Back to Spring Institute Courses
Timing
Thursday, May 11 – Friday, May 12
Thursday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. – Noon
Course Overview
Underground distribution continues to be the installation method of choice in many applications on public power systems. Although the initial installation cost of underground distribution is almost always greater than equivalent overhead distribution, it offers a wide range of advantages including greater operating reliability, lower operating and maintenance costs, better public safety and, of course, reduced visibility and greater public acceptance.
Learn how to improve your utility’s policies, standards, and practices for planning, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining underground distribution and hear about current and emerging industry trends.
Course Topics
- Ensuring long-life cable installations
- A deeper dive into cable design, types and properties
- Cable manufacturing, standards and specifications
- Cable life extension methods
- Civil engineering considerations in underground distribution
- Underground structure types and functions
- Routing considerations for underground lines in an urban setting
- Route survey elements and procedures
- Engineering testing
- Installation of cable in underground structures
- Distribution system planning and capital improvements
- Key drivers for underground performance improvement
- System improvement goals
- Strategic system planning
- Improving underground distribution design criteria and standards
- Prioritizing capital investments
- Professional practice in utility underground line design
- Risk exposures and management strategies
- Legal and regulatory environment for utilities and engineers
- The underground line design process
Course Level
Basic/Intermediate: No prerequisites; no advance preparation. Some knowledge of underground distribution systems is helpful. It is highly recommended to attend this course in conjunction with the Underground Distribution Systems course.
What to Bring
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Participants are required to bring a scientific calculator or smart phone calculator app.
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The instructors recommend bringing a print copy (or having access to a digital copy) of the 2023 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) during class.
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Participants are also encouraged to bring interesting underground distribution photos, as well as their underground distribution design guides and standards to share.
Accreditation
The following continuing education credits will be provided, after successfully completing the session (click here to review requirements). Certificates will be available by June 2.
Recommended CEUs 1.1/PDHs 10.25/CPEs 12.3
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Recommended for
Designed for electric utility engineers, designers, technicians, and field personnel who are responsible for, or who make decisions concerning, distribution systems, as well as those involved in the management, construction, and operations aspects of distribution systems.
This course is conducted at a practical level and is appropriate for degreed engineers and engineering technicians, as well as non-degreed high school graduates with a general knowledge of the electric utility system.
This is a logical follow-up to the Underground Distribution Systems course. Even if your knowledge of underground distribution is limited or recent, this course will help prepare you to improve your utility’s policies, standards, and practices for planning, designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining underground distribution.
Instructors
M. Thomas Black, P.E., is an independent consultant and educator in the electric and gas utility industry. His experience includes both municipal (Colorado Springs and City of Fountain, CO) and investor-owned utilities across multiple jurisdictions in Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. His range of experience in the utility industry covers 30 years and includes planning and engineering, standards, construction and maintenance manager, energy delivery general manager and chief energy officer responsible for all aspects of energy supply, electric transmission and distribution and gas distribution. He also has extensive executive level experience including serving as chief energy officer and energy delivery general manager. Tom has also served on the boards of RMEL and the Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities and is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
R. John Miner, P.E., is an accomplished executive manager, educator and consultant with more than 45 years of experience in the electric utility industry. He is president of Collaborative Learning/Collaboration Unlimited of Austin, Texas. John has been an APPA instructor for more than 30 years and an instructor for the University of Wisconsin for 20 years. Before forming his own company, he worked as the Chief Operating Officer for the Austin, Texas, Electric Utility Department (now Austin Energy), as General Manager for Rochester Public Utilities in Minnesota, and as an assistant professor at the University of Houston. He is also the author of the first three editions of APPA’s Electric Utility Basics manual.
Erich Schoennagel, P.E., has cultivated over 45 years of experience in the electric industry. He is a former manager and engineer with CenterPoint Energy and managed the Transmission Project Engineering group. Erich served for 15 years as a member advisor and chairman of the Underground Transmission Task Force for the Electric Power Research Institute until his retirement from CenterPoint Energy. There he directed research related to underground transmission and superconductivity. He was a board member of the annual TSDOS symposium, and a former member of the American Concrete Institute 336 committee related to foundation design and construction.
Pricing
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Before April 17 |
After April 17 |
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Individual Course |
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Members |
$950 |
$1,050 |
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Others |
$1,900 |
$2,000 |
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Underground Bundle (save $200!) |
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| Members | $2,500 |
$2,700 |
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Others |
$5,200 | $5,400 |
*The Underground Bundle includes registration fees for both classes in the track: Underground Distribution Systems and Advanced Underground Distribution Systems.
See registration tab for more details and information on group discounts.
Questions?
- Registration: [email protected]
- Hotel: [email protected]
- Program/Content: [email protected]
- Billing: [email protected]
Register now!
Registration Fees
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Registration received by April 17 |
Registration received after April 17 |
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| Members | Others | Members | Others | |
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Accounting |
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| Accounting Bundle: 3 courses (save $300) | $2,475 | $4,950 | $2,775 | $5,250 |
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$1,050 | $2,100 | $1,150 | $2,200 |
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$675 | $1,350 | $775 | $1,450 |
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$1,050 | $2,100 | $1,150 | $2,200 |
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Cost of Service & Rate Design |
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| COS/Rates Bundle: 3 courses (save $300) | $2,100 | $4,200 | $2,400 | $4,500 |
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$675 | $1,350 | $775 | $1,450 |
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$675 | $1,350 | $775 | $1,450 |
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$1,050 | $2,100 | $1,150 | $2,200 |
| Underground Distribution | ||||
| Underground Bundle: 2 courses (save $200) | $2,500 | $5,000 | $2,700 | $5,200 |
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$1,750 | $3,500 | $1,850 | $3,600 |
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$950 | $1,900 | $1,050 | $2,000 |
Group Registration Discounts
Save money on each registration when your organization registers five or more people for the same class or bundle. The larger your group, the more you save! Registrations must be submitted on the same order (at the same time) to qualify for the group discount; discounts cannot be retroactively applied to previous orders.
