Program

Saturday May 19, 2012

3:00  - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

Sunday May 20, 2012

7:30 a.m.
8th Annual Past Chairman's Invitational Golf Tournament
Location: Shingle Creek Golf Course

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Concurrent Tutorials

Is TETRA a Solution that Can Work for Your Utility?
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A1
TETRA is a well-known and widely-utilized voice and data land mobile radio (LMR) communications system. It is expanding to the North American marketplace. Mandatory FCC regulation changes make TETRA a viable option from the regulatory perspective because it is narrowband compliant. TETRA can help with voice and data challenges. This session will focus on utility applications and user experiences through case studies from around the globe.

Speakers: Phil Kidner, Chief Executive Officer, TETRA Association
Sol Lancashire, Telecom Architect, BC Hydro
Jose Martin, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, PowerTrunk
Kathy Nelson, Principal Telecommunications Engineer, Great River Energy

Surviving the Elements - The Resiliency of the Network
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Over the past few years, several world disasters tested infrastructure and emergency services at the macro and micro level. The disasters demonstrate the need for mission critical businesses to invest in technologies that perform under the worst of conditions and result in optimum utilization of costly spectrum. This session will present case studies from various disasters about lessons learned. Discover what worked, what didn't work and what is required to protect the integrity of Critical Communications systems for the future and the critical issues surrounding transport network design and implementation. Also, find out what the FCC is doing to promote network reliability of commercial communications systems.

Speakers: Paul Daigneault, CEO/Managing Director, MiMoMax
John Nachilly, Manager – Telecommunications Engineering, Northeast Utilities
Rusty Williams, Director of Business Development, AFL

Joint Use/Pole Attachment Issues – Find out the Current Status
Tracks: Legal, Technical
Room: Gatlin A3
The FCC has released new rules for access and rates for pole attachments, and these rules are under appeal. Meanwhile at the state level, attachers are pushing for similar rules. Find out what these new rules mean for you and what lies ahead. There is never a dull moment when it comes to joint use/pole attachment issues! With these changes ahead, what is the best response for your utility? Find out what your utility needs to know about attachments to avoid fines and legal action.

Speakers: Karen Flewharty, Joint Use Manager, Oncor
Bruce Frankiewich, Special Counsel, Phillips Lytle
Roxanne Fong, Manager, Business Development, Pacific Gas & Electric
Shirley Fujimoto, Principal, Fish & Richardson

Narrowbanding – The Countdown to Compliance is Ticking
Tracks: Legal, Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
The FCC narrowbanding mandate requires that all licensees on VHF and UHF Part 90 channels must operate in at least 12.5 kHz efficiency January 1, 2013. Though this rule was established in 2004, many entities are still working on the conversion. A panel of utility communications experts responsible for systems of various complexities will provide their narrowbanding experiences and relay challenges utilities may face making the transition. This presentation will help you understand: licensing modifications potential effect on radio network performance; how to determine your equipment narrowbanding capability; and how to develop system conversion plans. Whether you operate a small network or a complex trunked system, make sure you know the process and potential issues in ensuring you are in compliance with the mandate.

Speakers: Eric Fritz, Consulting Engineer, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Al Ittner, Manager – Spectrum & Regulatory Strategy, Motorola Solutions
Joe McFadden, Director of Sales, CalAmp
Morne Stamrood, Principal Consultant, Tait Communications
Alan Tilles, Chairman, Telecommunications Department, Shulman, Rogers, Gandalm, Pordy & Eccker, P.A.

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent Tutorials

The Future of Utility Communications Networks
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A1
Communications on the electrical system is undergoing unprecedented change. Utilities need to have a vision for what their communication network may look like in the future and should be developing plans to get there. Most important, are the requirements for Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum to accomplish these goals. This presentation provides a utility’s perspective of what a communication network may look like in the future. It will also cover different technology, such as fiber transport, and RF spectrum options for middle mile (communications site to substation) and last mile (substation to down line automation device or customer home) communications. It will discuss the importance of an integrated versus overlay communications approach. Also learn how utilities can find strategic partners to accomplish their goals.

Speakers: Dean Campbell, Chief Technology Officer, LightRiver
Salah Chaou, Sales Engineer, Telco Systems
Dwight Linn, Architect, Engineered Solutions, Tempest Telecom Solutions
Geoff Peck, Technology and Solution Architect, Tait Communication
Rick Schmidt, Vice President – Utility Communication Systems, PowerSystem

Sharing Wireless Broadband Networks
Tracks: Legal, Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Utilities buy services on shared networks today, but what alternatives exist beyond the carrier networks? Can utilities capitalize, share costs, and effectively operate broadband wireless networks among themselves or with another entity like Public Safety? What are the risks and benefits? How can this be governed to insure that the utility's critical services aren't interrupted by its partner? What technologies are optimal to deploy to achieve this and how do they work? We will examine how similar arrangements are governed today; explore the obstacles to success; show how they can be avoided; and explain how the various technology options handle such arrangements.

