NWPPA eBulletin | July 17, 2017

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Legislative Announcements

Congressional Committees Hold Markups on Several Appropriations Bills; Senators Seek More

Information on Cyber Protections at Nuclear Plants; McIntyre Nominated to Chair FERC, NRC

Nominees Approved; and Treasury Reconsiders “Political Subdivision” Rule. 

   

 

Public Power Industry Announcements

APPA Product Store Offers Emergency Preparedness Tabletop Exercise in a Box; Douglas

PUD's New General Manager Takes the Helm; Douglas PUD Commission Meeting

Report; Sierra Pacific Agreement Nets Grays Harbor $13 Million in Savings; $52 Million

Payment Keeps Chelan on Track to Meet Debt Ratio Target a Year Early; Clark Public Utilities

Receives J.D. Power Recognition for 10th Year in a Row; PUD 3 Commissioners Seek to

Expand Broadband Availability with "Fiberhood Program"; Northern Lights to Celebrate Launch

of Community Solar Project; and Popular Chelan PUD Parks Etiquette Campaign Adds Two

New Video Clips.

 

   

  Associate Member Announcements

Novinium Awarded Golden Shovel Standard and Black & Veatch-Designed Microgrid to Power

Innovation at Shell Technology Center.

 

   

  Upcoming Educational Opportunities

Plan now for your fall 2017 training. Check out NWPPA's 2017 class offerings in the 2017

eCatalog. Click on the button below. 

Don't miss these upcoming training events:

Introduction to Roberts Rules of Order

August 8, 2017 in Boise, ID

Hands-on Basic Records Management

August 16–17, 2017 in Newport , OR

Communication Essentials For Success

August 22–23, 2017 in Vancouver, WA

Environmental Task Force

September 12, 2017 in Lake Tahoe, NV

HAZWOPER 8-Hour First Responder Awareness and Refresher Training for Utility

Personnel

September 13, 2017 in Lake Tahoe, NV

Electric Utility System Operations

September 13–14 in Spokane, WA

Oregon Engineering Meeting

September 19, 2017, Salem, OR

Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference

September 17-20, 2017 in Sacramento, CA

Unbundled Cost of Service and Rate Design

September 20-21, 2017 in Roseville, CA

Montana Engineering Meeting

September 27–28, 2017 in Eureka, MT

 

2017 Event Catalog

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Leadership Skills #4; HR Basics & Building a More Effective Workplace

September 27–28, 2017 in Anchorage, AK

 

Have new employees? Want to learn more about how utilities work?

Subscribe now to Learning on Demand, NWPPA’s new online learning program!

Increase your employees’ knowledge about the business of public power and how to mitigate

violence in the workplace or the field. Return to the learning activities anytime, anywhere, and

as often as you wish.

To get more information about this program and learn how you can subscribe, visit the NWPPA

website.

 

   

 

Industry Calendar of Events

A list of upcoming industry events and meetings.  

   

  RFP's and RFQ's  

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On This Day in History

“Wrong Way” Corrigan Crosses the Atlantic; Disneyland

Opens; Jimi Hendrix Drops out as Opening Act for The

Monkees; and Superpowers Meet in Space.

You have received this email because you have subscribed to NorthwestPublic Power Association as some@example.com. If you no longer wishto receive emails please unsubscribe9817 N.E. 54th Street, Ste. 200, Vancouver, WA 98662 (360) 254-0109© 2017 Northwest Public Power Association, All rights reserved

Utilities: NWPPA offers its utility members the opportunity (at no cost) to post RFPs and RFQs

on our website at no charge. Reach out to NWPPA's almost 4,000 associate member contacts

that supply goods and services to the utility industry and might be interested in responding to

your utility RFP/RFQ. To post your RFP/RFQ, visit our RFP/RFQ page. For more information,

contact Debbie at debbie@nwppa.org or Mark at mark@nwppa.org.

Associate Members: Make sure to check out NWPPA's RFP/RFQ Web page to view utility

RFP listings. Listings are posted as they are received by NWPPA.

New RFP posted July 11, 2017!

   

 

Recent Industry Jobs

View the job opportunities posted to NWPPA's website in the past week.  

