Sep

21-22

Utility Pole + Overhead Systems (Sep 21-22)

This biennial program pairs informative educational sessions presented by industry experts with a trade show. More than 14 sessions are offered over two days to highlight new technologies, best practices and address challenges found with utility pole structures and related overhead systems. Engineers, operations and purchasing personnel from utilities and service companies from throughout Western North America have the opportunity to network at the interactive trade show open throughout the conference. The trade show features more than 30 vendors offering hands-on demonstrations of the latest pole products and innovations in the industry. Vendors encouraged to display.

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General Details

  • Program Chair(s)
  • Dr. Gerald Presley, Professor Oregon State

    • Program Location
    • Embassy Suites Hotel Portland-Airport
    • 7900 Northeast 82nd Avenue Portland, OR 97220
    • Who Should Attend
      • Engineering professionals
      • Operations managers
      • Purchasing professionals
      • Materials managers
      • Environmental professionals
      • Utility pole program and project managers
      • Service companies providing pole and overhead structure materials, treatments, or related products.
  • Registration Options
  • Conference Registration: $449 USD

    Registration price increases $100 after August 22, 2022. Registration includes meeting materials, breakfasts, lunches, and networking reception.

    Please see the Vendor Display tab for vendor registration information.

  • General Cancellation Policy
  • Due to contractual obligations, cancellations received 15 business days prior to the program will receive a full refund. Cancellations received 6 to 14 business days prior to the event will receive a refund, less a $100 administrative fee. No shows and last minute cancellations, 5 business days prior to the event or less, will be responsible for the full registration fee. Substitutions from your organization for the same event are always welcome.
  • Participation Policy
  • Western Energy Institute programs and events are open to energy companies (including gas production and electric generation, gas and electric transmission and gas and electric distribution utilities). Select programs and events are open to energy industry product and service suppliers. Programs and events are closed to all media representatives and to the general public. Recording is not permitted for any portion of the event.
  • For more information contact Traci Pepper, Program Manager at (971) 303-1004.

Agenda

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Registration and Breakfast

8:00 AM - 8:15 AM

Welcome and Conference Overview

8:15 AM - 8:45 AM

Keynote

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Preservative Talk
Speaker(s): Jeffrey Morrell, Director, National Centre for Timber Durability & Design Life, University of the Sunshine Coast, Gerald Presley, Professor, Oregon State University

Timber poles must be treated with preservatives to provide optimum performance. For decades, pentachlorophenol was the chemical of choice and about 40 % of all poles were treated with this chemical. The impending withdrawal of penta from the market has created uncertainty among utilities. What should a utility do? Are there alternatives? This talk will discuss the preservative choices available for pole treatments as well as the process under which these systems are standardized.

9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

Break with Vendor Displays

10:15 AM - 11:15 AM

Poles Structures Part I - Wood, Steel, Fiberglass
Speaker(s): Jesse Saunders, Director of Operations, FRP Transmission Innovations, Butch Bernhardt, Sr. Program Manager, Western Wood Preservers Institute

11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

Poles Structures Part II - Ductile iron, Concrete, Q&A
Speaker(s): Warren Stewart, Managing Director, McWane Poles

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch with Vendor Displays

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Pole Management: Asset Management Approaches PNW Coast Range
Panelist(s): Philip Scougale, Professional Engineer, Snohomish County PUD, David Asgharian, Principal Engineer, PacifiCorp

We will hear from Snohomish County PUD and PacifiCorp's  Asset Management specialists will present on their Asset Management strategies with respect to pole replacements followed by a Q&A. Attend this session to learn about different techniques used for life extension of existing assets, the development of effective asset management practices, and other maintenance strategies to reduce life-cycle cost while maintaining transmission system performance.

2:30 PM - 3:15 PM

Break with Vendor Displays

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Pole Management panel: Asset Management Approaches West of the Cascades
Speaker(s): Joseph Koch, Electrical Engineer, Clark Public Utilities

This session will consist of a presentation by Clark County PUD. Clark will present on their Asset Management strategies with respect to pole replacements followed by a Q&A. Attend this session to learn about different techniques used for life extension of existing assets, the development of effective asset management practices, and other maintenance strategies to reduce life-cycle cost while maintaining transmission system performance.

3:50 PM - 4:50 PM

Mitigating Wildfire Risk For Utility Systems
Speaker(s): Duncan Eccleston, Project Manager, EDM International

Wildfires are a prominent risk for utility assets in the Western United States and risk mitigation methods are becoming increasingly essential for utility network preservation. This session will explore current best practices for wildfire risk mitigation in utility networks, methods for mitigating animal-caused ignitions and fire-retardant systems for wood utility poles.

4:55 PM - 6:45 PM

Reception with Vendor Displays

Thursday, September 22, 2022

7:30 AM - 8:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Emergency Recovery
Speaker(s): Kelly Miller, Supervisory Civil Engineer, Bonneville Power Administration, Jim Barnhart, Civil Engineer, Bonneville Power Administration

Join us in this session as we learn how BPA responds with short and long term solutions to different types of emergency events in their system.

9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Inspections: Contractor or In House, Pros and Cons
Speaker(s): Doug McGrew, Bonneville Power Administration, Jason Regan, VP Electric T&D System Inspections, Pacific Gas and Electric Company

9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

Break with Vendor Displays + Hotel Checkout

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM

Using Your Data for Pole Management
Speaker(s): Chad Newton, Sr Director, Wood Infrastructure Portfolio, Osmose Utilities Services, Inc.

