RMEL eNews

From the Desk of Richard Putnicki, Executive Director, RMEL

2018 SPRING CONFERENCE WRAP UP
Last week we had the opportunity to turn the page on another Spring Conference! There is a good reason why programs like these are successful. I want to thank speakers, attendees, exhibitors, RMEL Champions and everyone who made this another strong RMEL event! Commander Kirk Lippold's keynote address had us all on the edge of our seats, and his story of leadership really set a meaningful tone for the conference. We are still getting attendee feedback and emails noting the quality of the speakers assembled, along with the relevance and timeliness of the topics. The success for this event started with the members who participated in the planning session back in October 2017. They were able to identify the pertinent topics for the tracks as well as prospective presenters on the topics. All members are invited to participate in the 2019 Spring Conference Planning Session this October. I also want to thank the RMEL Board and RMEL Section Committees for taking the baton, from the planning event and assisting in filling session gaps and, most of all, promoting the event with their professional network. Look for a special 2018 Spring Conference Recap eNewsletter with more details and pictures from the event soon!

LOOK FOR THE RMEL MARKET RESEARCH SURVEY COMING YOUR WAY!
We live in changing times. Our ability to recognize and adapt to the impact of that change can be an opportunity, and our ability to respond is critical. I want to make you aware of a key and important initiative we at RMEL are participating in. And, we will need YOUR help along the way! This Spring, RMEL contracted the services of WestGroup, a marketing research firm, to assist us in talking to our members to help us determine how we can better serve the membership, and our industry. As RMEL staff worked closely with WestGroup to help frame the process, a few of you joined in firsthand by participating one of the two focus groups held during the Spring Conference in Keystone and we’ve already seen some very powerful and helpful insights from those discussions. WestGroup will take that information, along with data gleaned from phone interviews, and build a comprehensive survey to be distributed to the RMEL Membership next month. This is where you come in. Everyone, please be on the lookout of for RMEL electric energy industry survey. I can’t tell you what it means to have your participation in this study. Your insights are this association’s most valuable resource as we continue to plan future association programs, events and member benefits.

SUMMER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
It’s going to be an awesome summer full of RMEL member-driven events, building up to our flagship event, the RMEL Fall Convention!   

The road to the Fall Convention is paved with many other great topics and speakers at conferences, workshops and roundtables this summer.  Take advantage and sign-up for these educational events:

Transmission Resiliency, Response and Restoration Symposium
June 6-7, 2018 - Austin, Texas

This symposium will explore different aspects of preparing for and responding to natural disasters from the perspectives of resiliency (examples: California wildfires, southeast hurricanes, Nebraska tornadoes and ice storms), response (examples: U.S. Virgin Islands lessons learned, Hurricane Harvey air response and staging, mutual assistance programs) and restoration (example: transformer relocation during restoration efforts).

Effective Teams and Myers Briggs Workshop
June 13-14, 2018 - Lone Tree, Colorado

Utilizing the work of Patrick Lencioni's "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," you will learn about and experience specific tools and approaches to building high-functioning teams. The session on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator will provide you insights to your own style and its impact on your leadership. By the end of the session, you will have an action plan for moving from teamwork pain to organizational gain in your own workgroup. 

Steam Generation Cycling Symposium
June 14, 2018 - Omaha, Nebraska
SOLD OUT, EMAIL INFO@RMEL.ORG TO SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST

The RMEL Steam Generation Cycling Symposium will provide an interactive forum for presentations and discussion surrounding the operational environment and the resulting impacts of increased cyclic operation of coal generation facilities. The increased penetration of intermittent and low fuel cost generation in today's integrated energy marketplace has influenced the demand for flexible generation from coal generators with increased cycling conditions including low load operation, starts/stops, and ramping. This one-day symposium will cover information pertaining to energy market conditions, and the associated impacts on plant condition and maintenance, operation and solutions to these challenges. 

RMEL Foundation Golf Tournament
June 27, 2018 - Littleton, Colorado

The 2018 Golf Tournament benefits the RMEL Foundation Scholarship Program. Contact our office to find out all the ways you support the future of our industry, not to mention enjoy a wonderful round of golf with your industry colleagues at the beautiful scenic Arrowhead Golf Course. Call us to get registered! The foursomes are going fast!

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, two-year college or a four-year university). 