   

   

   

   

Legislative Announcements

 

Congressional Committees Hold Markups on Several Appropriations Bills

Update provided by Meguire Whitney

On July 12, the House Committee on Appropriations held a markup of its energy and water spending bill for FY2018. Despite Democratic objection, the

committee advanced the bill, as amended, by a voice vote. The $37.6 billion bill represents a cut of $209 million, but is $3.65 billion more than the Trump

Administration’s request.

Rep. Mike Simpson’s (R–Idaho) amendment to reduce funds collected by the Western Area Power Administration, from $185 million to $179 million, was adopted.

Rep. Matthew Cartwright (D–Pa.) o�ered an amendment to restore approximately $1 billion to the Department of Energy’s O�ce of Energy E�ciency &

Renewable Energy (EERE), which was rejected by a 22-30 vote. The FY18 bill now moves forward for consideration by the full House.

Additionally, on July 12, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies approved by voice vote a controversial FY18

spending bill for the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. The bill imposes signi�cant budget cuts on the EPA, reducing funding

for the agency to $7.5 billion from $8.06 billion, and Interior would receive $11.9 billion. Interior’s budget would be more than the Trump Administration’s

proposal of $11.7 billion, but less than the $12.3 billion appropriated in the FY17 omnibus.

Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D–Minn.) noted that although $3.4 billion was allocated for wild�res, the legislation did not go as far as Rep. Mike Simpson’s

(R–Idaho) wild�re disaster funding bill, H.R. 2862. NWPPA has long supported swift enactment of legislation, or regulatory action, to establish wild�re funding

mechanisms to ensure adequate and equitable funding to prevent and �ght major forest �res. Wild�re funding was among the issues NWPPA members raised

with their delegation members during the Legislative Rally in April.

Senators Seek More Information on Cyber Protections at Nuclear Plants

Update provided by Meguire Whitney

The North American Reliability Corporation has alerted grid operators that hackers are using “phishing” e-mails with suspicious links and attachments to disrupt

utility operations, though so far none have caused a disruption in service. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D–

Wash,) said that the reports reveal that “our adversaries are trying to take advantage of the very real vulnerabilities of our energy infrastructure’s cyber

defenses.”

On July 10, Sen. Ed Markey (D–Mass.) sent a letter to several agencies requesting more information about recent cyberattacks on nuclear plants and whether

agencies have adequate funding to take the direct measures needed to address vulnerabilities in cyber-networks at U.S. nuclear power stations. He requested a

response to his list of nine questions by August 10 as well as asking for a classi�ed brie�ng on the matter.

McIntyre Nominated to Chair FERC, NRC Nominees Approved

Update provided by Meguire Whitney

On July 14, the White House announced the long-expected nomination of Jones Day energy lawyer Kevin McIntyre to chair the Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission.

Separately, on July 12, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominees Annie Caputo and David

Wright. Their nominations now move to the Senate �oor, joining a slew of nominees awaiting con�rmation. That backlog includes FERC nominees Neil Chatterjee

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and Robert Powelson, who may be held pending committee action on the nominations of McIntyre and Rich Glick.

Other nominees awaiting �oor action include David Bernhardt at Interior, Susan Bodine at the Environmental Protection Agency, and Dan Brouillette at the

Department of Energy.

Treasury Reconsiders “Political Subdivision” Rule

Update provided by Meguire Whitney

On July 7, the Treasury Department announced that it may amend or withdraw the Internal Revenue Service’s proposed “political subdivision” rule. The rule was

never �nalized, as it drew strong criticism from municipal bond issuers.

The rule was proposed last year by the Obama Administration to limit the types of entities that can issue tax-exempt bonds. The proposed rule’s narrower

criteria threaten to prevent some joint action agencies and public utility districts from maintaining their tax-exempt bond issuing authority. Last year, the

Municipal Bonds for America coalition and the American Public Power Association �led comments opposing this rule.

The Treasury Department’s review comes as it responds to President Trump’s Executive Order on April 21 requiring it to re-evaluate all “signi�cant tax

regulations” issued since January 2016 and propose changes to make them less burdensome. MBFA and APPA intend to resubmit comments opposing the rule

before Treasury’s August 7 deadline.

NWPPA has a standing resolution supporting the continued ability of public power systems, as units of local government, to issue tax-exempt bonds.

