Over 200 Attend Operations and Safety Conference
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Inside... Executive Director’s Report ................................ 2 PURMA Report ................... 6 Human Resource Corner .... 7 Vol. 43, No. 45 • MAY, 2007 Employment ..................... 12 Newsletter of the Northeast Public Power Association Meetings ........................... 16 Over 200 attend Operations and Safety Conference The 2007 Operations and Safety the day on a variety of topics, including Conference was held on April 12 and job briefings, pole inspection and treat- 13 at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough, ment, safe work zones, SCADA systems Mass., and featured an outstand- and substation switching. On a lighter ing program of speakers, exhibitors note, Boston Globe sports columnist Dan and networking opportunities. The Shaughnessy brought the first day to a conference was hosted jointly this humorous conclusion with his after-dinner year by the Northeast Public Power stories about the Red Sox, Patriots and Association and the Energy Council other local sports teams. of the Northeast, and attracted On the second day of the conference, operations and line personnel from NEPPA trainers conducted the annual over 40 public and investor-owned “Safety Forum” for lineworkers, and dis- electric utilities throughout New cussed recent lineworker accidents in New England. In addition, more than England, pre-qualifying apprentices, and 50 companies were represented at the new generation of utility linework- the annual trade show, exhibiting and demonstrating a diverse col- Continued on page 8 and 9 lection of utility equipment, products and services for John Dagenhart, P.E., a attendees and guests. While the nationally known consult- ing engineer, discusses the weather posed a special challenge investigation of utility acci- for outdoor exhibitors, the exhibit dents. hall was a popular place all day for conference attendees. Conference speakers included John Dagenhart, P.E., a nationally Brian Reed of Osmose known consulting engineer who Utility Services displays his discussed the investigation of util- products to expo attendees. ity accidents, and Doreen Klee, RN, a burn trauma ICU nurse at Mass. General Hospital, who spoke on the treatment of electrical con- tact victims. In addition, discussion roundtables were held throughout Executive Director’s Report Change is Good As reported on the front page, the between us. annual Operations and Safety Conference Within NEPPA also, change is underway held recently in Boxboro was sponsored as we plan for further events later in the this year by both NEPPA and the Energy year. In August, our annual conference Council of the Northeast (ECNE), the trade will have a different format and schedule, association of investor-owned electric as a result of member feedback from past utilities in New England. This collabora- conferences. For starters, we will devote tion symbolized an important change from most of the first morning of the confer- the past in our region, when public power ence to a combined Business Meeting and organizations had little to do with investor- Board of Directors Meeting, during which owned organizations due to long-standing all members will be invited to participate differences over such issues as transmission in our strategic planning process, and to access, service territories and regulatory share their thoughts on association ser- jurisdiction. Much has changed, however, vices and programs with Board members. in the past decade, especially since the In the afternoon, discussion roundtables advent of deregulation and the restructur- for managers and for commissioners will by Patrick Hyland ing of the electric industry in New England. be held, to allow for in-depth discussions Former adversaries have become allies in on topics of interest, rather than simply some forums, and often share common listening to a series of speakers. This is interests in the new world of competitive in direct response to comments from past power markets and mandatory reliability participants that they find the opportunity standards. All of these changes offer new to speak with their colleagues at the NEPPA opportunities for public and private utilities conference to be the most valuable part of to work together, which is good, and which the whole event. can open the door to more collaborations Continued on next page Staff Board of Directors Ted Garille James L. Dean Patrick Hyland president Calais, Maine NEPPA News Line is published once a month, 12 times executive director Pascoag, R.I. [email protected] Scott Edwards a year by the Northeast Public Power Association, Gary Babin Littleton, Mass. Suite 201, 100 Medway Road, Milford, MA 01757. Kristin DiGirolamo first vice-president administrative