RMEL eNews

You are receiving this email because of your affiliation with Alltricity Network (formerly RMEL)

Alltricity Network Report
  

From Alltricity Network Executive Director, Ken Wilmot

The countdown is on! We are excited to kick off the 2024 Alltricity Network Fall Convention, which starts in a little over a week on Monday, September 16th. The theme of this year’s Convention is “Transforming the Grid: Leadership in a New Era of Energy,” and there’s still time for you to register! We hope you’ll join us for a program focused on strategically addressing today's top concerns for electric utilities building stronger entities for a dynamic power grid. Learn more about the event below!

THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE 2024 ALLTRICITY NETWORK FALL CONVENTION!

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

Register ONLINE by Friday, September 13th. Register Now!

IN-PERSON registration opens on-site at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort & Spa on Monday, September 16th at 2:00 p.m. CDT.

This is your event! We look forward to hosting you and 250-plus of your electric utility executive peers. 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.     

We look forward to seeing you there!

VIEW ALL THE PROGRAM DETAILS IN THE 2024 FALL CONVENTION BROCHURE!

You can expect a solid lineup that will include keynotes, the popular CEO Panel, Scholarship Foundation Auction, and more. We look forward to seeing you there!

Check out the Fall Convention Brochure to get all the details about the agenda, networking opportunities, session topics and descriptions, speakers and much more!      

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.

JOIN US IN AN OPEN DISCUSSION WITH 2024 FALL CONVENTION CEO PANELISTS

Alltricity Network is pleased to invite an open discussion with the always popular CEO Panel, taking place on Wednesday, September 18th from 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. CDT.

This panel will focus on the diverse strategies CEOs are employing to usher their utilities into the new power industry frontier. There will be brief discussions from each CEO, followed by questions from the moderator and collected questions fielded from the audience. The participants in this year’s CEO Panel include:

Mark Fagan, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Brazos Electric Cooperative

Bob Kahn, General Manager, Austin Energy

Mike Kotara, President, Zachry Sustainability Solutions

Pablo Vegas, President & CEO, ERCOT

HOTEL INFORMATION & ROOM RESERVATIONS

Although the deadline to book at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa in the Alltricity Network block of rooms has passed, if you are still in need of a hotel room, please contact us at info@alltricitynetwork.org for assistance as we work with the hotel to accommodate additional discounted rooms.

SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS & PARTICIPATE IN THE ALLTRICITY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION AUCTION (VIRTUALLY OR IN-PERSON!)

Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Auction — Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 — 6:00-8:30 p.m. CDT

Over the years, Alltricity Network membership has been very committed to drawing and building talent for our industry. Since 2000, the Alltricity Scholarship Foundation, with support from the Alltricity Network membership, has raised more than $1.4 million, awarded to students interested in pursuing a career in our industry. Many of those scholars are now working in your companies. You have an opportunity to continue that support by participating in the annual Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Auction, either through donating an auction item or making a small cash donation to become a Friend of Alltricity Network (FoAN). The auction is held during the 2024 Fall Convention 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. Your support is needed to continue the foundation's scholarship efforts. Even if you are unable to attend the Fall Convention, you can join the auction VIRTUALLY and bid on any donated items. Instructions for participating in the auction via the app will be shared soon.

ALLTRICITY NETWORK’S UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS

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, relevant, 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 for 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.
Advertisement
Education and Upcoming Events

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)

2025 Transmission & Substation Renewables Conference - March 19th-20th, 2025 (Westminster, CO)

   
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
Advertisement
Industry Information
US Coal Stockpiles Hit Highest Levels Since 2020
  
(Brown coal power plant. Image by jvdwolf on 123rf)
Coal stockpiles at U.S. electric power plants totaled 138 million short tons at the end of May, the most since the first half of 2020 when the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced electricity demand and coal consumption, according to analysis from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
U.S. Power Grid Added 20.2 GW of Generating Capacity in the First Half of 2024
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory, developers and power plant owners added 20.2 GW of utility-scale electric generating capacity  in the U.S. during H1 2024, 3.6 GW (21%) more as compared to the capacity added during H1 2023.
Southwest Power Pool Seeks FERC OK to Delay 2024 Interconnection Queue Process
The Southwest Power Pool asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday for permission to delay its 2024 interconnection queue cluster study process and stop accepting new interconnection requests until there is “greater certainty” surrounding pending interconnection study clusters.
Geothermal East of The Rockies? Meta and Sage Team Up to Feed Data Centers
  
Houston-based geothermal startup Sage Geosystems and the artist formerly known as Facebook, Meta Platforms, have announced a new agreement to deliver up to 150 MW of new geothermal baseload power to support the latter’s data center growth. The deal would be the first use of next-generation geothermal power east of the Rocky Mountains, the companies said, without revealing its precise location. The first phase of the project is expected to be operational in 2027.
   