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Public Power Announcements

 

APPA Product Store Offers Emergency Preparedness Tabletop Exercise in a Box

NWPPA is pleased to be able to share an Emergency Preparedness Tabletop Exercise in a Box developed by the American Public Power Association. This is a

comprehensive electronic resource kit to help you conduct emergency planning exercises.

All utilities are skilled at getting power restored when the lights go out. However, we are seeing more and more signi�cant emergency disaster events that extend

well beyond the norms of the past. Here in the Northwest we are experiencing devastating �res, snow, and �ooding, and we know there is the potential for

earthquakes that will do unprecedented damage.

APPA is making the Emergency Preparedness Tabletop Exercise available to all NWPPA members (municipalities, PUDs, cooperatives, and Crown corporations) at

no charge. If you are not an APPA member, you will need to sign in and create your credentials to access and download the resources. It is in the APPA Product

Store, so it will look like you are purchasing it, but there is no cost.

This is a well-developed resource for utilities with easy to use step-by-step instructions and templates. NWPPA encourages your consideration for using this

valuable tool.

Douglas PUD’s New General Manager Takes the Helm

Gary Ivory has taken over the general manager’s position at Douglas County PUD (East Wenatchee, Wash.) in the wake of the retirement of Bill Dobbins. Dobbins

retired after more than 30 years of service including 21 as general manager.

Ivory has served in many leadership capacities in di�erent areas of the District.

“Gary has been a quick study under Bill’s direction the last three years as assistant general manager and we are con�dent of a smooth transition to this capable

employee. We unanimously support Gary and look forward to many years of his proven dedicated leadership,” said Douglas County PUD Commission President

Ron Skagen.

Skagen also expressed appreciation for Dobbins’ contributions to the PUD, saying, “Past and current commissioners and the citizens of Douglas County have

appreciated Bill’s many years of dedicated leadership and service to the customers of Douglas County PUD.”

Douglas PUD Commission Meeting Report

Douglas County PUD Commissioners Ronald E Skagen, Molly Simpson, and Aaron J. Viebrock

awarded System Protection Engineer Scott Jonas with his 20-year service award during the July 10 commission

meeting held at the District’s East Wenatchee, Wash., o�ce.

Commissioner Skagen thanked Jonas on behalf of the citizens ofDouglas County for his years of service. Jonas

thanked the commission and said, “It’s been nice to work in a variety of facilities from hydro and transmission

to distribution and substations.”

Sierra Pacific Agreement Nets Grays Harbor $13 Million in Savings

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An agreement between the Grays Harbor PUD (Aberdeen, Wash.) and Sierra Paci�c Industries will allow the utility to save millions of dollars over the next �ve

years. In addition to increasing the PUD’s �nancial stability, the agreement with the timber products company will allow Sierra Paci�c to continue selling their

surplus renewable energy to the PUD for �ve additional years.

The agreement, approved by Sierra Paci�c earlier this month and passed by the PUD Board of Commissioners on Monday, July 10, extends the contract through

which the energy utility purchases the excess power generated by the renewable biomass cogeneration facility located at Sierra Paci�c’s Aberdeen Division. In

exchange for the �ve-year extension, Sierra Paci�c has agreed to lower the cost of the surplus energy to a �xed rate which will save the utility an average of

nearly $30 per megawatt hour. Over the next �ve years, those savings will total an estimated $13.7 million.

“This is a classic win-win situation and a great deal for Grays Harbor County,” said PUD Board President Arie Callaghan. “The cost savings in this agreement will

improve the �nancial stability for the Grays Harbor PUD while at the same time creating a reliable revenue stream for a company that employs Grays Harbor

residents.”

“This agreement allows us to continue to provide family-wage, manufacturing employment, locally produced forest products, and a cost savings to county

residents. It is an example how organizations can work together for the common good,” said Matt Taborski, division manager for Sierra Paci�c.

Sierra Paci�c’s Aberdeen mill began operations in 2001 and employs over 200 crewmembers. The complex produces dimensional lumber, with the cogeneration

facility converting some of the wood manufacturing byproducts into energy. Under the old agreement, the PUD purchased Sierra Paci�c’s surplus power on an

increasing scale, rising from $56.33 per megawatt-hour in 2011 to a high of $87.43 in 2022 when the contract was to expire. PUD General Manager Dave Ward

says the willingness of Sierra Paci�c to agree to renegotiate the contract in exchange for a �ve-year extension will strengthen the utility’s �nancial position.

