RMEL eNews
RMEL Report
  

From RMEL Executive Director Rick Putnicki

We are now officially at the halfway point through 2023 – time is flying! I sincerely hope you had a wonderful Independence Day holiday this past week and that your summer has been full of quality time with friends, good weather, backyard BBQs, and fun family vacations!

2023 RMEL FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT RECAP

A RMEL Shout Out to all participants in the 2023 RMEL Foundation Golf Tournament that took place on Tuesday, June 27th in Littleton, CO. Other than a little wind, the weather couldn’t get any better for spending time with your colleagues, friends, and us, golfing for a great cause, at the beautiful Arrowhead Golf Course!

All proceeds from sponsors and the participant purchases of mulligans and raffle tickets go directly to the RMEL Foundation College Scholarship Fund. We are ecstatic to announce that we have raised a record amount of over $66,000 for students pursuing careers in the electric energy field, promoting that pipeline of talent, and building a strong workforce in our industry for years to come! This is by far the most funds raised during the golf tournament and we couldn’t be more grateful for your generosity – thank you!

If you didn’t get a chance to participate, you can still contribute to the Foundation Scholarship Fund by donating an item to the RMEL Foundation Auction that will take place at the 2023 Fall Convention in Tempe, AZ. Learn more about the RMEL Foundation Auction below! Another way to support this cause, is to become a Friend of RMEL by donating as little as $100.

SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS AND DONATE TO THE RMEL FOUNDATION AUCTION

Donation Deadline is Friday, August 18th, 2023

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 2023 Fall Convention on Tuesday, September 12th 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.

Since its inception in the year 2000, the RMEL Foundation has grown considerably from the two $500 scholarships that year. To date, through your collective generosity and support, the RMEL Foundation has awarded more than 575 scholarships totaling more than $1.3 million for the next generation of electric energy professionals. 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.

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2023 RMEL FALL CONVENTION IS NOW OPEN!

September 11th-13th, 2023 at the brand-new Omni Hotel in Tempe, AZ

RMEL is thrilled to announce that registration for the 2023 RMEL Fall Convention is now open! This is your event! We look forward to returning in-person and hosting you and 250+ of your electric utility industry executive peers for lively and enjoyable discussions centered on a program focused on strategically addressing today's top concerns for electric utilities. Here’s what you can expect at this year’s Fall Convention:

  • Elite Convention Speakers - RMEL is building a phenomenal line-up of influential and thought-provoking industry leader speakers to make this an effective and inspiring convention that you won't want to miss.
  • Meet Other Industry Leaders - C-Suite Executives along with Directors, Managers, and emerging professionals, will all be there!
  • Build your Professional Network - The networking opportunities have earned an exceptional reputation due to the decision-makers and thought leaders in attendance. RMEL is committed to providing a relaxed and productive forum for our members. The focus of the Fall Convention is on value, substance, and making connections.
  • Dedicated Networking Opportunities - A golf outing, receptions and meals, a RMEL Foundation silent auction, and networking breaks will provide valuable opportunities to connect with your industry peers.     

Exciting program details will be announced soon, and you can expect a solid lineup that will include keynotes, the popular CEO Panel, RMEL Foundation Auction, and more. We look forward to seeing you there!

CHECK OUT THE 2023 FALL CONVENTION KEYNOTE SPEAKERS!

The 2023 RMEL Fall Convention keynote speakers have been announced! Read more about the keynote speakers below.

Day 1 Keynote Speaker (Tuesday, September 12th): Peter Zeihan, Geopolitical Strategist & Global Affairs Expert

With a lively non-partisan approach backed by a decade in private intelligence, Zeihan shows the audience exactly why their world is changing fast—and how they can get ahead of it. Zeihan illustrates how geography redefines global power, how demographics doom the current trade order, and how America’s energy revolution has fundamentally shifted global realities from Russia to Iran to China.

