Pre-Autovation^SM Courses

Monday, Sept. 8
8:00 a.m. – Noon

Course 8: The Big AMI Blueprint
Instructor: Carolyn Kinsman
Utility Type: All
Course Level: Beginner
Deployment Phase: All

If you are starting an AMI project, have an AMI system that you think may not make it to the next level, or are in the middle of an AMI project and are getting asked some very tough questions, this course is for you. The instructor provides insider perspectives, technology insights, (on-the-job) trending data and utility case examples that attendees can use to support their business strategy and direction with facts and examples from the utility industry.

Topics will include:

• Does AMI make sense for my utility?
  
• How do I select an AMI system that fits our needs?
  
• Can I implement MDM after AMI?
  
• Should I plan for variable rate structures and DR?
  
• What are other utilities doing?
  

Who should attend:
Utility professionals, vendors, all those involved in the AMI decision and
those trying to gain some perspective on the process

Carolyn Kinsman formed Automated Communication Links, Inc. in 1987 and is now a recognized industry leader in the field of utility automation and telecommunications both in the United States and Canada. Over the past 20 years Kinsman has become well known as a respected authority in the field of AMI, Meter Data Management, Utility Networks and related energy services. Kinsman is an honors graduate in telecommunications from Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario.

Course 9: Executing the AMI Business Case: RFP, Vendor Selection, Project Success
Instructors: Steve Hadden and Walter Levesque
Utility Type: All
Course Level: Beginner to intermediate
Deployment Phase: Pre- to mid-deployment

Keep your AMI project on track through completion. This course will cover the post-approval process including guidance in proposal evaluation, vendor selection, contracting, deployment strategy and the deployment process with acceptance testing — all critical steps leading to the success of your project.

Topics will include:

• Essentials of AMI solicitation
  
• Preparation of the RFP
  
• AMI selection tools and methods
  
• MDM integration to maximize AMI effectiveness
  

Who should attend:
Utility AMI planners, IT professionals, financial analysts, utility executives,
AMI developer staff, sales staff, installers and integrators, regulators

Steve Hadden is vice president of Plexus Research, where he concentrates on advanced technologies in metering, customer service and demand management. Hadden received a BS in engineering physics from Cornell University. He worked for 15 years at GE, responsible for new systems development from initial R&D to mass-produced product. Walter Levesque has more than 20 years experience in AMI from several perspectives: a utility purchaser, an AMI company executive, and an international industry consultant. As a utility director of CIS he was responsible for IT integration of a 500,000-point AMR system.

Andy Owens is a seasoned professional with extensive engineering, IT, and management background in multiple industries. Over a span of 30 years, he has managed enterprise technical services and led major business-critical technology initiatives in the defense, logistics and utility domains.

Course 10: Selecting & Deploying Demand Response Systems
Instructors: Craig Boice, John Skog and Conrad Eustis
Utility Type: Primarily electric; gas and water will be addressed
Course Level: Beginner to advanced
Deployment Phase: All

This course will be of interest to utilities with and without automated metering systems who are now reviewing the opportunity to deploy demand response programs.

Topics will include:

• Information technology and database issues
  
• Field tests of technical performance
  
• Customer recruiting, qualification, and education
  
• Maintaining a Demand Response system
  
• Lessons from recent pilots and trials
  

Who should attend:
Utility professionals, vendor staff, utility regulatory staff members

Craig Boice is president of the Boice Dunham Group, a leading business development consultancy. He has completed more than 20 assignments related to demand response during the last five years. He has served as adjunct assistant professor of management in the Stern School at New York University, teaching new venture management. Boice earned his master’s degree in management at the Yale University School of Management. John Skog is president of MTEC, a utility engineering consultancy. He is a licensed professional engineer and advisor to EPRI. Skog has 32 years of experience in electric utility distribution systems. He earned his BS and MS in electrical engineering from Washington State University. Conrad Eustis is the director of retail technology development at Portland General Electric and brings 32 years of experience in energy operations, research and analysis to this course. Eustis was recently the primary technical author for PGE’s 2006 AMI RFP and the 2000 and 2007 AMI business cases. He was the project manager for nine operational trials of two-way AMI systems between 1993 and 2003. He created PGE’s first demandside resource plan and served as the project manager for three operational demand response projects.

Course 11: Utility Industry End Device Data Tables – The new ANSI Standard C12.19-2008
Instructor: Avygdor Moise, PhD
Utility Type: All
Course Level: Intermediate to advanced
Deployment Phase: All

Learn about the ANSI industry Standard C12.19 from a leading expert in the field.

