Grid Modernization
Part three of three. Get an overview of the BEAD program and other federal broadband funding opportunities available to public power utilities to extend broadband service to underserved areas and guidance on how to position your project for funding under these programs.
Grid Modernization
Part two of three. Explore the potential benefits, challenges, and risks of partnerships for public power utilities. Take a closer look at the key legal and strategic considerations affecting such partnerships and review potential implementation and governance snags.
Grid Modernization
Part one of three. Get a foundation of the pros, cons, and practicalities of having your public power utility enter the broadband arena. Review the legal and regulatory basics of providing broadband service under various levels and different models of incorporating broadband services with your
Preliminary results from a first-of-its-kind study examining how New England’s electric power system would fare under stressful weather and operational conditions show the chances for an energy shortfall are relatively low in winter 2027, the first season studied, ISO New England said on May 22
The U.S. Supreme Court on May 25 issued a decision that involves the scope of the Clean Water Act and, more specifically, whether an appeals court set forth the proper test for determining whether wetlands are “waters of the United States” under the CWA.
The City of Chattanooga, Tenn., and the city’s public power utility EPB on May 25 marked the completion of a microgrid in Chattanooga.
The U.S. Department of Energy has approved a South Carolina program for strengthening the state’s electric grid resiliency and awarded $10.4 million in funding for the first two years. Santee Cooper, which is owned by the state, will administer the grant for South Carolina.
Lineworkers from Massachusetts public power utility Belmont Light recently visited the Belmont Cooperative Nursery School, where they talked about what a lineworker does, how electricity gets to their homes, and how to be safe around electricity.
Disaster Response and Mutual Aid
Guam Power Authority on May 29 said that it continues its power restoration process and has made progress in its post-typhoon recovery.

For electric utilities that store, use, or dispose of items containing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Annual Reports are due July 1st. With the deadline fast approaching, EnSafe’s professionals are ready to assist with annual reporting to ensure your facility is compliant.

According to 40 CFR 761, Subpart J, “General Records and Reports,” PCB items are identified as “any PCB Article, PCB Article Container, PCB Container, PCB Equipment, or anything that deliberately or unintentionally contains or has as a part of it any PCB or PCBs.” This applies to most of the electric industry. Unfortunately, documentation for PCB Annual Report is often cumbersome and requires attention to detail as facilities create Annual Document logs that capture very specific data i.e. total weight in kg of any PCBs, total number of PCB transformers, spill reports, etc. For an industry plagued by labor shortages, this is particularly overwhelming.

EnSafe’s experts are not only available to assist firms in providing this Annual Report but can also provide support throughout the year that will make reporting drastically easier. EnSafe’s team can document your existing processes, customize a PCB program audit checklist, and develop a PCB management program to assist your staff in maintaining a compliant process. We are also available to conduct periodic onsite audits to review your PCB management process, from equipment drop-off to disposal. EnSafe can develop site-specific training, which can include hazards of PCBs, proper handling and response to spills, common findings from the audit, and typical field-based scenarios for line workers and substation crews.

Contact Brooke Sinclair today at 865-219-2674 or bsinclair@ensafe.com to get assistance with your annual PCB report and all of your program needs.