Plant Management, Engineering and Operations Conference
August 1-2, 2018 – Farmington, New Mexico

Get details on construction, operations, maintenance, emissions, water quality, plant personnel, fuels, planning, security, safety, technologies, regulatory and policy issues and strategies and procedures that plant personnel can use to optimize plant operations and performance. RMEL members will share best practices to improve efficiencies, reduce costs and extend the life of their existing plants.

The conference will include a tour of the Four Corners Generation Plant and attendees are encouraged to visit the Four Corners Monument and Tribal Park, the quadripoint for Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. The monument is managed by the Navajo Nation and is a waypoint along the Trails of the Ancients National Scenic Byway.

Transmission Project Management Workshop
August 8-9, 2018 – Golden, CO

The 2018 project management workshop will review the basics, build on the methodologies, and share tools and apply them to new case studies to assist you with continuing down the path of successful project management. Regardless of the types of projects you work, they all require you and your team to have sound project management skills and understanding in order to successfully plan, manage and control the projects. This workshop will further the in-depth discussions and applications to help you become a more disciplined, well-organized and highly effective project manager.

Future Utility Emerging Leaders Workshop
August 15-16, 2018 – Lone Tree, Colorado

This is a workshop for everyone managing a power industry career. Hear from today’s leaders on how they identify those with leadership potential, gain their commitment and ensure their development.

This workshop is an opportunity to ask:

• Are these the skills and tools you use to develop your staff?
• What are you doing to manage your career development and preparing yourself for future leadership opportunities?
   

RMEL FALL CONVENTION – SAVE THE DATE & MARK YOUR CALENDARS

All this impactful education and networking leads up to RMEL’s 115th Annual Fall Executive Leadership and Management Convention. I highly encourage you to join us September 16-18, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. Register and look for more details soon at www.rmel.org/fall.

The Fall Executive Leadership and Management Convention gives senior leaders a unique opportunity to strategize about industry vital issues of today and what the power industry will look like in 5, 10 and maybe even 30 years from now. Futurist Jim Carroll is going to help you ride critical fast-paced trends in order to achieve dramatic market success. Carroll is one of the world’s leading global futurism, trends and innovation experts, with a massive global blue chip client list that ranges from NASA to the PGA, Disney to Johnson & Johnson, the Swiss Innovation Forum to the National Australia Bank. Over the last 20 years, more than 2 million people have shared his insight with his events on stage, taking in his ability to inspire audiences through a combination of deep insight, on-stage humor and motivational guidance, all grounded in deep observations on future trends.

Fall Convention Day 2 Keynote Speaker is Dr. Michael Webber. As Deputy Director of the Energy Institute, Co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator, Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources, Author, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Michael E. Webber trains the next generation of energy leaders at the University of Texas at Austin and beyond through research and education at the convergence of engineering, policy, and commercialization. His recent book, "Thirst for Power: Energy, Water and Human Survival”, which addresses the connection between earth’s most valuable resources and offers a hopeful approach toward a sustainable future, is receiving wide praise. His television special Energy at the Movies was in national syndication on PBS stations 2013-2015, and a suite of energy literacy tools titled Energy 101, including videos, online courses, and an interactive ebook, is available globally.  He was selected as a Fellow of ASME, has authored more than 300 publications, holds 4 patents, and serves on the advisory board for Scientific American.  Webber holds a B.S. and B.A. from UT Austin, and M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Stanford.  He was honored as an American Fellow of the German Marshall Fund, an AT&T Industrial Ecology Fellow, and on four separate occasions by the University of Texas for exceptional teaching.

The convention will also include the popular CEO Panel, featuring Paula Gold-Williams, President & CEO, CPS Energy; Mary Kipp, President & CEO, El Paso Electric; Bill Magness, President & CEO, ERCOT; Lisa Johnson, CEO and General Manager, Seminole Electric Cooperative; and moderator Scott Fry, who will be the 2019 RMEL President and is the Managing Director at Mycoff, Fry & Prouse. The CEO Panel will be held on Tuesday, September 17. Look for more details on the full slate of 2018 Fall Convention speakers soon.

I hope you have a great start to your summer, and we hope to see you soon!

