Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas
& Happy Kwanzaa
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Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
by Bonnie Biocchi, Executive Director
At this time of the year, I love to watch re-runs of old of Christmas movies. “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Miracle on 34th Street”, or “A Christmas Carol”, are snapshots of a different era. Likewise, musical classics such as “White Christmas, “Jingle Bells” and the “Christmas Song” remind us that Christmas is the season of joy and a time for gathering with family and friends, roasting chestnuts amid glistening treetops. While no one roasts chestnuts anymore, most of us do try and see our families and friends and experience some joy during the month of December. But in 2020, the holiday season will certainly be different. With Pandemic protocols increasing, our “merry” factor is diminishing.
The words of the song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, were first sung by Judy Garland, in1944. Her voice still has the ability to move audiences more than 75 years later. One can imagine that to those who were listening around the world in 1944, these words were particularly poignant. Deep in the throes of WW II, separated by war and famine, I imagine many people were not experiencing the joys of the season.
Fast forward to 2020 and the words seem particularly apropos. Due to a global pandemic and the many restrictions we are faced with, many of us will not be able to see those who are “near and dear to us” during this holiday season. Our hearts may not “be light” and we may only be able to reminisce over the phone and look forward over zoom. But the song ends on a hopeful note and gives me pause. “Next year all our troubles will be out of sight” and “miles away”. I most certainly hope that is true for 2021! For now though, “we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”
Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa this holiday season, I hope you will do it with peace in your heart and with the knowledge that better days are coming. May you be blessed with good health and may happy memories of family and friends sustain you until such time as you can all be together again.
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2020 NEPPA
Annual Membership Meeting
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Last week we held our annual membership meeting. If you missed it, you really missed something special! In addition to informative updates from Joy Ditto, CEO of APPA and Elizabeth Whitney, our Washington lobbyist, this year, we incorporated our Annual Awards into the event. Although we could not be together in person, we hope that our recipients felt the congratulations and good wishes over zoomland!
We handed out 17 awards to deserving recipients and hope you will enjoy reading a bit about each one.
Over the next month we will be posting highlights of the winners on social media! Make sure you check out our facebook page!
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Person of the Year
Stephen "Steve" Socoby, Northeast Public Power Association
Distinguished Service Award
Jeff Cady, Chicopee Electric Light Department
Vincent Ragucci, III, Energy New England
Ken Nolan, Vermont Public Power Supply Authority
Paul Heanue, Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant
Diane Belanger, PURMA
NEPPA Service Award
Justin Connell, Energy New England
John Driscoll, Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant
Patricia "Patty" Richards, Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Francis "Skip" Willey Individual Achievement Award
Weijun Li, Braintree Electric Light Department
Carol A. Tracey Customer Service Award
Tiffany Derie, Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations
Amy Fischer, Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant
Dianne Ryan, Danvers Electric Division
Special Recognition Award
Craig Spinale, Belmont Municipal Light Department
Greg Sherman, Houlton Water Company
Outstanding Affiliate Member Award
Shamrock Power Sales
Commissioner Service Award
Charles W. Bonfanti, Peabody Municipal Light Plant
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Upcoming Training & Events |
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We are pleased to announce that registration for the 2021 @Your-Site Safety & Technical Training and Apprentice Lineworker Programs are now available!
As with any in-person trainings, meetings or events, we ask that you remain flexible as we approach the coming year.
Whenever possible, NEPPA will strive to hold in-person training in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines however we expect the coming year will be a combination of in-person, hybrid and virtual sessions.
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2021 @Your-Site Saftey & Technical Training |
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2021 Apprentice
Linework Program
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Basic Electricity & Mathematics for Utility Operations*
March 30, 2021
August 10, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
Substation I Program*
March 30 - April 2; April 20 - 23; May 18 - 21;
June 15 - 18, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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2021 Apprentice Lineworker Program
Registration is OPEN!
Year I: Feb, 23 - 26; April 6 - 9; Sept. 28 - Oct. 1; Nov. 16 - 19, 2021
Year II: March 2 - 5; April 13 - 16; Oct. 5 - 8; Nov. 30 - Dec. 3, 2021
Year III: March 9 - 12; April 27 - 30; Oct. 26 - 29; Dec. 7 - 10, 2021
Year IV: March 16 - 19; May 4 - 7; Nov. 2 - 5; Dec. 14 - 17, 2021
Apprentice Skills Assessment Rodeo:
June 9-10, 2021
Apprentice Lineworker Program Graduation:
December 17, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
"NEW"
Apprentice Lineworker Program Make-Up Weeks:
May 24 - 28, 2021 (Years I - IV
November 8 - 10, 2021 ( Years I - IV)
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Session IV: April 13 - 15, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
Metering I Program *
April 21 - 22, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
2021 E&O Conference & Expo*
May 13 - 14, 2021
Doubletree Manchester Downtown
Manchester, NH
2021 Annual Conference *
August 22 - 25, 2021
Westin Portland Harborview
Portland, ME
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Substation II Program*
Sept. 14 - 17; Sept. 28 - Oct. 1; Oct. 19 - 22;
Nov. 16 - 19, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
2021 Lineworker's Rodeo*
September 23-24, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
Metering II Program *
November 8 - 10, 2021
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Pandemic:Congress and White House Renew Efforts for COVID-19 Relief…
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FERC: FERC Sees Significant Personnel Changes, FERC Announces NOPR to Address Transmission Line Ratings…
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Every year in December we have the distinct pleasure of graduating students from our Lineworker Apprentice program. This year’s graduation was a hybrid model of in person and virtual, enabling more people to view the event as it happened. We are proud of the 23 students who have completed this big step in their career. In October, 11 students graduated from our NY program making a total of 34 new lineworkers who are “ready, willing and able” to keep the lights on in their communities. After four years of hard work, study and practice, these students have earned our congratulations and best wishes! |
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Washington Electric Cooperative Urges Members to appy for up to $10,000 in State Grants to Pay Past-Due Bills
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East Montpelier, VT December 1, 2020 - Washington Electric Cooperative (WEC) urges its members to apply for state assistance covering past due electric bills and other utility bills. Grants are available to households, businesses, and nonprofits unable to pay utility bills as a result of COVID related economic hardship. Utilities may include Vermont electric; natural gas; landline; private water; municipal,
community, or fire district water and sewer/wastewater.
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Berkshire Wind Phase II Marks One Year of Commerical Operations |
Ludlow, MA - November 1, 2020 October marks a full year since Berkshire Wind Phase II reached commercial operation, and the project is performing consistent with expectations. Since the two, 2.3 megawatt (MW) turbines came online in October 2019, the average capacity factor of Phase II is just above 40 percent.
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Fiber Network Expansion Connects Four MMWEC Four MMWEC Member Utilities |
Sterling, MA - November 1, 2020 - Four MMWEC Members are now connected via the same fiber optic network thanks to a grant issued to the town of Sterling last year. Sterling Municipal Light Department (SMLD) led the charge for the town of Sterling to gain access to fiber internet for its municipal buildings.
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Keeping you informed 24/7
NEPPA's COVID-19 Resource Center
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Northeast Public Power Association | communications@neppa.org | www.neppa.org |
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