The Operations Conference is WEI’s largest event. The annual in-person conference brings together hundreds energy industry professionals for three days of education and networking. In addition to general sessions with industry leaders and keynote speakers, the Operations Conference offers fourteen tracks with breakout sessions targeted to specific operations functions. A limited number of vendor displays and sponsorship opportunities are available to WEI member service companies.
Program Location
Oakland Marriott City Center
1001 Broadway, Oakland, California 94607
Who Should Attend
Electric and Natural Gas Energy Operations:
• Vice Presidents
• Directors
• Managers
• Supervisors
• Front line employees
• Control professionals
• Engineering professionals
• Planning personnel
• Substation professionals
• Electric transmission professionals
• Asset Management professionals
• Renewable Gas engineering and policy leaders
• Electric personnel responsible for wildfire mitigation, planning, and response
Registration Options
Member: $899 USD
Non-Member: $1,599 USD
Member registration price increases $100 and Non-Member registration price increases $200 after March 29, 2024. Registration includes full conference access and digital program materials through the app. Guest tickets are available for $99 and allow for a personal guest (a spouse or partner who does not work in the energy industry) to accompany a registered attendee at the event. Guest registration includes all meals and receptions.
For vendor registration information, please see the Vendor Display tab.
Please review our notice regarding third-party solicitations related to this and other events.
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.
For more information contact Beverly Woolf, Director of Programs at (971) 303-2294.
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Optional Networking Activities
See Networking tab for details including cost and times for the specific tours.
1:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Registration Desk Open
WEI staff will be on hand for you to pick up your nametag or get help downloading the conference app. Registration and lanyards sponsored by Tempest Management Services.
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Program Development Team and First-Time Attendee Meetup
We want you to get the most out of your experience at the Operations Conference. If this is your first time attending you’re invited to join other new attendees, along with members of the Program Development Teams, to network and make new connections.
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Sponsored by Hubbell Gas Utility Solutions
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
Breakfast sponsored by Black & Veatch
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Welcome Remarks
Speaker: Mike Delaney, Vice President, Utility Partnerships & Innovation, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Wifi sponsored by Henkels & McCoy West
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Balancing the Clean Energy Transition with Safety, Reliability, and Affordability
Speaker: Laszlo von Lazar, President, Energy & Process Industries, Black & Veatch
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Networking Break
Vendor Hall All Day Coffee Service sponsored by Burns & McDonnell
10:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Electric Distribution – Leveraging Brand Loyalty to Build a Sustainable Workforce
Electric Transmission – Preparation + Response: Natural Disasters + Extreme Weather Events
Gas Emergency Management + Response – Emergency Response – Preparing for the Worst, Responding as the Best
Grid Innovation – Battery Energy Storage Systems Showcase and Best Practices
Operational Leadership – Lead the Way: Digital Transformation and Operational Stability
SMS + Personal Safety – Personal Safety: Expanding Beyond “What’s in it for me?”
Workforce Management + Knowledge Transfer – Creating Effective and Scalable Change Management Strategies to Support Organizational Success
11:15 AM – 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch
Sponsored by Terex
1:15 PM – 2:30 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Electric Distribution – Smart Grid Modernization 2.0, and the use of Tesla Batteries
Electric Substation – People, Hiring, Training and Retention in a Post Covid Labor Market
Gas Operational Excellence – Silver Tsunami: How to be Very Prepared to Ride the Wave
Grid Resilience + Reliability – Bringing Climate Resilience and Adaptation into Integrated Planning
Low Carbon Fuels – A Framework for Evaluating Hydrogen Blending in Nat. Gas Transmission Pipelines
Methane Emission Reduction – Reducing Methane Emissions with Compression: What’s the Cost vs the Benefits?
