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)
- Jeff Budke, Avista Corp
- Program Location
- Virtual Event
- No travel required. All agenda times are in Pacific time. Instructions to access the virtual event will be provided to the attendee before the program.
- 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: $199 USD
Regular: $299 USDRegistration includes attendance to all presentations and roundtable sessions.
- General Cancellation Policy
- To best serve WEI members and program participants during the COVID-19 pandemic, WEI will be waiving its standard cancellation policy for this virtual program. Registrants can receive a full refund should they need to cancel their registration up to the day before the program begins.
- 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
All session times are listed in Pacific time.
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Happy Hour
Join attendees and catch up with old friends and make new ones on the eve of the conference.
Wednesday, May 5, 2021
8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
Welcome & Introductions
Conference Chair will welcome everyone to the opening of the conference and introduce attendees.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
5G Impact and Issues
Speaker(s): Douglas Haberman, Wireless Attachments Program Manager, Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light’s Collocation Program Manager shares the applications and deployment of small cells in the SCL territory. The various types of installations will be covered
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Stretch Break
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Pros and Cons of Cable Replacement and Injections
Speaker(s): Karen Perzanowski, Sr. Standards Engineer, Clark Public Utilities, Rick Stark, Senior Engineer, Idaho Power Company
Two utilities share the pros and cons of cable injection to prolong the life of some underground cables. What things prompted one utility to switch from injecting cables to a cable replacement program, and from another utility that has done injection and replacement for the last 20 years.
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Overhead/Underground Practices, Products, 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 Rick Stark at rstark@idahopower.com.
Thursday, May 6, 2021
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
EV Load Issues and Solutions
Speaker(s): Joe Colett, Emerging Technologies Product Manager, Portland General Electric
Join us as we outline PGE’s experiences with growing number of EVs on the grid, and their effect on transformer loading.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Grounding and Bonding Considerations for MV Cable
This presentation will cover ground sizing, ground connections, and the effects of grounding on cable parameters. Join Okonite as they step through cable grounding considerations from NEC references to the effects on cable performance.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Stretch Break
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
A “Deeper Dive” into Electric Distribution Grid Hardening
Speaker(s): David James, Wildfire Resiliency Plan Manager, Avista Corp.
Recent wildfire events have elevated Wildfire as a top tier risk. Many utilities are embarking on some form of grid hardening activities including converting facilities from overhead to underground, insulating primary conductors, and using non-burnable materials. Avista is in the 2nd year of a 10-year program to ‘harden’ 40% of its distribution system. They will be sharing their techniques, tactics, and the value proposition that supports the effort.
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Overhead/Underground Practices, Products, 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 Rick Stark at rstark@idahopower.com.
12:45 PM - 1:00 PM
Closing words - meeting adjourns