Aug. 18-20, 2010

1. Register online with TVPPA
2. Make your hotel reservations:
   Embassy Suites Hotel
   1200 Conference Center Drive
   Murfreesboro, TN 37129
   615.890.4464
   
   TVPPA room rate: $135 single/double ends July 28. Use the link above or call 615.890.4464 and use TVPPA online group code "TEO" to make hotel reservations.
   
   IMPORTANT: The hotel will hold the TVPPA room block until Wednesday, July 28. Early reservations are encouraged, since the room block could sell out prior to July 28. Reservation requests received after July 28 will be confirmed on a rate- and space-available basis.

PDE certificates will be presented at this Engineering & Operations Conference.

CPT certificates will also be presented at this Engineering & Operations Conference. If you have completed one of these programs and would like to receive your certificate at this conference, please contact the E&T department at training@tvppa.com. Certificates not presented at conferences will be sent by mail.

Wednesday, Aug. 18

Thursday, Aug. 19

Thriving in an Environment of Change
Regardless of your age or personal achievements, the best is yet to come! You can (and should) change your catalyst to a better you and a better life! Trainer, author and speaker Dr. Fred Broder will provide insights, strategies and techniques on how to improve your personal and professional level of success and happiness – even in an environment of dramatic, sometimes traumatic, change.

How and Why of the Rate Change
TVA has proposed a wholesale rate change that will impact TVPPA-member utility retail rates as well as software, metering, billing and other utility operations. This could be the first step toward time-of-use rates for all customer classes. TVPPA Pricing Manager Jim Sheffield will provide an update on issues surrounding rates. He has been on TVPPA’s staff since 2008, following a career with Southern Company, Mirant, and Morgan Stanley’s wholesale power origination office.

Update on TVPPA R&D Projects
“Smart Grid” is becoming a mantra in our industry. TVPPA’s Research & Development Committee is working on a joint project with TVA, EPRI, and local utilities to define a Smart Grid for the Tennessee Valley. TVPPA Consulting Engineer Bruce Harvey, P.E., CPE, will discuss planned demonstrations of several technologies that will yield actual, real-world results. He will also cover a report from NEETRAC on “temporary protective grounds,” as well as updates on several other projects of interest.

Concurrent Sessions (select one)

Auto-Sectionalizing Power Lines
Today’s electric customers are much less forgiving when it comes to power outages. This fact, coupled with increasing regulatory stress and industry-wide performance metrics, is challenging local utilities to minimize service interruptions. Clinton, TN, UB Assistant General Manager/E & O Director Ernie Bowles, P.E., left, and Todd Loggins, right, Clinton UB’s Technical Operations supervisor, will share how their utility is improving outage numbers by using state-of-the-art technology to auto-sectionalize portions of its distribution system.

Communications Aspects of AMI
One of the key aspects in deciding which AMI system to deploy is the type of communications a particular AMI system uses. Sean Dempsey, (photo not available) Business Development manager for Metering/Smart Grid at WESCO Distribution, will review the major communications media used with various AMI systems, including the strengths and weaknesses of each medium.

Latest Technology for
Testing & Diagnosing Transformers
Power transformers are critical, capital-intensive investments, which is why utilities perform routine tests periodically. There are, however, advanced diagnostics that can be performed. Will Knapek, training manager for OMICRON Electronics Corp., will cover these. Included are tip-up power factor/capacitance, variable frequency PF/cap, frequency response of stray losses (FRSL), and tap check (contact ripple). His presentation will provide a technical explanation of these advanced diagnostics and the benefits.

NESC Arc Flash: Compliance, Experience
When NESC 2007 included arc flash and FR clothing requirements, many utilities had questions about compliance. As part of the NESC code’s 2012 edition, the arc flash and FR clothing requirements are being changed. Brent McKinney, P.E., is manager of Transmission & Distribution for Springfield, MO, City Utilities. He represents APPA on the NESC SC8 committee, which wrote the original rules and is continuing to change them. He will explain controversial parts of the rules, provide details on the upcoming changes, and present the most recent field testing findings concerning 1,000-volt arcs.

