RMEL eNews

Rocky Mountain Electrical League

Alltricity Network Report
Education and Upcoming Events

WEBINAR SERIES - Industrial Control Systems Cyber Security --- July 15, July 29 & August 12 WEBINAR - Rocky Mountain Power's Wildfire Mitigation Efforts --- July 16, 2020
POSTPONED - Grid-Scale Storage Workshop & Tour --- Aug. 5-6, 2020 (Denver, CO)
POSTPONED - Leadership Workshop --- Aug. 12-13, 2020 (Denver, CO)
VIRTUAL Safety Roundtable - August 2020 --- Aug. 20, 2020 (Golden, CO)
2020 Fall Executive Leadership and Management Convention --- Sept. 14-16, 2020 (Denver, CO)
Planning Session: 2021 Spring Conference --- Oct. 1, 2020 (Lone Tree, CO)
Renewable Planning and Operations Conference --- Oct. 21-22, 2020 (Denver, CO)
Transmission & Distribution Asset Management Workshop --- Nov. 4-5, 2020 (Denver, CO)
Safety Roundtable - November 2020 --- Nov. 5, 2020 (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.

Burns & McDonnell
Power Contracting, LLC
Alltricity Network Member Information
Graduate-Level Education in Power Systems Engineering – Entirely Online
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Industry Information
Power grid operators are perpetually walking a tightrope, trying to balance the supply of generation and the capacity to deliver it with customer needs at any given moment and location within the service territory.

Visit https://www.tdworld.com/distributed-energy-resources/article/21132568/transactive-energy-may-bring-a-whole-new-grid to view the full article online.

 
  
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Wednesday published a notice of inquiry (NOI) on cybersecurity issues, including how "a coordinated cyberattack on geographically distributed targets" could disrupt the grid and potential measures to counter the threat.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/should-the-us-beef-up-cybersecurity-rules-for-distributed-resources-ferc/580585/ to view the full article online.

  
California regulators approved new rules that would force automakers to sell more electric work trucks and delivery vans, a first-of-its-kind rule aimed at helping the nation’s most populous state clean up its worst-in-the-nation air quality.

Visit https://www.power-grid.com/2020/06/30/california-considers-1st-in-us-electric-truck-sales-rule/ to view the full article online.

Customer-owned renewable energy nearly doubled in 2019 as investor-owned utilities are required to offer expedited interconnection agreements, according to the Florida Public Service Commission's (PSC) annual net metering report released on Monday.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/floridas-customer-sited-solar-reaches-new-heights-as-regulators-oppose-fed/580870/ to view the full article online.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Daniel R Simmons has announced the launch of the Innovations in Advanced Manufacturing for Hydropower (I AM Hydro) Prize, a competition designed to lower costs and improve the performance of hydropower components and facilities by using advanced manufacturing. 

Visit https://www.hydroreview.com/2020/07/01/u-s-department-of-energy-launches-hydro-power-prize-names-fish-protection-prize-stage-i-winners/ to view the full article online.

Wildfire and hurricane season is here and with it comes an influx of weather-related power outages. Experts are warning that natural disasters and extreme weather events will be more frequent and severe this year and that this summer will be hotter than average. 

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/2020/06/30/covid-19-severe-weather-and-power-outages/ to view the full article online.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected 11 projects to receive $3.3 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development.

Visit https://www.energy.gov/fe/articles/energy-department-selects-11-projects-receive-33m-high-performance-computing-research to view the full article online.

On July 1, 2020, representatives of the Polish government and Polish wind energy industry signed a "Letter of Intent on cooperation for development of offshore wind power in Poland." The letter lays out the foundation for the development of offshore wind in Poland.

Visit https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/wind/141/844031/-the-birth-of-offshore-wind-in-poland-.html to view the full article online.

American Electric Power's AEP Energy subsidiary has signed a long-term power purchase agreement with an affiliate of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) for the output of 400 megawatt (MW) of renewable energy from Panther Grove Wind Energy Facility in Woodford County, Illinois.  

Visit https://energycentral.com/news/aep-energy-signs-ppa-output-new-400-mw-wind-project-illinois-0 to view the full article online.

Overall energy consumption in the United States totaled 100 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2019, only slightly less than the record set in 2018 and the third-highest level of annual U.S. energy consumption ever. 

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=44277 to view the full article online.

