Electric Operations Conference & Expo 2025 starts tomorrow! We’re looking forward to seeing many of you at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells later this week. More than 200 are registered, and at least 60 municipal utilities will be represented. This annual event is organized by MEUW in cooperation with Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association (WECA). It kicks off tomorrow (Wednesday, Jan. 15) with sessions including a presentation by Public Service Commissioner Marcus Hawkins.
Attendees also will have the chance to visit more than 110 manufacturers and suppliers of the latest and most in-demand products and services at Thursday’s Expo. The annual Apprentice Graduation banquet — honoring more than 30 new journeymen in electric line work from the Class of 2024 — will be held Thursday evening. The MEUW Board of Directors also will meet on Friday morning in conjunction with the conference.
If you’re attending, please remember to bring your tax-exemption certificate for your hotel room charges (Kalahari will require you to present this documentation at check-in).
The January edition of Live Lines was distributed last week. In case you missed it, you can find it online here.
Remind your friends about MEUW scholarship: MEUW provides its “Powering Futures” Scholarship to support students pursuing careers in electrical power distribution. Applications for this year’s awards will be accepted until Jan. 24, 2025. To be eligible, students must reside in a Wisconsin public power community and must be pursuing post-secondary education to become a Field Service Technician, Groundman, Lineman Apprentice, Electric Meter Technician, Substation Electrician Apprentice or Utility Technician. For more information and to review the complete criteria, visit meuw.org/scholarships.
Stay ahead of the rules to be a well-run utility: The “right to serve” electric customers is a privilege municipal utilities can’t take for granted. Understanding the complexities of utility regulation and the variety of rules required to comply with state and federal safety and employment laws is essential to effectively managing a utility every day. As part of MEUW’s “Fundamentals of Utility Management” training program, this one-day course explores the rules and regulations, the reasons many of those rules exist, and the risks and consequences when utilities fail to follow them. Participants will take away a deeper understanding of these important concepts and gain new insights to make compliance more efficient. The class will be held in Mauston on Wednesday, Feb. 12. An outline of the training topics, the instructors, and registration details are here.
Bangor Municipal Utilities has a digger truck for sale. It’s a 2020 Altec Model DH50H Hydraulic Derrick demo they purchased while their new truck was in production. For details, contact Pat Reilley at (608) 486-2151, extension 2.
Discover the “The Power of One” in customer service interactions: Regardless of your role, interacting with customers is an everyday occurrence. In response to member feedback, MEUW has launched a new interactive, virtual training series to explore skills and insights to deliver exceptional customer service. The six-part monthly series called “The Power of One” acknowledges how individual employee actions contribute to customer satisfaction and a positive impression of the utility. All workers regardless of role, department, and experience level are welcome to attend and will take away valuable insights that lead to improved customer service for internal and external customers.
The classes will be held Thursdays from 10:00–11:30 a.m., once per month beginning Jan. 23. Register as an individual or participate together as a small group at your location (groups of five or fewer are recommended due to the interactive nature of the class). As with any class, full attention and participation is important, so setting aside focused class time is essential.
Registration is open now for the first session. There is also an option to register for the full six-part series with the “Early Bird” Bundle between now and Jan. 23. Those interested in the training are also welcome to enroll in the first class and then decide if you’d like to buy the rest of the series as part of the “Happy Learner” Bundle. Full details about the new program (including the registration options and fees) can be found at www.meuw.org/powerofone.
Share the public power story during “Day at the Capitol.” Join fellow members at the Capitol in Madison on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 (2/5/25) to inform and educate state lawmakers about public power’s unique needs and value. As a result of redistricting and the outcome of November’s elections, 28% of the state legislature has turned over, either with first-timers or lawmakers who have switched chambers for the new legislative session. This means there’s a huge opportunity for municipal utilities to make an impression on new (and returning) members of the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly. You’ll be representing not only your public power community, but also the more than 300,000 Wisconsinites who get their electricity from a community-owned utility. Full details are available here.
A room block is available for those who need lodging Tuesday, Feb. 4. Details are here.