Smart Networks Deployment Symposium

Sponsored By: 

Many utilities have moved from conception to deployment of smart grid technologies – everything from smart meters, to home energy management system, to smart technologies and upgraded communications networks. Yet we have only begun to tap the possibilities of the smart grid for utilities and consumers. These sessions take attendees beyond the basics of the smart grid into the actual issues that crop up during deployment as well as plans for the next phases. The goal of the sessions in this symposia is to learn from other utilities and their vendor partners best practices from every phase of smart grid deployment as well as plans for the future innovation.

Complete Program

Relevant Smart Network Deployment Sessions Include:

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

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

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

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent Tutorials

Monday, May 21, 2012

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

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

Best Practices for Managing the Deployment of Your Smart Grid
Symposia: Smart Grid 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

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

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

Grid Evolution and Your Aging Communications Infrastructure
Symposia: Smart Grid 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: Tom Janca, CEO and Founder, Utility Ethernet Forum
Ken Monro, Vice President – Communication Systems, S&C
Richard Spangler, Consulting Engineer, Duke Energy

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
Networking Break

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

Interoperability from a Management Perspective
Symposia: Wireless, Smart Grid 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: Erich Gunther, Chairman & Chief Technical Officer, Enernex
Jay Herman, Sr. Project Engineer, Telecom Division, Black & Veatch

Choices in Implementing a Network Operations Center (NOC)
Symposia: Smart Grid Deployment
Track: Technical
Room: Gatlin A1
Several utilities are opting to build integrated a 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, PEPCO
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

11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Networking Break  

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: Bulter 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 Case for Home Area Networks
Symposia: Smart Grid 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

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

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

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

Smart Grid Architecture, Strategy, and Roadmap
Symposia: Smart Grid 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.

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Networking Break

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 hose 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