News of the week

MMUA participates in national mutual aid planning committee

Last week, municipal utility officials convened at the American Public Power Association (APPA) headquarters in Virginia to update the Mutual Aid Playbook and pave the way for enhanced cooperation among utilities during emergencies. MMUA Director of Training and Safety Mike Willetts is a member of the Mutual Aid Committee (MAC). He was on site to participate in discussions centered on improving communications and coordination between utilities for efficient power restoration during widespread outages.

Updates to the Mutual Aid Playbook and a new Crew Coordination Checklist were highlighted, alongside plans for an October exercise. The MAC also reviewed outreach materials and hosted a mutual aid state coordinator roundtable, underscoring the commitment to preparedness and collaboration within the hometown utility community.

To read more, click here.

PUC requiring investor-owned gas utilities to share long-term plans

Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is implementing long-range resource planning requirements for the state's largest investor-owned gas utilities, akin to processes already in place for electric utilities.

Prompted by a probe into extreme gas price spikes following a cold snap in 2021, Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy, and Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation will now submit plans detailing load forecasts and strategies for meeting demand safely, affordably, and sustainably. While not mandating a net-zero future, regulators will factor in societal costs of carbon pollution and aim to align plans with state climate goals. The commission plans to finalize details in August.

To read more, click here.

New AI tool introduced to help track the electric grid

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has introduced ChatGrid, an artificial intelligence tool designed to assist utilities in analyzing the vast amount of data used to monitor the electric power grid. Developed by PNNL researchers, ChatGrid enables grid operators to pose questions about the grid and receive easily understandable responses.

The initiative arose from concerns voiced by utility professionals who faced challenges navigating complex data and visualizations during disruptions caused by storms or equipment failures. ChatGrid operates on a publicly available large language model, training extensively on English text to recognize queries and provide statistically relevant answers. To safeguard sensitive grid infrastructure data, researchers compiled grid data into an internal database with labeled columns, allowing ChatGrid to generate visualizations while preserving data security.

The tool is accessible for download on GitHub, with plans to refine it based on user feedback and integrate real-life data for use in control rooms. Ultimately, ChatGrid aims to provide grid operators with intuitive access to complex datasets, facilitating quicker decision-making during grid disruptions.

To read more, click here.

US clean energy investments top $4 billion in February

In February, investors poured $4 billion into major clean energy projects. Investments were led by battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) sectors, with twelve new projects expected to create over 4,400 jobs across 11 states. Toyota's $1.3 billion plan to expand electric vehicle battery lines in Kentucky and Corning's $900 million solar parts plant in Michigan were the top investments.

While February's total investments were down from the previous year, they increased by more than 68% compared to January 2024. Notable investments included Siemens Energy's power transformer facility in North Carolina, EnerSys' $500 million lithium-ion battery factory in South Carolina, and Schaeffler's $230 million auto manufacturing plant in Ohio. Solar component manufacturing also saw significant projects, such as Corning's solar facility and Solarcycle's $344 million recycled solar glass plant in Georgia. Additionally, Shoals Technologies will invest $80 million to expand its operations in Tennessee, creating 550 jobs. Since 2022, more than 292 major clean energy projects have been announced nationwide, with Michigan and North Carolina leading in announcements.

To read more, click here.

MMUA accepting topic proposals for the 2024 Summer Conference

MMUA seeks proposals for 2024 Summer Conference in Fargo/Moorhead. The theme of this year's conference is "Stronger Together." We will focus on topics involving communication, collaboration, and strengthening the municipal model. Members are encouraged to submit proposals for speakers and topics that fit within this framework. This request for proposals includes both those who wish to present (“I can share”) and those who would like to request certain topics (“I want to hear about [this]”).

To submit a proposal, please fill out this form. The form will be open until April 1, and multiple submissions are permissible. Registration for the conference will open in May, and the hotel block is already open. Make your reservation through this link. We look forward to seeing you in Fargo/Moorhead!

Looking ahead

Associate member PSE offers free DER webinar

Power Systems Engineering (PSE) is offering a complimentary webinar on March 28 covering utility-scale Distributed Energy Resource (DER) projects. Industry experts will discuss topics from project site selection and initial obstacles through financing options, equipment selection, construction, and continuing operation and maintenance costs and concerns as a site operates and ages. To learn more and to register for the webinar, click here.

Minnesota Public Power Walleye Tournament

June 1

Bladow Beach Resort (Ottertail)

Registration deadline: May 17

We are excited to announce registration is now open for the Minnesota Public Power Walleye Tournament. Last year's tournament raised $3,300 for post-secondary line work programs in Minnesota. We hope you can join and help us have another record-breaking year: the more we fish, the more we give!

"Public power" is inclusive of all Minnesota electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and industry affiliates and suppliers. All are welcome to participate in this event, whether you have worked in the industry or not. This fun, friendly competition offers cash prizes for top-placing teams and the largest walleye. 

For complete details about the event and to register, please click here.

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

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