Speakers: Mark Madden, Regional Vice President – North American Utilities, Alcatel-Lucent
Matt Schnell, Telecomms O&M Supervisor, Nebraska Public Power District
Jeff Sheldon, Principal, Fish & Richardson

Beyond Requirements Compliance: Enhancing Security Strategies and Leveraging Government Partnerships
Tracks: Management, Legal
Room: Gatlin A3
Regulatory compliance does not ensure your cybersecurity strategy is complete. In today's rapidly evolving threat environment, it is increasingly important develop and implement a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that is specific to your operational environment. But how? Traditionally, the potential cost and/or disruption of utility service provision has limited the focus on cybersecurity. The key is a building a comprehensive approach that leverages existing infrastructure and provides an overall architecture to help guide future investment decisions. New strategies should consider increased partnership with federal government organizations such as the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Industrial Control Systems Joint Working Group (ICSJWG) as well as others. Leveraging intelligence gained through these partnerships will help your company adjust and update its cybersecurity strategy. This session will introduce the general framework of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy and provide a case study of how a company developed their cybersecurity plan.

Speakers: Andrew Ginter, Director of Industrial Security, Waterfall Security Solutions
Chris Jager, Director, Tactical Analysis Center, NESCO
Ryan Lewis, Deputy Manager, CSC
Tim Roxey, Chief Cyber Security Officer, NERC

Through the Lens of Innovation – International Workshop
Tracks: Management, Legal
Room: Gatlin A4
All attendees are invited to attend this international workshop focused on innovation from utilities around the globe. Join thought leaders from utilities in North America, South America, Africa, Latin America and Europe as they look at how regulatory and technology issues are impacting ICT provisions. Each speaker will have an opportunity to do an in-depth presentation on the current state of utility affairs in their geographic region and through case studies show how this is impacting their approach to delivering ICT services. Additionally, part of the session will be dedicated to a look at global spectrum issues and how this issue is being addressed in different regions. This session provides a vision of the industry that will help attendees answer their own local challenges in new and fresh ways. It will provide context for some of the leading technology shifts that are happening in the industry and showcase how ICT professionals are rising up to meet the challenges.

Speakers: Adrian Grilli, Managing Director, Joint Radio Company Ltd.
Peter Moray, Director – European Services, Utilities Telecom Council
Cornelius Naidoo, Technology and Engineering Manager, Eskom Telecommunications
Tracey Sheehan, Partner, Taylor Wessing
Alourdes Sully, Senior Network Specialist – Smart Grid, Hydro One
Claudio Violato, Vice President of Technology
Dymitr Wajsman, Co-Chair UTC International Division

Monday, May 21, 2012

6:45 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

7:15 – 8:30 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Comparing and Contrasting Current SCADA and Telecom Security Solutions
Symposia: Cybersecurity
Track: Technical
Room: Conway
New market technologies to secure SCADA systems make it critical to understand how all of the solutions fit together. Do they overlap, where should they be deployed, and are they effective? We will provide an overview of each type of solution and how it applies to the utility space in six functional areas. This includes: physical security and remote access; network perimeter; SCADA DMZ; control room servers and workstations; SCADA protocols; and embedded controllers. This presentation provides clarity for the end users to better understand where the various SCADA security solutions fit into the overall picture.

Speaker: Peter Allor, PM Intel & Vendor Relations, Vulnerability Coordination, IBM
Andrew Ginter, Director of Industrial Security, Waterfall Security
Jonathan Pollet, Founder and Principal Consultant, Red Tiger Security

Spectrum Inventory
Symposia: Wireless
Tracks: Technical, Management
Room: Butler
This session will provide a comprehensive accounting of what spectrum is available for utility use. It will delve into the restrictions of use of each spectrum band that is available, as well as the different constraints involved in each spectrum band. The session will also provide examples of how other utilities are using certain spectrum bands with success. This is a great session for future planning in order to understand the options available to you as of right now as well as what could be available moving forward.

