Overhead Underground Electric Distribution (Oct 24-26)

Powertech Labs Inc. (PLI), operating in Surrey, BC, since its inception in 1979, is a wholly owned subsidiary of BC Hydro. Powertech is internationally recognized for the technical expertise related to the power utility industry, equipment manufacturers (OEMs), clean energy, transportation, and other markets. Powertech offers services and solutions including performance and type testing, asset management solutions, engineering studies, power system modelling and analysis to the electric utilities energy clients, including BC Hydro, and other sectors globally. We pride ourselves on being one of the largest testing, research, and development facilities in North America, supporting the industry with specialized testing, qualification, standard, and custom testing for North American and Global markets. Please visit us at www.Powertechlabs.com for more information.

Join us as we tour a combination of the following labs: 
1)  High Voltage Laboratory
2)  Grid Modernization/Grid Automation Laboratory
3)  Material Lab/ Non-destructive/ Electron Bean Microscope testing laboratory
4)  Mechanical Lab
5)  Electrolyzer, H2 production
6)  Advance Transportation (EV charger and Hydrogen Fueling Systems)
7)  R&D Chemistry laboratory
8)  High Power laboratory

• Attendees must rsvp for the tour when registering. 
• No PPE is required,
• Please wear closed toe shoes
• Must have a passport or driver's license to check in with security.
• If you have any difficulty registering, please contact Traci Pepper at pepper@westernenergy.org for help. 

Registration will open prior to the start of the welcome reception, so stop by and pick up your name badge and conference information. One less thing to do in the morning!

Join us as we kick off the Fall 2023 Overhead Underground Electric Distribution conference with this welcome reception.  Come see old friends and make new ones before the start of the conference. 

If you did not pick up your badge and conference information at Tuesday night's reception, please stop by prior to the welcoming comments at 8:15 am. Enjoy breakfast with your fellow attendees.

Jacqueline Spray, Division Manager-Customer Connections, Design Programs & Services, & Vancouver Island Distribution Design, will open the conference as she shares with attendees some of BC Hydros accomplishments this year and what they have in store for 2024. 

Industry experts will give a presentation and lead a group discussion about the theory, development of standards and field practices associated with “Equipotential Grounding and Bonding”. Real life field examples will be presented and discussed as we attempt to understand the challenges associated with applying equipotential grounding practices and how we can support safe grounding and bonding practices for field personnel.

Learn about the service companies that are supporting the conference with a quick 2-minute introduction of products and services. Start a must visit list so you can get more information as you visit their booths. 

Take this time to visit with vendors while refreshing your coffee and having a quick snack before the start of the next session. 

Energy storage is playing an increasingly important role in the utility landscape.  This presentation will review some of Snohomish PUD’s current projects involving battery energy storage and distributed energy resources. 

Enjoy a delicious lunch with your peers and continue the conversations and insights from the morning's presentations. 

Join us as we talk about hardening the electric system to prevent wildfires.

The presentation and material handouts will not be available for this session. We ask that attendees refrain from taking photos during the presentation. Per WEI policy, recording of the session is not permitted.

Take this time to visit with vendors while refreshing your coffee and having a quick snack before the start of the next session. 

    
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  

Join us as we close out the first day of the conference with some quality time with vendors and peers. Hope to see you there. 

Get excited about the upcoming sessions for the day while visiting with your peers at the morning breakfast. 

Transformer Thermal Analysis is used to proactively manage and mitigate the risk of unplanned customer outages due to distribution transformer failure. This presentation will demonstrate the use of Advanced Metering Infrastructure combined with local ambient temperate data to give insight into the insulation heath of distribution transformers. The calculation methodology is based on IEEE C57.91 – Guide for Loading Mineral-Oil-Immersed Transformers.

British Columbia has an ambitious goal of 100% zero emission vehicle sales by 2035. B.C. also leads EV adoption in North America with over 20% of new vehicles sold being electric. BC Hydro has played an integral role is educating, supporting and enabling EV adoption over the last decade. One example is developing a public charging network to reduce barriers to EV adoption and remove “destination anxiety”. Learn how BC Hydro takes an integrated approach to planning and deploying public charging designed to be convenient, reliable and affordable as well as BC Hydro’s goal to expand to over 3,000 public fast charging ports over the next ten years.

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  

Make sure you take time to share contact information with your peers during this last lunch gathering and get those last-minute questions ready for the second part of the day. 

With the increase in high-density housing, so does the need for providing power in a limited space. In this session, we welcome [list of presenters Avista, BC Hydro, and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (still trying to get a 4th)] to present on standards they have implemented to serve high rise and multifamily housing projects. Attend this session to learn about different strategies utilities use to locate equipment (transformers, switches, etc.) and what metering practices are used to serve these developments. A short Q&A session will follow presentations as time allows.

Please make sure you join us as attendees have the opportunity to help mold the 2024 conference with recommendations of topics, issues they are facing and giving ideas on the structure of the conference.  This is a great time to ask about the planning team or possible speaking opportunities. 

This will close the conference down with any last words from the planning team, attendees or WEI. Safe Travels to All!!

Available PDT members will stay and talk with attendees about joining the planning team or ideas attendees may want to elaborate on. Hope to see you there if you are able to stay over.