The utility leaders shared insights on shaping the way forward for the business. Panelists included Tami Barron, CEO of Southern Linc, Sarah Salati, CCO of NYPA & Lorene Miller VP of Customer Service Operations at SoCalEdison
Todd Inlander, CIO of SoCalEd and Andy Dickson, CIO of ComEd speak about significance of IT, OT & safety for the necessity of excessive velocity communications to allow future capabilities. They mentioned the challenges of defending a grid that may deploy extra IoT gadgets.
UBBA Plugfest examined the interoperability and connection of gadgets for utility essential functions on broadband networks in an atmosphere that resembles actual world situations.
Driving methods and demonstrating applied sciences for accelerating grid safety, resilience, and modernization with personal wi-fi networks.
— Carlos Carazo, SCE
US, November 3, 2022/EINPresswire.com/ — The Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA) held its second annual Summit & Plugfest in Costa Mesa, CA on October 11-13 with a sold-out crowd of utility and ecosystem companions. The occasion was hosted by Southern California Edison and centered on the utility government methods dealing with the way forward for grid modernization. “I was extremely pleased with this year’s conference as it surpassed my expectations,” stated Carlos Carazo, Director Grid Services, Information Technology at Southern California Edison. “We had an exceptional turnout from the utility community and their strategic partners. I was very grateful to see the support we received from utility executives who provided superb panels focused on how private broadband communications are foundational in enabling the electric grid of the future.” Over three days, utility executives candidly mentioned the strategic position of utility telecommunications infrastructure to allow the safety and reliability initiatives of the long run grid. Speakers included, however not restricted to: Tami Barron, CEO of Southern Linc; Todd Inlander, CIO of Southern California Edison; Andy Dickson, CIO of ComEd; Sarah Salati, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer of New York Power Authority; and Jill Anderson, EVP of Operations at Southern California Edison.
“It was great to see the level of utility member and technology partner participation at an in-person event validating that the members are receiving value from this Alliance. UBBA’s mission is to champion the deployment of broadband technologies to address utilities existing and growing needs as a foundational enabler of the utility of the future vision.” stated Ali Mohammed, UBBA Chairman and Head of Innovation at New York Power Authority.
Utility and expertise ecosystem panelists shared classes discovered, methods, business circumstances and operational fashions for driving and accelerating adoption of personal broadband at all ranges of a utility group. UBBA’s expertise supplier members led revolutionary demonstrations and expertise options discussions whereas listening to the suggestions and desires of the utility attendees. Each day concluded with the distinctive UBBA LTE Plugfest, which showcased the members’ innovation and collaboration to show the capabilities of personal LTE to scale and assist essential utility functions corresponding to SCADA, AMI, and MC-PTT throughout regular operations in addition to throughout emergency conditions. Utility mutual assist was additionally examined to point out that utilities can profit for interconnected LMR and personal LTE networks to enhance mission essential communications and operational response.
The UBBA Board of Directors held the annual Membership Meeting and Chairman’s Awards, which honored the organizations and people which have demonstrated excellent imaginative and prescient, foresight, and management in accelerating the mission and targets of UBBA in assist of the utility business. “This year the Chairman’s Awards celebrated UBBA members and leaders for their immeasurable impacts including expanding membership, driving critical industry use cases, and improving overall utility operations. As UBBA continues its growth trajectory, I look forward to presenting more awards to recognize industry pioneers and utility leaders with gratitude to our members,” added Mohammed. The utility award went to Southern Linc for being the primary utility to see the imaginative and prescient and for paving the way in which for different utility personal LTE networks. The expertise member award went to Anterix for their pioneering management in utility personal LTE.
“Seeing the wild success of utility and ecosystem embracement of UBBA this year is like seeing your child go off to college and thriving. We conceived of UBBA explicitly to create a collaborative and focused forum where utilities working with industry could seize big opportunities and address critical threats leveraging the power of Private Broadband communications. And that’s just what we witnessed at UBBA – leaders at all levels openly discussing their strategies, plans and learnings to adopt private broadband to address and enable utility business outcomes such as decarbonization, resilience and cybersecurity,” stated Robert Schwartz, CEO of Anterix.
The particular person awards went to John Hughes, UBBA’s founding Vice-Chairman, and Peggy Rudock of Ameren, for their management and assist in constructing and rising the alliance. And a particular award for excellent service was given to Bobbi Harris, the Executive Director of UBBA.
In addition to the Chairman’s Awards, the 2022 UBBA Plugfest Awards had been introduced at the shut of the occasion. There had been many UBBA members stepping up, however particular honors got to those that most embodied the spirit of collaboration that’s UBBA’s Mission. The 2022 Plugfest Award winners are:
• Leadership Excellence: Mat Eshpeter from Burns & McDonnell
• Constant Collaboration: Andy Hess from NetScout
• Peak Performance: Kevin Linehan from Ericsson
• Trailblazer: John Griebling from Itron
• In A Clutch Award: Dan Madey from Cisco
• Gracious Service Award: Rob Butts from L3Harris
• Laughter Therapy Award: Loren Zimmerman from Streamwide
• Mission Impossible Award: Mike Brozek from Anterix
• Above & Beyond Award: Ryan McAuliffe from NovaTech Automation
• Most Committed Award: Tim Spyers from Ameren
• Proven Passion: Mauricio Subieta from Nokia
• Unwavering Support: Mark Fecci from Motorola Solutions
Recordings of the keynote classes and the Plugfest check shows can be found on the UBBA.com web site. Plans are already underway for the subsequent UBBA Summit & Plugfest in October of 2023, as host utility Xcel Energy welcomes everybody to Minneapolis. Members of the Alliance are given precedence entry to take part and choice over non-member corporations, however UBBA membership is open to utilities of every kind and sizes and to the worldwide vendor ecosystem. Contact UBBA for details about membership.
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About UBBA
The Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA) is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit affiliation devoted to advancing and creating personal LTE broadband as a key communications infrastructure for a safe, resilient, digital grid. Since incorporation on February 5, 2021, the Alliance has advanced past its preliminary targets, which centered on business drivers, use circumstances and technical necessities, to develop efforts to incorporate utility community testbeds, rural broadband, and regulatory challenges. UBBA is collaboration of utilities and ecosystem companions from world wide. All are welcome.
Bobbi Harris
Utility Broadband Alliance
bharris@ubba.com
UBBA Summit & Plugfest Keynote – Jill Anderson, Southern California Edison – significance of communications to soundly ship dependable, clear & inexpensive energy.
