RMEL eNews
RMEL Report
  

From the Desk of RMEL Executive Director Rick Putnicki

A NOTE ON THE RMEL FOUNDATION’S SOLD OUT GOLF TOURNAMENT
Sponsorship opportunities are still available – see below for details!

I wanted to start today’s message with a quick note on the unprecedented and very fast sell out of the Annual RMEL Foundation Golf Tournament. I know many companies and RMEL Foundation supporters are disappointed to not have made it in this year’s Tournament. We began promoting the Golf Tournament following RMEL’s Spring Conference, and the tournament sold out in nine days! We had no way of predicting this outcome. The amount of support for this event is simply amazing, and we on the RMEL Foundation Board and on the RMEL staff have been shocked by the immediate sellout. We understand that this has left many major RMEL Foundation supporters and past Golf Tournament participants unable to play, and we will be looking at changes we can make in 2023 to allow more supporting companies to participate.

This is a Golf Tournament for a great cause – RMEL Foundation electric energy scholarships for kids – and it is truly amazing to see all of the support for those kids! Thank you to everyone who did sign up, and thank you for all the calls and emails to join the waitlist and/or to sponsor this event. While foursome spots are sold out, your company can still sponsor the event and we can deduct the amount of the foursome/twosome spots for the Diamond and Gold sponsorships. Please review sponsorship opportunities on page 3 of the brochure, and give us a call at (303) 865-5544 or email us at info@rmel.org to become a sponsor.

SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS AND DONATE TO THE RMEL FOUNDATION AUCTION
Donation Deadline is September 16, 2022

The  RMEL Foundation provides scholarships to deserving students pursuing careers in the electric energy industry. The annual RMEL Foundation Auction will be held in during the 2022 In-Person Fall Convention on October 11th. We will use the same bidding app that we have used for the past couple of years, and we will send more details to access that app before the auction. Over the past 22 years, more than 500 scholarships have been awarded totaling more than $1 million. Your support is needed to continue the Foundation's scholarship efforts. You are encouraged to donate an item to the auction and join the VIRTUAL auction to bid on donated items.

ACCESS ON DEMAND SPRING CONFERENCE SESSIONS

If you didn’t get the chance to join us at the Spring Conference, more than 20 On Demand Spring Conference Sessions are now available for your viewing. We recorded video, audio and presentations slides for most of the sessions, and you can sign up to access those now. These sessions include Day 2 Keynote Brad Jones, CEO, ERCOT; the Executive Panel General Session; plus many of the sessions from the Generation, T&D and Management tracks! Take a look at the Spring Conference brochure to get more details on the On Demand sessions available. If you attended the Spring Conference, you already have access to these sessions. Use your Swapcard login to access the sessions. Please contact us if you need assistance logging in.

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR RMEL AWARDS!

RMEL is seeking nominations of exemplary individuals in the electric energy industry for the Distinguished Leadership Award, Industry Leadership Award and the Honorary Life Membership Award. These awards are presented to individuals to commend outstanding work and leadership at their organizations and in the electric energy industry. A nomination form for each nominee must be submitted by July 29th.

UPCOMING EVENTS

We hope you can join us at these events this summer and at the RMEL Fall Convention October 10-12 at the Hilton Denver Inverness Hotel in Denver, CO! Get more details below.

COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR FOR RMEL MEMBERS - OPTIMIZING TRADITIONAL AND INNOVATED TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGIES FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE CONSTRUCTION
June 16, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time

Trenchless Constructions are getting more popular in underground transmission & distribution industry due to permitting, environmental, and safety considerations. This presentation will discuss why, where, and when to use trenchless construction, and what technologies are available in the market, including case studies using traditional and innovated technologies, and provide you a clear strategy on how to plan your next underground cable construction project.

2022 RMEL DISTRIBUTION CONFERENCE
June 21-22, Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The electric utility industry is rapidly changing, both on the technology side and from a policy standpoint. Utilities are partners in innovation with customers. The distribution impacts and opportunities continue to multiply. This conference covers design, operations, maintenance and regulatory/policy issues. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to work together with RMEL’s diverse membership (representing all different types of electric utilities) to collectively address the power industry’s biggest distribution challenges. The conference is structured with presentations and roundtable sessions to give attendees time to discuss what’s keeping you up at night and put everything from the conference together in a unique and tangible way.

