RMEL eNews
RMEL Report
  

From the Desk of RMEL Executive Director Rick Putnicki

The RMEL Fall Convention Experience is BACK and is quickly approaching!
RMEL FALL CONVENTION - October 10-12, 2022, Hilton Denver Inverness Hotel, Denver, Colorado
Register Now!

Registration for the RMEL Fall Convention is open and the event is less than six weeks away! Mark your calendars and make your arrangements to attend one of the premier events for electric energy leadership and connect with 300 of your electric utility industry peers for lively and enjoyable discussions driven by a program that focuses on strategic discussions to address today’s top concerns for electric utilities. Be sure to Book Your Discounted Hotel Room by Friday, September 16.

We will continue to release more information about the Fall Convention program. Just like past years, you can expect a solid lineup that will include keynotes, the popular CEO Panel, an Electric Power Research Institute Industry Update, Small Nuclear Reactors, an Energy Storage Technology Panel, the latest updates on the SCOTUS EPA Ruling, a Water Resource Challenges in the Colorado River Basin presentation, and a Gallup presentation on Knowledge Transfer/Workforce. 

Additionally, the 2022 RMEL Fall Convention sponsorship prospectus is now available. If you're interested in a sponsorship, would like to discuss a customized opportunity, or have questions, please contact us at info@rmel.org or (303) 865-5544 to expand your company’s visibility at the Fall Convention.

Support Scholarships and Donate to the RMEL Foundation Auction
Donation Deadline is September 16, 2022

Donations are needed! Help support students pursuing electric energy careers by donating an item for the Annual RMEL Foundation Auction. The auction will be held during the 2022 Fall Convention on October 11 and is a primary resource for the 501c3 charity to support the funding of scholarships for the next generation of electric energy industry professionals. We will use the same bidding app that we have used for the past couple of years. 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, Plus Many More On Demand Offerings
Register for RMEL On Demand Offerings (Many Are Complimentary)

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.

Upcoming Events
In late September, RMEL is pleased to host two exciting and timely webinars – complimentary for RMEL members! Get more details below and we hope you’re able to join us during these virtual events leading up to the 2022 RMEL Fall Convention October 10-12.

RAIL SERVICE IMPACTS ON COAL-FUELED POWER GENERATION 

September 21, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time

With coal stockpiles lingering at historic lows nationwide, utilities are struggling to cope with a meltdown in railroad service. Threatening to complicate the situation, a national labor strike against railroads could begin as early as mid-September. This webinar will examine the scope and origins of the crisis, summarize railroad service recovery plans ordered by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, provide up-to-date information on the status of labor negotiations, and attempt to predict when coal shippers may expect to see improvement in rail shipments of their fuel.

HEALTH & WELLNESS IN THE ELECTRIC ENERGY INDUSTRY

Late-September, final date and time TBD

Additional details and registration information for this webinar will be released shortly - stay tuned! 

NOVEMBER SAFETY ROUNDTABLE -  SHIFT WORK & SLEEP HEALTH PROMOTION

November 3, 2022 - final time TBD

Additional details and registration information for this roundtable will be released soon. 

And a sincere Thank You and Best Wishes to a longstanding RMEL Staffer
After a successful and valued career these past nine years with RMEL, James Sakamoto will be leaving us September 1st. James’ contributions have been instrumental to the success of our association. Those of you that had the opportunity to attend any RMEL event, you immediately knew who James was. His servant leadership style exemplifies his commitment to the association and his continued support for all those around him. Enjoy your next chapter, James! We are extremely grateful our paths crossed and more grateful for the friendships you have made! All the best to you, my friend!

Education and Upcoming Events

RMEL Fall Convention --- October 10-12, 2022 (Denver, CO)

Rail Service Impacts on Coal-Fueled Generation --- September 21, 2022 - 10:00-11:00 a.m. MDT (Webinar)

Health & Wellness in the Electric Energy Industry --- Late-September, 2022 - final date and time TBD (Webinar)

November Safety Roundtable - Shift Work & Sleep Health Promotion --- November 3, 2022 - final time TBD (Fort Collins, CO)

   
Burns & McDonnell
   
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!
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Industry Information
Bipartisan infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, investments in carbon dioxide reduction can and must be used along with clean energy to address the climate crisis, the Department of Energy said in announcing its Carbon Negative Shot, or CNS.
Gas-fired generation paired with carbon removal technologies can reduce the costs of decarbonizing the electricity sector by $300 billion over the next 15 years, the Electric Power Research Institute concluded.
 