“This is a great example of compromise and cooperation,” said Ward. “Sierra Paci�c was looking for a reliable market for their power and the utility was looking

for savings to help our customers. Those two goals met in the middle to create an agreement that helps both parties.”

$52 Million Payment Keeps Chelan on Track to Meet Debt Ratio Target a Year Early

On July 10, Chelan County PUD (Wenatchee, Wash.) commissioners received the good �nancial news that District net debt was reduced by another $52 million

this year as planned. Treasurer Debbie Litch�eld reported that the principal payments made July 1 put the District’s ratio of debt to equity at 38 percent and

keeps the PUD on track to achieve the target of less than 35 percent by 2019 – and perhaps a year earlier if plans continue as forecast. In addition, the District

continued to pay for capital improvements with cash while keeping the District in a strong �nancial position.

Reducing District debt was identi�ed by customers and con�rmed by commissioners as a strategic priority. By the end of this year, debt is forecast to be about

$537 million, a signi�cant reduction from several years ago when it topped $1 billion.

“Outstanding! Good job,” said Commissioner Garry Arsenault and echoed by other board members.

Clark Public Utilities Receives J.D. Power Recognition for 10 Year in a Row

For the tenth consecutive year, J.D. Power recognizes Clark Public Utilities (Vancouver, Wash.) for ranking highest in customer satisfaction among midsize

electricity providers in the Western United States.

The J.D. Power study measures customer satisfaction with electric utilities by examining six key factors, which cover all areas of utility operations: power quality

and reliability; price; billing and payment; corporate citizenship; communications and customer service. In all of these categories, customers gave Clark Public

Utilities the highest score in the West midsize segment.

“Every year since we became eligible for the J.D. Power study in 2008, ranking highest in our category has been a point of pride,” said Jane Van Dyke, president of

Clark Public Utilities Board of Commissioners. “Maintaining this level of customer satisfaction for 10 years in a row tells us we’re truly on the right track. The

award isn’t the goal, but it’s evidence of a sincere commitment to excellence that customers experience daily.”

J.D. Power designs and �nances the study, a standardized measure of satisfaction available for the electric residential utility industry. More than 99,000

residential electric utility customers throughout the U.S. responded online to the study. Based on these responses, the study compared 138 electric utility

brands, collectively serving over 98 million households.

“This study measures how customers feel about every aspect of utility operations, from our rates, which have been the same since 2011, to the impressive

reliability of the system,” said Van Dyke. “We use the feedback from customers to identify areas where we can do even better, but after 10 years we can also see

what customers truly appreciate and value. Sta�’s consistent commitment to doing what’s right for each customer is what got us to this 10-year milestone.”

th

The West region covers Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and

Wyoming. Midsize utilities in the report serve between 100,000 and 499,999 residential customers.

 

PUD 3 Commissioners Seek to Expand Broadband Availability with “Fiberhood Program”

Mason PUD 3 commissioners on Tuesday, July 11, approved a program designed to expand access to PUD 3’s �ber-optic network for gigabit-speed broadband

service.

Nearly 40 people attended the meeting, at which PUD customers representing Harstine Island, Tahuya, and Lake Cushman urged commissioners to approve the

Fiberhood plan.

Margie Benson noted in a letter to the commission that her broadband provider has limited capacity in her Tahuya River Valley community. Benson said speed

and reliability is a problem for her and her neighbors.

Wayne Snoey, a Lake Cushman resident, said there are approximately 3,000 lots in his area of the county. Nearly half don’t have access to the Internet. Snoey has

testi�ed before the Washington State Legislature, and lobbied existing telecommunications providers to improve the reliability, speed, and availability of

broadband services in his area.

Lynn Longan, executive director of the Economic Development Council of Mason County, said she was encouraged by the PUD sta�’s work to �nd solutions to

rural broadband service. Longan said high-speed telecommunications services are important for economic development.

The Fiberhood process would identify potential neighborhoods that are unserved or underserved by broadband providers. Among other factors, expansion of

service would be based on a guaranteed level of customer commitment to obtain service from the �ber-optic network. Cost recovery for the project would come

through a monthly “construction adder fee” paid back over 12 years. As a public utility, it is PUD 3’s intent to recover costs, not create a pro�t.

To read the full release, click here.

