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RMEL Report
From the Desk of RMEL Executive Director Rick Putnicki THE IN-PERSON SPRING CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE IS BACK! May 2019, the date of our last Spring face-to-face Conference in Phoenix, seems like an eternity ago! It is an understatement to say we are looking forward to finally getting back together again. It will be great to build our professional network again at the Spring Conference in Austin, Texas, May 9-11, 2022! Join us to learn more about the latest trends in technology, best practices and solutions for our electric energy industry. The RMEL membership has been working diligently to finalize speakers and logistics while preparing to bring you 25 relevant and timely presentations centered around the industry’s most urgent needs. The "tone” will be set for the 2022 Spring Management, Engineering & Operations Conference by high energy Keynote Speaker Johnny Quinn, U.S. Olympian and Former Professional NFL Football Player. In-person exhibitor opportunities are also back for 2022 – get details! JOHNNY QUINN, U.S. OLYMPIAN AND FORMER PROFESSIONAL NFL FOOTBALL PLAYER TO KEYNOTE RMEL’S SPRING CONFERENCE
Johnny Shares a Message of How to Think Like an Olympian Johnny has an athletic background that has opened the door to many opportunities. He is a U.S. Olympian in the sport of bobsled and competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He has traveled the world with Team USA and competition has taken him to Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Switzerland. Competing, living and interacting within different cultures around the world has provided a unique perspective, and ability, to connect with today’s diverse workforce.
BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS Presenters will discuss timely and relevant topics and share those experiences that are moving our industry forward. More details on the 25 breakout sessions will be available soon! BOOK YOUR DISCOUNTED HOTEL ROOM AT THE HYATT REGENCY AUSTIN A special room rate of $235 is available. The best way to book your room is online, but you can call (512) 477-1234 and mention “RMEL.” The reservation deadline to receive this rate is April 15, 2022. You must mention you are making your reservation as part of the 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, RMEL 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 RMEL so you will be counted towards the room block. We hope to see you in Austin! Keep up with the latest details at www.RMEL.org/spring as we get closer to finalizing the event content! MORE RMEL IN-PERSON, VIRTUAL AND HYBRID EVENTS ARE COMING – LOOK FOR MORE DETAILS SOON RMEL had several in-person events planned for early 2022, and those were all pushed to late Spring/early Summer after the Omicron variant’s aggressive but quick wave in January and February. Look for more details soon for Safety, Generation, Transmission and Distribution events located in various member regions. HYBRID PANEL & ROUNDTABLE: DECARBONIZATION RMEL will be hosting a panel and roundtable at Black & Veatch (Overland Park, KS) to discuss topics directly related to decarbonizing the Power Generation. This event will be of interest to anyone involved in generation planning, engineering and operations. Attendees will have the ability to participate in person, or remotely through an online conference. The Power Generation industry continue to march towards a low-carbon future. Many renewable generation sources are intermittent, making energy storage crucial to achieving the goal. EPRI will present an overview of the current energy storage technologies and the economic evaluation of options. Siemens will provide their perspective on hydrogen as a carbon-free fuel source and technologies associated with generating and utilizing hydrogen. Black & Veatch will present carbon capture technologies and applications in power generation. 2022 RMEL SAFETY CONFERENCE Safety is paramount in the power industry. It holds no boundaries, no rank. It is not a sometime thing. Safety must be at the forefront in everything we do. Everyone is responsible for safety. When it comes to safety, everyone’s a leader. Join us in Tempe, AZ, for the RMEL’s 2022 Safety Conference! Presentations will dive into the challenges we face today and safety best practices. Interactive roundtable discussions mixed into the program provide the opportunity to learn from each other. NOMINATE AN EMERGING LEADER AT YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR AN RMEL AWARD RMEL's Emerging Leader Award recognizes and honors individual members who have made significant contributions within their organization, and have demonstrated the potential for leadership and outstanding service for the electric utility industry. The nominee must have no less than 5 years of experience and no more than 10 years of experience within the industry. Emerging Leader Award Winners are part of a dynamic group of future leaders who are introduced to the RMEL membership and recognized during the Spring Conference. Those recipients are now part of a strong professional network of industry peers. In addition, these award winners are presented unique development opportunities. Each year, past and current Award Recipients participate in an exclusive development session with Keynote Speakers who facilitate an open conversation with our Emerging Leader group. Nominate an outstanding individual at your company today! JOIN THE RMEL TEAM RMEL is looking to expand their TEAM! If you know of anyone interested in building a career and being a part of this great Association team, please send me a note! SEE YOU SOON! We look forward to seeing everyone soon and celebrating at the first in-person Spring Conference since 2019! Education and Upcoming Events
Hybrid Panel & Roundtable: Decarbonization --- April 14, 2022 (Overland Park, KS) 
RMEL Member Information
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.