Speaker: Doug McGinnis, IT Manager of Communication Infrastructure Strategy, Exelon Corporation
John Nachilly, Manager – Telecommunications Engineering, Northeast Utilities

Best Practices for Managing the Deployment of Your Smart Grid
Symposia: Smart Networks Deployment
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A1
Smart Grid deployments present unique considerations. Managing the complexities of multiple technologies, vendors and utility organizations can be challenging. Learn how proven project methodologies and tools can be used to streamline processes, and control technical, quality, schedule and budget requirements. Lessons learned from smart grid deployments will also be shared.

Speakers: Andy Braun, Director of Strategic Alliances, Elster
Curt Johnson, Utility Automation Director, Telecommunications Division, Black & Veatch
Craig Maternoski, Director, Information Security & Emergent Technology, Integrys Group
Jacob Reidt, Network Engineering Manager, Avista

Understand LTE Technology & How it Applies to Utilities
Symposia: Emerging Technologies, Wireless
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
As utilities consider the possibility of using 700 MHz public safety broadband networks, they should also understand LTE technology, which the FCC has adopted as the network standard. LTE offers broadband data rates with good propagation characteristics, and multiple priority access levels to ensure reliable communications. There are several differences in designing and owning a private LTE system compared to traditional two-way radio systems. This presentation will discuss the key features of LTE technology, share ideas on how sharing between public safety and utilities could work, discuss the security within an private LTE network, cover the types of devices expected in the market place and talk through the differences in designing and managing this type of network.

Speakers: Ashok Rudrapatna, Director, LTE Solutions End-to-End Network Architecture Group, Alcatel-Lucent
Paul Senior, Chief Technology Officer, Airspan
Ron Taylor, Senior Principal Engineer, Salt River Project

Improving Reliability While Increasing the Bottom Line; Demonstrating the Underlying Value of a Private Internal Network
Symposia: Business Operations
Track: Management
Room: Gatlin A3
Utilities have traditionally relied on private internal networks to ensure communications reliability, but the cost of the network needs to be justified to C-level executives and regulators. The implication is that there is a trade-off involved between reliability and cost when it comes to deciding whether to use private networks. This session will evaluate the communications options for utilities, including public networks, and suggest ways that utilities can show how a private internal network can both improve reliability and at the same time drive operational efficiencies that will increase the bottom line. This session will delve into the critical aspects of the business case and how it impacts the corporate performance metrics.

Speaker: Dan Draugh, Vice President – Business Development, DasCom
Todd Ellis, PMP, Senior Product Manager, Radio Infrastructure and Spectrum Portfolio, Sensus

Integrating Disruptive Technologies into your Smart Network
Symposia: Control Systems
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Tomorrow's grid will be faced with the unprecedented integration of new technologies that require a new understanding of characteristics of these new technologies. These devices include high current electric vehicle chargers, variable speed compressors and pool pumps, home and business energy management systems and more. This panel will provide insight into the future of an integrated grid and the communication requirements that make them work.

Speakers: David Flynn, Partner, Phillips Lytle
Phillip Mullins, Smart Grid Communications, IBM

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Data Security Developments
Symposia: CyberSecurity
Tracks: Technical, Management, Legal
Room: Conway
As utilities face a data-tsunami from smart grid, they need to understand the legal, regulatory and practical issues for managing data privacy and data security. This session explores the current legal landscape of these issues, including applicable laws, rules, and regulations in the U.S. and in other parts of the world. Additionally, it reviews the “privacy by design” concept that is fundamental to the implementation of new technologies and best practices for ensuring privacy and protecting data at utilities. Find out how to set up the networks in order to meet the standards required for collecting, storing and using the data. Find out how to establish practices and procedures for managing the data to ensure compliance with privacy and security requirements.

Speakers: Tracy P. Marshall, Partner, Keller & Heckman
Eddie Schwartz, CISO, RSA

VSAT Technology Can Power the Smart Grid Communications Network
Symposia: Wireless
Track: Technical
Room: Butler
Satellite connectivity can be an important solution as utilities build out the Smart Grid. There are applications that extend satellite broadband connectivity to remote substations to support legacy SCADA; and emerging broadband applications like video surveillance, Voice over IP and data connectivity. Satellite connectivity can be leveraged to backhaul smart meter data from rural households scattered across thinly populated and geographically challenging locations. Plus, satellite networks can provide broadband backup connectivity for a utility company’s entire communications network. Join us as we examine the core applications for satellite and compare the cost and functionality of satellite technology to other communications alternatives.