Day 2 Keynote Speaker (Wednesday, September 13th): Vibhas Ratanjee, Subject Matter Expert and Global Practice Leader for Leadership Development – Gallup

Vibhas specializes in organizational development, culture change, M&A integration and executive-level engagement strategies including strengths-based leadership and succession management. Vibhas is also an executive coach and a leadership consultant to senior executives and CEOs. Vibhas is one of Gallup’s foremost practice leaders on leadership development and succession planning and has consulted with CEO’s and Boards globally. Prior to joining Gallup in 2000, Vibhas spent six years with various consulting and research companies working in the areas of employee engagement, leadership, customer experience and brand management.

BOOK YOUR 2023 FALL CONVENTION HOTEL ROOM

The deadline to book your discounted hotel room in RMEL’s block is Monday, August 21st, 2023

A special room rate of $239 is available. To reserve your room, click "Book a Room" to open the hotel's website with the RMEL Fall Convention group rates and room availability. The RMEL Fall Convention block dates are September 10th-13th.

The best way to book your room is online, but you can call 602-794-8600 and mention "RMEL." 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.

2023 FALL CONVENTION SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

The 2023 Fall Convention will also feature roundtables, networking, technology showcases and more. Sponsorship opportunities throughout the event will include:

  • Sponsorship of Keynote Speakers, CEO Panel and Other General Sessions
  • Banner Advertising
  • App Sponsorship
  • Networking Event Sponsorship
  • Technology Showcases
  • Dedicated Company Landing Page
  • And More (we are open to additional customized sponsorship ideas)

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. 

RMEL'S UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS

Please visit the RMEL Events and Education Calendar webpage for the most up-to-date list of offerings, and reference the below Upcoming Event List in this newsletter to learn more and register. Our Education Committees, made up of RMEL Members, strives to organize timely, important, and thoughtful educational and networking events, and we are looking forward to a full year of these opportunities curated by our members, for our members. We hope to see you soon at an upcoming event!   

RMEL AS YOUR RESOURCE

As always, please consider RMEL a resource to you and your organization. Please share those development opportunities with your peers, workgroups, and your professional network! Also, do not hesitate to reach out to us with topics or workshops you would deem beneficial to our industry. 

 
Make a Powerful Difference with Commonwealth
Commonwealth Associates, Inc. ®
Commonwealth provides traditional and renewable engineering, consulting, and design services. From IPPs to IOUs, to federal contracts, to city power and light, big or small, Commonwealth has you covered. With offices and experts across the country, Commonwealth is here to make a powerful difference for you. To learn more, visit www.cai-engr.com or call 517.788.3000.
 
Click to learn more
Advertisement
Education and Upcoming Events

PROJECT MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP – August 15th-16th, 2023 (Westminster, CO).

AUGUST 2023 SAFETY ROUNDTABLE – August 17th, 2023 (Aurora, CO).

RESOURCE ADEQUACY CONFERENCE – August 17th-18th, 2023 (Westminster, CO).

2023 RMEL FALL CONVENTION – September 11th – September 13th, 2023 (Phoenix, AZ). 

ASSET MANAGEMENT & DATA CONFERENCE – October 12th-13th, 2023 (Omaha, NE).

   
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!
The game has changed from the traditional O&M model.
Black & Veatch Corporation®
Big Data helps owners detect issues before they become big problems. Prioritize field responses, balance the costs and benefits of maintenance activities, and generate the greatest ROI with these 4 key methods to optimize DER assets through data-driven O&M.
Download Here
Advertisement
Industry Information
Proposed Update to Public Land Rules Could Provide 80% Reduction in Renewable Project Fees, Says Interior
The Department of the Interior said it hopes to increase the economic certainty of renewables projects sited on public land by reducing costs for developers, and pass along savings to ratepayers.
 
Conventional Generation Outages Set a Record in 2022: NERC
Generation outages surpassed transmission as the leading cause of major load loss events last year, according to analysis from the North American Electric Reliability Corp.
Energy Storage Growth Stalled in Early 2023, Projected to Bounce Back: Report
  
