Alltricity Network eNews

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Alltricity Network Report
  

From The Desk of Ken Wilmot (Alltricity Network Executive Director)

The countdown is on! 2025 is already a quarter over, and believe it or not, the 2025 Alltricity Network Spring Conference is just one month away! We’re eagerly anticipating this event, which brings together professionals from across the electric utility industry to connect and learn. From mapping the future of data centers to enhancing grid resilience, and from navigating a new era of climate extremes to transitioning from coal to gas, the 2025 program is packed with over 20 timely presentations and top-notch speakers ready to share their expertise.

Beyond the sessions, the 2025 Spring Conference is filled with opportunities to grow professionally and expand your network. Read on for more details and we look forward to seeing y’all in Dallas, TX, very soon!

The 2025 Alltricity Network Spring Conference Brochure is Now Available—Register Now! 

May 5-7, 2025 | Dallas, TX | Take advantage of discounted rates when registering groups of 5 or 10!

We’re pleased to share that the 2025 Spring Conference Brochure is now available! View the brochure to learn about the speakers, topics, and session descriptions for the three education tracks: Generation, Transmission & Distribution, and Management, as well as other exciting conference events, including the full schedule, Keynote speakers, Senior Leadership panelists, Alltricity Scholarship Foundation golf outing, Next Generation Pre-Conference Workshop, sponsored receptions, and more! 

Designed for utility professionals in management, engineering, planning, and operations, this conference offers valuable education and networking tailored to your needs. See the 2025 Alltricity Network Spring Conference webpage for all details and don’t miss your opportunity to connect, learn, and gain insights to navigate the dynamic electric utility landscape!

 Book Your Discounted Hotel Room

The deadline to reserve your discounted hotel room in Alltricity Network’s block is fast approaching. Be sure to book your hotel room by April 13.

 2025 Spring Conference Highlights

Texas Engineers: Fulfill your annual 1-hour Ethics requirement

The Texas Board of Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors will present a Professional Practice Update/Ethics session, satisfying the Texas professional engineers’ required 1 hour of ethics continuing education per license renewal cycle. Non-Texas engineers are also welcome to attend!

Senior Leadership Panelists announced!

Always one of the most popular sessions, the Senior Leadership Panel, sponsored by Sparks, features four accomplished senior utility leaders sharing unique perspectives on the strategic initiatives driving their organizations forward amid evolving market dynamics, regulatory shifts, and technological advancements. The panelists are:

  • Roger Clark, Senior Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. (AECI)
  • Chad Seely, Senior Vice President—Regulatory Policy, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer, & Corporate Secretary, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
  • Randa Stephenson, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer—Wholesale Power, Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)
  • Manny Zeringue, Vice President of Generation, Big Rivers Electric Corporation
  • Moderated by Josh Johnson, Vice President—Commercial / Industrial Facilities Group Portfolio Leader, Black & Veatch • 2024-2025 Alltricity Network Board President

Kick Off Your 2025 Spring Conference at the Golf Outing

Tee off at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, May 5 at the Luna Vista Golf Course and reconnect with industry colleagues and friends over a round of golf for a good cause! Benefiting scholarships for deserving students pursuing careers in the electric utility industry provided by the Alltricity Scholarship Foundation, the registration fee for this golf outing includes green fees, cart, box breakfast, range balls, and winner prizes. 

The NextGeneration Pre-Conference Workshop Returns

Taking place Monday, May 5 from 2:30-6:00 p.m., ahead of the 2025 Alltricity Network Spring Conference, The 2025 workshop theme is “Leading Through Change: Overcoming Resistance and Driving Success” and is designed for emerging leaders, and those who manage or mentor future leaders in the electric utility industry. This interactive event will introduce you to many change management concepts and strategies to manage the change cycle, resistance, communication, and build support networks to drive growth—both personally and within your organization. Equip yourself with the tools to lead, adapt, and thrive through change. View the full Pre-Conference Workshop Agenda to learn more about the sessions and speakers!

Register now and don’t miss this chance to grow your career. Member price is only $100 when bundling with a full Spring Conference registration. 3.0 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) certificates will be awarded upon completion.

Spring Conference Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Reach a diverse electric utility audience and enhance your organization's visibility at the 2025 Spring Conference through Tabletop Sponsorships. View sponsorship opportunities and reserve your spot today as we have sold out in the past! If you have questions or would like to discuss a customized opportunity, please contact us at info@alltricitynetwork.org.