Don't Miss These Upcoming RMEL Events
Transmission Resiliency, Response and Restoration Symposium — June 6-7, 2018 (Austin, TX)
Effective Teams and Myers Briggs Workshop — June 13-14, 2018 (Lone Tree, CO)
Steam Generation Cycling Symposium — June 14, 2018 (Omaha, NE)
2018 RMEL Foundation Golf Tournament — June 27, 2018 (Littleton, CO)
Plant Management, Engineering Operations Conference — August 1-2, 2018 (Farmington, NM)
Transmission Project Management Workshop --- August 8-9, 2018 (Golden, CO)
Future Utility Emerging Leaders Workshop — August 15-16, 2018 (Lone Tree, CO)
Safety Roundtable - August 2018 — August 24, 2018 (Golden, CO)
Fall Executive Leadership and Management Convention — September 16-18, 2018 (San Antonio, TX)
Planning Session: 2019 Spring Conference — October 4, 2018 (Lone Tree, CO)
Distribution Engineers Workshop — October 10-11, 2018 (Lone Tree, CO)
Renewable Planning and Operations Conference — October 18, 2018 (Lone Tree, CO)
Safety Roundtable - November 2018 — November 2, 2018 (Fort Collins, CO)

Visit https://www.rmel.org/RMEL/Events/List/RMEL/Events_Info/List_of_Events.aspx?hkey=caf67ebf-969d-42dd-815f-43eab06040da to view the full article online.

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.

The Women with Hydro Vision awards program was designed to honor the most influential women in hydropower for their accomplishments and contributions to the industry. The recipients were nominated by their peers and selected by a panel of past Women with Hydro Vision inductees. A luncheon will be held in their honor during HydroVision International 2018, which takes place June 26-28 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.

Visit https://www.hydroworld.com/articles/2018/05/2018-women-with-hydro-vision-award-recipients-announced.html to view the full article online.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy has announced an extension of the submission period for the Request for Information (RFI) for input on the development of small-scale, modular coal-based power plants of the future. The new deadline for RFI submissions is July 9, 2018. The objective of this RFI is to support DOE’s mission to lead research and technology development that promotes the advancement of coal-fired power plants that provide stable power generation with operational flexibility, high efficiency, and low emissions. 

Visit https://www.energy.gov/fe/articles/fe-announces-extension-rfi-small-scale-modular-coal-plants-future to view the full article online.

Statement from Secretary Perry: "This Administration recognizes the growing security risk of cyber threats and has prioritized overcoming these challenges facing our Nation, as outlined in Executive Order 13800. The Department of Energy (DOE) has taken an important step forward through the recent creation of the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), which will further strengthen DOE's ability to play a vital role protecting energy infrastructure from cyber threats, physical attacks, and natural disasters. As the Sector Specific Agency for the energy sector, DOE will continue to work with the Department of Homeland Security, our National Laboratories, public, and private sector partners to improve cybersecurity practices and develop next-generation tools and capabilities that can be leveraged to better understand and mitigate cyber vulnerabilities in the energy sector."

Visit https://www.energycentral.com/c/gr/more-energy-storage-be-added-arizonas-grid to view the full article online.

This article presents results from two sets of alternative scenarios related to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Energy Outlook 2018 (AEO2018) to analyze potential outcomes from varying policies affecting the U.S. energy system in the areas of renewable electric generation and end-use efficiency. The first set of cases looks at renewable tax credits and examines the impacts of tariffs on imported solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. A short discussion of the AEO2018 Clean Power Plan (CPP) [1] case summarizing potential effects of hypothetical CPP implementation on U.S. electricity markets is also included. The second set of cases examines changes to end-use efficiency policies, including joint Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions standards for light-duty vehicles (LDVs) and efficiency standards for residential and commercial equipment.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/section_issues.php?src=home-b6#ppg to view the full article online.

After months of darkness and stifling heat, Noe Pagan was overjoyed when power-line workers arrived to restore electricity to his home deep in the lush green mountains of western Puerto Rico. But to his dismay, instead of raising a power pole toppled by Hurricane Maria, the federal contractors bolted the new 220-volt line to the narrow trunk of a breadfruit tree — a safety code violation virtually guaranteed to leave Pagan and his neighbors blacked out in a future hurricane. "I asked the contractors if they were going to connect the cable to the post and they just didn't answer," said Pagan, a 23-year-old garage worker.

Visit https://www.elp.com/articles/2018/05/puerto-rico-power-grid-fragile-despite-3-8-billion-in-repairs.html to view the full article online.

MidAmerican Energy Company’s proposed 591-MW Wind XII project isn’t just big – it would allow the company to become the first in the nation to generate renewable energy equal to 100 percent of its customers’ usage on an annual basis. The company announced the $922 million development the same day it formally filed for approval with the Iowa Utilities Board. If approved, the project would be finished by late 2020. Wind XII follows other massive wind investments, including Wind XI, which will consist of 338 MW in two separate wind farms, and various repowering projects.

