Modernization of the electric grid should not be the singular focus of spending in the United States, rather we should also be targeting our efforts and dollars at specific projects that will make the most immediate impacts. Billions are spent every year on upgrading the system and adding intelligence to the grid and are always balanced against the impacts on rates and customers. Even with unlimited checkbooks on transmission – California and Texas are great examples – system issues can occur.

As a country, we should dream big but equally critical are to make improvements that can have an immediate impact on improving the nation’s infrastructure. The vision of seven hundred and sixty-five megawatt lines crisscrossing the U.S. is a “BHAG” – big, hairy audacious goal – that should be pursued.

However, with even the simplest transmission project taking a decade or more, we should take some specific, short- and medium-term actions.

It is also important to realize while permitting is slow, money is currently available to invest in transmission. The hang up is in assuring the line will be used and commitments made to guarantee the offtake of power. In other words, if no demand backed by financial arrangements, no construction. So, what projects do I believe can and should be done today?

Rebuild the seven AC/DC ties between the Eastern and Western grid. At a cost of roughly thirty million, this project could be complete in less than eighteen months.

Expand the Mead Substation at Hoover Dam into a renewable energy hub. This project will take between twenty-four to thirty-six months to complete. It is at the base of the El Dorado Valley, connects to California, and is the ideal spot for a robust hub.

Complete the Intertie Project started in 1964. In forty-eight months or less, the two hundred and seventy-five miles of transmission could be built that would loop the Pacific Northwest across the west and into the Southwest Power Pool.

Widen our focus and fund technology that benefits the nation and not just a single region. Concentrate those efforts on grid cybersecurity, as well as advanced system sensing to anticipate and avoid issues.

Another key area is to create a cohesive national effort to enhance wildfire tools and technology, including the expansion of right-of-way tree clearing. Encourage or standardize the use of coated cables, especially in areas when undergrounding is limited by terrain or cost.

Create an incentive structure that supports our end goals for improvements in the grid. Pay higher incentives for the power solutions that are really needed: pay a higher rate of return for lines that serve grids wider than a single state, quit paying for redundant infrastructure, and guarantee offtake as a fundamental component of the incentive structure.

Create real markets that span time zones and weather conditions and empower those entities to support. This should also include an RTO to coordinate offshore wind and provide the trading and management platform.

Finally, recognize that transmission is best suited to fix the growing energy divide. The digital divide is often spoken of in our country when the energy divide is an even greater one to navigate for underserved or unserved communities. The “haves” can afford solar panels and storage, while the “have nots” are paying the price. The haves can create microgrids – which serve a purpose – but also serve to create a balkanized electrical system.

Our current business models hang on an engineering measurement – the kilowatt/megawatt hour paradigm. This paradigm is no longer valid when the haves can move their energy supply off the grid for a portion of the day while the have nots pay the carrying costs. We need to move beyond a simple engineering focus on our grid and the delivery of power and understand the far-reaching effects being created with our inherently uneven system.

The question to be asking is how can we effectively grow our grid to realize all the intrinsic potential, and bring all our citizens along to enjoy those benefits? Let us dream for the future and act for today.

This article recently appeared in August 2021 Public Utilities Fortnightly. Read the original article here. 

Brighton, CO – United Power is now a member of the GridWise Alliance, a national organization which helps foster relationships among a diverse group of industry stakeholders and advocates for public policy changes that benefit grid modernization. The group’s executive committee unanimously approved the cooperative’s membership with the organization in July.

Grid modernization is a moving target that evolves over time as new technology is developed and changes the way energy is produced and managed and how consumers use energy. It typically refers to the system of interconnected devices on a grid that improve reliability and efficiency while ensuring safety. The GridWise Alliance is a collaborate effort among members to develop industry best practices used to direct public policy supporting grid modernization by leveraging their different experiences and perspectives.

“We are a comparatively small player next to some of the larger utilities involved with the GridWise Alliance,” said Dean Hubbuck, United Power’s Chief Energy Resource Officer. “But we’re also extremely progressive. These types of organizations help us accomplish our goals and what we’re trying to achieve for our members.”

As a member, United Power will be able to contribute its unique perspective on the industry as a fast-growing cooperative serving members in suburban and rural communities northeast of Denver. In June, the Brighton-based co-op became just the 31st electric cooperative nationwide to surpass 100,000 meters and is on past to add several thousand more before the end of the year. The unprecedented growth and progressive reputation of the cooperative have earned it a seat at the table helping direct local and national policy conversations.

“United Power stands out from its cooperative peers for its commitment to grid modernization and deployment of emerging technologies,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Gabriel. “As a member of the GridWise Alliance, we have a platform to advocate for policies beneficial to both the cooperative and its members.”

United Power joins Rappahannock as the only other electric cooperative member of the GridWise Alliance. Other prominent members include Con Edison, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy. Non-utility members also include IBM, Intel and General Electric. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, go to www.gridwise.org.

About GridWise Alliance:

The GridWise Alliance (GWA) represents the broad and diverse stakeholders that design, build, and operate the electric grid. Since 2003, the GridWise Alliance has been at the forefront of educating key industry stakeholders on the critical need to modernize our nation’s electricity system. For more information about the GridWise Alliance, visit: www.gridwise.org.

About United Power:

United Power is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative, delivering electricity to homes, farms and businesses throughout Colorado’s northern front range. The cooperative is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the nation, and in June joined the elite ranks of cooperatives serving more than 100,000 meters. The 900 square mile service territory extends from the mountains of Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyon, along the I-25 corridor and Carbon Valley region, to the farmlands of Brighton, Hudson and Keenesburg. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.unitedpower.com or follow them on social media Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

###

Observe Ten-Foot Rule to Safely Trim Trees Near Power Lines

Summer is in full swing, and as trees begin to grow and bud, they may get close enough to come into contact with power lines. While the fires and damage from 2020 are still fresh on everyone’s minds, we want to remind members that trees near power lines can cause potential hazards, tree-related power outages and increase the risk of fire.

To protect your power and your community, United Power will be concentrating significant resources on clearing vegetation from power lines this summer – especially in portions of our mountain territory that are heavily forested. United Power adheres to industry best practices and will trim away any vegetation within ten feet of power lines. You can help protect your community from power outages, damaged utility equipment and fires by observing the ten-foot rule between trees and power lines.

If you encounter a tree in the vicinity of a primary line, immediately contact United Power. These are the high-voltage lines running from pole to pole, and they require specially trained tree-trimming crews. Report tree hazards on our website.

Members are responsible for trimming vegetation away from secondary lines – the lines that stretch beyond your electric meter to your service location. For your safety, United Power will disconnect secondary lines for tree trimming activity at no cost to the member. Avoid trimming when you encounter the following: tree limbs in direct contact with a power line, dead tree limbs hanging near power lines, tree limbs growing toward power lines.

Remember to trim only from a steady, level surface, removing small, easy to manage sections. Large tree/branch sections may call unexpectedly and take down power lines and cause potential injury. If this is not possible, contact a professional tree trimmer.

When in doubt about safety or responsibility, please contact United Power at 303-637-1300. We’ll be happy to assess the situation and keep you safe.

For more information on digging and planting safely, go to our Dig Safe, Plant Safe page.