Speakers: Christian Bergan, Director Vertical Marketing, iDirect
Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Vice President Enterprise Energy, Inmarsat

Grid Evolution and Your Aging Communications Infrastructure
Symposia: Smart Networks Deployment, Wireless
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A1
Do you have the proper communications systems infrastructure in place to support the evolution of the grid? This presentation will address the key challenges utilities are facing. We will share the opportunities for how utilities can build their "neural network" to support these coming grid changes. We will discuss drivers for communications systems, provide an overview of system architectures, pitfalls and methods of building reliable wireless networks, as well as describe licensed and license-free spectrum options. This presentation will also provide the steps for utilities to take as they evaluate implementing their communications infrastructure.

Speakers: Dean Campbell, Chief Technology Officer, LightRiver
Tom Janca, CEO and Founder, Utility Ethernet Forum
Ken Monro, Vice President – Communication Systems, S&C
Richard Spangler, Consulting Engineer, Duke Energy

Cybersecurity in Control Systems
Symposia: Control Systems, Cybersecurity
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
The security of industrial control systems is the focus of an entire division with DHS. In a coordinated effort between government and private asset owners, cybersecurity training, lessons learned, actionable intelligence, forensic assistance, cybersecurity evaluation tools and risk reduction products are all available free of charge, just for the asking. In addition, the National Energy Sector Cybersecurity Organization (NESCO) is a broad-based, public/private partnership funded by DOE to enable information sharing within the electric community itself on computer and network security. This session will outline what is available to help you meet the unique security challenges of your legacy systems.

Speaker: Motty Anavi, Vice President - Business Development, RAD Data Communications
Chris Jager, Director, Tactical Analysis Center, NESCO Lisa Kaiser, Control Systems Security Program Director of Strategic Planning, Department of Homeland Security

Utilizing White Spaces for Utilities Communications' Infrastructure
Symposia: Emerging Technologies, Control Systems, Wireless
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Utilities are considering using TV white spaces technologies, which is an unlicensed operation that makes opportunistic use of available TV channels, that are allocated in 6 MHz blocks of spectrum. TV white spaces can provide ample broadband level bandwidth for AMI and DA backhaul. Coupled with excellent propagation characteristics, this spectrum has the potential to provide reliable backhaul communications for hard to reach locations on the utility system. What are the upside/downside relationships of the spectrum? Who controls TV white spaces operations in the spectrum? How can products be developed and designed to smartly and dynamically utilize the changing conditions of this spectrum? Hear the answers to these questions and more during this presentation.

Speakers: Jim Carlson, CEO/President, Carlson Wireless
Frank Folz, Managing Director of Smart Grid, Airspan
Mark Gibson, Director – Business Development, Comsearch

Utility Telecommunications and Data Analytics
Symposia: Business Operations
Track: Management
Room: Gatlin A3
Data analytics is the science of using raw data to draw conclusions about the information conveyed through the data. Utilities are beginning to utilize data analytics to make better business decisions and resource allocations. By analyzing the data utilities are able to identify trends, relationships and patterns that can invoke significant change on how resources are deployed. This session will discuss data analytics, how the science is applied and why this trend is a value dynamic for the utility telecommunications business model.

Speakers: Ray Bariso, Executive Director, Solution Strategy & Business Development, Ericsson
Kate Farley, Research Analyst, EPB of Chattanooga
Marina Thottan, Director, Bell Labs

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Networking Break

10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Advanced Cybersecurity Protections for Advanced Cybersecurity Threats
Symposia: Cybersecurity
Track: Technical
Room: Conway
Today's advanced threats routinely penetrate firewalls with tactics that include "spear phishing", credential scraping, tunneling through legitimate VPNs and piggy-backing on legitimate communications. Recent advanced attacks, such as Stuxnet, APT, Night Dragon, and Shady Rat appear to have been very successful. There have been no reports of adverse consequences for the authors of those attacks. Given this record of success, security experts expect advanced threats to continue to target SCADA, telecommunications, and Critical Infrastructure systems. Defending against advanced threats requires much more than simply deploying a firewall. This session not only breaks down the recent threats facing SCADA and Telecom systems, but also provides practical advice for similar future attacks.

Speaker: Steven Dougherty, Global Technical Leader - Energy & Utility Security, IBM
Lisa Kaiser, Control Systems Security Program Director of Strategic Planning, Department of Homeland Security
Jonathan Pollet, Founder and Principal Consultant, Red Tiger Security

Interoperability from a Management Perspective
Symposia: Wireless, Smart Networks Deployment
Track: Management
Room: Butler
As utility grid modernization projects move from the design phase to implementation, interoperability of devices, especially wireless devices, is critical. This session addresses grid device interoperability and interchangeability from a management perspective and focuses on key project management issues. Best practices and lessons learned will be presented by industry experts with experience in standards as well as implementation.