Northern Lights to Celebrate Launch of Community Solar Project

On July 24, 2017, Northern Lights (NLI) will be celebrating the launch of the �rst cooperative community solar project in Idaho. The 50-kilowatt solar system is

expected to produce approximately 165 kWh of electricity per year per unit.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. PDT on July 24 at NLI’s Sagle headquarters at 421 Chevy St., with complimentary hot dogs, chips, root beer

�oats, and sun-frosted cookies. For information on this event, call (208) 255-7197.

The community solar project was originally conceived by the NLI Board of Directors and given the go-ahead based on the level of interest and desire to support

solar shown by many co-op members.

NLI’s power supply currently comes from the Bonneville Power Administration and NLI’s Lake Creek dam. This community solar project is a step in examining

additional renewable energy sources.

NLI is o�ering their members the opportunity to purchase shares of the solar project and to receive energy credits based on its production. There are 172 units

still available for NLI members to purchase, out of the original 386 units. The subscription cost is $300 per unit, with a maximum of 5 units per member. NLI

members will have the option of �nancing the cost over 12 months on their electric bill.

“In response to our members, NLI always is looking for cost-e�ective sources of energy that we can develop and own ourselves, similar to our Lake Creek hydro

project,” says NLI Board President Steve Elgar. “We are excited about community solar, which will allow NLI members to bene�t from this increasingly popular

source of electricity, while providing educational opportunities for local residents and experience for NLI as we plan for the future.”

“The NLI Board is committed to this project. Every NLI director is purchasing shares in the community solar project,” says Elgar.

Popular Chelan PUD Parks Etiquette Campaign Adds Two New Video Clips

The wildly popular Chelan County PUD (Wenatchee, Wash.) Parks videos perhaps not-so-gently reminding park users about some simple things to remember

when using parks and trails are getting a refresh with two new vignettes.

Parks Etiquette 2.0 again features local actors – along with Chelan PUD employee “extras” – reminding folks about simple things that can make the park

experience enjoyable for everyone. The new videos feature a message of walking in pairs – not in fours/sixes or more on the trails so people can easily pass by;

and then a more catch-all vignette about proper parking, not littering, and walking on the right-hand side of the trail (We aren’t in England, after all). The new

videos can be found here.

The 2016 Don’t Be That Guy/Lady not only were a hit locally, but also resulted in a number of local, regional, and

national communication awards. Designed to be primarily a social media campaign, the PUD also placed the

videos at Gateway Cinema for viewing before the movie starts, as well as on local cable programming. And, the

campaign got results – anecdotally, Parks sta� notice an increase in dogs on leashes, picking up after your pooch,

announcing when you are behind someone or going to pass, and sticking to the posted speed limits on the trail.

All of the videos were created and produced by local video production company North40. Chelan PUD welcomes input for That Guy/Lady 3.0!

 

 

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Associate Member Announcements

   

Novinium Awarded Golden Shovel Standard

Novinium®, a supplier of underground electrical cable rejuvenation products to electric utilities including a new product to prevent manhole events, is pleased to

announce it has been awarded the Gold Shovel Standard (GSS) for improving public safety and the integrity of vital buried infrastructure. GSS, a non-pro�t

organization, believes that greater transparency in all aspects of damage prevention among buried-asset operators, locators, and contractors is essential to drive

continuous improvement and vital to ensure increasingly safe working conditions and communities. GSS is an ambitious e�ort driven by industry leaders,

including contractors and locators, to create fair and transparent metrics for damage prevention similar to other safety metrics (LTIR, EMR, TRIR, DART, etc.).

Novinium was awarded the GSS standard as its technologies re�ect industry best practices being used to rejuvenate electrical cable vital for electrical utility

infrastructure. Novinium’s technology allows damaged electrical cable to be repaired and rejuvenated without excavation. According to GSS, excavation work

damages an underground utility line every six minutes in the US.

“We are very pleased to have been awarded the Golden Shovel Standard as we are committed to being a part of the safety and well-being of America’s

electrical infrastructure,” said Glen Bertini, CEO of Novinium.

Novinium’s patented injection process rejuvenates and extends the reliable life of cable up to 40 years. Further information is available at www.novinium.com.