director Mansfield, Mass. Barbara Grimes [email protected] Burlington, Vt. Scott Corse tel: 508.482.5906 second vice-president Sean Hamilton fax: 508.482.0932 Mary Harrington Templeton, Mass. communications director VPPSA website: www.neppa.org [email protected] Robert Jolly John Hiscock S. Norwalk, Conn. Sheila Boone secretary Annual subscription rates: administrative secretary Marblehead, Mass. Thomas R. Josie NEPPA member utilities, $35 (first 20 subscriptions [email protected] John Bilda Shrewsbury, Mass. included in dues), non-members, $53. Extra David Fabrizius treasurer Richard Joyce subscriptions available to utilities for $17.50 and safety director Norwich, Conn. Wellesley, Mass. associate members for $35. [email protected] James Bakas Mark Kelly Lori O'Donoghue Plymouth, N.H. Middleton, Mass. training & events coordinator William Bottiggi George Lague [email protected] Braintree, Mass. Swanton, Vt. The Northeast Public Power Vincent Cameron John Tzimorangas Association is an organization Reading, Mass. Hingham, Mass. representing and serving con- John Clark Eric C. Werner sumer-owned electric utilities in Houlton, Maine Hardwick, Vt. New England. 2 NEPPA News Line Horrigan replaces Blain at TMLP Long-time employee and department allowed us to do our jobs.” head Michael Horrigan has been appoint- He admits that one of the biggest chal- ed the new general manager at Taunton lenges he is facing is the delegation of the Municipal Lighting Plant. workflow with 165 employees and the pri- Horrigan, who has been transmission oritization of the tasks of all departments, and distribution manager since 1982, not just engineering. came to Taunton in 1978 when he was “I’d like to give direction and then keep hired as an electrical engineer. Prior to that out of the way,” he said. Horrigan worked in distribution standards TMLP is presently involved in the plan- at the Rural Electrification Administration ning and evaluating of a new natural gas in Washington D.C or oil generating unit to help improve “It’s been public power from day one,” power supply. Horrigan has no anxiety said Horrigan who is a native of Peabody, about leaving the engineering depart- Mass and received engineering degrees ment that he supervised for years and from Wentworth Institute of Technology that will be directly involved in planning and Lowell Technological Institute. He now the improvements. “They are all accom- lives in Taunton with his wife Kathleen and plished, self-sufficient people and I have five children. He replaces Joe Blain who full confidence in them.” retired after 43 years in the electric utility TMLP is a $100 million public power industry. company that serves 35,000 customers in “Joe was always a pleasure to work Taunton, Raynham, Berkley, North Dighton with,” he said. “He kept us on our toes and sections of Lakeville and Bridgewater. but made us do our own thinking and Change Finally, we are pleased to announce of these topics, along with a one-half that the annual NEPPA Customer Service day workshop preceding the conference. continued from previous page Conference, traditionally held each Based on the enthusiasm of both commit- spring, will also be a very different event tees, it should be an outstanding event for in 2007. After extensive discussions with NEPPA members. the Customer Service Committee and These changes, among others under- the Public Communications Committee, way at NEPPA, will hopefully make these we are planning a new Customer Service events more valuable to our members and / Communications / Renewable Energy more relevant to their needs and interests. Conference for mid-October. While We welcome your suggestions for other details are still being worked on, the con- changes and acontinue as we continue to ference will include an expanded number plan for NEPPA's future. of speakers and discussion panels on all Public Utility Management Program Scheduled for Fall This program features an outstanding series of topics : • Supervising People Successfully • Guide to Keeping Employee Morale High..and Stress Low • Making Meetings Productive, October 24 - 26 • Managing Conflict with Power and Presence New England Center If you haven't registered yet, please contact Sheila Boone at the Durham, New Hampshire NEPPA office or use the NEPPA web site www.neppa.org. NEPPA News Line 3 NERC reliability standards topic of MMWEC Conference The new mandatory reli- the standards and to ability standards of the North Bob McDiarmid of impose heavy financial pen- American Electric Reliability alties on utilities which do Corporation (NERC) were the Speigel & McDiarmid not comply. He encouraged subject of a day-long confer- encourages good faith good faith compliance on ence in early April hosted by the part of all public power the Massachusetts Municipal compliance on the part systems,