Electric utility professionals meet to discuss current standards, materials and maintenance for mainly distribution operations. Agendas feature extensive roundtable discussion so that each delegate has an opportunity to submit questions and receive feedback from their peers. Presentations focus on new technologies, applications, and specifications available for designing, building and maintaining overhead and underground lines. Case studies highlight best practices and lessons learned, and attendees leave with the practical knowledge to improve efficiency, safety and reduce costs.
General Details
- Program Chair(s)
- Tyler Reinitz, PE T&D Standards, Snohomish County PUD
- Program Location
- Crowne Plaza Phoenix Airport
- 4300 E Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 85034
- Who Should Attend
- Standards engineers
- Design engineers
- Line technicians and engineers
- Reliability and quality testers
- T&D supervisors and suppliers
- Operations and maintenance managers
- Suppliers of distribution and substation products and services
- Registration Options
Member: $749 USD
Non-Member: $1,399 USDRegistration prices increase $100 after March 20, 2023. Registration includes attendance to all presentations, roundtable sessions, vendor area, comprehensive meeting materials and all food events. Guest tickets are available for $100 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 details about vendor registrations please check the Vendor Displays tab.
- 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
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
12:00 PM - 3:30 PM
SRP Sustainable Solutions and Investment Recovery Facility Tour
SRP has adopted aggressive waste diversion goals for office and industrial waste. The Sustainable Solutions department was created in 2019 to shift standard Investment Recovery practices to the Circular Supply Chain model. The facility houses several warehouses for repurposing spare parts, line hardware and an advanced conductor chopping operation to reclaim copper and aluminum.
4:45 PM - 5:30 PM
Registration
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Welcome Reception
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM
Registration + Breakfast
8:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Welcome
8:15 AM - 8:30 AM
Keynote
Speaker(s): Tony Tewelis, Vice President, Transmission & Distribution Operations, Arizona Public Service Company
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Major Overhead/Underground Conversion for Zero Lot Line Development
Speaker(s): Andra Flaherty, Principal Engineer, Snohomish County PUD
SRP has adopted aggressive waste diversion goals for office and industrial waste. The Sustainable Solutions department was created in 2019 to shift standard Investment Recovery practices to the Circular Supply Chain model. The facility houses several warehouses for repurposing spare parts, line hardware and an advanced conductor chopping operation to reclaim copper and aluminum.
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Vendor Platform
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Networking Break with Vendors
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Industry Topic
Speaker(s): Bret Staker, Regional Sales Manager – NW Region, Hubbell
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch with Vendors
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Supply Chain Panel Discussion
Panelist(s): Tyler Reinitz, Principal Engineer, T&D Standards, Snohomish County PUD, Jeff Budke, Principal Engineer, Electric Distribution Standards, Avista Corp., Rick Stark, Senior Engineer, Idaho Power Company, Craig Davis, Senior Vice President, Potelco Inc.
A panel discussion centering around responses and lessons learned in relation to the ongoing supply chain disruption in utility materials and equipment. Panelists will provide a brief presentation of actions and approaches taken by their respective companies in response to navigating the current purchasing and supply environment. Q&A discussion with the panelists will follow.
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Networking Break with Vendors
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Overhead/Underground Practices Product and safety Roundtable
Submit your roundtable questions to be included in the Practices, Product and Safety Roundtable discussions. Your questions will be compiled by area of interest and presented at the roundtable sessions, which includes supporting information or documentation necessary. Questions can be emailed directly to Joe Koch at jdkoch@clarkpud.com
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Reception with Vendors
Thursday, April 13, 2023
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM
Breakfast with Vendors
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Ufer Grounding System Presentation/Study Results
Speaker(s): William Hillary, P.Eng. Distribution Engineer – Standards and Projects, FortisBC
Traditional grounding and bonding, using ground rods can be challenging in areas with poor earth resistivity and when space is at a premium. Concrete encased grounding electrodes or Ufer Grounding can be an effective way to overcome the space limitations and perform as good as a traditional counterpoise in the short term and better in the long term. This session will discuss the chemistry, electrical characteristics and implementation strategies as applied in concrete.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Transformer Loading Analysis
Speaker(s): Rick Stark, Senior Engineer, Idaho Power Company
Presentation demonstrating how to leverage AMI meter data to analyze (residential) transformer loads; and using the data to identify and act on overloaded distribution transformers. This method leverages advanced meters in combination with ambient temperature to cast a projection of transformer winding health.
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Networking Break with Vendors + Hotel Checkout
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
Overhead/Underground Practices Product and safety Roundtable
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Single Phase Reclosers Panel
Panelist(s): Steve Pell, Global Product Manager – Outdoor Medium Voltage Systems, Siemens, Shantam Chavan, ABB Inc., Bret Staker, Regional Sales Manager – NW Region, Hubbell
Join this session as multiple manufacturers of single-phase reclosing devices are provided dedicated time to display, describe features and answer questions one their offering.
2:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Networking Break
2:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Underground/ Overhead Practices, Product, and Safety Roundtable
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Planning Future Topics
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM
Closing Comments/Meeting Adjourns
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Wrap Up Meeting
PDT members and those interested in planning the Fall 2023 meeting
Hotel + Travel
- Crowne Plaza Phoenix Airport
- 4300 East Washington Street
- Phoenix, Arizona 85034
- Phone: (602) 273-7778
- Reservation Instructions
Please contact the hotel directly at (855) 729-6011 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 March 10, 2023 or until the WEI room block is full.
Vendor Displays
Registration Options
Member Attendee + Vendor Display Table: $1,348 USD
Non-Member Attendee + Vendor Display Table: $2,298 USD
Member Vendor Table Only: $699 USD
Non-Member Vendor Table Only: $1,649 USD
Member Attendee + Vendor Display Table registration prices increase $100 after March 20, 2023. Attendee + Vendor Registration includes all meeting materials and sessions, you as the main Vendor Display representative, one (1) 6-foot skirted Vendor display table, Vendor Platform presentation, all meals and receptions. Guest tickets are available for $100 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.
Vendor Display Table Only Registration includes you as the main Vendor Display representative, one (1) 6-foot skirted Vendor display table, Wednesday display events, Wednesday breaks, lunch, Vendor Platform, Wednesday evening Reception and dinner. Meeting attendance is not included. Vendors that wish to attend speaker presentations and roundtable sessions should register both as a vendor and as a delegate for this industry forum. See the Attendee + Vendor option.
Additional Vendor Display Assistants may be registered for $299 each once the main Vendor Display Table registration is completed by someone in your company. Vendor Display Assistants are entitled to all Wednesday display events, breaks, lunch, evening reception and dinner.
Vendor Display Schedule
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Set Up: 6:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Display Times: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tear Down: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Vendor Platform: 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Break with Vendors: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Lunch with Vendors: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Break With Vendors: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Reception and Dinner with Vendors: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Please note that it is expected that vendors and attendees will attend all functions including the reception on Wednesday evening. Please feel free to network on your own Tuesday evening after 6:30 PM and Wednesday after 7:00 PM.
Shipping Information
Shipments should not be shipped more than three (3) business days prior to your event. All packages must be labeled as follows:
WEI Vendor
Vendor Company and Contact Name
Start Date of Function: 4/11/2023
Box ___ of ___
C/o Crowne Plaza Phoenix Airport
4300 E Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Please contact Traci Pepper with any additional questions.
