Engineering & Operations Conference

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Program

The Engineering & Operations Conference offers four days of keynotes, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities from Sunday to Wednesday, March 31-April 3. Preconference seminars on Sunday, March 31 are a great value-add. Learn more about each of these offerings.

• Preconference seminars
• General sessions
• Breakout sessions 
  • Monday A.M. sessions
  • Monday P.M. sessions
  • Tuesday A.M. sessions
  • Tuesday P.M. sessions
  • Wednesday A.M. sessions
• Special conference events

Breakout Sessions

Benefit from engaging breakout sessions led by industry experts and public power colleagues — take home actionable ideas and tactics.

Breakout sessions are offered Monday through Wednesday, April 1-3. Several breakout sessions run concurrently in each time slot and you can go to any session you like (no need to select which breakout sessions you want to attend in advance). Browse sessions below or download the program [PDF] for a listing by date/time that you can share with colleagues and use to plan your itinerary. 

Breakout sessions cover topics in these tracks:

• Communications & Control
• Environmental
• Generation & Fuels
• Safety
• System Planning
• Transmission & Distribution
• Supply Management

Agenda at a Glance

Sunday, March 31

8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Registration

8:30 a.m. – Noon
Preconference Seminars

• Creating a Culture of Safety: Foundations of Communications Workshop
• Improve the Reliability of Your Distribution System

1:30 – 5 p.m.
Preconference Seminars

• Efficient Electrification: Electric Vehicles and the Evolving Grid
• Maintenance of High Voltage Electrical Distribution Systems
• Talent Wars: Are You Ready to Enlist the Millennials? (Offered free as part of the Association's Supporting Workforce Development strategic initiative)

5 – 6:30 p.m.
Welcome Reception

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Monday, April 1

7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Conference Registration

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Networking Continental Breakfast

• Recognition of RP₃ Recipients
• Recognition of Safety Award Winners
• 2019 Demonstration of Energy & Efficiency Developments (DEED) Award of Continued Excellence

8:30 – 10 a.m.
Opening General Session

• Board Chair Address: Public Power Matters (Coleman Smoak, Piedmont Municipal Power Agency)
• Opening Keynote: Transforming Millennial Myths into Workplace Breakthroughs (Crystal Kadakia, Invati Consulting)

10 – 10:30 a.m.
Break 

10:30 a.m. – Noon 
Breakout Sessions

• How to Be a Key Connector in the IoT World
• Self-Care for Disaster Responders
• Supply Management Opening Roundtable
• Environmental Regulatory Overview
• Bitcoin and Blockchain Mania: Managing Load and Costs

Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch on your own

1:30 – 3 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

• Leverage Your AMI Data to Provide Value
• Up Your Safety Game with the New eSafety Tracker
• Shore Up with New Lessons in Disaster Response (joint session)
• The Future of Fossil Fuels: An Insider Perspective

3 – 3:15 p.m.
Break 

3:15 – 4:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

• The Connected Utility: Integrating Software and Data (joint session)
• Deadline or Dead? Efficiency WITH Safety
• Power of the P-Card: Beware of Fraud (Purchasing cards)
• Balancing the Growing Renewables Portfolio
• Joint Action Agency and State/Regional Association Roundtable

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Expo Preview Hours

4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Vendor Expo Opening Reception

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Tuesday, April 2

7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Conference Registration

7:15 – 8:30 a.m.
Women in Public Power Networking Breakfast

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Networking Continental Breakfast in Expo Hall

8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

• Connecting in a Crisis
• The Train Reaction: How to Keep Your Employees
• New Technologies for a Well-Run Warehouse
• Energy Storage 101: The Life Cycle of Batteries and their Environmental Impacts (joint session)

9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
Vendor Expo & Refreshment Break

10:45 – Noon
Breakout Sessions

• Cybersecurity: Fix the Weakest Link First
• Mutual Aid and Preparedness Best Practices: Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan 
• Improving Your Bottom Line (Financial aspects and data analytics for supply management and inventory)
• Flip or Flop: Generation Edition (Sustainable redevelopment)
• Unpacking Integration at the Grid Edge

Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch on your own

1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

• Breakthroughs in Mobile Workforce Technologies
• Underground Lock to Lock: Ignore at Your Peril!
• Store Your Stuff (Storage systems)
• Virtual Power Plants: Lessons Learned on Integrating Distributed Energy Resources
• Project Delivery Methods: What's Best for You

2:45 – 3 p.m.
Break 

3 – 4:15 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

• GIS: Much More than Location Mapping
• Arc Flash and Protective Equipment: What's New
• Ethics in Logistics: Get it Right the First Time (Ethics in purchasing and procurement)
• State of the Waste: A Solid Waste and Coal Ash Regulatory Review
• Challenges and Benefits to Increasing Renewables: Find the Sweet Spot

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Operations and Reliability Power Hour

6 p.m.
Young Professionals Happy Hour
 

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Wednesday, April 3

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Networking Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 10 a.m.
Breakout Sessions

• Communications & Control Roundtable
• Safety Manual Roundtable
• Supply Management Roundtable
• Environmental Issues Roundtable: The Future of CO₂ Free Fuels
• T&D/System Planning Roundtable

10 – 10:30 a.m.
Break

10:30 a.m. – Noon
Closing General Session

• E&O Planning Committee Recognition
• Closing Keynote: Powering Your Leadership Brand: Strengthen Your Communication Skills and Professional Presence (Jeff Black, Black Sheep Communications)

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Registration

Conference Fees

Register by March 1, 2019, to receive these conference registration rates:

• Association Members: $775
• Nonmembers: $1,550

Pre-Conference Seminar Fees

Preconference seminars require a separate registration fee. Register by March 1, 2019, to receive these preconference seminar registration rates:

• Association Members (half day): $350
• Nonmembers (half day): $700

Seminars include:

• Creating a Culture of Safety: Foundation of Communication Workshop (8:30 a.m. - Noon)
• Improving the Reliability of Your Distribution System (8:30 a.m. - Noon)
• Efficient Electrification: New Technologies and System Impacts (1:30 - 5 p.m.)
• Maintenance of High Voltage Electrical Distribution Systems (1:30 - 5 p.m.)
• Digital Talent and the Utility Industry: When Millennials Take Over (1:30 - 5 p.m.) - FREE of charge (limited to 50 attendees)

After March 1, 2019, all registration fees will increase by $50.

Not an American Public Power Association member? Join today and save $775 on your conference registration. Call Member Services at 202-467-2936 to learn more.

Conference Mentor Program

If you’re a first-time attendee, or the only one from your organization, pair up with a seasoned conference-goer who’ll show you the ropes. Your mentor will meet you at the Sunday Welcome Reception and stay in touch with you throughout the conference.

Want to have a conference mentor or serve as one? Select the check box on the online or PDF registration form or contact us at [email protected]; 202-467-2965 by March 15 to participate.

Meals

The following meals/food functions are included in the registration fee:

Sunday, March 31
- Welcome Reception (light appetizers)

Monday, April 1
- Continental breakfast; Reception (appetizers)

Tuesday, April 2
- Continental breakfast

Wednesday, April 3
- Continental breakfast

Guest Registrations

Conference registrants may bring a guest to the Welcome Reception and the Vendor Expo Opening Reception.

Cancellation Policy

Registrants who cancel in writing on or before March 22, 2019, are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after March 22 will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for the 2019 Engineering & Operations Conference only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel on or before March 22 are responsible for the full registration fee and are not entitled to a refund.

Cancellations must be made in writing and emailed to [email protected].

Questions?

Email [email protected]

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Gold Sponsors

      

Hotel

The 2019 Engineering & Operations Conference will be held at The Broadmoor Resort (1 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80906).

The Broadmoor has remained one of the most recognizable and celebrated hotels in the world. Opened in 1918, its distinctive blend of history, luxury, and genuine hospitality have made it the longest-running consecutive winner of the AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star awards. The resort provides an unmatched selection of accommodations, activities, and experiences in the beauty and traditions of the American West. Whether it’s ziplining, horseback riding, fly fishing, or a day at the spa, you’ll find endless activities.

