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Alltricity Network Report
  

From Alltricity Network Executive Director, Ken Wilmot

Greetings and happy August from Alltricity Network! As we enter the dog days of summer, we're mindful that this season marks the upcoming return to school for many and we’re excited to invite you to immerse yourself in Alltricity Network’s educational offerings! Our Events & Education Calendar is brimming with new conferences, workshops, roundtables, and more, designed to help you expand your knowledge, connect with industry peers, and advance professionally. On that note, there is no better opportunity to engage with the Alltricity Network community than to attend the 2024 Fall Convention!

REGISTER NOW AND JOIN US AT ALLTRICITY NETWORK’S 2024 FALL CONVENTION – 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 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!

2024 FALL CONVENTION PRELIMINARY TOPICS ANNOUNCED!

The 2024 Fall program brings together executive leadership and management to offer their insight and thoughts on a variety of issues, trends, challenges, and the direction they are leading their companies. Check out the preliminary topics for the 2024 Convention:                

  • Day 1 Keynote Address: Robert Bryce, Author, Journalist, Podcaster, & Film Producer
  • Day 2 Keynote Address: Todd Conklin, Human & Organization Performance Consultant & Senior Advisor for Organizational and Safety Culture at the Los Alamos National Laboratory 
  • CEO PANEL
  • Impact of Electrification on Load Growth
  • PANEL: Financing Capital Investments
  • Small Modular Reactors
  • Weather Pattern Changes Related to Advising Policies & Current Risks and System Resiliency
  • Wildfire Risk & Mitigation
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • PANEL: Mutual Aid Best Practices
  • What States Can Do to Incentivize Advanced Nuclear Generation

Full event brochure with session descriptions and speakers will be shared soon!       

LEARN ABOUT THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

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.

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.

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. 

Commonwealth Associates, Inc. - We partner. We understand. We deliver.
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.
Download Here
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Industry Information
EIA: Coal Consumption’s Decline is Likely to Reverse This Year
  
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“The potential for protracted court proceedings, continued ambiguity in Congressional legislation, uncertainty over post-2024 election priorities and planning for generation needs will be more challenging for regulated utilities and other power companies,” Moody’s said.
New Study Favors Co-Locating Data Centers with Nuclear Plants
  
In “The Co-Located Load Solution,” Michael Kormos, the former Chief Operating Officer at PJM Interconnection, said co-locating data centers with nuclear would reduce the pressure of building out additional transmission capacity, thus avoiding long interconnection delays.
Hydropower "Can Punch Way Higher Than its Weight" to Aid Global Decarbonization
The journey to decarbonize the global electric power system can get a large boost with a single step … aiding and supporting hydropower development and hydroelectric power as an enabler of intermittent renewables.
US Appeals Court Allows EPA Rule on Coal-Fired Power Plants to Remain in Place Amid Legal Challenges
  
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the industry request to block the rule, saying the groups had not shown they are likely to succeed on the merits. Nor did the case invoke a major question under a previous Supreme Court ruling, since the EPA claimed only the power to “set emissions limits … that would reduce pollution by causing the regulated source to operate more cleanly,” the appeals court ruled.
   
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Energy Storage Industry Sees 117% Increase in Corporate Funding in H1 2024: Mercom
“Despite high interest rates and uncertain macroeconomic conditions, the energy storage sector has shown remarkable resilience and growth, driven by technological advancements and supportive policy frameworks” like the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and California’s NEM 3.0 net billing tariff, said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group. 
Wind Power Can be a Major Source of Tax Revenue, But Officials Struggle to Get Communities on Board
  
An Associated Press analysis of county tax data from local governments in Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska — states either with many wind farms or a high potential for wind power — found wind companies rank among the biggest taxpayers in many rural communities, with their total tax bills at times outstripping that of large farms, power plants and other major businesses. 
NREL Tool Lets Utilities Quantify Potential Monetary Losses from Cyberattacks
The power grid is increasingly distributed and renewable but “right now, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how risky the transition is,” Maurice Martin, senior cybersecurity researcher at NREL, said in a statement. “It’s hard for utilities to know what kind of risk level they’re exposing themselves to, and that uncertainty can have a cooling effect.”
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
Platte River Partners with Qcells to Bring Largest Solar Project To Northern Colorado
  
The first phase of the project is expected to be complete in May of 2025 and will deliver approximately 367,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy annually to Platte River’s owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland. 
Black Hills Corp. to Power Meta's New Data Center in Wyoming with Innovative Energy Solutions and Mission-Critical Reliability
Black Hills Energy serves its Wyoming data center customers through a unique energy procurement model which provides qualifying customers with solutions to meet their specific energy requirements. This is enabled by the Large Power Contract Service tariff, in place since 2016, and developed in partnership with one of the company’s early data center customers.
SRP and Aypa Power Announce New Battery Storage System to Help Meet Growing Energy Demand
The Signal Butte energy storage project will be a 250 MW, four-hour battery energy storage system located in the Elliot Road Technology Corridor in Mesa, AZ. The project will utilize lithium-ion technology and will have the capacity to power over 50,000 average-sized residential homes over a four-hour period. The project is scheduled to be operational by mid-year 2026. 
Platte River Board Approves 2024 Integrated Resource Plan
  
The 2024 IRP is part of an ongoing resource planning process that Platte River conducts to identify the energy resources needed to meet the electricity demand of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland over the next five to 20 years.
PEC Designated as Top Workplace Nationally
Pedernales Electric Cooperative has been designated as a national 2024 Industry Top Workplace in Energy & Utilities. This award celebrates organizations that have built a people-first workplace culture within their sector and highlights PEC as an employer of choice within the industry.
Energy Programs Save 22.7 Million Tons of CO₂ Emissions to Date
  
When TEP customers partner with the organization to save energy, they’re not just reducing costs at home. They’re also saving water, supporting cleaner air, reducing the need for new energy resources and getting TEP closer to its aspirational goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.
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Pinpointing Coal Plants to Convert to Nuclear Energy, Considering Both Practicality and Community Support
An assessment ranks the feasibility of converting 245 operational coal power plants in the U.S. into advanced nuclear reactors, providing valuable insights for policymakers and utilities to meet decarbonization goals, according to a new study.
Solar Farms with Stormwater Controls Mitigate Runoff, Erosion, Study Finds
As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated -- if these 'solar farms' are properly built.
Next-Gen Cooling System to Help Data Centers Become More Energy Efficient
Artificial intelligence (AI) is hot right now. Also hot: the data centers that power the technology. And keeping those centers cool requires a tremendous amount of energy. The problem is only going to grow as high-powered AI-based computers and devices become commonplace. That's why researchers are devising a new type of cooling system that promises to dramatically reduce energy demands.