Black & Veatch-Designed Microgrid to Power Innovation at Shell Technology Center

Black & Veatch, a leader in the design and deployment of clean energy-producing microgrids, has been selected by Shell International Exploration & Production

Company, Inc. to perform engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) on a new microgrid system at Shell’s Technology Center in Houston.

The microgrid will incorporate solar photovoltaic and a natural-gas-fueled reciprocating engine as well as advanced battery storage technology and other

elements to create a sustainable, resilient, and �exible microgrid system. The microgrid is designed to accommodate future additional resources, and includes

Black & Veatch’s ASSET360® data analytics platform. The ASSET360® platform will provide actionable insights about the microgrid’s performance and allow Shell

operators to optimize operation based on energy demand, solar production, and other conditions.

The microgrid will be a platform for collaborative research undertaken by Shell and Black & Veatch to develop and deploy the next generation of clean and

resilient energy technologies. The project will be used to test a spectrum of microgrid use cases with the objective of understanding technical solutions to di�cult

distributed energy use cases and to develop better distributed energy solutions for future application.

Microgrids are integrated systems of multiple power generation sources and electric loads. When operated under a consolidated control with a sustainable

energy management system, microgrids can produce and distribute electricity and operate independently from the larger power grid or provide reliable service

to remote areas.

“The Shell microgrid will provide an excellent platform for demonstrating and developing resilient and sustainable power generation systems,” said Dustin

Rogge, Black & Veatch’s project manager. “We are excited about the opportunity to build a great microgrid while collaborating on innovative research that

will build the foundation for better distributed energy solutions. This microgrid will feature Black & Veatch’s data analytics and visualization platform,

ASSET360®. The ASSET360® Microgrid, Issues Management, and Performance Monitoring Applications will provide Shell with industry-leading

performance monitoring, warranty issue support, distributed energy resource management, and research data visualization.”

Black & Veatch is an employee-owned, global leader in building critical human infrastructure in energy, water, telecommunications, and government services.

Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries through consulting, engineering, construction, operations, and program

management. Follow us on www.bv.com and social media.

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Calendar of Events

2017 Upcoming Industry Meetings

Send your 2017 meeting dates and locations to Debbie at Debbie@nwppa.org.

July 2017

19-21 – ICUA Annual Meeting & BPA Customers’ Annual Meeting, The Riverside Hotel, Boise, ID

August 2017

2 – PPC Members Forums, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 3-5 p.m.

3 – PPC Executive Committee Meeting, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 8 a.m.-Noon

14-16 – EnergySec Security and Compliance Summit, Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, CA

September 2017

6 – PPC Members Forums, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 3-5 p.m.

7 – PPC Executive Committee Meeting, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 8 a.m.-Noon

12 – WRECA Directors Meeting, Bellingham, WA

12-15 – Alaska Power Association (APA) Annual Meeting, Kodiak Convention Center, Kodiak, AK

13-15 – NWPPA Board of Trustees Meeting, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT

17-20 – Northwest Communications & Energy Innovations Conference (NIC), Embassy Suites Sacramento Riverfront Promenade, Sacramento, CA

27-29 – NCPA Annual Conference, Silverado Hotel, Napa Valley, CA

28 – Nevada Rural Electric Association (NREA) Annual Meeting, Sunset Station, Henderson, NV

October 2017

2-5 – MECA Annual Meeting, The Best Western Heritage Inn, Great Falls, MT

4 – PPC Members Forums, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 3-5 p.m.

5 – PPC Executive Committee Meeting, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 8 a.m.-Noon

11 – Golden State Power Cooperative Annual Meeting, Reno, NV

16-18 – NRECA Region IX & VII Annual Meeting, Sheraton Denver Downtown, Denver, CO

19-20 – OMEU Annual Meeting, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR

November 2017

1 – PPC Members Forums, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 3-5 p.m.

