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Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
By Mike Hyland
Executive Director, NEPPA
Hello and Happy New Year!!
2025 marks another milestone for NEPPA – 60 years and counting. That’s right – NEPPA turns 60th this year, a reason to celebrate.
Sir Isaac Newton was loosely quoted as saying that much of his discoveries were based on the previous work of the great scientific minds that came before him. In effect – his research went further, only because he ‘stood on the shoulders of giants.’ Well, we recently lost a giant in the northeast public power world. While enjoying the holidays with my family in Maryland, I was sad to see the obituary for Attorney Maurice J. Ferriter. At first, I simply recognized the last name and thought to myself – ‘why do I know this name?’ I didn’t have much time to dig into research, so I moved on with my holiday. Well, remember this name. He was a Giant.
Mr. Ferriter was one of a group of individuals that has impacted public power in Massachusetts, the northeast, and nationally. His impact was evident to me, as I was reading the minutes of the first organizational meeting of NEPPA. The meeting was held at the Shrine Inn in Chicopee, Massachusetts on April 5, 1965. The minutes, although brief, were excellent and the volunteer scribe was Thomas Lang, Line Superintendent at the Washington Electric Cooperative in Vermont. Mr. Lang did a thorough job, and the meeting was led by Mr. Leon Billings from the American Public Power Association in Washington DC, and Mr. Michael Collins of the Municipal Light department of Wakefield, Massachusetts.
There was a lot to cover at this meeting, and the main goal was to help the “Association determine these issues vital or important in the development of public power in (the) North Eastern United States.” Mr. Robert Clark of the Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative covered the Passamaquoddy Tidal Project, and there was discussion of how this project tied into the proposed Cross Rocks project and the Passamaquoddy – Upper St. Johns River project. There was a brief discussion on placing hydro power on the Connecticut River, but “private power interests have the water rights to the Connecticut River tied up”.
Next, they moved on to the Yankee – Dixie project which would include transmission from Maine to Florida. Many felt that this project fit in nicely with the Passamaquoddy – St. Johns River project. Federal overreach was of concern for the cooperatives in the room, as the Federal Power Commission was named in a bill introduced in Washington, DC to extend the Commission jurisdiction to both Co-ops and private utilities. If passed, the cooperatives would have both Federal Power Commission and Rural Electric Administration jurisdictional oversight. Pumped storage and nuclear energy were discussed at the end of the meeting, however an attendee pointed out that the United Mine Workers of American reported that nuclear generation had issues with waste disposal and a possible problem attaining subsidies required to build and operate.
The meeting went so well that they decided to continue. There was a discussion of inviting both Pennsylvania and Ohio to the next meeting tentatively scheduled for June 1965. They elected Michael Collins from Wakefield as the “Temporary Chairman of NEPPA”, Mr. Phillip White of Norwich, Connecticut as the Chairman of the Finance and Membership Committee, and Mr. Maurice Ferriter of Holyoke, Massachusetts as the Chairman of the By-Laws Committee.
So, who were all the utilities who attended this first organizational meeting?
Third Electrical District, East Norwalk, CT; Norwich, CT; South Norwalk, CT; Wallingford, CT; Braintree, MA; Chicopee, MA; Holyoke, MA; South Hadley, MA; Wakefield, MA; Eastern Maine Electric Coop, Calais, ME; Houlton, ME; Van Buren, ME; Wolfeboro, NH; Delaware County Electric Coop, Delhi, NY; Rockville Center, NY; MEUA, Sherburne, NY; Vermont Electric Coop, Johnson, VT; Washington Electric Coop, East Montpelier, VT; American Public Power Association, Washington, DC.
Giants. All of them.
I can’t list all the accolades that they might have received, but I can point out that Mr. Ferriter received the James D. Donovan Individual Achievement award from the APPA in 1998. This award recognizes individuals who have made significant and sustained contributions to the electric utility industry and to public power. He also received the NEPPA Person of the Year Award in 1992. This award recognizes one individual for their sustained, outstanding service and contributions to NEPPA and to public power.
I hope your 2025 promises to be great. Remember, it's never too late to become a Giant.