Speaker: Jay Herman, Sr. Project Engineer, Telecom Division, Black & Veatch
Ashish Singh, Senior Product Manager, SK Telecom

Choices in Implementing a Network Operations Center (NOC)
Symposia: Smart Networks Deployment
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A1
Several utilities are opting to build an integrated Network Operations Center (NOC) to expand their ability to monitor the communications infrastructure—specifically the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Distribution Automation (DA) systems. The purpose of the NOC is to centralize, consolidate, and correlate disparate sources of monitoring activity into a single integrated system, providing cross-organizational visibility and business insight into the performance of critical communications infrastructure. While many utilities are opting to build it with internal staff and resources, other utilities are outsourcing to NOC specialists. During this session, project representatives will discuss the business drivers, benefits, and lessons learned from the NOC Implementation Project and why they made the decision to keep the project internally or outsource it to a NOC expert.

Speakers: Frank Dorrin, Project Manager – Network Operations Center Implementation
Lynn Hunt, Strategic Industries Solution Specialist, Alcatel-Lucent
Leslie Turkson, Senior Executive, Network Service Management Practice Lead, Accenture
Joel Webb, Expert Solution Architect, Oklahoma Gas and Electric

Advanced Monitoring Solutions for Remote Sites
Symposia: Control Systems
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Distribution Management Systems (DMS) is a key component within a utility’s operations and Smart Grid architecture. DMS is designed and programmed to monitor and control operation of Medium Voltage (MV) electric equipment in the 11-36 kV range and Extra Low Voltage electric equipment below the 60 kg range, which are installed along the distribution grid. Today, a large selection of Intelligent Electric Devices (IEDs), Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) can operate over wireless media; however, in most cases they don’t deliver adequate performance when it comes to data reliability. In order to deal with such challenges, engineering firms turn to a wireless communication integrator and ask them to quote a wireless wide area network for their system. The purpose of this discussion is to help utilities understand the design considerations and mandatory requirements for a wireless network for remote control of Medium and Extra Low Voltage devices and issues involving wireless carriers.

Speaker: Chris Anderton, Engineer Solutions, Tempest Telecom Solutions
Jesse Dennerlein, Executive Engineer, Asentria Corporation
Nicky Dibben, VP Marketing, 4RF Communications

Emerging Digital Land Mobile Radio Technologies
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Land Mobile Radio (LMR) is arguably the most mission critical technology used by electric utilities. Due to aging systems, the FCC narrowbanding mandate and efforts to improve spectral efficiency overall, and the focus on better fleet management efficiency, utilities are investing millions of capital expenditure dollars to upgrade their current LMR systems. Utilities are demanding that the investment provides a multitude of mobile workforce management (MWM) tools as well as mission critical voice communications. Utilities are also considering cognitive radio technologies that make more effective and efficient use of available bandwidth. This presentation discusses emerging digital technologies by the manufacturers, including new MWM features, and how they can be used by the utility to provide better operational efficiency.

Speakers: Bill Fillman, Vice President and Principal Consultant, Tait Communications
Tom Hoyne, Director, Utility Markets, Harris
Charles Plummer, Director of Communications Infrastructure, Power System Engineering

Outsourcing Telecom Networks
Symposia: Business Operations
Track: Management
Room: Gatlin A3
Outsourcing or out-tasking is a dynamic that each utility professional has to consider in an effort to meet the growing demands of the organization and managing limited resources. The key to successfully making the decision to out-source a key telecom function is having the right tools to evaluate the options. There are several factors to consider including job loss, partners and business risks to name a few. This session is designed to help highlight the key criteria in evaluating the option to out-task and trends in the utility telecom arena.

Speaker: Brian Huey, Business Development, Sprint
Steve Lowe, Industry Solutions Practice Manager, AT&T

2:00 – 6:30 p.m.
UTC EXPO 2012 Open
Room: Gatlin CDE
Visit these great exhibitors!

6:30 –8:30 p.m.
UTC Gala
Room: Panzacola F-G
Party around the world with us as we host a fun networking event. The UTC Gala is a great way to network and meet with your peers and catch up from a full day of education and vendor exhibits. 

8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
After-Gala Chairman’s Cigar Party
Room: Butler Courtyard

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
"Power Hour" Education Sessions

The Complicated Web of Cybersecurity
Symposia: Cybersecurity
Tracks: Legal, Technical, Management
Room: Conway
Applying cybersecurity principles to the electric utility domain is not a simple task. Utilities are confronted with a dizzying combination of government and industry mandates, standards and policy recommendations, and local requirements that need to be satisfied – which may or may not work in tandem. Even once you figure all of that out; it's likely the overall cybersecurity implementation may be deficient in application. This session will suggest ways to apply cybersecurity principles in a manner that achieves compliance with government requirements and provides real cybersecurity.