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2 – PPC Executive Committee Meeting, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 8 a.m.-Noon

15-16 – NWPPA/APA Alaska Electric Utility Conference, Egan Civic & Convention Center/Hilton Hotel, Anchorage, AK

29-30 – ORECA Annual Meeting, Salem Conference Center, Salem, OR

29-Dec. 1 – WPUDA Annual Meeting, Davenport Grand Hotel, Spokane, WA

December 2017

7 – PPC Annual Meeting & Lunch, Sheraton Portland Airport, Portland, OR – 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

12 – WRECA Directors Meeting, Spokane, WA

 

 

 

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Jobs

Recent job openings within the industry in the last week:

Claims Collections Specialist R17-337 – Portland General Electric

District Auditor – PUD #1 of Clallam County

Energy Management Engineer (all levels) #58922 – Puget Sound Energy

Engineer III Meter SCADA Engineer R17-351 – Portland General Electric

Engineer III, System Automation Engineer – Portland General Electric

Engineer Tech – City of Milton-Freewater

Financial Analyst II – Franklin PUD

Journeyman Lineman – Snohomish County PUD

Journeyman Lineman (U17-137) – Portland General Electric

Specialist II, Regional Facilities and Recovery Claims – Portland General Electric

Specialist III, Technical Writer, Distribution Engineering & Standards R17-352 – Portland General Electric

Specialist VI, Transmission & Distribution Dispatcher R17-338 – Portland General Electric

Temporary Storeroom (T17-019) – Portland General Electric

 

 

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This Day In History

Walt Disney (center) showing Orange

County o�cials plans for Disneyland’s

layout, December 1954.

 

“Wrong Way” Corrigan Crosses the Atlantic

July 17, 1938

Douglas Corrigan, the last of the early glory-seeking �iers, takes o� from Floyd Bennett �eld in Brooklyn, New York, on a �ight that would �nally win him a place

in aviation history.

Eleven years earlier, American Charles A. Lindbergh had become an international celebrity with his solo nonstop �ight across the Atlantic. Corrigan was among

the mechanics who had worked on Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis aircraft, but that mere footnote in the history of �ight was not enough for the Texas-born

aviator. In 1938, he bought a 1929 Curtiss Robin aircraft o� a trash heap, rebuilt it, and modi�ed it for long-distance �ight. In July 1938, Corrigan piloted the

single-engine plane nonstop from California to New York. Although the transcontinental �ight was far from unprecedented, Corrigan received national attention

simply because the press was amazed that his rattletrap aircraft had survived the journey.

Almost immediately after arriving in New York, he �led plans for a transatlantic �ight, but aviation authorities deemed it a suicide �ight, and he was promptly

denied. Instead, they would allow Corrigan to �y back to the West Coast, and on July 17 he took o� from Floyd Bennett �eld, ostentatiously pointed west.

However, a few minutes later, he made a 180-degree turn and vanished into a cloudbank to the puzzlement of a few onlookers.

Twenty-eight hours later, Corrigan landed his plane in Dublin, Ireland, stepped out of his plane, and exclaimed, “Just got in from New York. Where am I?” He

claimed that he lost his direction in the clouds and that his compass had malfunctioned. The authorities didn’t buy the story and suspended his license, but

Corrigan stuck to it to the amusement of the public on both sides of the Atlantic. By the time “Wrong Way” Corrigan and his crated plane returned to New York by

ship, his license suspension had been lifted, he was a national celebrity, and a mob of autograph seekers met him on the gangway. 

Disneyland Opens

July 17, 1955

Disneyland, Walt Disney’s metropolis of nostalgia, fantasy, and futurism, opens on July 17, 1955. The $17 million

theme park was built on 160 acres of former orange groves in Anaheim, California, and soon brought in

staggering pro�ts. Today, Disneyland hosts more than 14 million visitors a year, who spend close to $3 billion.

Walt Disney, born in Chicago in 1901, worked as a commercial artist before setting up a small studio in Los

Angeles to produce animated cartoons. In 1928, his short �lm Steamboat Willy, starring the character “Mickey

Mouse,” was a national sensation. It was the �rst animated �lm to use sound, and Disney provided the voice for

Mickey. From there on, Disney cartoons were in heavy demand, but the company struggled �nancially because of

Disney’s insistence on ever-improving artistic and technical quality. His �rst feature-length cartoon, Snow White

and the Seven Dwarfs (1938), took three years to complete and was a great commercial success.

Snow White was followed by other feature-length classics for children, such as Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941),

and Bambi (1942). Fantasia (1940), which coordinated animated segments with famous classical music pieces, was

an artistic and technical achievement. In Song of the South (1946), Disney combined live actors with animated

�gures, and beginning with Treasure Island in 1950 the company added live-action movies to its repertoire. Disney

was also one of the �rst movie studios to produce �lm directly for television, and its Zorro and Davy Crockett series were very popular with children.