RMEL Champions is a prestigious group of RMEL supporters with access to useful and beneficial promotional opportunities. Thank you 2022 RMEL Champions!
Industry Information
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced a Notice of Sale of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). DOE intends to sell 30 million barrels of crude oil from the SPR.
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the National Association of State Energy Officials announced the release of a new report on innovative approaches to estimating the value of resilience.
 Energy consumption will increase in the United States over the next 30 years across a variety of economic scenarios as population and economic growth outpace energy efficiency gains, according to our Annual Energy Outlook 2022 (AEO2022).
Member Announcements
February 2022 marked one year since Winter Storm Uri wreaked havoc on the state’s power grid. Since then, Austin Energy staff looked at all areas of operation and outlined 19 observations and 112 action improvements.
A Feb. 18 Wall Street Journal article titled “America’s Power Grid Is Increasingly Unreliable” highlights what it takes for utilities to provide always-on electricity to customers while navigating challenges like extreme weather and wildfires, aging infrastructure and energy supply constraints, just to name a few.
The Great Plains Synfuels Plant produces carbon dioxide (CO2) that is sent through a pipeline up to Canada, and also gets used to make ammonium sulfate fertilizer.
CPS Energy is committed to supporting local small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) in their pursuit of success and energy efficiency.
El Paso Electric (EPE) filed to reduce the fuel charge by 13% with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) that will result in a decrease of $2.30 for residential customers.
Two open houses will be held in Norfolk on March 2 and 17, to give NPPD Retail customers the opportunity to sign up for shares of the Norfolk Community Solar Farm.
 During its board meeting, the Platte River Power Authority Board of Directors elected Reuben Bergsten, director of utilities for the Town of Estes Park, to be the organization’s next board chair. The board also selected Julie Pignataro, councilmember for the City of Fort Collins, to become vice chair.
Wholesale power supply cooperative Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced that it has filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval of two new transmission lines in eastern Colorado.
Tucson Electric Power (TEP) generated more clean energy than ever last week during a brief period when more than 95 percent of its power was coming from renewable resources.
Last month WAPA launched a new tool that, according to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Howard, will “enable us to more effectively monitor the health of our transmission system and efficiently react to condition issues while continuing to maintain the high level of reliability we have always achieved."
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Johnny Quinn is a highly sought-after speaker for businesses and organizations of all sizes. He is a U.S. Olympian in the sport of bobsled and competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Johnny is also a former pro football player, spending time with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. Toyota, Chick-fil-A, Cisco, Wells Fargo, Southwest Airlines, Zillow, LiftMaster, Fiserv and Lockheed Martin are a few clients that have hired him to speak, and he has delivered a TEDx Talk on "Understanding the Olympic Mindset." Johnny has been featured on various media outlets around the world, such as: ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, ESPN, FOX, NBC, TIME, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Johnny’s newest book, PUSH: Breaking through the Barriers is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Target. Johnny, his wife Amanda and their two children, Amelia and Oliver, reside in McKinney, Texas.