The push for carbon-free energy will drive the growth of small modular reactors, or SMRs, with 300 of them expected to be online by 2050 supplying 731 TWh of power, according to the results of a survey the Nuclear Energy Institute conducted with a subset of its member utilities.
As nearly every commercial service airport in the United States is owned by public entities in some fashion, there also is political pressure on airport administrators to limit their use of fossil fuels in everything from their rental car facilities to new or expanded terminals and the vendors who lease space in them to making room for electric airplanes.
 
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced more than $31 million in funding for 10 projects to develop carbon capture technologies capable of capturing at least 95 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from natural gas power plants, waste-to-energy power plants, and industrial applications, including cement and steel. 
   
CopperLeaf Technologies Inc.
   
In 2020, the amount U.S. consumers spent on energy (energy expenditures) fell to $1 trillion, the least amount since 2002, according to our State Energy Data System (SEDS). U.S. energy expenditures are the total amount spent on all energy used in the residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation sectors combined.
  
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s proposal to reinstate a federal right of first refusal giving incumbent utilities first dibs on building certain regional transmission projects would hurt consumers and should be scrapped, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission told the agency.
Electric power generated from U.S. natural-gas fired plants reached 6.37 million MWh on July 21, a record high according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Hourly Electric Grid Monitor.
  
Using Plug Power’s electrolyzers, liquefaction capabilities, and cryogenic tankers, Plug will deliver green hydrogen to Amazon beginning Jan. 1, 2025. The liquified green hydrogen will be used to fuel Amazon's transportation and building operations, the companies said.
If consumers are willing to purchase and install solar energy on their homes and they are also willing to purchase and install batteries so they can continue using that solar energy at night when the sun goes down, could those same batteries be used by the electric utility as a grid asset?
   
Tyndale Company
   
Arizona Public Service Co. (APS), in partnership with the Arizona Community Foundation, has announced the recipients of its 2022 West Valley Grants Program, in which eligible nonprofits receive funding for programs supporting the environment, education, community development and arts and culture.
The Basin Electric board of directors approved the 2023-2032 long-range engineering plan (LREP). The LREP includes a preliminary look at capital projects that may be considered for approval in the next 10 years, with increased detail available for the first three years of the plan.
  
The CPS Energy Board of Trustees voted to enter a 30-day contract negotiation period with Interim President & CEO, Rudy D. Garza to serve as permanent President & CEO for the utility. Garza has served in the interim role since November 2021.
Evergy and a partnership between Scout Clean Energy and Elawan Energy announced that Evergy will purchase the 199-megawatt Persimmon Creek Wind Farm in western Oklahoma for a purchase price of about $250 million. The renewable energy from this wind farm will serve customers in the Evergy Missouri West service area.
Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) President and CEO Tom Kent recently announced changes in two executive leadership positions at the district. 
  
The Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors approved a recommendation by utility management to temporarily postpone a planned transition of North Omaha Station (NOS). Their vote postpones the retirement of NOS units 1-3, currently available to run on natural gas during times of high demand, as well as the conversion of units 4 and 5 from low-sulfur coal to natural gas.
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is pleased to announce receipt of Platte River Power Authority’s (Platte River) notice of intent to join several western entities evaluating participation in SPP’s regional transmission organization (RTO).
Meyers joins SRP with more than 30 years of water resources management experience in Arizona and the Southwest, most recently with the Bureau of Reclamation.
Tri-State advocated for specific provisions that advance investment in rural communities, including the direct payment of renewable energy tax credits to not-for-profit electric utilities, and funding to support cooperative investment in new renewables, energy storage and transmission.
Tucson Electric Power is participating in two efforts to explore hydrogen production, transportation and storage opportunities as we seek cost-effective, cleaner energy solutions in the face of a changing climate.
 
Western Area Power Administration is on track to fully expend the $500 million that the organization received from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support more replacement power and transmission capacity purchases caused primarily by drought and increasing power market volatility.
Xcel Energy announced a new transportation vision that drives toward providing the infrastructure and energy to run all vehicles in its service area on carbon-free electricity or other clean energy by 2050. Expanding upon the company’s existing 2030 electric vehicle (EV) vision supports its overall goal to become a net-zero energy provider by 2050.
White Paper
A new study highlights that global demand for sulfuric acid is set to rise significantly from '246 to 400 million tons' by 2040 -- a result of more intensive agriculture and the world moving away from fossil fuels. 
Across the United States, local wind and solar jobs can fully replace the coal-plant jobs that will be lost as the nation's power-generation system moves away from fossil fuels in the coming decades, according to a new study.
Engineers have developed a method to increase wind farms' energy output. Whereas individual turbines are typically controlled separately, the new approach models the wind flow of the entire collection of turbines and optimizes the control of individual units.
A new control algorithm for wind farms that alters how individual turbines are oriented into the wind promises to boost farms' overall efficiency and energy output by optimizing how they deal with their turbulent wake.