TRANSMISSION RESILIENCY, RESPONSE AND RESTORATION CONFERENCE
June 22-23, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Westminster, Colorado

This conference will explore different aspects of preparing for and responding to natural disasters from the perspectives of resiliency (examples: wildfires and Nebraska storms), response (examples: mutual assistance) and restoration.

2022 RMEL FALL EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT CONVENTION
October 10-12, 2022, Hilton Denver Inverness Hotel, Denver, Colorado

Look for more details soon about RMEL’s first IN-PERSON Fall Convention since 2019! We are looking forward to getting everyone back together at the event that started it all back in October 1903! Since that first meeting, the Fall Convention has grown and evolved into one of the industry’s leading events for senior management. The Convention provides a relaxed forum for networking with your peers and colleagues to find and share solutions to the critical issues that keep you up at night. The primary focus of the Convention is the educational presentations. Utility executives offer their insight and thoughts on a variety of issues, trends, challenges and the direction they are leading their companies. Speakers are primarily CEOs, senior executives and other top leaders from inside the industry discussing the issues that matter most to you. Find significant value in the two day streamlined format. Make the connections you need and learn from education presentations that will benefit you and your company.

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 will continue to add more in-person events to the RMEL calendar, and we look forward to continuing RMEL’s traditions (since 1903) of education and networking for the electric energy industry!

Education and Upcoming Events

WEBINAR - Optimizing Traditional & Innovated Trenchless Tech --- June 16, 2022  
Distribution Conference --- June 21-22, 2022 (Colorado Springs, CO)
Transmission Resiliency, Response and Restoration Conference --- June 22-23, 2022 (Westminster, CO)
2022 RMEL Foundation Golf Tournament --- July 26, 2022 (Littleton, CO)
RMEL Fall Convention --- October 10-12, 2022 (Englewood, CO)

   
Burns & McDonnell
   
RMEL Member Information
Join RMEL's Groups on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook
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!
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Industry Information
DOE Releases Details for $8 Billion Hydrogen Hub Program
The federal government is funding regional hydrogen hubs to help decarbonize multiple sectors of the economy and push the U.S. closer to 2050 net-zero emissions. The money comes from the infrastructure law passed in 2021.
 
Massachusetts Lawmakers Consider Ending Retail Electric Choice for Residential Customers
A sweeping Massachusetts bill aimed at driving climate progress includes a clause that would ban retail energy companies in the state’s residential sector. It would make Massachusetts the first state to reverse course on retail electric choice after allowing it for decades.
State Utility Regulators Urge FERC to Move up MISO’s Proposed 2030 Start Date for Aggregated DERs
  
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator shouldn’t be allowed to wait until 2030 before letting aggregated distributed energy resources participate in its power markets, according to state utility regulators.
Canadian Association Releases Hydropower Collaboration Success Stories
WaterPower Canada (WPC) has released a new collection of success stories titled Paths Forward 2022: Celebrating Indigenous businesses in Canadian hydropower. 
Rebuilding Domestic Solar Supply Chains Will Hinge on Incentives, Not Tariffs, Experts Say
In Episode 3 of the Factor This! podcast, Rhone Resch, the CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association from 2004-16, looks back at solar’s “boom” and his regret as the former head of the industry’s leading trade group of not prioritizing domestic solar manufacturing. He explains why now is the time to invest in a domestic supply chain.
Statement: DOE Welcomes New Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Safety Measures Announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) welcomes the new carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline safety measures announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on May 26, 2022. 
   
CopperLeaf Technologies Inc.
   
   
Tyndale Company
   
U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator Opens Call for Participants, Announces New Partners
The Clean Energy Cybersecurity AcceleratorTM (CECA) is now accepting applications from cybersecurity solution providers that offer strong authentication for distributed energy resources to protect the modern electrical grid and expedite bringing tested solutions to market.
EIA Explores Effects of Weather Projections on Energy Consumption in Buildings
Nearly half of the energy consumed in U.S. buildings in 2021 was used for heating and cooling, according to modeled estimates in our Annual Energy Outlook 2022 (AEO2022) Reference case. An Issues in Focus analysis on alternative weather assumptions highlights how different long-term weather projections affect space heating and space cooling demand in the U.S. residential and commercial sectors.
 