Speaker: Keith Porterfield, General Counsel, Georgia System Corporation
Michael Robinson, Customer Solutions Director, CISCO

GOOSE Messaging over WiMax
Symposia: Wireless
Track: Technical
Room: Butler
North American Utilities BC Hydro and BC Power Authority, have performed extensive testing of GOOSE messaging over 1.8 GHz WIMAX. This session will highlight their experiences and discuss findings on how to achieve high speed detection, isolation and restoration of faults on distribution networks with WiMax communications. Additionally, presenters will discuss the specially developed logic onswitching sequences use as it applies to GOOSE messaging.

Speaker: Sol Lancashire, Telecom Architect, BC Hydro
Lee Lipes, Product Manger, RuggedCom

The Case for Home Area Networks
Symposia: Smart Networks Deployment
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A1
The Home Area Network (HAN) is the enabling technology which will allow utilities and their customers to obtain many of the benefits of the smart grid meter deployments. The HAN will integrate Demand Response, Plug in Electric Vehicle charging, and Renewable Energy and Storage technologies into the grid and provide the utility and their customer access to energy information. Together they can better monitor and control energy usage, not just in homes but in buildings, where even greater gains can be achieved at potentially lower cost. This session will provide an overview of the technology and business processes. A utility will need to understand how to determine the best approach to deploying and providing resources to help make those decisions. We will explore the results of one large scale utility's deployment of the HAN.

Speakers: Greg Angst, Consulting Engineer, CenterPoint
Ronald Bilodeau, Project Manager, NV Energy
Brent Kassing, Director, Black &Veatch

T1 or Ethernet: Which Is Better for Maximizing Data Collection Reliability in a SCADA System?
Symposia: Control Systems
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Power utilities today are wrestling with whether to go with T1 or Ethernet for their principle transport application. T1 provides reliability and security for your critical traffic. Currently most high-priority SCADA communications to RTUs utilize T1 transport mechanisms. Ethernet is emerging as a viable low-cost alternative, even though it still lacks the security of T1. This session will discuss the benefits and challenges of both options and present the latest industry-recommended best practices. Come share your T1 or Ethernet experiences and hear what your peers have implemented and how it is working.

Speaker: Bill Kautz, Director of Portfolio Planning, Tellabs
John Theoret, Consulting Sales Engineer, Fujitsu

Cloud Computing Meets Smart Grid
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Some Smart Grid applications are a natural fit for cloud computing, others are not. Robust wireless remote control of SCADA and Distribution Automation systems are part of the evolving industrial infrastructure of the grid. Today, advances in the smart grid itself—coupled with modern cloud computing technologies—are making industrial-scale monitoring and control a reality for utility consumers as well. Soon, every homeowner will have access to handheld mobile control of home automation systems, which will become ever smaller, less expensive, and less inherently complex as the cloud takes on more of the computational load for control, monitoring, and notification. Where are the cloud applications that make sense for utilities? Where are the applications that are best left out of the clouds? Join us as we discuss where or if cloud computing is right for your utility.

Speaker: Rick Geiger, Director, Sales Business Development, Enterprise COE, CISCO
Jim Jones, Vice Present & Chief Information Officer, Great River Energy Eric Naugle, Commercial Business Services, SAIC

Cost Control in the Utility Environment
Symposia: Business Operations
Track: Management
Room: Gatlin A3
Cost control has been identified as a key issue facing utilities. Discuss best practices on how to get entire departments engaged in cost cutting without cutting service to employees or customers. What methods are most effective in reducing telecommunications costs in electric utilities? What costs have utilities been successful in containing? What are some of the "low hanging fruit" that requires little effort to reduce costs.

Speaker: Pierre Fitzgerald, Principal Consultant, Utility Industy-North America, Ericsson
Errin Miller, Senior Partner, Audits and Investigations

10:00 a.m.– 2:00 p.m.
UTC EXPO 2012 Open (Gatlin CDE)
Visit these great exhibitors!

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch in UTC EXPO 2012 (Gatlin CDE)

2:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

Surviving a CIP Audit – Experiences from the Trenches
Symposia: Cybersecurity
Tracks: Management, Technical
Room: Conway
NERC CIP has been an ongoing process for your utility. In fear of major fines, your utility has analyzed the regulations and applied them to different processes and systems throughout the utility. In addition to making the utility more secure, this preparation has been done in order to prepare for a NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Audit, where fines for non-compliance could be in the millions. This session will feature speakers that are familiar with the NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Audit process. Hear how the process works and how utilities have managed this process as a practical matter. This session will provide lessons learned which will help with any utility’s audit preparation.