Planning for Decarbonization – Decarbonization: Who’s Responsible? Comparing Utility Strategies
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Networking Break
3:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Electric Substation – Strategies for Maintenance and Replacement of Aging Infrastructure
Gas Damage Prevention + Integrity Management – Risk Modeling and the Use of Machine Learning
Gas Operational Excellence – Emergency Response – Strategy, Structure, Staffing, Safety
Grid Innovation – Virtual Power Plants as a DERMS
Methane Emission Reduction – Hydrogen Integration – Navigating The Transition From Natural Gas
Operational Leadership – Leadership and Development Through the Ranks
Workforce Management + Knowledge Transfer – Building and Retaining a Resilient Workforce: Strategies for Utilities to Compete in the Future
4:15 PM – 6:30 PM
Reception with Vendor Displays
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Leadership through Dynamic and Changing Times
Speaker: Lacey John, Senior Change Process Leader, Tucson Electric Power
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Networking Break
9:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Electric Distribution – Wildfire Risks and Strategies on the Electric Distribution System
Gas Emergency Management + Response – Emergency Survival: How to Keep Your Cool When Chaos Rules
Gas Operational Excellence – Materials Tracking and Traceability: Past, Present, and Future
Grid Resilience + Reliability – Leveraging Analytics to Advance the Asset Management Practice
Planning for Decarbonization – Adapting to Customer – Driven Decarbonization and Impacts on Utilities
SMS + Personal Safety – SMS Program Rollout + Implementation “Pitfalls and Solutions”
Workforce Management + Knowledge Transfer – Knowledge Transfer
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
Networking Break
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Electric Transmission – Elevate Your Construction: Aerial Helicopter Solutions
Gas Damage Prevention + Integrity Management – Accurate Mapping in an Untoneable World
Gas Emergency Management + Response – What Now? Navigating Utility Gas Emergencies in the Aftermath of an Incident
Grid Innovation – Exploring AI Applications for Grid Operations
Low Carbon Fuels – Bridging Supply and Demand for Renewable Natural Gas
Methane Emission Reduction – Advances in Leak Detection Technology
Operational Leadership – Front Line Leadership: Delivering on the Organization’s Vision
12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Networking Lunch
Sponsored by Charge
1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Electric Substation – Preserving Institutional Knowledge in the Face of an Aging Workforce
Electric Transmission – Brace for Impact: Broad Scale Electrification + The Transmission Grid
Gas Damage Prevention + Integrity Management – What’s Found Underground? Using TMS to Enhance Damage Prevention
Grid Resilience + Reliability – Risk and Prioritization for Energy Investments
Low Carbon Fuels – Is Today’s Regulatory Environment Aligned with Tomorrow’s Solutions?
Planning for Decarbonization – Innovative Pathways to Decarbonization: Emerging Technologies and DER
SMS + Personal Safety – Decoding Incidents: Root Cause Analysis + Effective Corrective Actions
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Networking Break
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Executive Panel
Panelists: Charlotte Mitha, Exec VP, Operations, BC Hydro
Laszlo von Lazar, President, Energy & Process Industries, Black & Veatch
Jason Glickman, EVP, Engineering, Planning & Strategy, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Workshop on Emergency Management
Speaker: Eli King, Energy Emergency Management Director, Washington State Department of Commerce
Facilitators: Larry Andrews, Director of Emergency Strategy and Operations, Southern California Gas Company
Elizabeth Paulsen, Sr. Project Manager, NV Energy
Jayson Lelli, Tacoma Power Emergency Manager, Tacoma Power
Kasey Olson, Emergency Management Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration
Kyle Broyhill, Emergency Preparedness Specialist III, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Emergency preparation and response is important to each and every one of us. This workshop will give everyone the opportunity to interact with people from different companies to share and learn from one another with the guidance of Emergency Management professionals.
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Wrap up and 2024 Planning
Courtyard Oakland Downtown
988 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 625-8282
Reservation Instructions
Make your reservations online or by calling the hotel directly at 510-625-8282. Identify yourself as being with the Western Energy Institute to receive a special rate of $209 USD per night plus state and local taxes. This rate is guaranteed until April 1, 2024 or until the WEI room block is full.
Oakland Marriott City Center
1001 Broadway
Oakland, California 94607
Phone: (510) 451-4000
Reservation Instructions
Make your reservations online or by contacting the hotel directly at (510) 451-4000 to reserve your room. Identify yourself as being with Western Energy Institute (WEI) to receive a special rate of $264 USD/night. This rate is guaranteed until March 25, 2024 or until the WEI room block is full.
Hampton Inn & Suites – Downtown Oakland
378 11th Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 607-8200
Reservation Instructions
Make your reservations online or by calling the hotel directly at 510-607-8200. Identify yourself as being with the Western Energy Institute to receive a special rate of $269 USD per night plus state and local taxes. This rate is guaranteed until April 1, 2024 or until the WEI room block is full.
