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Mr. Smith Goes to Washington…. Err, I mean Mr. Collins
By Mike Hyland
Executive Director, NEPPA
Frank Capra produced and directed the Oscar winning 1939 film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”. The storyline is quite simple, a young naive man from Montana is appointed to an open Senate seat in the US Congress. The previous Senator had died, and Smith was purposefully appointed to this seat since all thought he would go to DC with such naivety that he could be manipulated and would do the bidding of those in power. The leading role of Smith was played by Jimmy Stewart, mainly since Gary Cooper was unavailable. Although thought of as a well written adaptation of the original script – and loosely based on real life Senator Burton Wheeler – it caused quite the stir in DC.
Most diplomats in DC felt that this movie was made to unfairly tarnish the reputation of DC politicians. Senator Alben Barkley, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader, called the film "silly and stupid", and said it "makes the Senate look like a bunch of crooks". Joe Kennedy, the American Ambassador to Great Britain, wrote to Capra and President of Columbia Pictures, Harry Cohn, to say that he feared the film would damage "America's prestige in Europe".
This familiar conversation surrounding the role, scope and power of the federal government – well, heck. One might think it's……the year 2025. I’m not trying to create any controversy in this Newsline – just want to point out that almost 100 years later, much of our history repeats itself.
During the early years of NEPPA, a lot needed to be put in place to ensure long-term success. The giants I mentioned in last month’s newline kept their collective noses to the grindstone and pushed forward. Mr. Collin’s of Wakefield was elected as the first President of NEPPA, and a full board was elected as follows:
Connecticut – 2 representatives
Maine – 2 representatives
Massachusetts – 3 representatives
New Hampshire – 2 representatives
New York – 2 representatives
Rhode Island – 1 representative
Vermont – 2 representatives
The ‘Articles of Organization’ were blessed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on November 2, 1965, and we officially became a Massachusetts corporation. Annual meetings were held in Portland, ME in 1965 (which was ‘lightly attended’) and Colchester, VT in 1966 (which was ‘well attended’). Two things popped out to be about the meeting in Vermont: 1. It was held at the Marble Island Golf Resort, which might explain our love affair with golf, and 2. We ratified our first set of resolutions for use during lobbying trips to Washington DC.
First set of resolutions, approved July 26, 1966:
1. Request the Secretary of the Interior to meet with representatives of the NEPPA Power Supply Planning Committee.
2. Endorse and urge Congress to enact HR 14837, a bill published by the House Committee on Agriculture to establish a Federal Bank for Rural Electric Systems.
3. Oppose the enactment of Senate S 3136 as an unnecessary and undesirable weakening of our antitrust laws.
4. Urge that congress enact the Senate S 2140, which would provide for the certification by the Federal Power Commission of interstate EHV transmission lines and those lines to be consistent with a “comprehensive plan for the use and development of the power resources of the area for the purpose of making electric energy reliably available in ample amounts on fair and reasonable terms”.
Wow! Just…wow. The leaders of NEPPA jumped right into the DC world, led by Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins does indeed go to Washington, but not as the naive fictional Senator Smith from Montana in 1939. Rather, he was surrounded by representatives from the hundreds of cooperative and municipally owned electric systems operating in seven Northeastern states.
But, why go to Washington DC? Isn’t it full of chaos, just like the movie suggested? Well, I learned one important thing when officiating big games in big stadiums – when the coaches are mad, screaming at you so loud that the veins in their neck are popping – don’t hesitate – go into the fire rather than back away. In the mid to late 60’s, everything in Washington DC was calm and easygoing... said no one ever. Think about it. We were in turmoil. The United States had troops fighting in Vietnam, JFK was assassinated in 1963, MLK and RFK were assassinated in 1968, and there were the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 & 1968, Voting Rights and Social Security Acts of 1965 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. During the ‘Long Hot summer on 1967’ there were over 150 riots in major cities and all of this while we were locked in a space race to reach the moon by the end of the decade.
Despite all this, we need to go into the fire. Not once, not occasionally, but all the time, over and over, to ensure the voice of public power is heard. 2025 is no different. War in the Ukraine, problems in Gaza, concerns of cyber warfare from North Korea, China and elsewhere, three recent plane crashes and disagreements on just about everything. Still... we need to go.
At the end of February, NEPPA will again be in Washington DC, voicing the concerns of public power. We will return in the fall as well. NEPPA has an A & R committee led by VPPSA’s Ken Nolan, and we have new champions. So, replace the names of our first leaders: Collins, Clark, Baker, McDevitt, Cook, Erickson, Spurrell, Korkosz, et.al. with the names Nolan, Tzimorangas, Roy, Decurzio, Lawler, Cloutier, Cavanaugh, Jennings, Meisinger, et.al.