The energy storage market added 2,145 MWh of new capacity in the first three months of this year. 
It marks a 33% drop in energy storage market growth compared to the first quarter of 2022, and a 26% drop compared to last year’s fourth quarter, according to Wood MacKenzie’s and ACP’s latest U.S. Energy Storage Monitor report.
Statistical Review Finds Fossil Fuels Still Dominate the Global Energy Mix
Oil, natural gas and coal continued to dominate global primary energy consumption in 2022 despite focused efforts by western governments to subsidize a largely debt-funded transition to renewables and electric vehicles (EVs). The Statistical Review of World Energy, conducted by the Energy Institute, finds that fossil fuels provided 82% of primary energy consumption during 2022, the same percentage it provided in 2021, as surging energy demand offset growth in renewables and EVs.
Most US Regions Get D+ or Below for Transmission Planning, Development: Benchmark Report
  
“Congestion is rising, delays and costs for interconnecting new projects are increasing, and very little new high-capacity transmission is being built,” the report said.
DOE, Partners Sign Agreement to Accelerate Long-Duration Energy Storage Technologies
Long-duration energy storage is becoming increasingly important as more renewable energy sources are added to the grid. LDES systems can store and discharge a significant amount of energy, from hours to days or even weeks. Different conventional and novel technologies are being explored and developed, including compressed air energy storage, flow batteries, pumped hydro and thermal energy storage.
Solar Farm Pelted by Giant Hail as Severe Storm Ripped Through Nebraska
  
A solar farm in Nebraska suffered significant hail damage during an extreme weather event that swept through the Great Plains. The 4.375 MWac solar farm in Scottsbluff was damaged by the same storm cell that injured eight people at a Wyoming coal mine.
Member Announcements
New Clean Energy Resources Help TEP Trim Carbon Dioxide Emissions 30 Percent
Carbon dioxide emissions from Tucson Electric Power’s generating portfolio dropped 32 percent from 2019 to 2022 – powerful progress toward clean energy goals. The reductions reflect replacement of retiring coal resources with cleaner energy as part of the plan to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2035. Emissions decreased by 3.5 million metric tons over that period.
 
Interim Austin City Manager Appoints Bob Kahn as Austin Energy General Manager
  
Austin Energy welcomes Bob Kahn as its new General Manager, effective Monday, July 3, 2023. With his extensive experience and proven track record in the electric utility industry, Kahn brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic vision to this role. Since December 2012, Kahn has served as General Manager for Texas Municipal Power Agency. He is also a board member with the Texas Public Power Association, which represents 72 municipal utilities in the state.
Basin Electric Board Approves Nearly $50 Million to Continue Moving Forward with Transmission Buildout
Increased load and continued growth in Basin Electric’s service area has led to the need for additional generation and transmission resources to meet the needs of the membership. In addition to current and planned construction of generation resources, Basin Electric is on track to energize nearly 350 miles of high-voltage transmission line by the end of 2027.
SRP Coolidge Expansion Project Approved by the ACC
  
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) approved an amended Certificate of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) for the Coolidge Expansion Project, a flexible, fast-ramping natural gas plant that will help SRP cost-effectively and reliably meet the region’s growing energy needs as the utility works to add more solar, wind and storage resources.
Sunflower Electric Power Corporation Announces Second Solar Project
Sunflower Electric Power Corp. will develop, own and operate a 20-megawatt solar energy project near Russell, Kan. In January 2022, Sunflower announced its plans to add a second solar facility to its generation portfolio and has since selected a developer and project structure for the Sunflower Electric Solar @ Russell project.
White Paper
Aluminum-Ion Batteries with Improved Storage Capacity
Scientists develop positive electrode material using an organic redox polymer based on phenothiazine. Aluminium-ion batteries containing this material stored an unprecedented 167 milliampere hours per gram, outperforming batteries using graphite as electrode material. Aluminium-ion batteries are considered a promising alternative to conventional batteries that use scarce raw materials such as lithium.
Perovskite Solar Cells Set New Record for Power Conversion Efficiency
Perovskite solar cells have now attained the extremely high efficiency rate of 24.35% with an active area of 1 cm2. This ground-breaking achievement in maximizing power generation from next-generation renewable energy sources will be crucial to securing the world's energy future.
An Ingredient in Toothpaste May Make Electric Cars Go Farther
Scientists have developed a fluoride-containing electrolyte for lithium metal batteries that could boost the electric vehicle industry. The usefulness of this electrolyte extends to other types of advanced battery systems beyond lithium ion.