individual Registrations are Available!
Join us October 19-21, 2021 for a Review of our Industry’s Swift Actions and a Look Forward as our Resiliency Challenges Continue! 

Registration is now open for RMEL’s 118th Fall Convention, which will be held virtually October 19-21, 2021. In the true spirit of this longstanding convention - a cornerstone of RMEL - you are invited to gather with your trusted community of RMEL peers and high-level speakers from inside and outside the industry. This will be a relaxed opportunity to turn off the day-to-day noise and uncertainty, pool your RMEL resources and discover solutions together as an industry. It is the determination and perseverance of our membership that have always been the secret weapons to combat uncertainty. Bold actions instill confidence throughout the electric energy community, and you can find those stories of success, best practices and lessons learned at RMEL’s Fall Convention.

I encourage you to take advantage of the Company Registration Package for member companies, which allows ALL your employees to participate in the event (for the price of 10 registrations). The virtual platform gives more of your employees access to a lineup of keynote speakers, CEO Panelists, electric energy leaders and speakers from outside the industry. We will begin making announcements on the speakers we’ve secured soon. We will provide opportunities for members to find and share solutions to the critical issues that electric utilities are facing. The educational focus will include timely presentations on vision and forecast trends, current and future industry projects, lessons learned, new technology, public policy, fuel strategies, workforce challenges and other relevant topics selected by RMEL’s leadership.

Don’t miss the opportunity to promote your organization through Sponsorship opportunities throughout the event. Get details about these opportunities, including:

• Sponsorship of Keynote Speakers, CEO Panel and Other General Sessions
• Banner Advertising
• App Sponsorship
• Networking Event Sponsorship
• Technology Showcases
• Dedicated Company Landing Page
• And More (we are open to additional customized sponsorship ideas)

Download the sponsorship prospectus for more details and please contact us at info@rmel.org if you are interested in a Fall Convention sponsorship.

Help Grow the Industry by Donating to and Participating in the 2021 RMEL Foundation Auction

It wouldn’t be an RMEL Fall Convention without an Auction! This year is no different! We are going to continue the tradition and accompany the 2021 Fall Convention with a virtual RMEL Foundation Auction!  The Foundation Auction is only successful through the generosity of the RMEL membership. That starts with the donation of quality items from our members to be auctioned off. This allows the RMEL Foundation to annually provide scholarship dollars to students pursuing electric energy careers. Over the past 21 years the Foundation has awarded 461 scholarships totaling more than $1 million. Your support is needed to continue the Foundation's scholarship efforts, especially through these unusual times. The RMEL Foudnation is now accepting auction items and cash donations!

Upcoming Hybrid, In-Person and Virtual Programs

While a convention or conference is not yet in our immediate future, we are actively planning smaller in-person events. We are also looking at the feasibility of hosting regional events to bring relevant and timely content out to various member locations. Please contact us if you’d like us to bring an event to your region. We will continue to provide complimentary webinars, roundtables and low cost workshops to our members.

Hybrid Generation Workshop: Winding Down Coal While Bridging to the Future
September 30, 2021, 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. MDT, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Westminster, CO

RMEL will be hosting a workshop at Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association to discuss Coal Wind-Down within the industry and at our coal-fired assets. This event will be of interest to anyone working within generation planning, engineering and operations. We are pleased to announce that this will be the first in-person event in over a year. It will be an exciting opportunity for networking and reconnecting. Attendees will also have the ability to participate remotely through an online conference. The power generation industry is rapidly transitioning toward low-carbon resources. Careful planning is necessary to ensure our current assets provide a reliable bridge to the future vision. E3 will provide insight on the potential for decarbonization through clean and renewable energy sources coupled with the electrification of traditional fossil fuel based market segments such as transportation. Tri-State Generation will discuss their strategies to maintain coal assets (and minimize expenditures) once a decommissioning date has been set. Colorado Springs Utilities will discuss their recent decommissioning projects and timeline. 

Hybrid RMEL Safety Roundtable
October 28, 2021, 10:00 a.m. - 2 p.m. MDT, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Westminster, CO

Chris Ukowich, Region Safety Officer for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), will share his extensive knowledge of traffic control and commercial vehicle operations and licenses to lead a discussion of situational and traffic awareness best practices. He will speak to move-over laws for utility workers, load securement, inspection issues, helpful checklists and the amount of time electronic inspection should take, electronic inspection logs. From there, he will go into more of an in depth discussion on specific items including CDL, pre/post-trip inspections and traffic control.

See You Soon – In Person and Virtually!

As we continue moving forward with our large virtual events and smaller hybrid/in-person, I appreciate all of the ways members help us connect in a ways that prioritize the health and safety of all RMEL members. The RMEL Education Section Committee members continue to stay flexible on event plans and monitor how the pandemic is impacting the industry, their individual organizations, and family and friends. My heart goes out to everyone who has been impacted by COVID-19. Thank you all for being part of the RMEL community and being there for each other.