RMEL eNews
Major Infrared Breakthrough Could Lead to Solar Power at Night
The sun's enormous energy may soon be harnessed in the dark of night following a significant advance in thermal capture technology. Solar radiation heats the earth's crust significantly during daylight hours, but that energy is lost into the coldness of space when the sun goes down.
Alltricity Network Report
  

From the Desk of RMEL Executive Director Rick Putnicki

MANY THANKS FOR MAKING RMEL’S 2022 SPRING CONFERENCE IN AUSTIN A SUCCESS!
On Demand Recorded Sessions Now Available (Including ERCOT CEO Brad Jones, the Executive Panel & Keynote Johnny Quinn, U.S. Olympian (Until June 10th)

Thank you to the speakers, attendees, exhibitors, RMEL Board, RMEL Education Committee Members and RMEL Foundation who all worked very hard to make sure the 2022 Spring Conference was a big success. More than 300 attendees joined us to engage in-person through networking, sharing of experiences, attend presentations and join in candid roundtable discussions. It was great to be back together again, and we are looking forward to more in-person events soon – see below for details on the RMEL Foundation Golf Tournament, Fall Convention and many events being held this summer!

If you didn’t get the chance to join us at the Spring Conference, I have some great news! More than 20 On Demand Spring Conference Sessions are now available for your viewing. We recorded video, audio and presentations slides for most of the sessions, and you can sign up to access those now. These sessions include Day 2 Keynote Brad Jones, CEO, ERCOT; the Executive Panel General Session; Keynote U.S. Olympian Johnny Quinn (available until June 10th); plus many of the sessions from the Generation, T&D and Management tracks! Take a look at the Spring Conference brochure to get more details on the On Demand sessions available. If you attended the Spring Conference, you already have access to these sessions. Use your Swapcard login to access the sessions, and please contact us if you need assistance logging in.

CONGRATULATIONS, 2022 RMEL EMERGING LEADER AWARD RECIPIENTS!

RMEL recognized 13 electric energy industry professionals receiving the RMEL 2022 Emerging Leader Award during at this year’s Spring Conference.

Read more about each of these individuals and their amazing accomplishments that benefit the entire electric energy industry:


The Emerging Leader Awards Program began in 2014 as an RMEL Board of Directors initiative to recognize the future generation of leaders who are already making an impact within their organization. To date, 75 individuals have been selected from numerous award nominations. The Emerging Leader Award recognizes and honors RMEL members who are viewed as high potentials in their company with 5-10 years of experience in the industry. Each have made significant contributions within their organization and have demonstrated the potential for leadership and continuing service in the electric utility industry.

Current and past Emerging Leader Award winners also participated in a strategy session during the 2022 Spring Conference with Spring Conference keynote speaker Johnny Quinn, U.S. Olympic bobsledder and former NFL football player.

The Nomination Form for the 2023 Emerging Leader Award will be available later this Fall. The Emerging Leader Award goes beyond the award with numerous networking and professional development opportunities provided for recipients throughout the year, and we encourage you to start thinking about who you’d like to nominate for 2023.

THE RMEL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2022 RMEL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

The RMEL Foundation Board and Named Scholarship Sponsors announced the awarding of fifty-one 2022 RMEL Foundation Scholarships during the Spring Conference dinner! It’s very exciting to see the upcoming talent across the country and their interest in becoming part of the electric energy industry. Read more about 2022 RMEL Foundation Scholarship recipients. Congratulations to all!

UPCOMING EVENTS

It really was a great celebration and great time seeing so many at RMEL’s Spring Conference earlier this month. We are just getting started, and we hope you can join us at these events this summer and at the RMEL Fall Convention October 10-12 at the Hilton Denver Inverness Hotel in Denver, CO! Get more details below.

COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR FOR RMEL MEMBERS  - OPTIMIZING TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATED TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGIES FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE CONSTRUCTION
June 16, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time

Trenchless Constructions are getting more popular in underground transmission & distribution industry due to permitting, environmental, and safety considerations. This presentation will discuss why, where, and when to use trenchless construction, and what technologies are available in the market, including case studies using traditional and innovated technologies, and provide you a clear strategy on how to plan your next underground cable construction project.

2022 RMEL DISTRIBUTION CONFERENCE
June 21-22, Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The electric utility industry is rapidly changing, both on the technology side and from a policy standpoint. Utilities are partners in innovation with customers. The distribution impacts and opportunities continue to multiply. This conference covers design, operations, maintenance and regulatory/policy issues. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to work together with RMEL’s diverse membership (representing all different types of electric utilities) to collectively address the power industry’s biggest distribution challenges. The conference is structured with presentations and roundtable sessions to give attendees time to discuss what’s keeping you up at night and put everything from the conference together in a unique and tangible way.

TRANSMISSION RESILIENCY, RESPONSE AND RESTORATION CONFERENCE
June 22-23, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Westminster, Colorado

This conference will explore different aspects of preparing for and responding to natural disasters from the perspectives of resiliency (examples: wildfires and Nebraska storms), response (examples: mutual assistance) and restoration.