Speaker: Klaus Bender, Senior Director, Standards and Engineering, Utilities Telecom Council
Keith Porterfield, General Counsel and Manager of Corporate Compliance, Georgia System Operations Corp.

Navigating Secondary Markets
Symposia: Wireless
Track: Technical
Room: Butler
As utilities struggle to meet their increasing communications requirements from a variety of new and enhanced applications, they have turned to secondary markets as a source for spectrum. These secondary markets include geographic area licenses that were acquired at auction and offer the opportunity for increased capacity and coverage for utility wireless systems – but at a cost and with other potential strings attached. The FCC has developed rules to promote the development of secondary markets, including allowing partitioning and disaggregation of existing licenses to tailor them to the needs of potential buyers. Utilities should be aware of both the opportunities and the pitfalls associated with accessing spectrum through acquisition or lease, and must perform their due diligence as part of these transactions. This session will discuss what options are available and how to make sure this is a purchase that works for your utility for the long term.

Speaker: Greg Kunkle, Partner, Keller & Heckman Stanton Woodcock, Spectrum Manager, Sensus

Smart Grid Architecture, Strategy, and Roadmap
Symposia: Smart Networks Deployment
Tracks: Technical, Management
Room: Gatlin A1
Telecommunication networks have an important role in supporting the safe and reliable delivery of electric power. This role is becoming even more crucial since Smart Grid represents the convergence of telecommunications, computing, and energy technologies. This presentation describes the telecommunications architecture, strategy, and roadmap requirements to support several different utility’s operations for the next 20 years− including the transition to a smarter grid. It outlines trends, drivers, and available technologies, and details a utility approach to developing the next generation telecom architecture.

Speaker: Howard Liu, Network Architect, Southern California Edison
Alourdes Sully, Senior Network Specialist – Smart Grid, Hydro One Networks Inc.

Digital Certificates - Simplify Your Mobile Workforce's Life
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
Digital Certificates, also referred to as Public Key Infrastructure, are easier to deploy than one might think. They can streamline authentication to a variety of IT services (Wireless, VPN, wired network), and provide a seamless mobility experience, while providing strong, two-factor authentication. The technology has applications in other emerging secure networking environments, such as site-to-site PNs. This technology primer, with a bit of utility case study sprinkled in, will provide a good introduction to the technology.

Speaker: Scott Hughes, Senior IT Network Engineer, Great River Energy

The Art of the RFP
Symposia: Business Operations
Tracks: Technical, Management, Legal
Room: Gatlin A3
Building a request for proposal (RFP) and nailing every aspect of your needs is an art form. While each utility has a different approach, there are some underlying aspects that certain utilities present better than others. Hear from several utilities about both good and bad RFPs that they've issued.  Learn how to improve your own RFP skills moving forward. Vendor organizations will also present how they approach RFPs and what makes them respond or pass in terms of different requirements.

Speaker: Errin Miller, Senior Partner, Audits and Investigations
Michael Wiebe, President, MW Consulting

Synchrophasor Communications
Symposia: Control Systems
Tracks: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
Deploying synchrophasors grid-wide will improve power system reliability and control. Current monitoring devices take measurements once every four seconds, while a typical synchrophasor technology takes 30 observations per second. This increased monitoring capability, added to the fact that synchrophasors can be time aligned across different utilities, make them a powerful technology. Ultimately, this technology enables a precise and comprehensive view of the entire grid—something that is necessary for next-generation grid management. This presentation will provide an overview of synchrophasors and current deployment initiatives throughout North America.

Speaker: David Boroughs, Executive Advisor, Quanta Technology
Paul Robertson, Product Manager – Communications Group, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Networking Break

3:45 – 5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Educational Sessions

The Advantages of an Integrated Factory Acceptance Test in an ICS Environment
Symposia: Cybersecurity
Track: Technical
Room: Conway
When adding, modifying or upgrading a system, many critical infrastructures conduct a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT). A FAT includes a customized testing procedure for systems. It is executed before the final installation at the critical facility. Since cybersecurity can also impact safety of critical systems if a system is compromised, it makes sense to integrate cyber security with the FAT, a concept that brings value and savings to an implementation process. This is something that can be applied by both utilities and equipment/service providers as well. Learn how FAT can help with cybersecurity issues before they become problematic.

