National Conference

This event has been cancelled

We encourage you to check out the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting, which will be held over the same dates as the National Conference, so you can still connect with the national public power community.

Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

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Program

The National Conference program will offer three days of keynotes, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities from Monday, June 8 to Wednesday, June 10. Preconference seminars, which will be held on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, are a great value-add. 

• Preconference seminars
• General sessions
• Breakout sessions
  • Monday A.M Sessions (11 a.m. - Noon)
  • Monday P.M. Sessions (1:30 - 2:30 p.m. and 3 - 4 p.m.)
  • Tuesday A.M. Sessions (11 a.m. - Noon)
  • Tuesday P.M. Sessions (1:30 - 2:30 p.m.)

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, June 8 and Tuesday, June 9. Several breakout sessions run concurrently in each time slot; attendees can go to any sessions you like.

Sessions will cover the following tracks or topic areas:

• Public Power 101
• Community Engagement
• Cyber & Physical Preparedness
• Governance
• Innovation
• Leadership
• Legislative & Regulatory
• Renewables & Power Supply
• Utility of the Future

 

Agenda at a Glance

Friday, June 5

8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Public Power Day of Giving

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Saturday, June 6

8:30 a.m. - Noon
Preconference Seminars

• Behind the Switch: How Electricity Flows to Your Community
• Performing a Utility Financial Check-Up

9 a.m. - Noon
Association Board of Directors Meeting

1:30 - 5 p.m.
Preconference Seminars

• A Decentralized Grid: What Does it Mean for You?
• Rate Design: Long-term Strategies to Recover Costs

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Sunday, June 7

8:30 a.m. - Noon
Preconference Seminars

• Evaluating CEO and Board Performance
• Building Back Stronger: Disaster Recovery and Resilience Funding
• Electrification: Managing New Loads for Revenue Growth
• Strategic Planning for Long-term Utility Effectiveness

11 a.m. - Noon
PMA Task Force Meeting

1 - 2 p.m.
Joint Action Agencies Meeting

1:30 - 5 p.m.
Preconference Seminars

• Building and Keeping a Strong Board for Your Utility
• Creating and Sharing a Well-balanced Compensation Plan
• Using AMI Data in Utility Decision Making
• Energy Storage is Changing the Paradigm: Are You Ready?

2 - 4 p.m.
Advisory Committee Meeting

4 - 5 p.m.
FERC/NERC Issues Briefing

5 - 6 p.m.
Women in Public Power Reception 

6 - 7:30 p.m.
Welcome Reception 

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Monday, June 8

7 - 8:15 a.m.
PowerPAC Breakfast

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

• State of Public Power, Joy Ditto, President & CEO, American Public Power Association
• What Happens in DC Doesn't Stay in DC, Paul Begala, Political Analyst and Commentator, CNN

9:30 - 11 a.m.
Guest Breakfast 

11 a.m. - Noon
Breakout Sessions

• Public Power 101: What Sets Us Apart
• Close Encounters of the Fraud Kind
• Is Your Community Ready to Be a Smart City?
• I Saw You on TV! Building a Media Relations Strategy
• The Only Constant is Change Management
• Benchmarking for Excellence: How to Up Your Operations Game
• Securing Your Supply Chain
• Hot Issues in Congress in 2020

11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Public Power Expo: Preview Hours

Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch (on your own)

1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

• Cybersecurity 101: Risks and Resources
• Advocate for Public Power Now, Protect Your Utility Later
• Boost Your Revenue through Strategic Electrification
• Making Net Zero Happen: Strategies for Sustainable Transformation
• Competitive Pay Pays: How Do You Measure Up?
• Small, Rural, and Smart: Applying Technology Outside the Big City
• Demystifying Digital Transformation for Public Power Utilities
• What's Driving Public Power's Bond Ratings? 

3 - 4 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

• Governance 101: Duties, Responsibilities and Legal Obligations of Public Power Policymakers
• Taking Economic Development to the Next Level
• Electric Vehicle Project Showcase
• Innovations in Nuclear Energy
• Leadership from the Past, for the Future
• What Do Customers Really Want? 
• Protecting Sensitive Information
• Deciphering the Federal Communications Laws

4 - 6 p.m.
Public Power Expo: Grand Reception

6 p.m.
Young Professionals Happy Hour

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Tuesday, June 9

8 - 10 a.m.
Awards & General Session

• The Future is Stranger than Sci-Fi, Peter Singer, Renowned Futurist and Bestselling Author

10 a.m. - Noon.
Public Power Expo

11 a.m. - Noon
Breakout Sessions

• Strategic Planning 101: Planning Amid Disruption
• Show It and Tell It: The Value of Your Utility
• Deploying Drones: Your New Partner in Reliability and Safety
• Public Power's Role in a Clean Energy Transformation
• Small Utility Roundtable
• Leveraging Broadband for Your Utility
• Mutual Aid: What's Changed and What's the Same
• Market Trends and Public Power

Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Public Power Expo: Closing Luncheon

1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions

• Financial Stability 101: Assessing Your Financial Health
• Public Power: Coming to a Community Near You
• Energy Storage: Beyond Batteries
• Scaling Up Your Renewable Energy Efforts
• Succession Planning: Capturing Lessons from the Past for Future Success
• Don't Let Your AMI Go to Waste
• I Was Hacked: True Stories from Utilities
• Modernizing PURPA: How Proposed Changes Could Affect Your Utility

2:45 - 4:15 p.m.
General Session

• A Hacker's Guide to Cyber Threats, Joshua Crumbaugh, Co-Founder, Chief Hacker and CEO, PeopleSec

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Association Business Meeting

7:30 - 10 p.m.
Community Block Party: Celebrating 80 Years

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Wednesday, June 10

8 - 10:30 a.m.
Chair's Breakfast & Closing General Session

• Play to Win: Boosting Personal Resilience and Performance, Bonnie St. John, Paralympic Ski Medalist and Fortune 500 Business Consultant

10:30 a.m.
Conference Adjourns

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Platinum Sponsors  

    

 

     

 

 

 

This event has been cancelled

We encourage you to check out the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting, which will be held over the same dates as the National Conference, so you can still connect with the national public power community.

Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

National Conference Fees

Register by May 8, 2020, to receive the following rates. After May 8, all registration fees will increase by $50. 

	Association Members	Nonmembers
National Conference	$825	$1,650
Preconference Seminars (each)	$350	$700

Not yet an American Public Power Association member?  Join today and save $825 on your conference registration. Call Member Services at 202-467-2936 to learn more. 

 

Guest Registrations

Guests: $200 (each)

All guest registrations must be accompanied by a National Conference attendee registration. Children age 12 and under do not need to register. 

Registered guests are invited to participate in the Welcome Reception; Guest Breakfast & Activity; Public Power Expo Grand Reception and Closing Luncheon; Tuesday evening special event; and Chair’s Breakfast. Guests may also attend keynote sessions as space allows. Guests are not permitted to attend concurrent sessions.

 

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? Check the box when you register, or contact us at [email protected]; 202-467-2965 to participate. 

 

Meals

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

• Sunday: Reception
• Monday: Reception (Public Power Expo)
• Tuesday: Lunch (Public Power Expo)
• Wednesday: Breakfast (Chair's Breakfast/Closing General Session)

 

Cancellation Policy

Registrants who cancel in writing on or before May 29, 2020, are entitled to a refund of their registration fee, minus a $50 cancellation fee. Registrants who cancel after May 29 will not receive a refund, but attendee substitutions will be allowed for the 2020 National Conference only. Registrants and no-shows who do not cancel on or before May 29 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

    

      

 

     

 

This event has been cancelled

We encourage you to check out the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting, which will be held over the same dates as the National Conference, so you can still connect with the national public power community.

Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

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Conference Location & Hotels

If you already made your hotel reservations for the 2020 National Conference, you will need to contact the hotel to cancel your reservations. APPA was holding room blocks at three hotels: 

Hyatt Regency Long Beach 200 S Pine Ave Long Beach, CA 90802 Main Telephone: (562) 491-1234 Reservation Telephone: (800) 233-1234 Manage your reservation:  Go to: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/LGBRL/G-AMPP Click the link to"modify or cancel your group reservation," next to the yellow "find rooms" button

Renaissance Long Beach Hotel 111 E Ocean Blvd Long Beach, CA 90802 Main Telephone: (562) 437-5900 Reservation Telephone: (877) 622-3056 Manage your reservation: Go to: https://book.passkey.com/go/2020AAPANationalConference Click "Manage existing reservation" under the orange "Make a reservation" button

The Westin Long Beach 333 E Ocean Blvd Long Beach, CA 90802 Main Telephone: (562) 436-3000 Reservation Telephone: (800) 937-8461 Manage your reservation:  Go to: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1576619175878&key=GRP&app=resvlink Click the "My Trips" link in the top right corner

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

Reservations & Cancellations
The cut-off date to receive the group rate at these hotels is May 15, 2020. The room blocks may sell out before May 15, so early reservations are encouraged. Make your reservations directly with the hotels using the links or telephone numbers above.

Cancelled reservations that are not resold may become a financial liability for the 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. Use only the online reservation links, phone numbers, and discount codes available directly from the Association—in conference brochures and the website at www.PublicPower.org.