Alltricity Network at Your Resource

Alltricity Network is here as a resource for you and your organization. We encourage you to share our development opportunities with your peers, workgroups, and professional network! For the latest events, visit the Alltricity Network Events & Education Calendar on our website.

Our Education Committees—comprised of dedicated members—work hard to provide timely, relevant, and thoughtfully curated educational and networking opportunities. If there are topics or workshops you’d find valuable for the industry, we’d love to hear from you—feel free to contact us anytime!

Power Industry Faces Integration Challenge
Commonwealth Associates, Inc. ®
Industry experts are observing significant hurdles in integrating solar, wind, and BESS sites nationwide. Utility-scale BES projects face difficulties in sourcing equipment, especially voltage arrestors. Traditional practices may lead to prolonged fault clearance times and ungrounded conditions, risking system damage. Discover how advanced power systems studies and innovative solutions can prevent costly delays and ensure quality designs. Dive into the details and uncover the secrets to successful integration
Our Expertise in Power & Renewable Solutions | Commonwealth
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Education and Upcoming Events

2025 Next Generation Pre-Conference Workshop - May 5, 2025 (Dallas, TX—hosted prior to the 2025 Alltricity Network Spring Conference)

2025 Alltricity Network Spring Management, Engineering, & Operations Conference - May 5-7, 2025 (Dallas, TX)

2025 Safety Conference - May 21-23, 2025 (Tempe, AZ)

Lifecycle Management Conference: PowerGen Fleets & Facilities (Englewood, CO)

2025 Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament - June 24, 2025 (Littleton, CO)

2025 Large Projects Conference - June 25-26, 2025 (Westminster, CO)

DER Distribution Engineering Workshop - July 22-23, 2025 (Lakewood, CO)

August 2025 Safety Roundtable - August 21, 2025 (Aurora, CO)

2025 Alltricity Network Fall Convention - September 29-October 1, 2025 (Kansas City, MO)

PLANNING SESSION: 2026 Alltricity Network Spring Conference - October 16, 2025 (Location TBA)

November 2025 Safety Roundtable - November 4, 2025 (Kansas City, MO)

PLANNING SESSION: 2026 Alltricity Network Fall Convention - November 13, 2025 (Location TBA)

   
Meridian Cooperative
   
Alltricity Network Member Information
Follow Alltricity Network 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, 2025 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
Southwest Power Pool is ‘Well Positioned’ to Meet Long Term Adequacy Challenges, but it Might Cost Hundreds of Billions of Dollars
  
A new report prepared for Southwest Power Pool (SPP) by consulting firm The Brattle Group finds that SPP is “well positioned” to meet long-term investment and resource adequacy challenges as the regional electricity markets navigate high load growth and a changing generation fleet.
U.S. Electricity Generation Sees Historic Shift as Wind and Solar Surpass Coal
The United States reached a major milestone in diversifying generation in 2024, as wind and solar combined to generate more electricity than coal for the first time. According to a new report from Ember, which analyzes a full year of U.S. Energy Information Administration’s electricity data, wind and solar accounted for 17% of total electricity generation, while coal fell to an all-time low of 15%.
Cloud Data Centers Get Bigger, Denser Amid AI Building Boom
  
The number of data centers operated by hyperscale providers increased to 1,136 last year, up from 992 at the end of 2023, according to research published by Synergy Research Group. The companies with the broadest data center footprint are the leading cloud providers — Amazon, Microsoft and Google. Together, the three now account for 59% of all hyperscale data center capacity, SRG said.
IRA Repeal Would Increase Energy Costs, Hurt Jobs: Energy Innovation
Repealing the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits and funding programs would increase U.S. household annual energy costs by $6 billion in 2030 and more than $9 billion in 2035, according to Energy Innovation Policy & Technology. Ending the IRA would also cost nearly 790,000 jobs in 2030 and reduce the gross domestic product by more than $160 billion.
   
Futura Systems, Inc
      
Parsons
   
How AI Data Centers are Reshaping America’s Electric Grid
  
For decades, U.S. electricity demand grew at a predictable, modest pace. Utilities could plan around gradual increases driven by population growth and economic activity. But that era is over. A dramatic shift is underway, one that could define the next decade of energy infrastructure—and investment opportunity.
U.S. Energy Infrastructure Gets a D+ From American Society of Civil Engineers
Rapid energy demand growth in the U.S. is threatening an aging and fragile electric grid, says the American Society of Civil Engineers, resulting in the group dropping the energy sector’s 2025 Infrastructure Report Card grade to a D+ from the C- they gave it in 2021. 
New Wave of Smaller, Cheaper Nuclear Reactors Sends U.S. States Racing to Attract the Industry
  