RMEL FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT
July 26, 2022, Arrowhead Golf Club, Littleton, Colorado
Register using the Golf Tournament Brochure

The Annual Golf Tournament benefits the RMEL Foundation scholarship program. The RMEL Foundation provides scholarships to deserving and qualified university/college students focused on engineering or curriculum related to the electric energy industry with the intent of encouraging students to pursue a career in the electric energy industry. The Foundation also provides scholarships to those pursuing an electric industry position certificate or associate degree at a college (community college, four-year college or a four-year university). The RMEL Foundation was incorporated in 1999 and is a 501(c)3 organization.

SIGN UP EARLY! Last year’s golf outing sold out weeks before the event. 

2022 RMEL FALL EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT CONVENTION
October 10-12, 2022, Hilton Denver Inverness Hotel, Denver, Colorado

Look for more details soon about RMEL’s first IN-PERSON Fall Convention since 2019! We are looking forward to getting everyone back together at the event that started it all back in October 1903! Since that first meeting, the Fall Convention has grown and evolved into one of the industry’s leading events for senior management. The Convention provides a relaxed forum for networking with your peers and colleagues to find and share solutions to the critical issues that keep you up at night. The primary focus of the Convention is the educational presentations. Utility executives offer their insight and thoughts on a variety of issues, trends, challenges and the direction they are leading their companies. Speakers are primarily CEOs, senior executives and other top leaders from inside the industry discussing the issues that matter most to you. Find significant value in the two day streamlined format. Make the connections you need and learn from education presentations that will benefit you and your company.

JOIN THE RMEL TEAM

RMEL is looking to expand their TEAM! If you know of anyone interested in building a career and being a part of this great Association team, please send me a note!

SEE YOU SOON!

It was really something to be back together for the Spring Conference. There was big energy and enthusiasm throughout the event, and we are all ready for more. Thank you again everyone, and see you soon!
 

Education and Upcoming Events

WEBINAR - Optimizing Traditional & Innovated Trenchless Tech --- June 16, 2022  
Distribution Conference --- June 21-22, 2022 (Colorado Springs, CO)
Transmission Resiliency, Response and Restoration Conference --- June 22-23, 2022 (Westminster, CO)
2022 RMEL Foundation Golf Tournament --- July 26, 2022 (Littleton, CO)

   
Burns & McDonnell
   
Alltricity Network Member Information
Join RMEL's Groups on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook
RMEL's trusted network is now accessible on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. These are forums intended for RMEL members only. Working side-by-side in a cooperative manner, RMEL members band together for the common goal of bettering the industry and improving service for utility customers. For more than 100 years, these key principles have proven successful, and more importantly, are tried and true methods for building strong business relationships.
 
RMEL Champions is a prestigious group of RMEL supporters with access to useful and beneficial promotional opportunities. Thank you 2022 RMEL Champions!
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Industry Information
NERC Sounds Alarm on Solar Tripping in ‘Sobering’ Summer Reliability Report
The central and Western United States will face elevated reliability risks this summer, as extreme temperatures, drought conditions and higher peak demands challenge grid operators, according to analysis published Wednesday by the North American Electric Reliability Corp.
 
FERC Commissioners Respond to Elevated Power Outage Risks Across Two-thirds of U.S.
  
At its monthly meeting Thursday, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission members dissected the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s warning that roughly two-thirds of the United States faces heightened risks of power outages this summer.
2022 Women with Hydro Vision Award Recipients Named
  
Clarion Energy’s Hydro Group is pleased to announce the eighth class of recipients for its Women with Hydro Vision award.
Nextracker Reshores Manufacturing Equipment From China to Counter Supply Chain Turmoil
  
For the second time in as many months, Nextracker has secured new steel production lines in the U.S., bringing the solar tracker manufacturer's domestic capacity to 10 GW.
DOE Announces Nearly $25 Million to Study Advanced Clean Hydrogen Technologies for Electricity Generation
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $24.9 million in funding for six research and development projects to support the advancement of clean hydrogen for electricity generation. 
Rockpoint Gas Storage Canada Ltd. Partners with Plug, Certarus and FortisBC in First of its Kind Hydrogen Storage Transaction
A partnership of leading energy companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to produce, transport, and burn hydrogen in a small-scale pilot project at the Suffield natural gas storage facility (part of the AECO HubTM) in Alberta, Canada ("Suffield"). 
   
CopperLeaf Technologies Inc.
   
   
Tyndale Company
   
EIA Product Highlight: Natural Gas Storage Dashboard
Our Natural Gas Storage Dashboard provides daily and weekly contextual information to the Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR), which contains our latest weekly natural gas storage estimates. The dashboard shows storage activity in several regions of the Lower 48 states and key market fundamentals that affect underground natural gas storage activity.
 
