News of the week

Grid North Partners invests $130 million to enhance wind energy transmission

Grid North Partners, a coalition of 10 utilities, including Xcel Energy, Minnesota Power, and Great River Energy, is set to invest approximately $130 million in 19 transmission upgrades. This initiative aims to alleviate bottlenecks and facilitate the transmission of wind power from western Minnesota and the Dakotas. The upgrades, slated for completion by the end of 2026, focus on improving access to wind energy and reducing grid congestion.

The Grid North Partners previously collaborated on the CapX2020 initiative, a $2 billion project between 2010 and 2017, creating over 800 miles of transmission lines and interconnecting 3,600 megawatts of wind energy. In contrast to larger projects with longer timelines, these upgrades aim to mitigate congestion within the next two to three years, offering a quick and efficient solution to improve the existing grid. The investment is expected to pay for itself, benefiting both utilities and consumers by reducing congestion costs and enhancing access to renewable energy in the region.

To read more, click here.

MMUA and MREA hosting webinar on round two GRIP grants this Friday

MMUA, in coordination with MREA, is holding a webinar this Friday, December 8th, beginning at 1:00 pm to discuss submissions of grant applications for the latest round of Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) grant funding from the Department of Energy (DOE). The meeting will outline the types of submissions that will align with the guidance DOE provided in the funding announcement for this round. As a result of participating in this call, municipal utilities like yours can determine if your community has projects that fit within these outlines and learn more about becoming involved in the collaborative applications that will be submitted for round 2. Collaborative partners in this round will again be the Minnesota Department of Commerce, MMUA, and MREA.

If you would like to consider joining this collaborative submission, please make sure to join the meeting on the 8th. The next step following the meeting will be a request for utilities to submit a brief project description and cost for their project by December 20th. MMUA, MREA and our partners STAR and PSE will then draft concept paper(s) for submission to the DOE based on the outlines and project descriptions which support them. We realize this timeline is tight. We are bound to follow DOE's requirements.

A calendar invite was sent out by Jill Igl (PSE) for this event to the lead contacts for municipal utilities that were involved in the GRIP round 1 application. Please feel free to forward this information to anyone else in your utility you'd like to have participate.

Click here to access the meeting. Here is additional access information should you need it:

Meeting ID: 251 034 480 404

Passcode: ciVEv6

Download Teams https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/download-app

Join on the web https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting

Or call in (audio only): +1-414-433-7177,,270998665#

Quick dial (audio only): +1-414-433-7177,,270998665#  

Phone Conference ID: 270 998 665#

Energy companies unite in opposition to MISO's interconnection queue cap proposal

In a collective stance, energy companies including Alliant Energy, DTE Electric, and MMUA associate member NextEra Energy are challenging the cap on total megawatts for interconnection review cycles proposed by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). This cap, part of a comprehensive reform plan, is criticized for creating an "unworkable queue" that threatens competition, raises rates, and compromises reliability.

MISO contends the cap is essential to manage a surge in interconnection requests, exceeding peak load by 50 GW in 2022. While supported by the Organization of MISO States and transmission owners, opponents express concerns about potential hindrances to clean energy goals and reliability commitments. The debate centers on fairness, discrimination, and increased project uncertainty, with stakeholders urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to carefully reconsider approval.

To read more, click here.

Registration is open for the Security Threats and Preparation Workshop

Every year there are thousands of electrical physical security incidents reported to the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center, affecting local utilities across the country. There are thousands of additional physical security breaches at water and wastewater facilities, city offices, and storage warehouses. Utilities are also vulnerable to cybersecurity breaches, sometimes leading to destruction of assets and stoppage of service. To maintain the characteristic excellence of hometown utilities, hardening security infrastructure is a must. Attend this workshop to deepen your understanding of trends in security and mitigation tactics.

This workshop will cover:

• Analyzing real case studies
• Discussing physical security essentials
• Performing a comprehensive threat assessment
• Reviewing cybersecurity trends
• Engaging with local law enforcement

The workshops will be led by Michael Coe, Vice President for Security, Resilience, and Energy Solutions for the American Public Power Association (APPA), and Mike Willetts, MMUA's Director of Training and Safety.

Register by January 9, 2024 for the best rate. You can learn more and register by clicking on the links below.

January 30—New Ulm

January 31—Brainerd

February1—Plymouth

Looking ahead

Transformer School

Registration is open for Transformer School, which will be held from January 23-26. This school has been rescheduled from December due to instructor availability.

Transformer School will cover three-phase transformer connections. Click here for more information and registration. The pre-conference session will cover basic single-phase transformer connections and theory. Please note: separate registration is required for the pre-conference. Register by December 21 for the best rate.

Meter School

Meter School registration is open. The school, held from February 6-9 at the MMUA Training Center in Marshall, is your once-a-year opportunity to obtain electric metering instruction and hands-on application, installation, and troubleshooting. Participants select from two course options, dependent upon skill/work experience: Basic/intermediate or Advanced.

• Basic/intermediate: ideal for those with little metering experience. This track builds on the concepts covered in the pre-conference session.
• Advanced: intended for those who steadily work with meters and wiring meter installations.

This course will cover a wide range of topics including why we have electric meters and the core principles behind single and three-phase metering, mounting and wiring meter sockets on a variety of set ups, voltage transformers, testing procedures, metering hazards, safety procedures and precautions, and more.

A pre-conference learning session is also held in conjunction with the school. The pre-conference is an ideal introductory course for those with little metering experience or as a "refresher" on basic metering. Separate registration is required for the pre-conference.

Register before January 5 for the best rate.

2024 Emergency Preparedness and Restoration Conference

Join other municipal utility and city professionals at the 2024 Emergency Preparedness and Restoration Conference in St. Cloud from February 21-22, 2024. This interactive conference will include a tabletop exercise to increase your understanding of the mutual aid process that is activated during a national event. Please click here to register or to learn more about this worthwhile conference. For best rate register before January 23; the deadline to register online is January 31, 2024.

As always, thank you for your association with MMUA and your commitment to delivering excellent service through locally owned utility assets in your community. Have a great week!

Christian Glanville

Marketing and Member Relations Manager

Direct: 763.746.0727 / Cell: 612.655.0598

Fax: 763.551.0459

cglanville@mmua.org | www.mmua.org

To download a copy of this email, click here.