-Mike
(Photo above of a young Maurice J. Ferriter click here for official obituary)
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Upcoming Training & Events | | |
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Tactical Tuesday
February 11, 2025
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Held Virtually
Presenter:
Loreto Sarracini (Acumen)
John McClean (Util-Assist)
Justin Neuberger (Paladin Technologies)
Topic: Physical Security –
How Can NEPPA Members Address the Risks
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General Manager/Leadership Roundtable
February 13, 2025
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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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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Committee Leadership: Additional congressional committee assignments announced… | |
Tax Policy: Treasury releases final rules for the Section 48 Investment Tax Credit… | |
Must-Pass Legislation: Congress passes FY25 stopgap funding legislation; NDAA and WRDA legislation signed into law… | |
Michael Jennings Takes the Helm at
New Hampshire Electric Co-Op
Plymouth, NH - January 2025 - Michael Jennings’ education about utilities began at his family’s kitchen table. His parents both worked for a utility which meant dinner conversations often involved different aspects of engineering and operations. “It’s always been ingrained in me. It’s what I’ve always known,” said Jennings who, effective Jan. 1, stepped into the role of interim President & CEO at New Hampshire Electric Cooperative. “I’m very familiar with utility work. It’s just been part of my life.”
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Senator Peter Welch pictured with Jackie Pratt, Michael Lazorchak, Andy Berke,
Commissioners Sara Teachout, Mark Gilkey, and others.
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Senator Peter Welch and USDA Rural Development Announce $6 Million Award to Stowe Electric Department in Energy Funding for Stowe, Vermont
Stowe, VT - January 6, 2025 - Today, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Stowe Electric Department (SED), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) celebrated the awarding of $6 million in federal funding to support energy initiatives in Stowe, Vermont. This funding, from the USDA’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, will strengthen rural communities by expanding access to clean, renewable energy.
The $6 million investment is part of the USDA’s $1 billion allocation for rural energy initiatives, made possible by the historic, bipartisan Inflation Reduction Act. The PACE program is the largest rural electrification investment since the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, helping reduce energy costs and improve infrastructure while prioritizing clean energy solutions.
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DOE Selects Vermont Electric Co-op for Groundbreaking Technical Assistance Program to Advance Grid Deployment & Integration
Johnson, VT - January 13, 2025 - The Department of Energy (DOE) welcomes the first utilities to participate in the Utility and Grid Operator Technical Assistance program. This innovative program from the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Grid Deployment Office is designed to equip utilities and grid operators with the expertise and resources needed to build the reliable, resilient, and secure grids required to meet the nation's growing energy demand.
"These utilities represent a diverse cross-section of the American grid, encompassing both rural and urban landscapes, and serving millions of customers," said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "This groundbreaking program, powered by collaboration, will accelerate grid deployment and the integration solutions needed to deliver more affordable, equitable and reliable electricity to communities throughout the country."
Read More
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Burlington Electric Department has Joined VPPSA | |
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Burlington, VT - January 10, 2025 - Burlington Electric Department has joined The Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA) as a Strategic Member.
Established by act of the General Assembly in 1979, membership in VPPSA is open to all municipalities in the State of Vermont engaged in the manufacture, distribution, purchase or sale of electricity, as authorized by VPPSA’s Board of Directors.
Strategic Membership is available to Vermont municipalities that otherwise would qualify for full membership but may also have in-house capacity to provide services that offer substantial ongoing benefit to VPPSA as a whole.
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MMWEC Receives $2.3 Million in Federal Tax Credits for Solar Project through IRA | | |
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Ludlow, MA - January 2025 - Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), the Commonwealth’s designated joint action agency for municipal utilities, is pleased to announce it has received a direct payment from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for $2.34 million under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). MMWEC applied for the tax credit under the IRA for the MMWEC/Master Sergeant Alexander Cotton Memorial Solar Project, a 6.9 megawatt (MW) solar array located on the MMWEC site in Ludlow, Mass.
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Keeping You Connected...
Events & Opportunities | |
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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.
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Regional Climate Resilience Workshop for Electric Utilities - Northeast
On behalf of the Department of Energy, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), Argonne National Laboratory, Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA), and EPRI, you are invited to participate in the Northeast Regional Climate Resilience Workshop for Electric Utilities.
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
12:00 - 5:00 PM
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Thursday, January 30, 2025
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Hosted by Northeast Public Power Association
Location: Westford Regency Inn & Conference Center
219 Littleton Road, Westford, MA 01886
| Register for this interactive workshop designed to support cooperative, municipal and tribal utilities' climate resilience planning efforts. Utilities attending the regionally focused workshop will gain exposure to the topic of Climate Science and Vulnerabilities, Climate Resilience Action and Strategies, and engage with industry leaders and climate experts about how to successfully apply climate data to drive change within their organization. | |
(Photo Above: 2024 Annual Lineworkers Rodeo Competition) | |
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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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Refocus on Safety After Time Off
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January 2025 - The holiday season is a time of joy and relaxation, but returning to work after the festivities can be challenging for many teams. To ensure a smooth transition and maintain workplace safety, follow these tips to help your team refocus and reengage.
Read More
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