EIA: Renewables to Play a Bigger Role This Summer, Natural Gas Generation Could Increase in Some Markets
  
Wind and solar are expected to play bigger roles in U.S. electricity generation this summer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Big Rigs Going Electric As Navistar, Cummins, Daimler Rev Up Next-Generation Trucks
  
The electric vehicle revolution is far bigger than Tesla and Ford (with its electric pickup) as the world’s top makers of heavy-duty trucks and powertrains including Navistar, Daimler, Cummins, Hyundai and Volvo also intend to shake up their industry with next-generation battery- and hydrogen-powered models that cut carbon and exhaust pollution.
The Energy Transition Demands Attention
The world is standing on the precipice of a historic energy transformation that will determine whether the tipping point of irreversible climate change can be reversed to ensure a sustainable future.
China Carbon Market Has New Woes With Prices Already Flatlining
China’s beleaguered carbon market is facing more delays getting emissions allowances, as it struggles to resolve data fraud problems. 
Member Announcements
Jackie Sargent Named 2022 "ETS Thought Leader of the Year"
Zpryme, a research-based firm focused on energy and technology, announced that Jackie Sargent, General Manager of Austin Energy, has been selected as the 2022 “ETS Thought Leader of the Year.”
APS Adding New Clean Energy Resources to Power Historic Growth in Arizona
As more people and companies move in record numbers to the state, Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) customers will have cleaner electricity to power their lives and businesses through a new 2022 All Source Request for Proposals (RFP). 
Basin Electric to Sponsor Teachers to Attend 2022 Lignite Energy Council Teacher Seminar
The Lignite Energy Council (LEC) is conducting the 2022 Teacher Seminar, “People with Energy,” at the Bismarck State College in Bismarck, North Dakota, June 13-16, 2022. 
New Study Ranks San Antonio the No. 5 City for Solar Energy in the U.S.
San Antonio maintained its rank as first in Texas and fifth in the nation for total solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the eighth edition of the Environment Texas Research & Policy Center’s report Shining Cities: The Top U.S. Cities for Solar Energy. 
El Paso Electric Launches Region’s First EV Online Shopping Tool for Customers
Anyone looking for a new car can now take advantage of a brand new online shopping tool that will help them make the most out of finding a new set of wheels while saving money both at the time of purchase and in the long run. 
NextEra Energy Resources, Tennessee Valley Authority and Meta Celebrate Commissioning of Tennessee’s Newest Large-scale Solar Energy Project
State and local leaders joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Meta to celebrate the commissioning of the state’s newest large-scale solar energy project – the Elora Solar Energy Center.
Initiatives Shaping Workforce to Better Serve Customers as we 'Power the Future'
Omaha Public Power District is working to develop our strategic vision of Powering the Future to 2050, with a number of strategic initiatives helping to lay the path forward.
PacifiCorp Continues to Advance its Clean Energy Transition With its 2022 Request for New Energy Projects
  
PacifiCorp issued an all-source request for proposals April 29 for new energy projects, seeking competitively priced resources that can connect to its 10-state transmission system.
Platte River Board Appoints New Vice Chair
During its board meeting on April 28, the Platte River Power Authority Board of Directors appointed Kevin Gertig, director of Loveland Water and Power, to be the organization’s next vice chair. His appointment took effect immediately.
 
SRP Partners with SmokeD to Create and Test Wildfire Detection Systems for Transmission Line Corridors
Salt River Project is piloting a Smoke Detector Pilot Project that will act as a camera and smoke detector and provide an early-warning system for wildfires that occur near the utility’s transmission line towers in the Tonto and Apache-Sitgreaves national forests. 
Sunflower, Russell County Commission Agree on PILOT for Solar Project
Sunflower Electric Power Corp. and the Russell County Commission came to agreement on a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for the first ten years of the Sunflower @ Russell Solar Project on March 21.
Tri-State Issues Request for Proposals for New Resources, Focused on Renewable Energy, Storage and Hybrid Technologies
With a continued emphasis on adding clean energy resources that support greenhouse gas emissions reductions, not-for-profit wholesale power supply cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association issued an all-source request for proposals (RFP) for new generation, as part of its 2020 Electric Resource Plan (ERP).
Early Summer Message from Mark A. Gabriel
  
Our Cooperative Roadmap leads a list of amazing accomplishments in 2021. United Power took a different, and slightly longer, view of our actions and investments over the next decade. 
How We Prepare our Energy Grid for Extreme Heat
Tucson Electric Power prepares for soaring summer temperatures through ongoing infrastructure investments and efforts to keep enough energy in reserve to ride out challenging conditions.
Upgrade Reveals Value of Mobile Transformers​
In September 2021, Rocky Mountain employees placed a mobile transformer into service at Kimball Substation in Kimball County, Nebraska. This month, they plan to take it out of service. During that seven-month period, the substation underwent a significant construction stage addition, with the mobile transformer ensuring minimal interruption of service.
Xcel Energy Announces Leadership Changes
Xcel Energy announced several key leadership changes designed to advance the company’s groundbreaking commitment to lead the company’s clean energy transition. Transforming the grid to meet evolving energy needs is a key priority for the company.