Osmose will show how their data mining project, using existing inspection data with climate, soil and other data can help predict maintenance needs. 

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Sustainable Wood Pole Design for Resiliency
Speaker(s): Butch bernhardt, Sr. Program Manager, Western Wood Preservers Institute

Bigger may not be better — nor sustainable — when utilities look to improve system resiliency by increasing wood pole sizes. This presentation will show how utilities can incorporate sustainable forestry into resiliency efforts by designing overhead system that utilize more readily available pole classes.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch with Vendor Displays

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Pole Buying 101: What it takes to get wood pole from the timber to the Utility
Speaker(s): Matt Lloyd, Bell Lumber & Pole Co.

Oeser Company will all talk about the “behind the scenes” on what is involved prior to a pole becoming a pole.  They will discuss supply issues, cruising timber, land sales, timber buying, grading timber and other issues that come up.  Bring your questions for the extended Q&A session. 

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Roundtable Q&A and Closing Comments

Please bring any unanswered questions or last minute comments from previous sessions to this roundtable discussion.

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Conference Wrap Up

Those wishing to serve on the next planning committee are welcome to attend

Hotel + Travel

  • Embassy Suites Hotel Portland-Airport
  • 7900 Northeast 82nd Avenue
  • Portland, Oregon 97220
  • Phone: 503-460-3000

  • Click here to make your reservation now.
  • Reservation Instructions
  • Please contact the hotel directly at (503) 460-3000 to reserve your room. Identify yourself as being with Western Energy Institute (WEI) to receive a special rate of $189 USD/night. This rate is guaranteed until September 6, 2022 or until the WEI room block is full.

Vendor Displays

Registration Options
Conference Registration + Vendor Display: $649 USD
Vendor Display Assistant: $299

The Conference Registration + Vendor Display price increases $100 after August 22, 2022. Registration includes meeting materials, breakfasts, lunches, and networking reception, and a vendor booth in the exhibit hall. Registration includes (1) 6′ Table per vendor. Vendor is responsible for all cost associated with their booth such as power, shipping or internet access. Vendor Display Assistant registration includes exhibit hall, lunches, and networking reception. Does not include meeting materials or session attendance.

Shipping Information
Embassy Suites Portland Airport
Attn: Receiving
7900 Northeast 82nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97220

Packages should arrive no earlier than three days prior to the conference start date. All packages should include the following information: WEI Utility Pole + Overhead Systems Conference, September 21-22, 2022, and the number of boxes.

Vendor Display Schedule
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Set-Up: 7:00 AM – 9:45 AM
Display Times: 9:45 AM – 6:45 PM
Break with Vendors: 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
Lunch with Vendors: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Break With Vendors: 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM
Reception with Vendors: 4:45 PM – 6:45 PM

Thursday, September 22, 2022
Display Times: 9:45 AM – 1:30 PM
Tear Down: 1:30 PM
Break with Vendors: 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
Lunch with Vendors: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Onsite Safety + Health Info

Effective August 18, 2022, proof of vaccination status or results of a negative COVID-19 test will not be required for admittance into most WEI-hosted programs.

WEI continues to monitor all federal level CDC, Canadian government and public health agency recommendations, as well as local ordinances, as a policy baseline for in-person programs. We encourage all attendees to review the current guidelines related to isolation and precautions prior to traveling to a WEI event, as well as guidance for traveling to and from Canada, which may differ from guidance for traveling to or from the United States.

Some WEI-hosted programs may require proof of vaccination status, if essential for participation, in which case WEI will communicate this requirement in advance of the program start date.

Please refer to WEI’s Safety + Health Code of Conduct for other important considerations.

Meet The Speakers

Duncan Eccleston

EDM International

Project Manager

Gerald Presley

Oregon State University

Professor

Kelly Miller

Bonneville Power Administration

Supervisory Civil Engineer

Doug McGrew

Bonneville Power Administration

Butch Bernhardt

Western Wood Preservers Institute

Sr. Program Manager

Jeffrey Morrell

University of the Sunshine Coast

Director, National Centre for Timber Durability & Design Life

Philip Scougale

Snohomish County PUD

Professional Engineer

David Asgharian

PacifiCorp

Principal Engineer
Learn More

Dave has received his bachelor and master degree in Electrical Engineering from Portland State University in 1976 and 1978 and has obtained his professional Engineering License in 1984.

He is currently employed at PacifiCorp as senior lead engineer in charge of distribution overhead construction standard engineering. He has been field engineer serving Yakima and Medford territory of PacifiCorp for many years. Some of his duties at current position are to provide technical assistance to field engineers, operation managers and estimators in six states of Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. Also, Dave has been involved in power quality investigation, accident investigation, line construction standards, underground equipment, analyzing equipment & material failures, evaluation of customer loads, NESC code interpretations.

He has taught undergraduate engineering courses at PSU. Currently he is a senior member of IEEE, and member of WEI, ESUREC, P&ES, AWPA.

Joseph Koch

Clark Public Utilities

Electrical Engineer

Jesse Saunders

FRP Transmission Innovations

Director of Operations

Warren Stewart

McWane Poles

Managing Director

Aaron Loosli

McWane Poles

Western Regional Sales Manager

Matt Lloyd

Bell Lumber & Pole Co.

Chad Newton

Osmose Utilities Services, Inc.

Sr Director, Wood Infrastructure Portfolio

Jason Regan

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

VP Electric T&D System Inspections

Jim Barnhart

Bonneville Power Administration

Civil Engineer

Shaun Akers

PacifiCorp

Senior Engineer, Asset Management