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Alltricity Network Report
  

From Alltricity Network Executive Director, Ken Wilmot

2024 ALLTRICITY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT RECAP

A heartfelt thank you to all who joined us at the 2024 Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament on Tuesday, June 25th in Littleton, CO at the beautiful Arrowhead Golf Course. It was a Colorado bluebird sky day and we had so much fun connecting with colleagues and friends on the fairways while golfing for a great cause!

Proceeds from sponsors, mulligans, and raffle tickets directly benefit the Alltricity Scholarship Foundation fund. We are thrilled to announce that 2024 was yet another record-breaking year for fundraising, bringing in over $72,000 to support students pursuing careers in the electric energy field. This remarkable achievement underscores our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a robust workforce for our industry's future. Your generosity has made this the most successful golf tournament to date, and we extend our sincerest thanks for your invaluable support – THANK YOU!

If you missed the tournament, you can still contribute by donating an item to the Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Auction at the 2024 Alltricity Network Fall Convention in Austin, TX. Learn more about the auction below or consider becoming a Friend of Alltricity Network with a donation starting at just $100 to further support our cause.

SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS AND DONATE TO THE ALLTRICITY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION AUCTION

Donation Deadline is Friday, August 30th, 2024

Donations are needed! Help support students pursuing electric energy careers by donating an item for the Annual Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Auction. The auction will be held during the 2024 Fall Convention on Tuesday, September 17th and is a primary resource for the 501c3 charity to support the funding of scholarships for the next generation of electric energy industry professionals.

We will use the same bidding app that we have used for the past couple of years. We will send more details to access that app before the auction.

Since its inception in the year 2000, the Alltricity Scholarship Foundation has grown considerably from the two $500 scholarships that year. To date, through your collective generosity and support, the Alltricity Scholarship Foundation has awarded 644 scholarships totaling more than $1.4 million for the next generation of electric energy professionals. Your support is needed to continue the Scholarship Foundation's efforts. You are encouraged to donate an item to the auction and join the VIRTUAL auction to bid on donated items.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR ALLTRICITY NETWORK’S 2024 FALL CONVENTION – JOIN US SEPTEMBER 16TH – 18TH IN AUSTIN, TX!

September 16th-18th, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa – Bastrop (Austin), TX.

Alltricity Network is pleased to announce that registration for the 2024 Fall Convention is now open! Attend the association’s premier event for electric energy leadership and connect with 250+ of your electric utility industry peers for lively and enjoyable discussions centered on a program focused on strategically addressing today’s top challenges facing our electric utilities. Here’s what you can expect at this year’s Fall Convention:

  • Elite Convention Speakers – Alltricity Network is building a phenomenal line-up of influential and thought-provoking industry leader speakers to make this an effective and inspiring convention that you won't want to miss.
  • Meet Other Industry Leaders – C-Suite Executives along with directors, managers and emerging professionals will all be there!
  • Build your Professional Network – The networking opportunities have earned an exceptional reputation due to the decision-makers and thought leaders in attendance. Alltricity Network is committed to providing a relaxed and productive forum for our members. The focus of the Fall Convention is on value, substance and making connections.
  • Dedicated Networking Opportunities – A golf outing, receptions and meals, an Alltricity Scholarship Foundation silent auction, and networking breaks will provide valuable opportunities to connect with your industry peers.     

Exciting program details will be announced soon, and you can expect a solid lineup that will include keynotes, the popular CEO Panel, Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Auction and more. We look forward to seeing you there!

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED!

Alltricity Network is pleased to share two outstanding keynote speakers for the 2024 Fall Convention:

Day 1 Keynote Speaker (Tuesday, September 17th): Robert Bryce, Author, Journalist, Podcaster, & Film Producer

Robert has been writing about energy, power, politics, and innovation for more than three decades. He is the author of six books including, most recently, A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations. He is the host of the Power Hungry Podcast and producer of two energy-focused documentaries, including the new five-part docuseries: Juice: Power, Politics, & the Grid. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife Lorin, who is an art teacher, photographer, and master potter.

Day 2 Keynote Speaker (Wednesday, September 18th): Todd Conklin, Human & Organization Performance Consultant & Senior Advisor for Organizational and Safety Culture at the Los Alamos National Laboratory 

Dr. Conklin has spent over 30 years at the renowned Los Alamos National Laboratory where he has been working on the Human Performance program, enjoying the best of both the academic world and the world of safety in practice. He speaks all over the world to executives, groups, and work teams interested in better understanding the relationship between workers in the field and the organization's systems, processes, and programs. Dr. Conklin lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and believes Human Performance is the most fulfilling work.

BOOK YOUR 2024 FALL CONVENTION HOTEL ROOM

The deadline to book your discounted hotel room in Alltricity Network’s Block is Thursday, August 15th.

A special room rate of $299 is available at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa. To reserve your room, click "Book a Room" to open the hotel's website with the Alltricity Network Fall Convention group rates and room availability. The Alltricity Network Fall Convention block dates are September 15th-18th.