Visit https://www.power-eng.com/articles/2018/05/proposed-new-project-would-push-midamerican-energy-to-100-percent-renewables.html to view the full article online.

PJM Interconnection has released the results of its annual capacity auction, which successfully procured diverse and competitive power supplies for the 65 million people PJM serves. The auction procures power supply resources to meet electricity needs for three years from now in the PJM service area, which includes all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia. PJM procured 163,627 megawatts of resources for the period of June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022.

Visit http://www.tdworld.com/utility-business/pjms-capacity-auction-attracts-diverse-resources-maintain-reliable-grid to view the full article online.

Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) has issued a Forest Bioenergy Resources Request for Proposals (RFP). APS is seeking competitive proposals for projects that utilize biomass feedstocks from high-risk forest lands in Northern Arizona to generate capacity and energy, pipeline quality biogas, or other suitable products. APS will accept proposals for projects that will begin delivery in 2020 or later. The entire RFP process will be monitored and reviewed by a third-party independent monitor. Information about proposal requirements and bidder registration is now available online at aps.com/rfp.

Visit https://www.aps.com/en/ourcompany/news/latestnews/Pages/aps-issues-rfp-for-forest-bioenergy-resources.aspx to view the full article online.

The venture will market and distribute more than 4.5 million metric tons of fertilizer product from Dakota Gas’ Beulah facility, and two OCI facilities, Iowa Fertilizer Company and OCI Partners (Texas).
Dakota Gasification Company announced it has signed a definitive agreement with OCI N.V. to sell nitrogen fertilizers and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) in North America through a newly formed 50/50 joint venture, N-7 LLC (N-7). The venture will market and distribute more than 4.5 million metric tons of fertilizer product from Dakota Gas’ Beulah facility, and two OCI facilities, Iowa Fertilizer Company and OCI Partners (Texas). In addition, N-7 will market any imported product from OCI’s operations outside North America.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/news-center/news-releases/dakota-gasification-company-and-oci-nv-form-n-7-joint-marketing-venture to view the full article online.

Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) announced its power generation subsidiary, Black Hills Electric Generation, LLC, was selected to provide renewable energy from a new 60megawatt wind farm for its affiliated utility Colorado Electric. The wind project was selected through a rigorous competitive solicitation process conducted by Colorado Electric and overseen by an independent evaluator approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The addition of 60 megawatts of eligible energy resources was part of Colorado Electric’s commission-approved 2016 Electric Resource Plan. On April 25, Colorado Electric received approval from the commission to contract with Black Hills Electric Generation to purchase 60 megawatts of wind energy through a 25-year power purchase agreement. 

Visit https://www.blackhillscorp.com/node/118007#.WxBLu1VKi70 to view the full article online.

Focused on its commitment to provide its customers with reliable electric service, CPS Energy is now using drone technology to perform routine inspections of overhead infrastructure in a safer and more efficient way. “We are integrating new technologies to expand our capabilities and operate more efficiently,” said Cris Eugster, Chief Operating Officer at CPS Energy. “Performing inspections with the use of drones helps maintain the safety of our employees and leads to faster inspections of our overhead infrastructure. This proactive effort helps us identify potential issues and mitigate future power outages.” “As chair of the City’s Innovation and Technology Committee, I am thrilled that CPS Energy is using this innovative, and efficient technology to conduct inspections,” said District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez. “CPS Energy continues to be a leader in Smart City technologies.”

Visit https://newsroom.cpsenergy.com/cps-energy-invests-in-drone-technology-to-inspect-poles-and-wires/ to view the full article online.

El Paso Electric (EPE) is partnering with ARCA Recycling, Inc. (ARCA) to begin its Appliance Recycling Program for residential customers in Texas. To participate in the Program, customers contact ARCA to schedule pick-ups of their old refrigerators or freezers at no charge and EPE will provide a $50 rebate check per qualifying appliance. The Appliance Recycling Program encourages customers to properly dispose of their older refrigerators or freezers, which allows the components of these appliances to be recycled and converted into other products. For example, approximately 140 lbs. of metal are recovered per recycled refrigerator, and the metal can be used in new projects, such as making parts for automobiles. Using scrap metal in the production of iron and steel reduces CO2 emissions by 58%. About 95% of the material in refrigerators and freezers that ARCA processes, including metal, glass, plastic, are recycled, or, in the case of hazardous waste, disposed of safely.