With the promise of newer, cheaper nuclear power on the horizon, U.S. states are vying to position themselves to build and supply the industry’s next generation as policymakers consider expanding subsidies and paving over regulatory obstacles. 
U.S. ‘Nuclear Renaissance’ Faces High Capital Costs, Uncertain Federal Policy Support: ICF
Nuclear power’s long-term role in the U.S. electricity generation mix depends on still-unresolved questions about plant economics, technology selection, federal policy and financial support, fuel availability, waste disposal and public attitudes, analysts for strategic consultancy ICF said.
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 backed by 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, 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
March 19 Blizzard Most Destructive Weather Event in OPPD History
  
This event marks the fifth-largest outage in OPPD's history, measured by the number of customers who lost power. However, in terms of damage to OPPD infrastructure, it is by far the largest ever encountered. Huge sections of circuits and lines were ripped out by hurricane-force winds, necessitating a complete rebuild of those areas and the removal of trees, debris and broken equipment. When it’s all said and done, OPPD anticipates it will have replaced nearly 1,200 poles.
United Power Announces Jonathan Aust as Vice President of Energy Resource Planning
“Jonathan brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this key position,” stated Dean Hubbuck, Senior Vice President and Chief Energy Resource Officer. “Since United Power left its single wholesale power provider in 2024, it is vital to have the right talent on our team to oversee this essential function. 
IQGeo Enters Exclusive Negotiations to Acquire AI Software Developer Deepomatic
  
IQGeo, a developer of geospatial software that is “Building Better Networks” for telecom and utility operators, recently announced that exclusive negotiations are underway with the goal of acquiring the AI computer vision software developer Deepomatic. The addition of Deepomatic’s AI capabilities will enable IQGeo to enhance its network lifecycle solutions with optimized detail capture and analysis in field operations, creating resilient and efficient broadband and utility networks.  
El Paso Electric and ev.energy Expand Managed EV Charging Program to Texas
El Paso Electric (EPE) and ev.energy, the leading provider of managed electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, have announced the launch of the EV Smart Rewards TX program, a pioneering initiative for EPE’s customers in Texas. This follows the successful sister program launch in New Mexico last year and continues the commitment to optimizing home EV charging for a more efficient and sustainable grid.
Extra Eyes: APS, Firefighters Team Up with New AI Smoke-Detection Cameras
  
New artificial intelligence (AI) fire-sensing cameras operated by Arizona Public Service (APS) are proactively searching 24/7 for early signs of wildfires in targeted, high fire-risk areas. They alert APS fire mitigation experts and fire dispatch centers when smoke and heat traces are detected. 
SPP First RTO to Operate in Both Interconnections with Tariff Approval
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) will soon be the first regional transmission organization (RTO) in the U.S. to provide full services in both the Eastern and Western Interconnections of the nation’s power grid. On March 20, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) unanimously approved Southwest Power Pool’s amended tariff, which includes provisions enabling Western members to join the RTO. The Commission’s approval paves the way for seven Western entities, all of whom are participants in SPP’s Western Energy Imbalance Service (WEIS) market today, to begin participating in SPP’s Integrated Marketplace, transmission planning, reliability coordination and other RTO services beginning in April 2026.
Lincoln Electric System to Receive Hydropower from the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District
  
The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (Central) and Lincoln Electric System (LES) have finalized a power purchase agreement for 20 megawatts of capacity and energy from Central’s Jeffrey Reservoir Hydroplant, located south of Brady, Neb. The power agreement will go into effect on April 1, 2025, and run through the end of 2037. 
White Paper
Self-Optimizing Catalysts Facilitate Water-Splitting for the Green Production of Hydrogen
Researchers have developed cost-effective and efficient water-splitting catalysts to be used in the eco-friendly production of hydrogen. Catalyst performance surprisingly increases over time.
Reusing Old Oil and Gas Wells May Offer Green Energy Storage Solution
Moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like wind and solar will require better ways to store energy for use when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. A new study by researchers at Penn State found that taking advantage of natural geothermal heat in depleted oil and gas wells can improve the efficiency of one proposed energy storage solution: compressed-air energy storage (CAES).
Study Documents Impacts of Large-Scale Entry of Rooftop Solar Panels on Competition
Fossil-fuel plants are increasingly being forced to stop and start production in response to changes in output from renewables. In a new study, researchers developed a dynamic competitive benchmark that accounts for start-up costs and other unit-level operating constraints.