Into the fire we go! Same as we have done since the beginning.
-Mike
(Photo above of actor James Stewart in the film 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington')
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Scholarship applications are currently being accepted for NEPPA's Student Scholarship Fund. If you know anyone who may be interested, please encourage them to apply.
Applications must be submitted by Friday, March 28, 2025 and winners will be announced in May.
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High School Scholarship (for graduating HS seniors): One $500 Scholarship directed at students who are seniors in high school during the 2024/2025 school year and planning to enroll in college or a trade school program upon HS graduation.
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Secondary Education Scholarship (for university & trade school students): One $500 Scholarship directed at students currently enrolled in college or a trade school program during the 2024/2025 program year.
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Upcoming Training & Events | |
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General Manager/Leadership Roundtable
February 13, 2025 New date February 19th
8:30 am - 1:00 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Hoisting
1B-1D
March 4, 2025
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Hoisting
2A-2C
March 5, 2025
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Mastering Your Communication Skills
March 6, 2025
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Tactical Tuesday
March 11, 2025
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Held Virtually
(Free for Members)
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Presenters: Tom Heller – Executive Director, TAPS and
Jane Cirrincione – Assistant General Manager, Northern California Power Agency
Topic: What is TAPS and what does TAPS do for Public Power?
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Basic Electricity &
Mathematics for
Utility Operations
March 18, 2025
8:00 am - 3:00 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Substation I
Program
4 Sessions
Starting
March 18, 2025
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Metering I
Program
2-Day Course
March 25-26, 2025
8:00 am - 3:00 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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General Foreman Roundtable
March 27, 2025
8:30 am - 1:00 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Executive Actions: President Trump touts Day One executive actions; OMB issues and rescinds order freezing federal assistance; President Trump announces tariffs… | |
Cabinet Appointments: The Senate confirms additional nominees for President Trump’s cabinet… | |
Reconciliation: GOP lawmakers hit a snag in their reconciliation plans… | | |
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Welcome to the NEPPA Family!
Codie Perry
New Manager of Safety & Training
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Littleton, MA - February 10, 2025 - NEPPA is pleased to have Codie Perry joining our team, as of this month, as our new Manager of Safety and Training. A Journeyman Lineman, Codie graduated from the Northwest Lineman’s College. His experience includes work as an AMI Specialist at Kay Electric Cooperative in Blackwell, Oklahoma. Codie is putting down new roots in New England, moving from Oklahoma to Nashua NH with his family. With a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm, we are excited for Codie's contributions to our team. | |
Pascoag and Harrisville Fire Water Department Merge to Create Clear River Electric & Water District
Pascoag, RI - January 1, 2025 - Pascoag Utility District merged with Harrisville Fire District’s Water Department creating Clear River Electric & Water District. The Clear River Electric & Water District (CREW) was incorporated by a special act of the Rhode Island General Assembly. A quasi-municipal utility, CREW provides Electricity and Water on a “not for profit” basis. Clear River Electric & Water is regulated by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission and provide electric service to approximately 4,800 customers in Pascoag and Harrisville RI and 2,200 Water customers in the villages of Pascoag, Harrisville & Oakland-Mapleville.
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Mary Snow Named Georgetown Municipal Light Department Assistant Manager
Georgetown, MA - January 27, 2025 - The Georgetown Municipal Light Department (GMLD) has named Mary Snow as Assistant General Manager. Mary joined Georgetown Light in 2015 as a Business/Customer Service Coordinator and was promoted to Business Manager in 2020. Before joining the department, she worked as a Customer Service Coordinator and Referral Program Manager.
Mary recently received her Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Business Management from Fitchburg State University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Westfield State University in 2008 and is a 2004 graduate of Georgetown High School. She has also completed Northeast Public Power’s Public Utility Management Program.
“Mary has been an integral part of GMLD since she joined the department 10 years ago, and we look forward to her assuming new responsibilities as Assistant General Manager,” General Manager Dave Schofield said. “As a Georgetown native, she is thoroughly familiar with the Town and GMLD. I know that she will continue to be an asset to the department and the community in this new role.”
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New “Home Plus” Pilot Program at WG+E Helping Homeowners Convert to Energy Efficient Heating Solutions
Westfield, MA - January 6, 2025 - Westfield Gas + Electric (WG+E) announces the launch of Home Plus, an innovative financing pilot program designed to help Westfield homeowners transition to energy-efficient air source heat pump systems while improving their home’s overall energy efficiency. The program provides up to $27,000 for heat pump installations and qualified home efficiency improvement incentives to homeowners currently heating their homes primarily with oil, wood, propane, or electric baseboard systems.