The best way to book your room is online, but you can call 602-794-8600 and mention "Alltricity Network" or “RMEL.” You must mention you are making your reservation as part of the Alltricity Network/RMEL room block when calling the hotel. By not doing so, you may be incorrectly told that the hotel is full or quoted a different room rate. If the contracted room block is not met, Alltricity Network is financially liable for penalties. Government Employees: If you make your reservation at the federal government rate, please be sure to mention you are part of Alltricity Network/RMEL so you will be counted towards the room block.

ALLTRICITY NETWORK’S UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS

We will continue to offer additional events in the months leading up to the 2024 Fall Convention in September. Please visit the Alltricity Network Events and Education Calendar webpage for the most up-to-date list of offerings, and reference the below Upcoming Event List in this newsletter to learn more and register. Our Education Committees, made up of Alltricity Network Members, strives to organize timely, important and thoughtful educational and networking events, and we are looking forward to a full year of these opportunities curated by our members, for our members. We hope to see you soon at an upcoming event!   

ALLTRICITY NETWORK AS YOUR RESOURCE

As always, please consider Alltricity Network a resource to you and your organization. Please share those development opportunities with your peers, workgroups and your professional network! Also, do not hesitate to reach out to us with topics or workshops you would deem beneficial to our industry. 

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Commonwealth Associates, Inc. ®
We provide expert engineering and consulting services that enable a more reliable and resilient power system. Collaborating with diverse energy industry stakeholders, we tackle intricate energy engineering challenges. Our areas of expertise encompass Renewable Energy, Studies and Consulting, as well as Power Delivery and Power Generation.
 
For more information visit commonwealthassociates.com.
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Education and Upcoming Events

August 2024 Safety Roundtable - August 14th, 2024 (Denver, CO)

Decarbonization Conference - August 21st-22nd, 2024 (Westminster, CO)

2024 Alltricity Network Fall Convention - September 16th-18th, 2024 (Austin, TX)

PLANNING SESSION: 2025 Alltricity Network Spring Conference - September 30th, 2024 (Denver, CO)

Distribution Engineering & Planning Workshop - October 15th-16th, 2024 (Kansas City, MO)

PLANNING SESSION: 2025 Alltricity Network Fall Convention - November 20th, 2024 (Denver, CO)

November 2024 Safety Roundtable - November 6th, 2024 (Austin, TX)

   
Burns & McDonnell
      
Meridian Cooperative
   
Alltricity Network Member Information
Join Alltricity Network Groups on LinkedIn
The association's trusted network is accessible on LinkedIn. Working side-by-side in a cooperative manner, Alltricity Network members band together for the common goal of bettering the industry and improving service for utility customers. For more than 120 years, these key principles have proven successful and, more importantly, are tried-and-true methods for building strong business relationships.
 
Alltricity Network Champions is a prestigious group of Alltricity Network supporters with access to useful and beneficial promotional opportunities. Thank you, 2024 Alltricity Network Champions!
Private LTE: Bridging the Data Gap in the Energy Transition
Black & Veatch Corporation®
Eager to use big data to improve operations and drive new business models, utilities are turning to AMI, sensors and intelligent devices.
But, with this technology comes big data to instantly gather, analyze and share across the enterprise, revealing a gap in the utility operation — the network. Download this ebook and explore lessons learned from real Black & Veatch LTE deployments.
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Industry Information
Aging Coal Plants are Increasingly Unreliable Due to Cycling Increases and Deferred Maintenance: NERC
Forced-outage metrics at wind generating facilities also “remain at historically high levels, exceeding rates for all years prior to 2021,” according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp.
Growth in Commercial Electricity Demand Linked to States with High Data Center Growth
  
While consumption of electricity has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the growth in commercial demand for electricity is concentrated in a handful of states experiencing rapid development of large-scale computing facilities such as data centers, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
What it Means for the Supreme Court to Block Enforcement of the EPA’s ‘Good Neighbor’ Pollution Rule
he Environmental Protection Agency will not be able to enforce a key rule limiting air pollution in nearly a dozen states while separate legal challenges proceed around the country, under a Supreme Court decision.
The Importance of Distributed Energy Resources to Affordable Clean Power
  
Household energy use is transforming, placing utilities at the center of two important trends:  decarbonization and customer affordability. Individual purchases of smart home appliances, solar and storage systems, and electric vehicles (EV) are exponentially increasing the number of distributed energy resources (DER) that can generate, store, or flexibly draw energy from the grid. 
   
Futura Systems, Inc
      
FlexGen Power Systems, Inc.
   
