The first person I ran into was Tommy Mayne. He is everywhere and he is excited. I don’t see how one person can be in so many places. Tommy said the last time the PES Expo was in Chicago was in 1993. That Expo holds the PES record for the most attendees. I remember it, I was there and it was awesome, but the 2008 is poised to surpass that one. So far the pre-registration is over 11,000! Tommy said, if you count dogs, cats, and passing political folks it is going to be huge by any standards.

Dick got back to me with the Wind Working Group meeting details folks. He says the new working group will meet:

Wednesday 2:00 - 4:00 “Transmission Alternatives for Remote Wind

Generation WG Meeting”

Room N136, Level 1 of McCormick Place North

If you are interested in the wind go!

Boy did I get an ear full about Wind, speed, and utilities. One Renewable IPP member had a comment on the last blog. He said the utilities he is working with have a year long waiting list just to start the system studies. The studies will take over a year! Do you call that fast - he is up set. What about it Utilities? What is your side of the issue? Send me your comments.

Pam and I had just returned from seeing “Jersey Boys,” when we ran into some old friends in the lobby – Rick Bush (Managing Editor, Transmission and Distribution World magazine) and his wife Alice. They too had taken advantage of “Broadway in Chicago” and saw “Wicked.” It was fun visiting with friends and comparing the shows. Rick and I met because of our love of Broadway shows. We were both in New York City many years ago attending a PES Winter Meeting. I was in line at the half price ticket kiosk in Times Square and I struck up a conversation with the guy behind me. He was an engineer – me too. He was in town with PES – me too. He liked musicals – me too. Strange his business card was that of the previous editor (whom I knew) with the name scratched out and his penciled in. By time we reached the window, we had decided to see a play together that evening. Stranger still, he had no cash to buy the ticket. Was this a set up? Hum… he told me that if I would buy the tickets he would pay me back at the hotel (we were both staying at the Hilton). I could hold the ticket. Was it a set up? What the heck, he was an interesting fellow and shows are more fun with a friend. I had the tickets. He would only get his when money changed hands. It was worth it – the guy told very funny stories. So, I bought the tickets and off we went to the Hilton. The thought did cross my mind that this could be a set up to a mugging once we left Time Square. Oh by the way, I’m a 7th degree black belt and after sitting on my butt all day in meetings, I could use the exercise. As it turned out, Rick was exactly who he said he was. We had good dinner, saw a great show, and have been close friends ever since. Over the years, I have made many close friendships because of PES, but this was one of the strangest encounters of all the meetings I have attended. I welcome any comments. Does anyone else have a strange encounter at a PES conference? Tell me about it.

We made it to Chicago! The flight was 20 minutes early and we made it to the hotel in record time. Enough time to head out to the theater and see if we could get tickets to a show. We scored VIP Cast Member seats to see Jersey Boys! Is that cool or what? The show was great – I’ll be driving everyone crazy in the next few days humming the score. Come a day or two early and you can get into all kinds of things. My Chicago friends were correct. They told me to get here early and take in the sights and sounds. Jersey Boys was good for both. I never have been one to sit in my room when there is so much to do. How about you? What fun things are you planning? Write and let me know.

With the interest in manufacturer’s displays, Dick Erdel of Hubbell called me to talk about the Hubbell exhibit. The Hubbell display covers (3,500sqft) 7 business units and is modular. It comes in 108 crates! It has to go back in those same crates too when they tear it all down. They use it for a lot of shows and have to keep modernizing and updating. Part of the exhibit is 25 years old, but you could never tell. It takes 3 semis to haul it around the country. This is renewable at its best! Thanks Dick. I welcome any and all comments.

In the next 5 years there is going to be a brain-drain the likes of which has never been seen before. The “Baby-Boomers” are poised for retirement - surveys place the exodus at 50%. Many in the industry refuse to acknowledge it. Some utilities have a plan – hire the retired! Some “new” engineers can hardly wait until the “Old-Guard” is gone and they can modernize the grid. Where do you fit? My friend Wanda Reder, S&C’s VP of Power Systems Services is chairing the “Aging Workforce – Overcoming the Technical Talent Challenge” Super Session on Tuesday afternoon. It will be a very interesting session to say the least. I’d welcome any and all comments.

I was talking with Steven Strand from S&C about planning, designing, building, and staffing an exhibit. He told me S&C has a very large if not the biggest display in the show – Chicago is home and they are proud of it. They started working on the 2008 Chicago Expo the day after the 2006 Dallas Expo closed. S&C started manufacturing equipment the first week of January. Dozens of contractors and employees have been committed to the effort. It will take them 4 to 5 days to set it all up and will be staffed with close to 200 sales people from around the world. That is commitment. I’d welcome any and all comments. Tell me what you think.

Talking with Dick Piwko (Chair of the Wind Energy Coordinating Committee), I found out there is going to be a meeting for a new working group on wind at the Expo - added bonus. It’s called “Transmission Alternatives for Remote Wind Generation.” It’s scheduled for Wednesday (04/23/08) from 2:00PM to 4:00PM. Check with Dick at the Panel Session Wednesday morning for room location. Dick says wind energy is pushing transmission system growth very fast to keep pace with developers. Anyone having problems with keeping ahead of wind developers? What are the problems you are encountering? Tell me about it! I’d welcome any and all comments.

Wherever transmission and distribution engineers get together chances are before long the discussion will turn to the Smart Grid and its technologies. Just what is the Smart Grid or Intelligent Grid – it goes by more than one name? It is a term tossed around pretty indiscriminately. Is it smart meters, AMR, or AMI? Is it customer data over transmission lines, a new method of substation design, micro-grids, or new transmission design techniques? What does it do? Does it improve SAIDI, CAIDI, or SAIFI? Will it improve demand side management, demand response, or asset management? What about system reliability, eliminating grid blackouts, or self healing? The answer is all of the above and so much more. Last year, I sponsored the formation of the Intelligent Grid Subcommittee within the PES T&D Committee – yeah I do get a good idea once in a while. This subcommittee was formed to help members become educated in all the many aspects of the Intelligent Grid and define terms. Early this year officers (Wanda Reder and John McDonald) from PES contacted me about the subcommittee. They understood the importance of the subcommittee’s work and elevated it to Committee level. Yes folks, it is now officially known as the “IEEE PES Intelligent Grid Coordination Committee” – my subcommittee grew up fast. I am so proud of this group, the officers, and the work they are doing. Getting back to my original thought – what is the Smart Grid next Wednesday afternoon you can find out from the experts themselves. The “Intelligent Grid Coordination Committee” is presenting a Super Session titled “The Smart Grid.” I think if you attend, a lot of the questions I raised above will be answered. Doug Houseman (session chairman) has been telling me all about the program and it is a good one. I don’t want to miss it. Erich Gunther (Intelligent Grid Coordination Committee – Chairman) is going to be one of the panelists. I am pretty sure the other officers will be there too (Don Von Dollen – Vice Chair and Steve Pullins – Secretary) supporting him. If you are interested in joining the committee or just learning about the Smart Grid these are the people that will make it happen. Check you program for exact time and place – don’t miss it. I’d welcome any and all comments.