“Home Plus represents our commitment to making clean, energy efficient heating and cooling solutions accessible to Westfield residents,” said Tom Flaherty, General Manager. “By removing the upfront cost barrier and providing an easy repayment method through monthly utility bills, we’re making it simpler for homeowners to upgrade their heating systems and improve their home’s efficiency.”
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In Memory of David Fabrizius (March 23, 1946 - January 17, 2025)
Santa Maria, CA - January 17, 2025 - We mourn the passing of David Henry Fabrizius, former NEPPA Director of Safety who retired in 2012 after 24 years of service to the association. David was a very important part of the NEPPA training program and the utility community. He was instrumental in expanding NEPPA's safety training and played a major role in developing the apprentice lineworker program.
David was born in Phillipsburg, KS, and grew up in Windsor, CO, and Sierra Vista, AZ. After college, David moved to Bakersfield, where he initially worked in security before completing his electrician apprenticeship and becoming a lineman. His career took him to Taft and Loveland, CO, before he moved to Worcester, MA and became involved in NEPPA. David will be missed. We are forever grateful to David for his dedication to NEPPA and we send our thoughts and prayers to his loved ones.
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Fox Islands Electric Cooperative gets nearly $9 million for renewable energy expansion
Vinalhaven, ME - January 13, 2025 - Fox Islands Electric Cooperative was awarded $8.7 million from the federal agriculture department’s Empowering Rural America program.
The money, mostly low-interest loans, is intended to help repower and upgrade a 4.5 megawatt wind farm. It will also go to finance a new solar power array on a capped landfill. The added renewable energy could power more than 1,500 homes, according to the cooperative.
George Kendrick, president of Fox Islands Wind, said while the organization was excited by federal funding, the projects were not a done deal. Fox Islands Wind is a subsidiary of the cooperative. Individual components of the plan to repower wind turbines and install a solar array "would be subject to many complex and time-consuming steps" Kendrick said. Those include approval by the Town of Vinalhaven, engineering studies and environmental approvals. The funding will make repowering the turbines more economically feasible, according to Kendrick.
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Keeping You Connected...
Events & Opportunities | |
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PublicPowerX Webinar: Boost Internal Efficiency and Customer Satisfaction with Text Messaging
Thursday, February 27, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Complimentary event hosted by the American Public Power Association (APPA) in collaboration with TextPower
Held Virtually
| Richard Papa, General Manager, TextPower speaks with Kala Jeske, AMI Data Specialist for the City of Bryan Water Department and Meagan Brown, Public Information Officer and Energy Services Manager for Bryan Texas Utilities. In this interview-style webinar we’ll be learning about how texting has been used to improve customer service and facilitate internal communications while improving internal efficiency. | |
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DOE Providing up to $35 Million to Utilities Across the Country to Increase Grid Resilience and Improve Flexibility
JARVIS funds advanced grid tech and modeling to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO) is providing up to $35 million to bolster grid resilience and reliability through the Joint Assessment of Resilience in Vulnerable Infrastructure Systems (JARVIS) program. Administered by TechWerx, JARVIS will enable utilities to enhance grid resilience against extreme weather, improve flexibility through data analytics and smart grid technologies, and facilitate the integration of distributed energy resources.
Utilities will use funding received from the JARVIS program to engage with service providers, such as research institutions, consulting firms, or technology companies, to deploy advanced technologies and incorporate modeling to identify and mitigate grid vulnerabilities, enabling greater integration across diverse energy portfolios. Successful project teams will include both the primary utility recipient and the partnering service provider. GDO expects to award up to $1 million per recipient, with a total of $35 million in funding currently available.
Applications to be a part of the first JARVIS cohort are due April 19, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
A pre-recorded informational webinar is available on TechWerx’s opportunity page. Office hours sessions will also be held March 12, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. ET and April 9, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. ET. Registration is required.
| | (Photo Above: Regional Climate Resilience Workshop held in Worcester, MA) | |
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E&M Consulting, Inc. is working on producing our 2025 Membership Directory. E&M is currently contacting all members about advertising opportunities available. The publication will be mailed to every member – a great opportunity to promote and give your company additional exposure!
If you have any questions or want to advertise, please contact an E&M sales associate at 800-572-0011 ext. 0104 or advertising@eandmsales.com. As always, your support is greatly appreciated!
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February 2025 - Winter walking safety starts with awareness and preparation. By taking precautions and using the right techniques, you can reduce the risk of slips, trips, and falls. Learn more about tips to keep you safe and mitigate unwanted injuries on icy and snowy terrain.
Read More
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