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Hendrix on stage in 1967

In the early 1950s, Walt Disney began designing a huge amusement park to be built near Los Angeles. He intended Disneyland to have educational as well as

amusement value and to entertain adults and their children. Land was bought in the farming community of Anaheim, about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles,

and construction began in 1954. In the summer of 1955, special invitations were sent out for the opening of Disneyland on July 17. Unfortunately, the pass was

counterfeited and thousands of uninvited people were admitted into Disneyland on opening day. The park was not ready for the public: food and drink ran out, a

women’s high-heel shoe got stuck in the wet asphalt of Main Street USA, and the Mark Twain Steamboat nearly capsized from too many passengers.

Disneyland soon recovered, however, and attractions such as the Castle, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Snow White’s Adventures, Space Station X-1, Jungle Cruise, and

Stage Coach drew countless children and their parents. Special events and the continual building of new state-of-the-art attractions encouraged them to visit

again. In 1965, work began on an even bigger Disney theme park and resort near Orlando, Florida. Walt Disney died in 1966, and Walt Disney World was opened

in his honor on October 1, 1971. Epcot Center, Disney-MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom were later added to Walt Disney World, and it remains Florida’s

premier tourist attraction. In 1983, Disneyland Tokyo opened in Japan, and in 1992 Disneyland Paris–or “EuroDisney”–opened to a mixed reaction in Marne-la-

Vallee. The newest Disneyland, in Hong Kong, opened its doors in September 2005.

Jimi Hendrix Drops out as Opening Act for The Monkees

July 17, 1967

On July 17, 1967, one of the oddest musical pairings in history comes to an end when Jimi Hendrix dropped out as

the opening act for teenybopper sensations The Monkees.

The booking of psychedelic rock god Jimi Hendrix with the made-for-television Monkees was the brainchild of

Hendrix’s manager, Mike Je�ery, who was seeking greater public exposure for a young client who was a budding

star in the UK, but a near-unknown in his native United States. It was in the UK, in fact, that Monkee Mike Nesmith

�rst heard a tape of Hendrix playing while at a dinner party with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton.

Nesmith and his fellow Monkees Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz became instant Jimi Hendrix fans, and after

witnessing his legendary performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, they encouraged their own

manager to invite the little-known but highly respected Jimi Hendrix Experience to join their upcoming U.S. tour.

Hendrix himself appears to have had no direct input on the decision, though he’d made his opinion of the Monkees

clear several months earlier in an interview with Melody Maker magazine: “Oh God, I hate them! Dishwater….You can’t knock anybody for making it, but people

like the Monkees?” Nevertheless, Hendrix joined the tour in progress in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 8. Predictably, the reception given to the now-legendary rock

icon by the young fans of the bubblegum Monkees was less than worshipful. As Mickey Dolenz later recalled, “Jimi would amble out onto the stage, �re up the

amps and break out into ‘Purple Haze,’ and the kids in the audience would instantly drown him out with ‘We want Daaavy!’ God, was it embarrassing.”

Jimi Hendrix managed to get through a total of only seven dates with the Monkees, culminating in his �nal show on July 17, 1967, which may or may not have

ended with Hendrix saluting the crowd with his middle �nger. There was no truth to the widely circulated rumor that he’d been kicked o� of the tour after

protests by the Daughters of the American Revolution that his show was “too erotic.”

Superpowers Meet in Space

July 17, 1975

As part of a mission aimed at developing space rescue capability, the U.S. spacecraft Apollo 18 and the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 19 rendezvous and dock in space.

As the hatch was opened between the two vessels, commanders Thomas P. Sa�ord and Aleksei Leonov shook hands and exchanged gifts in celebration of the

�rst such meeting between the two Cold War adversaries in space. Back on Earth, United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim congratulated the two

superpowers for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and praised their unprecedented spirit of cooperation and peace in planning and executing the mission.

During the 44-hour Apollo-Soyuz embrace, the astronauts and cosmonauts conducted experiments, shared meals, and held a joint news conference. Apollo-

Soyuz, which came almost three years after the sixth and last U.S. lunar landing, was the �nal Apollo program mission conducted by NASA. It was �tting that the

Apollo program, which �rst visited the moon under the banner of “We came in peace for all mankind,” should end on a note of peace and international

cooperation.

 

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