 
Forbes Bros LTD.
Wanzek Construction, Inc
Member Announcements
This authority is required for utilities to make wholesale power sales in the market (as opposed to regulated cost-based retail sales).

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/news-center/news-briefs/ferc-approves-basin-electrics-market-based-rates-application to view the full article online.

Black Hills Corp. announced plans to combine the management of its electric and gas utilities in Colorado under a single strategic leader. 

Visit https://www.blackhillscorp.com/node/118181#.Xv2_TiFKi70 to view the full article online.

El Paso Electric (EPE) customers who reside in Texas will see a decrease on their electric bills during the peak usage season of the summer as EPE files to issue a temporary fuel refund.

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/company/news/el-paso-electric-customers-in-texas-to-see-decrease-on-bills-this-summer-2 to view the full article online.

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) has seen a rise this spring in the number of power line contacts by farm equipment causing a power outage and raising the potential for electrocution to the operator or damage to the equipment.

Visit https://www.nppd.com/press-releases/farm-equipment-striking-power-lines-prompts-reminder-to-look-up-and-look-around-for-safety to view the full article online.

Omaha Public Power District is working hard to keep rates low and affordable for its customers. Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Javier Fernandez shared the latest on those efforts with the OPPD board of directors during their committee meetings this week. 

Visit https://www.oppd.com/news-resources/news-releases/2020/june/oppd-working-hard-to-keep-rates-low-for-customers/ to view the full article online.

After several weeks of testing, the 225-megawatt Roundhouse Wind Energy Kinetic energy present in wind motion that can be converted to mechanical energy for driving electric power generators. 

Visit https://www.prpa.org/media-releases/platte-river-adds-largest-noncarbon-resource-to-date/ to view the full article online.

Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for any and all forms of electric generation and innovative technologies to power our customers and transition our energy mix to 100 percent emissions-free.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/rme-nwl/pdf/2020_Press_release_PNM_RFP_061820.pdf to view the full article online.

  
Southern Power, a leading U.S. wholesale energy provider and subsidiary of Southern Company, today announced that the 200-megawatt (MW) Reading Wind Facility in Osage and Lyon Counties, Kansas, is now operational.

Visit southerncompany.com/newsroom/2020/june-2020/reading-wind-facility-in-kansas-is-operational.html to view the full article online.

With Arizona’s COVID-19 cases still on the rise, and a global shortage of N95 masks, Salt River Project (SRP), along with the help of local and national partners, developed state-of-the-art, 3D-printed mask solutions for its employees in the field as an added measure to keep the community safe.

Visit https://media.srpnet.com/srp-employees-receive-3d-printed-custom-fitted-mask-solution-for-covid-19-safety/ to view the full article online.

 
Duane Highley, CEO of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, sits down with our host, Bazi Kanani, to discuss how his cooperative has responded to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visit https://youtu.be/k9Fwf3Lo48o to view the full article online.

 
The COVID19 pandemic has impacted many of our local small business members, and we wanted to take a moment to provide resources to help you. Whether you're operating with modified business practices or trying to re-open on a shoestring budget, your electric co-op is here to help connect you with information and to be your trusted energy advisor.

Visit https://www.unitedpower.com/powering-you-back-business to view the full article online.

  
Tucson Electric Power (TEP) plans to provide more than 70 percent of its power from wind and solar resources as part of a cleaner energy portfolio that will reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2035.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/tep-plans-clean-energy-expansion-carbon-reduction/ to view the full article online.

Around two years ago, I started as a biologist in WAPA's Upper Great Plains region. My supervisor challenged me to come up with a regionwide biological strategy, similar to that which has been pursued for archaeology resources.

Visit https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsFeatures/2020/Pages/Building-UGP%E2%80%99s-biological-risk-assessment.aspx to view the full article online.

  
Ben Fowke, chairman and CEO of Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy, today was elected chairman of the board of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the national association of investor-owned electric companies. 

Visit https://www.xcelenergy.com/company/media_room/news_releases/ben_fowke_elected_eei_chairman;_gerry_anderson,_warner_baxter,_and_pedro_pizarro_elected_vice_chairmen to view the full article online.

White Paper
Scientists have successfully split water into hydrogen and oxygen using light and meticulously designed catalysts, and they did so at the maximum efficiency meaning there was almost no loss and undesired side reactions. This latest breakthrough in solar hydrogen production makes the likelihood of scalable, economically viable hydrogen production more than likely, paving the way for humanity to make the switch to clean energy.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200603104547.htm to view the full article online.