Valley Experience with AMI
Appalachian Electric is implementing an RF (Radio Frequency) based AMR (Automated Meter Reading) system. Jim Greer, left, Planning Engineer at AEC, will talk on its functionality and the steps taken so far to deploy the system. He will also touch on future plans for taking advantage of some of the additional features available with the system along with the data it provides. PES Energize launched its AMI project in the fall of 2008. A growing number of their customers are connected to an IP collector that converts meter data into an Ethernet signal and transports the data through the utility’s high-speed fiber-to-the-home network. Wes Kelley, right, President/CEO of PES Energize, will describe the technologies used and discuss PES’ experience with AMI. Implementation of ACLARA’s AMI system has provided Gibson EMC with some unexpected benefits to internal and external customers. Charles Phillips, not pictured, VP of Engineering and IT at Gibson EMC, will explore their experiences and advantages of those benefits.

Automated Vehicle Locator
Nashville, TN, ES (NES) has utilized an automated vehicle locator (AVL) since 2002. It aids dispatchers in identifying crew locations and routing crews during an outage. As technology improves, earlier AVL systems become obsolete. In 2008 NES found itself in that situation, decided on a replacement and completed in May the first phase of the new installation. Ken Pierce, NES Telecommunications manager, will discuss how the utility decided on a new system, then provide an overview and live demo and share some unexpected benefits.

Concurrent Sessions (select one)

Power Quality Issues & Solutions
Customers are increasingly using equipment and processes that are more susceptible to power- system disturbances. Depending on the size and type of power-quality problem, the cost can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to millions. Tony Murphy, P.E., TVA Power Quality engineer, will cover actual power-quality cases, the findings from an ensuing investigation and the measures recommended to mitigate the problem. Included are switching transients, harmonic resonance, voltage magnification, voltage unbalance, voltage regulation, and elevated neutral-to-earth voltages.

NJUNS: Good for What?
The National Joint Utilities Notification System (NJUNS) is a not-for-profit consortium of utility companies, whose purpose is “efficient utility communication”. Roy Beavers, Executive Director NJUNS, Inc will discuss their web-based system that communicates and tracks information regarding a member’s joint utility ventures, including pole administration, pole attachment processing, joint trench ventures and oversize load utility releases.

Reducing System Losses
Nashville, TN, ES (NES) is achieving consumption loss reduction of 12 percent and peak loss reduction of 31 percent. Greg Johnston, left, NES Engineering supervisor/Design Engineering & Planning, will share how recent work with EPRI’s Green Circuit initiative uncovered the path to big savings. Appalachian EC, New Market, TN, is using system modeling to minimize losses and optimize power delivery. Joe McCarter, P.E., right, Director of Operations at AEC will provide the details and share the co-op’s “cash for clunkers,” program, identifying old, obsolete and unloaded transformers.

Vendor Exhibit area open with
coffee and soft drinks
(Embassy Suites guests receive
a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast)

Electric Transportation’s
Impact on Your Utility
Electric vehicles may create challenges for distribution utilities, including impacts to some localized assets and customer service systems. TVA’s James Ellis will help you gain insight into best practices for system planning, premise metering considerations, and enhancing customer experience strategies for plug-in electric vehicles. This session will also address how to educate customers in order to gain visibility of mobile loads, address trouble shooting in utility call centers and engage other plug-in readiness topics.

Experience with Generation Partners
Keeping up with today’s green energy technologies can be a challenge. With TVA’s Generation Partners Program now in full swing, how is your utility handling the challenges of implementation and integration? Larry Taylor, P.E., of Middle Tennessee EMC, Murfreesboro, TN, will share his experience with the program.  He will discuss how MTEMC has overcome some of the challenges.  Topics to be covered will include system connections, difficult situations, parameters, components, safety, billing, and logistics.

Refreshment Break in Vendor Exhibit area

Utility Exposure to Liability
Distributors remain targets for creative and novel claims and lawsuits brought by the public and attorneys representing those who claim they have been damaged by acts or omissions of our members. Attorney Larry Cash of Miller & Martin will address some of the more recent areas of potential liability facing distributors. He will also spend some time reviewing practical responses to these claims as well as proactive measures to prevent the filing of such claims.

TVA Power System Status
Doug Bailey, manager of TVA Transmission Systems Operations, will provide an overview of power-system constraints and drivers and transmission system concerns during low-load periods. His presentation will include a summary of how constraints are managed and a review of past “real-time” events.

Being A Survivor in Tomorrow’s Workplace
How do you plan for tomorrow when you’re overwhelmed by the demands of today? How do you carve out a leadership niche within your organization? Veteran businessman and humorist Fred Landiss, vice president of F&M Bank, answers these questions and more. As the 12th large bank chartered in Tennessee, much of F&M’s growth has been attributed to the offbeat but powerful strategies Landiss spearheaded. He will share how to survive and be successful in an unpredictable and hectic workplace.