Summary

Grid modernization and distribution automation (DA) initiatives provide tremendous value to modernize, improve reliability and resiliency, and make more efficient use of network assets. They can also be high-profile projects with oversight by executives, regulators, and other stakeholders. However, these initiatives are also expensive and time-consuming projects, and utilities have both budgetary constraints and obligations to maintain low rates while improving operations. COVID-19 precautions can also sometimes constrain how certain work processes for multi-person teams can be performed. The tools used for these projects have varying costs and benefits, with the costs of different types of equipment differing by up to 7-10 times.

Join us for this interactive webinar where two industry veterans – Cameron Sherding, IT Supervisor, Operations Engineering, from Detroit Edison (DTE) and Ron Kirker, Grid Monitoring Sales Director, formerly with NV Energy (NVE) – will discuss how DTE and NVE met the challenges of their grid modernization and DA initiatives in ways that accelerated their projects and saved their utilities millions of dollars.

In this live webinar you learn about:

• Corporate and regulatory drivers for grid modernization, SCADA and reliability projects
• Traditional and alternate tools to consider for these projects
• Cost/benefit assessments of different types of tools
• Real-world project results and additional benefits realized

Our speakers will share their approaches and assessments of traditional versus alternate tools for applications that benefit utilities with both dense and extremely rural territories. They will also discuss how they improved reliability and gained greater remote situational awareness and actionable operation data at a fraction of the cost of traditional infrastructure investments.

Complete the form to watch this webinar and receive updates on upcoming webinars in this series.

This is Webinar #2 of a 3-part series about grid monitoring technology. Watch Webinar #1 to learn how to improve system reliability and customer satisfaction with actionable intelligence.

Speakers

Cameron Sherding

IT Supervisor, Operations Engineering
DTE Energy

Cameron leads the Network Data and Application Support (NDAS) team at DTE Energy. He and his team of engineers and developers are responsible for a variety of operational technology projects, including integrating both SCADA and non-SCADA equipment data for DTE Electric’s System Operations Center. Cameron has been with DTE for almost 12 years and has been heavily involved in the company’s smart fault indicator program for over seven years.

Ron Kirker

P.E., Senior Member IEEE PES
Aclara – Sales Director

Ron is a 1987 graduate from UMass Lowell with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and was a Senior Engineer at NV Energy through 2019. He worked in the company’s Distribution Planning department and in the Integrated Grid Planning group. His focus was on distribution-related energy storage and generation facilities and their impact on NV Energy’s distribution system. Previously, he worked for several utilities and other private companies.

Jim Jurkovec (Host)

VP, Enterprise Account Sales
Aclara

Jim serves as Vice President of Aclara’s Enterprise and Smart Grid Sales at Hubbell Utility Solutions and leads sales of Aclara technology platforms to large electric, water, and gas utilities across North America. Jim joined Aclara from Tollgrade Communications, where he was Vice President of Smart Grid Sales, helping to establish Tollgrade as a market leader in grid monitoring technology. Jim has more than 25 years of experience leading successful sales teams in the telecommunications and utility industries.

Overview

Title: Cost Saving Approaches to Tackle Your Grid Modernization Objectives

Date: Thursday, October 29, 2020
Time: 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET
Duration: 1 hour