Transportation
Attendees flying into Long Beach can choose to fly into one of these 3 regional airports:

• Long Beach Airport (LGB) - approx. 11 miles from the Long Beach Convention Center and hotels
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) - approx. 22 miles from the Long Beach Convention Center and hotels
• Orange County John Wayne Airport (SNA) - approx. 24 miles from the Long Beach Convention Center and hotels

Long Beach

Located in the heart of sunny Southern California, Long Beach blends urban sophistication with the relaxed atmosphere of a beachside community. Discover world-class attractions like the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific and the Queen Mary, cutting-edge museums, award-winning restaurants and a thriving, multi-faceted arts and culture scene.

Satisfy your inner urbanite at downtown Long Beach’s vibrant waterfront scene. From eclectic neighborhoods to sandy beaches, you’ll find Long Beach to be an urban waterfront playground. Visit museums, tour a 1930s ocean liner and watch sea lions at Long Beach’s aquarium. Enjoy live performances and cruise Naples canals. Spot dolphins at play on your way to Catalina Island. Or take a short jaunt to visit Los Angeles, Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, or other Southern California attractions.

Discover more at www.visitlongbeach.com. 

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

Questions?
Contact us at [email protected].

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Mobile App Sponsor

 

Silver Sponsors

This event has been cancelled

We encourage you to check out the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting, which will be held over the same dates as the National Conference, so you can still connect with the national public power community.

Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

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Frequently Asked Questions

I already registered for the National Conference. What happens to my registration?

We are transferring all National Conference registrations to the new Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting. And because we will be offering the new Public Power Connect Virtual Summit at a lower price point than the National Conference, we will refund you the difference. These registration updates and refunds will happen automatically; you do not need to do anything for us to process these changes for you.

If you do not want to participate in the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit, let us know by emailing [email protected], and we will refund your full National Conference registration fee. 

 

Can I get a refund for my National Conference registration? 

Yes, if you do not wish to participate in the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting, email [email protected], and we will refund your full National Conference registration fee. 

I registered for a preconference seminar. What happens now?

You will receive a full refund for any preconference seminars you have already registered for. These refunds will be processed automatically; you do not need to do anything to initiate this refund process. 

As we move forward, APPA will be investigating opportunities to bring some of these courses to you in the future, perhaps in a virtual environment or in conjunction with future in-person events. 

I registered a guest for the National Conference. What happens now? 

APPA will fully refund all guest registration for the National Conference. These refunds will be processed automatically; you do not need to do anything to initiate this refund process.

 

What is the process for refunds? 

Our Finance team will be working to make all refunds as quickly as possible. Refunds will be applied back to the method of payment. This means if you paid via credit card, the amount will be credited back to that same card. If you paid by check, we may need additional paperwork from you to process the refund. Our Finance team will contact you if additional information is needed. 

Because of the higher than normal volume of refunds we will be processing, our goal is to process all refunds within 6 weeks of the cancellation of the National Conference. If you do not receive your refund by June 5, please contact [email protected].  

 

Will the Day of Giving still take place? 

Unfortunately, APPA will not be able to host the Day of Giving community service activities this year at the National Conference, but we know public power utilities around the country go above and beyond to serve their local communities year-round, especially now when so many communities are in need. 

We encourage you to share how your utility and employees are giving back to your local communities by sharing your photos and stories on social media with the hashtags #PublicPower #DayofGiving

If you would also like to support the organizations we were going to work with in Long Beach, you can learn about them here: 

• A Sense of Home
  A Sense of Home strives to prevent homelessness by creating first-ever homes for youth aging out of foster care with donated furniture and home goods. 
   
• Alamitos Beach Clean-Up
  Alamitos Beach is an important part of Long Beach's environment, community and culture, relying on volunteers to help protect the local ecosystem and wildlife for everyone to enjoy.
   
• WAGS Pet Adoption
  WAGS shelters and cares for companion animals, investigates and combats animal cruelty, rescues neglected pets, treats sick and injured strays, and educates the community about humane issues and responsible pet care. 

Do I need to cancel my hotel reservation? 

Yes, if you already made a hotel reservation for the National Conference, you will need to cancel your own reservation. 

• Hyatt Regency Long Beach
  Main Telephone: (562) 491-1234
  Reservation Telephone: (800) 233-1234
  Manage your reservation online: 
  • Go to: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/LGBRL/G-AMPP
  • Click the link to "modify or cancel your group reservation," next to the yellow "find rooms" button
     
• Renaissance Long Beach Hotel
  Main Telephone: (562) 437-5900
  Reservation Telephone: (877) 622-3056
  Manage your reservation:
  • Go to: https://book.passkey.com/go/2020AAPANationalConference
  • Click "Manage existing reservation" under the orange "Make a reservation" button
     
• The Westin Long Beach
  Main Telephone: (562) 436-3000
  Reservation Telephone: (800) 937-8461
  Manage your reservation: 
  • Go to: https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1576619175878&key=GRP&app=resvlink
  • Click the "My Trips" link in the top right corner 
     

Is the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting the same as the National Conference? 

