All utilities required to report on COVID-19-related expenses: As a result of temporary orders issued in response to the public health emergency, the Public Service Commission (PSC) authorized all electric, gas, steam, and water public utilities to defer their compliance-related expenditures. The PSC defined the COVID-19-related expenses as foregone revenue and carrying costs, and ordered utilities to accurately report on these costs for timely recovery in future rate application filings.
To lessen demand on utilities’ resources and time, PSC staff developed an online COVID-19 Utility Reporting Survey to standardize the method of reporting expenses. All utilities should complete the survey, even if they are not reporting any COVID-19-related expenses. The first report is due June 14. The survey tool can be accessed here. Electric utilities with questions about the survey or reporting COVID-19 costs should contact Debra Prost at the PSC.
The June edition of Live Lines was distributed last week. In case you missed it, you can find it online here.
Is your AED affected by a recall? The manufacturer of LIFEPAK 500 AEDs has issued a voluntary recall due to issues with the operation of its automated external defibrillator. In a small number of events, this particular AED unit reportedly could not detect a patient connection due to mechanical wear-through. MEUW members are encouraged to review their AEDs to determine whether they have one of the affected units. Please contact your regional safety coordinator for additional guidance.
2020 Wage & Benefits Survey underway: We are now collecting data for the association’s annual Wage & Benefits Survey. Each utility has received instructions to complete the online survey tool, which is due by June 30. A list of utilities that have responded to this year’s survey is being updated here. Only the utilities that provide information for the survey will receive a copy of the results when they are distributed later this summer. Questions should be directed to Tim Heinrich.
Register today for upcoming events: After postponing a number of workshops and seminars due to the pandemic, the MEUW “Event Calendar” is flush with important training and networking opportunities. Here’s an overview of upcoming sessions (click on the dates to link to the registration page):
- 2020 Watt Hour Metering Workshop: Optional pre workshop refresher session on Aug. 3; three-day workshop on Aug. 4, 5 and 6, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), Green Bay
- Facility Locating Workshop: Aug. 11, Chippewa Falls
- Underground Distribution School: Aug. 18-19, NWTC, Green Bay.
- MEUW’s 91st Annual Conference: Aug. 19, 20 and 21, Manitowoc
- Competent Person/Excavation Workshop: Aug. 24, Waupun Utilities
- NESC Code Seminar: Sept. 14-15, Oconomowoc Utilities