Futura Systems, Inc
      
FlexGen Power Systems, Inc.
   
Solar Cell Manufacturer Halts $400M Colorado Plant
The solar cell manufacturer decided to reduce the scale of its debt financing plans, tied to the Inflation Reduction Act, which will lower the funds available for construction and decrease its medium-term profitability targets, according to the company.
More than 40% of Global Electricity was Carbon-Free in 2023
A pair of new reports published by BloombergNEF (BNEF) include an impressive milestone: for the first time, more than 40% of global electricity came from zero-carbon sources in 2023. Hydropower accounted for 14.7%, wind and solar combined for nearly 14% (a new record), and nuclear 9.4%.
New Tool to Advance Hydropower Plant Cybersecurity Through AI
  
The data-driven and hardware-agnostic Cybersecurity Situational Awareness Tool for Hydropower (CYSAT-Hydro) is emerging amid two significant storylines in the energy world. The first is the rapid growth of internet-connected distributed energy resources that can be integrated with large generation sources like hydroelectric plants and could create cybersecurity risks for those plants’ digital interfaces on the grid. The second is high-profile cyberattacks targeting energy systems. 
US Clean Energy Jobs Grew 4.2% in 2023: DOE
Clean energy jobs increased by 142,000 last year, more than doubling the employment growth rate in the broader U.S. economy and the rest of the energy sector, the Department of Energy said in an annual assessment of the sector’s employment.
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
Advertisement
Member Announcements
Dakota Gas and Antelope Valley Station Celebrate 40 Years of Service
  
Dakota Gasification Company’s Great Plains Synfuels Plant and Antelope Valley Station are celebrating 40 years of operation. On July 28, 1984, natural gas made synthetically from lignite began flowing from the Synfuels Plant into the nation’s interstate pipeline system, and in August, 1984, Unit 1 at Antelope Valley Station began commercial operation. 
TEP Will Build New Battery System to Support Reliability
  
TEP’s 200-megawatt (MW) Roadrunner Reserve II system will store 800 megawatt hours of energy, enough to serve approximately 42,000 homes for four hours when deploying at full capacity. The system is scheduled to begin operation in early 2026, a year after the similarly sized Roadrunner Reserve energy storage system begins operating on the same site.
El Paso Electric Signs Multi-Year Manufacturing Agreement with KP Electric
  
El Paso Electric (EPE) is excited to announce the signing of a multi-year manufacturing agreement with KP Electric, a South Korean leading provider of electrical equipment. This strategic partnership will allow us to secure a reliable supply of high-demand transformers, ensuring that customers continue to receive the reliable and uninterrupted service they depend on.
Evergy Appoints W. Bryan Buckler Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  
Evergy, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVRG) announced W. Bryan Buckler will become the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective October 1, 2024. As chief financial officer, Buckler will be responsible for Evergy’s corporate finance functions, including treasury, accounting, planning, tax, internal audit, capital allocation and investor relations.
CPS Energy Secures 350 MW of Future Battery Energy Storage for Generation Portfolio
CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned electric and natural gas utility in the United States, has entered into two storage capacity agreements (SCAs) with Eolian L.P. (Eolian) for a total of 350 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage, adding to a 50 MW SCA signed with Eolian in 2023, as the utility continues the execution of its Vision 2027 generation plan.
Austin Energy Announces Full Deployment of AI-Driven Early Wildfire Detection System
  
The Pano AI system integrates 13 ultra-high-definition, 360-degree cameras, artificial intelligence and real-time data monitoring to swiftly detect and verify potential wildfires. Once a fire is identified, the system automatically alerts Austin Energy and local fire departments, providing precise location data and real-time imagery to help first responders in their efforts to quickly address and contain the threat.
White Paper
Sharing Risk to Avoid Power Outages in an Era of Extreme Weather
Heat waves, droughts, and fires place growing stress on the West's electric grid. New research suggests that more integrated management of electricity resources across the region could significantly reduce the risk of power outages and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
NREL Advances Method for Recyclable Wind Turbine Blades
Researchers see a realistic path forward to the manufacture of bio-derivable wind blades that can be chemically recycled and the components reused, ending the practice of old blades winding up in landfills at the end of their useful life.
Insights from Satellite Data Pave the Way to Better Solar Power Generation
Fluctuations in solar radiation are a problem for solar power plants as they cause problems in the power grid and other reliability issues. In a recent study, scientists aimed to deepen our understanding of variations in solar irradiance in time and space over the Asia Pacific region by analyzing satellite data. Their findings provide valuable insights that could help us optimize the position of future solar power plants.
Researchers Unveil Scalable Graphene Technology to Revolutionize Battery Safety and Performance
Researchers have developed a pioneering technique for producing large-scale graphene current collectors. This breakthrough promises to significantly enhance the safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), addressing a critical challenge in energy storage technology.