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/about-el-paso-electric/article/el-paso-electric-begins-appliance-recycling-program-in-texas to view the full article online.

Located in the heart of Kansas City near the historic 18th and Vine Entertainment District, KCP&L will open its first energy solutions center, KCP&L Connect, next week. Designed with the customer experience in mind, KCP&L Connect is part of the Company’s long-term strategy to advance customer offerings and ease access to its energy-related products and services. “We continually strive to be a customer-focused energy solutions provider and stay current with changing customer preferences and behaviors. Our goal with KCP&L Connect is to offer a more personalized, face-to-face customer experience, whether that is account support or assistance deciding which energy efficiency product is right for them,” said Terry Bassham, KCP&L’s president and CEO. “We’re excited to try this innovative approach and continue our role as a leader in customer programs within the utility industry.”

Visit https://www.kcpl.com/about-kcpl/media-center/2018/may/kcpl-opens-doors-to-first-of-its-kind-energy-solutions-center to view the full article online.

Lincoln Electric System invites customers to discuss updates to the LES service regulations, proposed new rate opportunities and new virtual net metering options at its next public meeting 6-7 p.m. May 31, 2018, at the Walter A. Canney Service Center (2620 Fairfield St.). LES will review modifications to its service regulations, the rules for acquiring service from LES and governing customer and staff interactions. The regulations are the rights and responsibilities of the utility as well as those for customers and contractors receiving, changing and maintaining service from LES. This year’s proposed changes include: unauthorized grid-connected, customer-owned generation; vacant meter sockets; residential overhead-to-underground conversions, and the different responsibilities of customers and LES; descriptions of certain meter fees; transmission corridor restrictions; and Miscellaneous Accounts Receivable. The changes will be up for approval at LES’ June 15, 2018, board meeting.

Visit http://www.les.com/about-les/news/view?article_id=111457 to view the full article online.

OPPD has been studying electric vehicles (EVs) to better understand how they may integrate into OPPD’s system as adoption increases. In recent years, the utility has incorporated nearly 50 EVs and hybrids into its vehicle fleet, along with several EV chargers, and continuously evaluates their performance on a number of levels. During this week’s committee meetings for the OPPD Board of Directors, the Integrated Energy Marketplace team presented its latest EV research, including plans to announce a pilot next month. The pilot, as part of the district’s EV Strategy and Process Initiative, will include EV education for customers. It will also connect customers to financial incentives available for the purchase of certain EVs, as well as certain EV chargers, among other areas.

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2018/may/ev-research-strategy-presented-to-oppd-board/ to view the full article online.

PNM announced that over the last ten years, customers saved energy equivalent to what’s needed to power 470,090 homes for a year. PNM launched its suite of popular energy efficiency programs in 2007 to help residential and business customers save energy and money. These programs have provided more than $80 million in customer rebates and helped save almost 3.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. By reducing the amount of electricity generated, these programs have kept an estimated 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the air and saved 1.1 billion gallons of water. “Helping both residential and business customers save money by becoming more energy-wise is an important part of what we do, and they’ve done an incredible job over the past 10 years,” said PNM Vice President of External Affairs Becky Teague. “There are many reasons for customers to be energy efficient, including lowering energy bills and improving the environment in which we all live. Many customers are surprised by how many programs we have in place just for them, and they’re pleased to learn that PNM is a great resource for helping them save.” 

Visit https://www.pnm.com/050918-ee-10-years to view the full article online.

Salt River Project (SRP) announced contract execution and the start of construction with The AES Corporation (AES) for SRP’s first standalone battery-based energy storage project. The 10-megawatt, four-hour duration energy storage solution, to be supplied by Fluence, will provide peaking capacity that will inject power into the grid during high peak demand periods for SRP customers. The 10-megawatt project, to be built in Chandler, was procured as part of an SRP initiative to learn more about grid-scale battery storage so that SRP will be better prepared to implement battery storage technology at an even larger scale in the future. “Energy storage is already providing a wealth of services to central Arizona’s grid through other deployments, from supporting the growth of renewables to boosting reliability on transmission and distribution grids,” said Mike Hummel, SRP’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer. “This latest investment will add needed much-needed efficiency and value for our more than 1 million electric consumers.”