The Coming War Over Crypto Regulation
On Tuesday, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released bipartisan legislation aimed at clarifying the role of digital assets in the US economy.
Steel Titan Buying Summit Utility Structures
One of the country’s largest steel manufacturers is acquiring a Pennsylvania-based company specializing in metal poles and steel structures used in utility and other infrastructure work.
Member Announcements
Austin Energy Crews Help Bring Power for the First Time to Homes in the Navajo Nation
  
Many members in the Navajo Nation have been waiting a lifetime to turn on their lights and take a hot shower. Thanks to a partnership between Austin Energy, the American Public Power Association (APPA), the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), community members can do just that.
APS Appoints Heflin to Lead Operation at the Palo Verde Generating Station
Arizona Public Service Co. announced that Adam Heflin has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer (CNO) at the Palo Verde Generating Station, effective June 6. 
Basin Electric Board Approves Nearly a Half Billion Dollars in New Transmission Construction in Western North Dakota
In a major effort to maintain reliability for members, Basin Electric directors approved major transmission line and substation construction work at their May meeting. 
CPS Energy Preparing for Future Growth With Project in Southwest Area
CPS Energy is preparing for future growth in southwest San Antonio through an improvement project in the Loop 1604 west and Highway 151 corridor.
El Paso Electric 11th Annual Summer College Internship is Officially in Session
El Paso Electric’s (EPE) Summer College Internship Program consists of 10 college students this year. 
Evergy’s 2021 Sustainability Report Highlights Emission Reductions, Customer Assistance Resources and Robust Community Investment
Evergy published three reports, including its 2021 Sustainability Report, that provide details on the company’s achievements and progress toward environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. 
NextEra Energy Resources, Tennessee Valley Authority and Meta Celebrate Commissioning of Tennessee’s Newest Large-Scale Solar Energy Project
State and local leaders joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Meta to celebrate the commissioning of the state’s newest large-scale solar energy project – the Elora Solar Energy Center.
Initiatives Shaping Workforce to Better Serve Customers as We ‘Power The Future’
Omaha Public Power District is working to develop our strategic vision of Powering the Future to 2050, with a number of strategic initiatives helping to lay the path forward. 
Gateway South Transmission Line Receives Nod to Proceed
  
The Wyoming Public Service Commission granted PacifiCorp certificates of public convenience and necessity (CPCNs) May 10, allowing two important transmission lines to proceed with construction.
PNM Issues Request for New Resources to Manage Combined Impact of Climate Change, Regulatory Delays and Supply Chain Issues
PNM issued a formal request asking energy developers to submit resource proposals that could add up to 700 megawatts to the PNM system with guaranteed in-service dates by or before May 1, 2023
or May 1, 2024, respectively. This comes as the Company expressed concerns over a potential energy shortage leading up to summer of 2023.
SRP Partners with SmokeD to Create and Test Wildfire Detection Systems for Transmission Line Corridors
  
Salt River Project is piloting a Smoke Detector Pilot Project that will act as a camera and smoke detector and provide an early-warning system for wildfires that occur near the utility’s transmission line towers in the Tonto and Apache-Sitgreaves national forests.
Sunflower’s Cody Forell Presents Podcast on the Structural Engineering Channel
In this episode, we talk to Cody Forell, Structural Design Engineer at Sunflower Electric Power Corporation,  about transmission line design and what it is like working as a structural engineer at an electrical utility.
 
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Announces Strategic Reorganization
Barry Ingold has been named Chief Operating Officer; Elda de la Peña was named Chief Administrative Officer; and Bob Frankmore assumes Chief of Staff role.
Driving EV Equity
  
Tucson Electric Power's transportation electrification programs are intentionally designed to ensure everyone – including disadvantaged communities and residents – can enjoy the benefits of electric vehicles (EVs).
Xcel Energy is First in the Nation to Add All-Electric Bucket Trucks to Fleet
Xcel Energy is taking the next steps in its journey toward electric transportation by becoming the first energy company in the nation to add all-electric bucket trucks to its fleet.
White Paper
Earth-Abundant Solar Pixels Found to Produce Hydrogen for Weeks
Devices made of readily available oxide and carbon-based materials can produce clean hydrogen from water over weeks -- according to new research. The findings could help overcome one of the key issues in solar fuel production, where current earth-abundant light-absorbing materials are limited through either their performance or stability.