By John Tabor

This year's Utility Products Conference & Expo (UPCE), held in Tampa, Fla., March 23-24, 2010, brought attendees the latest products, demonstrations, training and more. The second annual UPCE allowed buyers and sellers in the electrical, cable, telecom and other segments of the utility industry to network and learn. With UPCE offering conference sessions, breakfast roundtables and solutions to everyday problems, there was something for everyone.

Opening Keynote

The event's keynote addresses brought attendees and delegates valuable insights into the future of the power transmission and distribution industry. Katherine Hamilton, president of the GridWise Alliance, and Gordon Gillette, president of the Tampa Electric Co., were the session's industry speakers. Also delivering a decidedly non-industry take was Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry. The addresses, which kicked-off the event, were held at the Tampa Marriot Waterside Hotel Ballroom in Tampa, Fla., host city for UPCE and DistribuTECH 2010.

DistribuTECH Conference Program Chair and Editor in Chief of POWERGRID International and Utility Products magazines Teresa Hansen briefly addressed the state of the utility industry before introducing the main speakers. "With regulatory uncertainty, a global economic slowdown, halted or canceled projects and the lack of a comprehensive energy policy, 2009 was a challenging year for the industry," Hansen said. "Even though last year was difficult, this next year may be up," Hansen continued, referring to the announcements of federal support for utility programs, including millions of dollars for smart grid initiatives.

Gillette took the stage to ask the audience whether they, as representatives of the utility industry, considered themselves to be innovators or merely implementers of the latest electricity technologies. "Most utility companies, at the end of the day, are implementers. We wait and see what the government and the regulators are going to do, and then we implement," Gillette said. "To decide what technologies to move forward with and (equally importantly) when to move forward, the utility industry cannot rely on its own judgment alone," he said. "The other players in the energy sector, from manufacturers and researchers to consultants and technology companies, each play their own part in the energy technology development process."

Giving the delegates a set of questions to ask themselves before making a decision on which technology to implement, Gillette said, "The question of what is the right stage to jump in is a very challenging question, and maybe the biggest question. If you jump in too early, you might not get the benefits that you really need."

Next, Hamilton told her audience that the industry must change the entire culture around how people use electricity, using garbage as an example.

"The 'Don't Mess with Texas' campaign, before it became a well-known state motto, began as an anti-litter campaign," she said. "It was about litter and it changed our attitude–it changed our culture towards garbage; we have to do the same thing for electricity, and smart grid is leading the way."

"The industry is still learning how to think about the smart grid. The smart grid itself is not the end goal, but rather the means to an end. It tells us where we are going to be, so we need to let people know what the benefits of the smart grid are–particularly the customer," she said. "Customers," Hamilton said, "are the great unknown in the list of utility industry players. People have different levels of understanding of the technology, and many are used to the utility never reaching into their lives any further than the electric meter outside their homes."

It doesn't stop at the meter, she said. It goes into people's homes. That's their stuff, their personal space that they've spent time and money getting set up the way they like it. People need to feel like they can make decisions and have control, Hamilton said.

"Utilities are suited to the task of introducing people into a new kind of technology that will change the culture of how energy is used; every time something new comes along for utilities, you guys are far more creative than people give you credit for," she said.

The Conference Sessions

Beginning Tuesday afternoon, following the keynote, industry experts presented 14 great conference sessions.

The fall protection session outlined important elements of an effective fall protection program. Fall protection and work practices discussed were fall arrest, fall restraint, suspension, work position, retrieval and fall restriction. According to speaker Jim Pennefeather, since 1971 strong OSHA enforcement has reduced fatalities by more than 50 percent and injury rates by 40 percent, while the workforce has doubled from 56M to more than 111M. Pennefeather outlined the root causes of accidents and keys to an effective and appropriate fall protection program. Appropriate fall protection systems and procedures are time to train, select work practice (fall arrest or fall restraint–which one is best for your situation?), mandate procedures to follow (secure employee commitment and establish buddy system/neighborhood watch) and always set up rescue procedures.

"Metering & Installation Maintenance," presented by Rick Davis, outlined transmitter installation and how environment, configuration and settings affect reception. The session presented traditional manual-read meters and automated metering systems. It covered the importance of understanding ongoing maintenance issues to keep metering systems in top shape.

Another interesting session, "Creating a Step Change in Safety," pointed out that 80 percent of incidents are caused by human error; 20 percent are caused by equipment failure. "The average person," speaker Joe Conrad said, "makes six to eight errors per hour–so barriers (policies and procedures) are needed to protect us from ourselves.

"There are two safety culture and behavior groups," Conrad said, "those who are accountable and those who are victims. Those who are accountable make it happen, find solutions, 'own it' and acknowledge reality; victims wait and hope, have an 'I can't' excuse, blame others and are unaware. Let's all be accountable."

The Floor

Whether interested in products and services for test and measurement, safety, tools and supplies, transmission and distribution, vehicles and accessories, line construction and maintenance, or overhead/underground, attendees saw UPCE exhibitors showcasing their specialties. Following are brief highlights of a few of the companies at this year's UPCE.

Intellirent rents electrical test and measurement equipment from Doble, Dranetz, Fluke, High Voltage, HV Diagnostics, Manta, Megger, Raytech, Vanguard and many more. With a thorough understanding of field applications, it provides renters equipment consultations to ensure they get the appropriate test equipment for their applications.

Electric Guard Dog showcased its patented electric fencing security system that cannot be disarmed. It helps businesses across the country protect themselves, their assets and their livelihoods.

The new IML Resistograph PD400 and F400SX wood testing systems, for structures such as utility poles and trees, offer many features–some of which include drilling depths of 8 - 48 inches and 11.02 - 18.9 inches, respectively.

A.R.E.'s Commercial Division delivers total truck bed solutions for utility fleet trucks. Its customized fleet solutions help lower operating costs and increase productivity. The company offers more than 200 options, allowing customers to create the perfect cap for their work needs.

Predictive Technology's Satellite Battery Monitor offers utility, telecom, switchgear battery, wind farm, generator and satellite solutions. It provides 24/7 battery monitoring, which can reduce maintenance costs by 75 percent.

Walls Industries' displayed flame-resistant workwear for industrial workplaces where exposure to electrical arcs and flash fires can occur. Walls' provides high-quality, tough and durable garments, know as "wearable tools," designed to stand the test of time and provide value to America's workers.

Berntsen International, which manufactures and supplies all types of markers, displayed utility markers and protection systems, survey monuments, rebar caps and related accessories.

Piratecom showcased its VL6 Voice Link, a versatile, light-weight, rugged and water resistant wireless hands-free communication system–designed for demanding communications situations.

Networking Opportunities

With the many opportunities for learning, there was also time to play. The reception on opening day offered hors d'oeuvres and drinks. And the next day, attendees could join sponsors at their booths on the exhibit floor for It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere happy hour. In addition, DistribuTECH celebrated its 20th anniversary from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24. UPCE attendees and guests joined the birthday festivities, which featured food, drink, live music by Dance Express and an awesome fireworks display.

Prize Giveaway Winner

This year's UPCE attendees visited the exhibiting companies' booth to have their passports stamped and entered in a drawing to win tickets to a NASCAR race. The winner was George Bramhall!.

Next year's Utility Products Conference and Exposition will take place in San Diego, February 1-3, 2011, at the San Diego Convention Center. Make sure you save the dates and make plans to attend.

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