DOE Issues $2.7B RFP for Low-Enriched Uranium in Bid to Grow Domestic Nuclear Supply Chain
“Strengthening our domestic nuclear fuel supply chain will be critical as we continue to move from an energy system reliant on foreign suppliers and fossil fuels to one that embraces cleaner sources of power and domestic manufacturing,” Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said in a statement.
Here Comes the Boom: Wood Mackenzie Forecasts Massive Solar, Wind, and Storage Growth
  
The firm’s latest analysis predicts developers will put more than 5.4 terawatts (TWac) of new solar and wind capacity online over the next decade, increasing the cumulative global total to 8 TWac. Energy storage capacity (excluding pumped hydro) will grow by more than 600%, Wood Mackenzie predicts, as nearly 1 TW of new capacity is expected to come online from 2024-2033.
Energy, Other Critical Infrastructure Providers Press for Limits on Cyber Incident Reporting Rules
The Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act, or CIRCIA, which will go into effect next year, requires covered critical infrastructure providers to report major security breaches or attacks within 72 hours. Those entities will also have to report ransomware payments within 24 hours. 
Report: Transparency, Standards Needed for U.S. Clean Hydrogen to Take Off
  
In order to make clean hydrogen viable for the U.S. energy mix, greater clarity on tax credits and a commitment to rules and standards on certification are needed, according to a new industry report from U.S. law firm Troutman Pepper.
Nisus Corporation: Better Science for Better Poles.
Nisus Corp®
Nisus manufactures QNAP® Copper Naphthenate, the only heavy-duty pole protection without an EPA Danger label and with a proven track record, as seen in over 1000 years of cumulative field-test data. QNAP has cleaner handling characteristics, is not a sensitizer, and, because it is EPA-labelled for residential landscaping and boiler fuel at end of pole life, it has more end-of-life disposal options. Best of all, it’s made right here in the United States.
Learn More
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Member Announcements
CPS Energy Increases Power Generation: Adds 84 MW of Renewable Energy from Texas Wind Farm
  
CPS Energy announced the extension and expansion of a previous 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that will more than double its share from the Avangrid’s Peñascal wind farm in Kenedy County, Texas, South of Baffin Bay. The revised PPA will increase the utility’s wind offtake from Peñascal from 77 megawatts (MW) to 161 MW, enough energy to power about 41,000 Texas homes on a hot summer day.
Entergy and Nextera Energy Resources Announce Agreement to Develop up to 4.5 GW of New Solar and Energy Storage Projects
Entergy (NYSE: ETR) and NextEra Energy Resources LLC, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE), announced a joint development agreement that will accelerate the development of up to 4.5 gigawatts (GW) of new solar generation and energy storage projects. The agreement represents significant progress toward Entergy's growing portfolio of renewable generation.
Origis Energy and Tri-State Announce Commercial Operation of Escalante Solar
Origis Energy and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced Escalante Solar has reached commercial operation. Built on the site of the former 253-MWac, coal-fired Escalante Station near Grants, N.M, which was retired in 2020, the solar project began generating carbon-free electricity on June 1, 2024.
Two New Batteries on SRP’s Grid will Advance Reliable and Sustainable Power for SRP Customers
  
Salt River Project (SRP) and Plus Power LLC celebrated two new grid-charged battery storage systems, Sierra Estrella Energy Storage and Superstition Energy Storage. Together, these facilities will add 340 megawatts (MW) / 1,360 megawatt-hours (MWh) of additional battery storage capacity to SRP’s system - enough to power 76,000 residential homes for a four-hour period.
PacifiCorp Honored with Emergency Response Award by Edison Electric Institute
During the 2023 event, PacifiCorp enacted an emergency de-energization of roughly 14,000 customers in Crescent City, California, and surrounding areas. Electricity was quickly restored to customers on a temporary basis using large generators to power substations that serve the communities, while the company continued to monitor the fires, which burned through its transmission corridor. Power was eventually permanently restored to all customers after crews performed necessary repairs.
Xcel Energy Proposes Major Investments to Help Colorado Prevent Wildfires
Xcel Energy submitted its 2025-2027 Wildfire Mitigation Plan to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. As the threat of wildfire increases in Colorado, Xcel Energy is expanding its work and programs to minimize risk associated with wildfires that could be caused by electric equipment. The plan proposes investments and improvements to existing measures while integrating industry experience, incorporating evolving risk assessment methodologies and sophisticated modeling tools, and adding new technology.
Cooper Nuclear Station Celebrates 50 Years of Reliability
  
Nebraska’s longest and only current operating nuclear power plant, located near Brownville, has a capacity of roughly 800 Megawatts, and over the past five decades, Cooper Nuclear Station has generated approximately 275 million Megawatt-hours of carbon-free electricity. Throughout the past two years, NPPD has provided Nebraska customers with approximately 56% carbon-free energy, with 42% of the carbon-free generation coming from Cooper.
White Paper
AI Approach Elevates Plasma Performance and Stability Across Fusion Devices
Achieving a sustained fusion reaction is a delicate balancing act, requiring a sea of moving parts to come together to maintain a high-performing plasma: one that is dense enough, hot enough, and confined for long enough for fusion to take place.
New Catalyst Unveils the Hidden Power of Water for Green Hydrogen Generation
A team of scientists reports a new milestone for the sustainable production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis. Their new catalyst design harnesses so far unexplored properties of water to achieve, for the first time, an alternative to critical raw materials for water electrolysis at industrial-relevant conditions.
A Breakthrough in Inexpensive, Clean, Fast-Charging Batteries
Scientists have created an anode-free sodium solid-state battery. This brings the reality of inexpensive, fast-charging, high-capacity batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage closer than ever.