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Tour of PG&E’s Electric Safety Academy
Capacity: 30
Cost: $100 USD
Join WEI for a tour of PG&E’s Electric Safety Academy in Livermore. Situated on 44, the property hosts between 100-200 Electric Operations coworkers each day. The training facility operates to provide best in class training for 10 apprenticeships and additional programs including Apprentice Line workers, Apprentice Electricians, Apprentice Cable Splicers, Estimator Bootcamp, drone training, and telecom training to name a few. The tour will include walking the facility and observing the training and skill assessments our coworkers complete daily in their training environment.
Long sleeve shirts/ pants and closed toe shoes are required. There is a limited supply of loaner equipment, but please bring a hard hat, safety vest, and safety glasses if you’re able. Transportation will be provided.
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Tour of Three PG&E Command Centers
Capacity: 25
Cost: $100 USD
PG&E has a number of different Corporate Command Centers geared toward functional & cross-functional problem solving, and we’ll tour three. The Plan Delivery Center, the Wildfire Risk Command Center, and Waste Elimination Center all have areas of interest for everyone. In addition to learning about and touring all three, the group will have the opportunity to attend the weekly operating review (WOR) meeting that various stakeholders and leaders attend to get the latest updates on various workstreams that affect Wildfire Risk.
The plan is to walk from the hotel, but transportation can be arranged on request. Lunch will be provided.
9:15 AM – 12:30 PM
Tour of PG&E’s Gas Control Center
Capacity: 20
Cost: $100 USD
Join WEI on a private tour of PG&E’s Gas Control Center in San Ramon. This state-of-the-art facility will be of interest to utility professionals from both the gas and electric industries. The Gas Control Center has been compared to an air traffic control center in that its high tech, real-time information provides an amazing level of visibility and communication for the transmission and distribution system. Tour includes a look at the Control Room Management Team who is responsible for advancements and compliance driven work within the Gas Control Center. This team is also responsible for developing, maintaining, and delivering the training in the GCC SCADA simulator.
Upon arrival at the facility, attendees will check in at the lobby security desk and will be asked to show a photo ID (driver’s license or passport).
Registration Options
Member Attendee + Vendor Display: $1,899 USD
Member Attendee + Premium Vendor Display: $2,999 USD
Member Vendor Display Assistant: $599 USD
Member Attendee + Vendor Display registration includes full conference access, digital program materials through the app, and includes you as the main vendor display representative with one (1) 6-foot skirted vendor display table for Wednesday and Thursday display events.
Due to its popularity and limited number of vendor tables, the Operations Conference vendor displays are available to WEI members only. If you are interested in becoming a WEI member, please reference the Member Benefits brochure for membership levels and their annual cost. For additional details please contact Kris Taylor.
There are 6 Premium Vendor Display Tables. To secure a Premium table, register for a Standard Vendor Display and email Kris Taylor that you are interested in upgrading to a Premium table. She will be arranging that separately.
Vendor Display Assistant registration is for companies who have already purchased a full vendor registration and would like to add an additional vendor representative for their display table. This registration ONLY includes vendor display access and does not include full conference or virtual event access. It does include all meals on Wednesday and Thursday, April 24 and 25. The Vendor Display Assistant pass does not provide access to General Sessions nor breakout sessions.
Vendor Display Schedule
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Set-up available
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Welcome Reception
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
7:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Check-in and set-up
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Break with Vendor Displays
11:15 AM – 1:15 PM: Lunch
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Break with Vendor Displays
4:15 PM – 6:30 PM: Reception with Vendor Displays
Thursday, April 25, 2024
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM: Breakfast with Vendor Displays
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM: Break with Vendor Displays
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Tear Down
Vendor Display Map
Shipping Information
All shipping & receiving will be done through the UPS Store at Oakland Marriott City Center and will incur fees. Request additional shipping information from Kris Taylor or contact the store directly.
Shipping labels must include the following:
C/O First Name, Last Name
Company Name [Table #]
Contact phone number
1001 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94607
*Packages that arrive more than four days before the start of the conference will accrue a storage fee.
Arrangements for power, audiovisual equipment, or other supplies may be made by contacting the hotel’s AV contractor Encore. Email Richard Wagner to arrange services and find more details on exhibitor needs here.