Topics will include:

• Overview of ANSI C12.19 revised table syntax and structure
  
• Extended user defined tables, data sources, table attributes and properties
  
• MDM import/export and site management using EDL
  

Who should attend:
Integrators, archetects, engineers, managers

Avygdor Moise, PhD, president of Future DOS R&D Inc. is an AMI and systems-implementation consultant to American and Canadian electrical utilities. Moise is the author of the “User’s Guide for MC/ANSI/IEEE Standard Data Communication Protocol for Electronic Metering.” He also chairs the Data Communication Working Group of the Measurement Canada Task Force on Data Communications Protocol for Electronic Metering Devices; is chairperson of the ANSI C12 SC17 WG2, ANSI C12.19, which develops the utility industry standard tables. Recently, Moise has been instrumental in the development of testing procedures of protocols and communication interfaces for wireless Internet-based electricity meters for AMR clients, audit trail management for Measurement Canada and TDL/EDL data transmission Standards for enterprise AMR. Moise is also a developer of the TDL/EDL schemas and technology for use by ANSI Standard C12.19.

Course 12: Real World Lessons in Project Management, Deployment and Operation of Your AMI
Instructor: John Wambaugh
Utility Type: All
Course Level: Intermediate to advanced
Deployment Phase: All

Utilities considering deployment of more than 50,000 meters will receive the most benefit from this course. Participants will gain an overall understanding of the process and personnel requirements for the initial startup, the implementation, and finally, the operation and maintenance of an advanced metering system. The participants will learn the basics to aid their utility team in understanding the scope and commitment of any size advanced metering project and provide an initial template from which the specific requirements, goals and schedule can be achieved.

Topics will include:

• Introduction of AMI terms and technologies
  
• Overview of the seven phases of the AMI Life Cycle
  
• Process and personnel requirements
  

Who should attend:
Project managers, IT personnel, any utility personnel involved in the deployment of AMR or considering implementation of AMI.

John O. Wambaugh has been involved in the planning, deployment, operation and maintenance of advanced metering systems for more than 16 years. Wambaugh is currently the chief solution architecture for eMeter Corporation, responsible for the implementation of advanced metering information systems for large utilities. Wambaugh has been responsible for the implementation of the largest MDMS systems in production today and has integrated AMI and MDMS systems with more than 10 utility CIS systems.

Course 13: Practical Guide to AMR/AMI Project Management — From Feasibility Through Installation
Instructors: Don Schlenger and Bernie Bujnowski
Utility Type: All
Course Level: Beginner to intermediate
Deployment Phase: All

Good project management is critical to success at every stage of an advanced metering project: feasibility study and business case development, procurement, implementation and integration. AMI is a high-profile project impacting many areas of the utility, and teams of personnel from different departments are usually involved in each stage. The successful project manager must build and lead the AMI team; “sell” the project; manage vendors, customers and other stakeholders; and be responsible for budgets, project control and overall project performance. Good planning is important to minimize disruption and delay, but smart project execution and astute leadership are critical to project success. This course is designed to be a practical guide for AMR/AMI project managers and team members, to complement technology or business case education, and to provide both principles and real world examples of successful project management.

Topics will include:

• Building and leading successful AMI project teams
  
• Selling the project – strategies and tactics
  
• Managing AMI implementation
  

Who should attend:
AMI project managers, (current or prospective), AMI project team members

Don Schlenger, PhD, is an internationally recognized consultant and former utility executive with more than 30 years experience in AMR project justification, design and implementation, utility operations and management, and strategic planning. Schlenger has helped numerous utilities successfully evaluate, justify and implement water AMR projects. He founded and served as first president and executive director of AMRA, now Utilimetrics. Bernie Bujnowski consults to utilities on AMI initiatives. He recently concluded a 30-year career with PPL Electric Utilities as Director of AMI Systems. In that capacity he was involved with the project’s entire scope, including securing senior management approval to deploy a system wide solution. Subsequent project implementation included the deployment of a fixed network automated solution for all of PPL’s 1.4 million electric customers. He has broad experience delivering technical solutions to the business, including serving as project director for the utility’s customer information system implementation and project sponsor for the company’s work management system.

Course 14: Communication Fundamentals and Use for AMI
Instructors: Ron Chebra and Dick Preston
Utility Type: All
Course Level: Beginner to intermediate
Deployment Phase: Pre- to Mid-deployment

The instructors will cover the various communication options and identify requirements for AMR/AMI needs.

Topics will include:

• Range and coverage considerations
  
• Bandwidth requirements
  
• Wireless & wired techniques for local area networks
  
• Wide area network options
  
• Overview of vendor offerings
  

Who should attend:
Project managers, implementation managers, regulators, technology assessors

Ron Chebra has an extensive background in communication systems and telemetry services, with a specialty in utility advanced metering infrastructures (AMI). His career has been focused on both the technology applications
and the business implication of assessing, designing, developing, deploying and operating advanced systems of these types for a variety of clients. Chebra was awarded the 2006 AMRA Robert J. Green Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the industry and the association. Dick Preston is recognized as a leader in the demand-side management, telecommunications and AMR industry with more than 30 years of experience. He has published papers and presented at national meetings including AutovationSM, DistribuTech, Public Utilities Forum, UTC, IEEE and APPA-E&O.