The Broadmoor Resort
1 Lake Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80906

• Group rate: $195 (Main Classic); $215 (Main Superior); $260 (West Superior)
• Check-in: 4 p.m. / Check-out: Noon 
• Main telephone: 1-719-623-5112
• Parking fee: Self-parking: $23/night; Valet-parking: $30/night; Daily: $4 for the first hour and $2 each add'l. hour (up to a max. of $12/day)​​
• Internet Access: Complimentary wireless internet in sleeping rooms

Reservations

• Reservation link: https://book.passkey.com/event/49773384/owner/8026/landing/closed
• Attendee group code: American Public Power Association
• Phone: 800-755-5011
• Reservation cut-off date: March 7, 2019 

Reservations & Cancellation Policy
The cut-off date to receive the Association group rate (plus tax) at The Broadmoor is Wednesday, March 7, 2019. If rooms remain in the Association's block after the cut-off date, the Association group rate will be honored. If not, you may be charged a higher rate. The room block may sell out before March 7, so early reservations are encouraged. 

Cancelled reservations that are not resold may become a financial liability for the American Public Power Association, so please make your reservations thoughtfully. 

Scam Alert
Please do NOT make hotel reservations through any third party that may contact you by phone or email. Attendees are encouraged to only use the online reservation links, phone numbers, and discount codes available directly from the Association, on our conference brochures and on the Association website for this event.

Transportation
The hotel is approximately 11 miles from the Colorado Springs Airport (COS), or 88 miles from the Denver International Airport (DIA). Visit www.broadmoor.com for more information and directions. 

Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is where Katharine Lee Bates wrote the lyrics to America the Beautiful. Enjoy the awe-inspiring "purple mountains" (Colorado Rockies) and the "amber waves of grain" (Great Plains). Come ascend majestic Pikes Peak and admire the exquisite sandstone spires of the Garden of the Gods. 

With more than 55 area attractions, including the U.S. Air Force Academy and one of the country’s three Olympic training centers as well as museums, parks, a zoo, and more, you’ll find no shortage of things to do. Whether you’re looking for outdoor thrills or educational and cultural activities, the possibilities are limitless. 

Discover more at www.visitcos.com.

Climate/Attire
The typical daily high temperature for Colorado Springs during the conference is 50° F with an average daily low of 20° F. As meeting room temperatures vary, prepare to dress for cool conditions. The attire for the conference is business casual.

Assistance
For assistance making your hotel arrangements, please contact Meeting Services at 202-467-2941 or [email protected].

Questions
Contact us at [email protected].

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where will the 2019 conference events take place?

All 2019 conference events will be held at The Broadmoor Hotel (1 Lake Ave., Colorado Springs, CO).

Where and when is the next Engineering & Operations Technical Conference?

April 19-22, 2020
Crowne Plaza Kansas City Downtown
Kansas City, Missouri

What educational credits are available?

Academy events include the following opportunities for educational credits:

• Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)
• Professional Development Hours (PDHs) as established by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
• Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Ccedits from the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)

Is there international registration?

Online meeting registration is for U.S. and Canadian residents only. International registrants must provide a signed registration form — signed by the authorized cardholder — if paying with a credit card. Fax the completed registration form to 202-495-7484 or email it to [email protected]. 

Alternatively, you could send a check from a U.S. bank payable to American Public Power Association. Please mail completed form with full payment to our bank lock box:

American Public Power Association
P.O. Box 418617
Boston, MA  02241-8617

Are meals included?

The following food functions/meals are included in the registration fee:

• Sunday - Welcome Reception (light appetizers)
• Monday - Continental Breakfast; Reception (appetizers)
• Tuesday - Continental Breakfast
• Wednesday – Continental Breakfast

What is the conference dress code?

The attire for the conference is business casual. Meeting room temperatures vary, so prepare to dress for cool conditions.

How can I present at the conference?

We welcome your topic and speaker ideas for future conferences and events. To submit your idea for consideration, complete this form. Conference topics are generally determined 6-8 months before the event is held. Ideas will be kept on file for a full year, so if the agenda for the conference has already been determined, your ideas will be considered for the next year’s event, or in case any space opens up in the current year’s program. You will be contacted only if your idea is selected for an upcoming conference.