If you need assistance, contact [email protected].
| Number of registrants | Class discount (per person) |
| 1-4 | n/a |
| 5-9 | $50 |
| 10-14 | $100 |
| 15-24 | $150 |
| 25+ | $200 |
Cancellations/No-Show/Refunds/Substitutions
Registrants who cancel in writing on or before May 1, 2023, are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after May 1 will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel by May 1 are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund. Cancellation requests must be made through your my.publicpower portal or addressed to [email protected]. If APPA cancels a course, you will receive a full refund.
Travel Arrangements/Hotel Parking
Travel arrangements and costs associated with hotel parking are the responsibility of the participants. APPA will not reimburse for changes in travel expenditures regardless of the cause.
Meals
A light breakfast, afternoon snack, and beverage breaks are included in the registration fee. All other meals are on your own.
Internet Access
Wi-Fi may only be available in hotel common areas (sleeping rooms and hotel lobby) and will not be available in APPA meeting rooms. Please make arrangements to use cellular data on your device or bring a MiFi or Internet hotspot for personal use. APPA will not provide a password for Wi-Fi.
Name Badges
Name badges can be picked up at the APPA registration desk at the hotel starting at 7:30 a.m.
Code of Conduct
Participants agree to abide by the APPA Code of Conduct. If participants engage in unacceptable behavior as outlined in the code, the Association may take any action it deems appropriate, including but not limited to, expulsion from the current and future meetings, with no warning or refund.
More information
Registration: [email protected]
Program/Content: [email protected]
Hotel: [email protected]
Billing: [email protected]
What to Bring
If you are enrolled in one of the following courses, please note the items to bring with you. If your course is not listed, you do not have to bring anything.
- Advanced Public Utility Accounting: Bring a copy of your annual financial statement. Instructors will answer your questions on presentation and application of accounting policies and practices.
- Cost of Service Workshop: Implementation and Applications: Participants are required to bring a laptop with Excel and PowerPoint, to work through in-class exercises.
- Basic and Advanced Underground Distribution Systems
- Participants are required to bring a scientific calculator or smart phone calculator app.
- The instructors recommend bringing a print copy (or having access to a digital copy) of the 2023 National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) during class.
- Participants are also encouraged to bring interesting underground distribution photos as well as their underground distribution design guides and standards to share.
Class Start/End Times
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Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday May 10 |
Thursday May 11 |
Friday May 12 |
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Accounting |
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Public Utility Accounting |
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. | |||
| Work Order & Asset Management Accounting | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | ||||
| Advanced Public Utility Accounting | 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. | 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | |||
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Cost of Service & |
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| Basic Cost of Service & Key Financial Concepts | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | ||||
| Strategic Rate Design: Trends and Distributed Generation Impacts | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | ||||
| Cost of Service Workshop: Implementation and Applications | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. | |||
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Technical Training |
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Underground Distribution Systems |
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. each day | ||||
| Advanced Underground Distribution Systems | 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | 8 a.m.-Noon | |||
Registration/Name Badges
Name badges can be picked up at the APPA registration desk at the hotel starting at 7:30 a.m.
Meals
A light breakfast, afternoon snack, and beverage breaks are included in the registration fee. All other meals are on your own.
Hotel & Location
Click here for hotel and location information.
Dress code
The attire for the Institute ranges from business casual to casual—whatever you're comfortable in. Meeting room temperatures vary, so prepare to dress for cool conditions.
Cancellations/No-Show/Refunds/Substitutions
Registrants who cancel in writing on or before May 1, 2023, are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after May 1 will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel by May 1 are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund. Cancellation requests must be made through your my.publicpower portal or addressed to [email protected]. If APPA cancels a course, you will receive a full refund.
Travel Arrangements/Hotel Parking
Travel arrangements and costs associated with hotel parking are the responsibility of the participants. APPA will not reimburse for changes in travel expenditures regardless of the cause.
Where and when are the next Education Institutes?
Fall Institute
Sept. 30 - Oct. 4, 2024
Seattle, Washington
Questions?
Email [email protected].
Contact Us
- Registration: [email protected]
- Hotel: [email protected]
- Program/Content: [email protected]
- Billing: [email protected]
Earn While You Learn!
Participate in APPA programs to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs).
What educational credits are available?
You can earn the following kinds of continuing education credits for attending live virtual and in-person sessions—provided the following requirements are met:
Requirements for Successful Completion: In-person
- Attendees must sign in each day, attend (and participate) in the entire course and complete an evaluation form at the end of class
- Partial credit cannot be given for partial attendance
- Attendance is monitored by an APPA staff member and the instructor
- Completion certificates will be added within 2 weeks to member profiles on the APPA website (for those who meet the requirements)
Continuing Education Units (CEUs): The American Public Power Association is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. For information regarding certification status, attendance requirements and obtaining attendee transcripts, contact [email protected] or 202-467-2921. Verify our IACET Accreditation.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits: The American Public Power Association is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org. Unless noted, there are no prerequisites for the courses offered and no advance preparation is required. Courses are group-internet based offerings at the basic program level (unless otherwise noted). Credit hours and areas of study for the courses are listed on the individual course pages. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as clarification of requirements, complaints, and refunds, please contact [email protected].
Professional Development Hours (PDHs): The American Public Power Association’s educational practices are consistent with the criteria for awarding Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Course eligibility and number of PDHs may vary by state.
