Editor’s Note: Within the next several weeks, Industry Intelligence will be undergoing an overhaul.
We hope these changes will provide more relevant content with the same UTC focus.
We are in the final stages of mapping out the new newsletter so stay tuned for more over the coming weeks!
–The UTC Industry Intelligence Team
Two UTC core utility members—American Electric Power and Dominion Energy—will talk utility broadband in the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC) Annual Meeting and Educational Conference, being held virtually this week.
AEP Executive Vice President of Utilities Lisa Barton will participate in an innovative, fast-paced general session on Nov. 10 called Bridging the Divide. She is the only industry representative featured in the session. She will discuss AEP’s efforts to bring middle-mile broadband in Virginia and West Virginia.
The following day, Nov. 11, Dominion Energy Virginia President Ed Baine will join a session on Electric Utilities’ Role in Rural Broadband to discuss Dominion’s unique middle-mile partnership with Prince George Electric Cooperative.
NARUC is an influential organization representing the nation’s state public service commissioners that regulate electric, water, and natural gas utilities.
These speaking engagements will provide a critical venue to discuss how utilities are key partners in bridging the broadband divide and bringing internet connectivity to unserved and underserved areas.
UTC played a key role in securing these opportunities.
Please contact the UTC Public Policy Team with any questions.
Registration is still open for UTC’s 5G, Small Cell, and Broadband Workshop this week.
The session starts on Monday, Nov. 9, with pre-conference training sessions.
The workshop will provide insights into the demands being placed on electric utilities from 5G, broadband, and small cells, as well as what this will mean in terms of securing and maintaining the infrastructure needed to safely and securely deliver electricity.
It will also feature key policymakers discussing new and exciting funding opportunities for broadband that utilities can access to help offset the high cost of deploying broadband into rural and other unserved areas. In this conference, speakers and panelists will discuss various models of win-win scenarios that balance the needs of the utilities, communities, and wireless providers.
Registration info is here: https://utc.org/event/5g-and-utilities-workshop/
The White House named a new chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in a surprise move last week.
James Danly, who became a FERC commissioner in March 2020, was tapped as the agency’s chairman late Thursday night, replacing Neil Chatterjee, who has served as chairman since October 2018.
Prior to becoming commissioner, Mr. Danly was the agency’s general counsel.
“It has been my utmost pleasure to have served under Neil Chatterjee, both as General Counsel and alongside him as Commissioner,” Chairman Danly said. “I have learned a tremendous amount from his expertise and insight, and I am proud of the work we’ve been able to accomplish under his thoughtful watch.”
Commissioner Chatterjee, who joined FERC in 2017 and served as Chairman from August to December 2017 and since October 2018, congratulated the new chairman on his appointment and said the Commission will be well-served by Danly’s leadership.
“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve as the Chairman of FERC alongside my colleagues and staff, who represent some of the most talented and hardworking professionals in the US government,” Commissioner Chatterjee said.
UTC met with Commissioner Chatterjee numerous times during his tenure as chairman. Indeed, last year, under the chairman’s leadership, FERC featured UTC during a session on utility spectrum issues as part of an annual technical conference on electricity reliability.
Please contact the UTC Public Policy Team with any questions.
Regional Meetings—All Virtual
Calendar of UTC committee/division conference calls
Committee/Division calls