Speaker: Jerome Farquharson, Burns & McDonnell

Staying out of Trouble With the FCC and OSHA
Symposia: Wireless
Tracks: Legal, Technical
Room: Butler
Applicants, licensees and antenna structure owners must comply with hundreds of FCC regulations and federal statutes to avoid penalties, fines and forfeitures. The session will cover a range of compliance issues, including frequency coordination, licensing requirements and compliance headaches. It will also address antenna and tower registration issues. This session will review RF safety issues and rules, including a discussion on the signage and training needed to comply with FCC and OSHA rules on RF emissions. Since all of these issues involve government rules and regulations that MUST be adhered to, it is important that you are familiar with all of the FCC, FAA and OSHA requirements that are involved. This session provides the refresher course you need to stay in compliance.

Speaker: Jeff Katz, Enterprise IT Consultant, PSEG Services Corporation

Southern California Edison (SCE) Centralized Remedial Action Scheme (CRAS) Project
Symposia: Control Systems, Cybersecurity
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A4
IP, VPN, Ethernet technologies enable utilities' telecommunications departments to design a highly available network that provides NERC CIP compliance and meets critical low latency requirements, reducing operations, manpower and general administration costs. Utilities are deploying and testing standard Internet Protocol (IP) and IEC61850 GOOSE standard to support time-sensitive applications such as tele-protection and centralized remedial action scheme (CRAS). This session will present LAN and WAN test data along with conceptual design and architecture use cases, documenting how one utility is translating the strengths and benefits of IP and IEC61850 standards into better protecting and operating the electrical power grid in real-time.

Speakers: Anthony Karian, Senior Engineer, Southern California Edison
Bruce Le, Consulting Telecom Engineer, Southern California Edison
Dane Speakman, CSA, CISCO

Multi-Protocol Label Switching: Build it once. Use it many times.
Symposia: Emerging Technologies
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A2
This session provides a walk-through of the value that a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) data network architecture brings to the bottom-line. Discuss the benefits and applications. Get answers to basic technical questions on functionality. Explore the security aspect, and learn the depth and breadth of MPLS solutions as it is being used at other utilities. Attendees will leave with a list of practical pro's and pitfalls for Smart Grid network development when deploying this advanced IP networking technology. Also learn specific applications such as virtual private networks, traffic engineering, quality of service, operations administration and maintenance.

Speakers: Reini Florin, Vice President of Sales, US and Canada, Telco Systems
Mike Prescher, Network Architect, Black & Veatch
Clint Struth, Principal Engineer – Telecommunications, Altalink
Cory Struth, Network Architect, Altalink

5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Focus on 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband Network – Legal, Technical and Practical Implications for Sharing
Tracks: Technical, Management, Legal
Room: Gatlin A3
Utilities can share the 700 MHz Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN), thanks to Title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (PL 112-96) which became law on February 21, 2012. Potentially, utilities could access up to 20 MHz of spectrum on a shared basis, which would help them meet their increasing communications needs for wide-area, high capacity voice and data. During this informative and interactive session, UTC experts will provide an outline of the opportunities available,the challenges associated with those opportunities, and the best strategies for utilities to ensure that the network will meet their communications needs.

Speakers: Brett Kilbourne, Vice President, Government and Industry Affairs and Deputy General Counsel, UTC
Prudence Parks, Director, Government Affairs and Legislative Counsel, UTC

6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
UTC Awards Dinner Reception
Room: Panzacola East Foyer

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
UTC Awards Dinner
Room: Panzacola F
The UTC Awards Dinner celebrates the achievements of individuals and utilities involved in UTC and the industry. Come join us for a semi-formal sit-down dinner as we honor individuals for Chairman’s Awards, the Dondanville Award the Meehan Award, as well as the UTC Apex Award presentation. It's a great night to celebrate!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

7:30 - 10:30 a.m.
Registration Open
Room: Gatlin Foyer

8:00 a.m.
UTC Fiber Optic Professional Certification & Training

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Innovation in Practice - UTC Annual Membership Meeting & Breakfast
Room: Gatlin B
As part of UTC's Annual Conference we host a UTC Annual Membership Meeting where members are encourage to share their opinions, hear from their volunteer leaders and vote for next year's leadership.  If you are attending UTC TELECOM 2012 it is critical that you participate in this membership meeting.  Even if you aren't yet a member of UTC, you're invited to hear what UTC has planned for the upcoming year.

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Committee Meetings

12:00 p.m.
UTC TELECOM 2012 Adjourns

12:00 p.m. - on
Post Conference User Group Meetings