They are not the same meeting, but we’ve designed the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit to help meet the needs of the public power leaders, policymakers and experts who would normally attend the National Conference. Importantly, we will also hold our Association Annual Business Meeting to vote in the new Board of Directors and consider policy resolutions.

What’s different:

• The format, obviously. Public Power Connect is an entirely virtual summit; you won’t need to leave your home or office to fully participate in the meeting. 
• It’s a more streamlined event. We’ve condensed the scheduled so most of the meeting happens over two days, and to make the agenda more accessible for members attending across multiple time zones. In the coming months, APPA will be looking for other ways to bring some of the sessions we had planned for the National Conference to our members, possibly as webinars or other virtual events.
• We've added a new general session panel on managing through COVID-19 to the agenda.
• Sadly, the Public Power Expo will not be part of the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit, but we will continue to offer ways to help you connect with our associate member and vendor partners via other virtual events and in-person events later in the year.  

What’s the same:

• Public Power Connect features some of the same keynote speakers and breakout session topics that you were looking forward to on the National Conference program, including Paul Begala, Peter Singer, Joshua Crumbaugh, and the first State of Public Power address from APPA’s new CEO, Joy Ditto.
• The opportunity to network with public power leaders remains the same. While the format is different, Public Power Connect will allow participants to have face-to-face discussions to talk about the issues and challenges they face.
• Association Business Meeting and Changing of the Guard. As mentioned above, in addition to the networking and educational elements, the National Conference also includes an important governance component—the transition of our Board of Directors' leadership and consideration of our policy resolutions at the annual business meeting. These events will now take place at the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit. 
• Recognition of national awards. We will present the winners of the Association’s utility services awards, individual leadership awards, and the Alex Radin Distinguished Service Award at the virtual event.
• Celebration of the American Public Power Association’s 80th anniversary. While we had hoped to celebrate this milestone together in Long Beach, we’re excited to be able to mark the occasion with you at this new virtual event. What better way to honor 80 years of public power utilities joining their voices and interests together, than for us to come together once again – despite circumstances that keep us apart – to share strategies and solutions to continue serving our communities and power on? 

What is a virtual event?

A virtual event simulates an in-person event, but involves people interacting online, rather than in a physical environment. 

APPA is committed to delivering an engaging, accessible, and inclusive platform to convene the national public power community to connect, learn, and share knowledge and solutions. We are working quickly to develop an informative and engaging virtual experience, allowing participants to easily access important topics and sessions, and to connect with other participants for face-to-face conversations using video chats. Specifics regarding the new virtual experience will be shared in the coming weeks.

 

Will the Virtual Summit be held on the original National Conference dates? 

Yes, the Public Power Connect Virtual Summit & Business Meeting will be held June 8-10, over the original National Conference dates.  

The virtual summit is a streamlined event: most attendees will only attend for two days (June 8-9). We will be hosting several committee and task force meetings on June 10, including the Advisory Committee Meeting, Joint Action Agencies Meeting, and PMA Task Force. 

Since many members already saved those dates on their calendars for the National Conference, we felt holding the virtual summit on the same dates would make it easier for more people to attend. 

 

Why didn’t APPA just reschedule the National Conference for later in the year?

We considered every alternative, consulted with many of our members, and assessed the evolving COVID-19 situation closely before making this difficult, but necessary, decision. Some of the factors that informed our decision to cancel the National Conference, and to offer an alternative virtual event, included:

• The National Conference includes an important governance component – the transition of our Board of Directors' leadership and consideration of our policy resolutions at the annual business meeting – which could not be delayed.  
• The availability (or lack thereof) of meeting space at the conference venue later this year.
• Ongoing travel restrictions, shelter-in-place orders, and anticipated self-quarantines and social distancing extending into the summer months and possibly beyond.
• Lingering questions about the safety, prudence, and feasibility of holding a gathering of over 1,000 people in consideration of evolving COVID-19 developments.

After thoughtful consideration, it was felt that holding a virtual meeting was the best and safest course of action.  
 

Where and when is the next National Conference?

June 18-23, 2021
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

June 10-15, 2022
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Nashville, Tennessee

June 16-21, 2023
Washington State Convention Center
Seattle, Washington

June 7-12, 2024
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
San Diego, California

June 6-11, 2025
Hyatt Regency New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana

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) Credits 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 emailed 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

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.

More questions?

Contact us at [email protected] or call 202-467-2976.