Visit https://www.srpnet.com/newsroom/releases/053018.aspx to view the full article online.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an agency of the Department of Defense, will recognize David Swain, President - Central Region; Brian Berkstresser, Plant Manager - State Line; and Curt Kennedy, Manager of Maintenance - State Line, of Liberty Utilities - Empire District. Each will be presented with a Patriot Award in recognition of their extraordinary support of employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve. Friday, May 18, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., the Patriot Award ceremony will be conducted at the State Line Power Plant. Colonel (Ret.) Steven Vanderhoof, ESGR Area 4 Chair, will officiate the ceremony. The candidates were nominated by Nick Hite for their demonstrated support of the military National Guard and Reserve Service employees and their family members. Hite works as a Technician/Operator for at the State Line plant. Hite is a Staff Sergeant and is currently deployed with his unit in support of contingency operations.

Visit http://www.naylornetwork.com/rme-nwl/pdf/05-16-2018_Liberty_Utilities_-_Empire_District_to_be_Honored_by_Department_of_Defense_(1).pdf to view the full article online.

United Power proudly announces the 2018 Scholarship awards. Sixteen different scholarships are granted for a total of $18,500. United Power awards the scholarships each year to outstanding students served by the cooperative. The United Power Scholarship Committee gives these awards based on grades, test scores, extracurricular participation and a short essay. Applications are made available at the end of each year. Visit www.unitedpower.com for more information.

Visit http://www.unitedpower.com/2018-scholarship-recipients-announced/ to view the full article online.

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is building new electrical facilities, upgrading transmission lines and making other improvements to strengthen service reliability and help meet our community’s future energy needs. Over the last five years, TEP has invested approximately $1 billion to upgrade infrastructure and make other improvements to continue providing safe, reliable service for customers. TEP plans to invest about $260 million this year alone in electric transmission and distribution facilities and other resources. TEP crews and contractors recently completed construction of the 138-kilovolt (kV) Orange Grove Substation on the southwest corner of West Orange Grove and North La Canada roads. The $14 million project will alleviate potential overload conditions during summer months at three nearby substations.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/tep-system-upgrades-strengthen-electric-reliability-for-customers/ to view the full article online.

When Katie Gillespie joined Westar Energy as a human resource intern this January, she was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t what she was had expected. “At my last internship, I had the stereotypical duties of making copies, getting coffee and filing paperwork,” Gillespie said. “I expected this to be just another internship, but Westar treats me like a valuable member of the team. I get to own my own projects, where I am contributing to the team while also growing as a professional and learning about an industry that is so important to daily life.” Westar Energy opened its doors this week to spark the enthusiasm of Gillespie and 47 more students. These interns traveled from colleges across the country to gain rigorous experience in trades such as line work and professions ranging from engineering and accounting to communications and human resources.

Visit https://www.westarenergy.com/content/about-us/news/2018-news-releases/2018-interns to view the full article online.

WAPA’s Asset Management and Maintenance teams have recently improved the reliability of the data they receive from dissolved gas analysis. This process is crucial in determining transformer health and can predict failure years in advance, helping WAPA plan its maintenance and capital replacement activities appropriately. Improved data means greater efficiency for Maintenance crews, with time and money saved in the process. As such, it’s a great time to discuss how oil testing and dissolved gas analysis assist in determining transformer health, and how the reliability of the resulting data has been improved.

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsFeatures/2018/Pages/transformer-oil-testing.aspx to view the full article online.

Xcel Energy is a step closer to achieving one of the most aggressive carbon-reduction goals in the industry. The company announced it cut carbon emissions 35 percent, according to its newly released Corporate Responsibility Report. This puts Xcel Energy on track to reach or exceed its ambitious goal of reducing carbon emissions 60 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels. “We’re on a path to provide a more sustainable, prosperous energy future and believe reducing carbon emissions while enhancing affordability is a tremendous benefit for the customers and communities we serve,” said Ben Fowke, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy.

Visit https://www.xcelenergy.com/company/media_room/news_releases/xcel_energy_cuts_carbon_emissions_35_percent to view the full article online.

A chance to switch to renewable sources for heating, electricity and fuel, while also providing new opportunities for several industries to produce large numbers of renewable products. This is the verdict of researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, who now, after ten years of energy research into gasification of biomass, see an array of new technological achievements. "The potential is huge! Using only the already existing Swedish energy plants, we could produce renewable fuels equivalent to 10 percent of the world's aviation fuel, if such a conversion were fully implemented," says Henrik Thunman, Professor of Energy Technology at Chalmers.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/05/180521131127.htm to view the full article online.