The Plant Management Institute is a network of electric power industry leaders dedicated to creating a forum and peer support network for knowledge transfer among the industry’s plant management. 

  • Honing Leadership skills
  • Building Community Collaboration
  • Investing in Human Capital
  • Building a Successful Team
  • Sharing Lessons-Learned
  • Sharing Best Practices
  • Strengthening Your Network

The Plant Management Institute prides itself on being an open forum for free-flowing conversations about the challenges facing today’s plant manager/resource manager. With the power industry needing to address numerous changes to operations, some of the topics we normally cover have taken on new meanings or directions. Now more than ever, it’s time to reconnect with your peers to share stories of the challenges, and your solutions to these challenges that have been tried and tested. 

If you are tasked with running a power plant, are responsible for the resources that supply power, or are in a supervisory role, this program is geared for you. We will open the event with a top-of-mind, roundtable discussion, and as topics become evident, we will consider those that are most important to a plant’s successful operation. We will then look as a group at those challenges, discussing those that are critical for operation and also those that may not be critical, but also can’t be ignored.  

Add on Plant Management Institute during registration to get your pass to this important meeting. Plant Management Institute is only available to electricity generating companies/utilities only.


PMI Grand Sponsor


2023 Plant Management Institute Planning Committee

2023 Agenda

Monday, August 14
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Room: Offsite/On you own
Experience POWER Week Optional Tours
Old Town Trolley Tour- Hop on Hop off - $39 Per Person

The extraordinary architecture, lush botanicals, and captivating stories of this historic, coastal city make for an unforgettable vacation experience. For over 30 years, Old Town Trolley Tours has provided sightseeing tours highlighting the best attractions in Savannah. Hop aboard one of our trolleys and you’ll experience Transportainment, a delightful combination of transportation and entertainment. Our friendly conductors narrate the tour with a fascinating and fun mix of trivia and humorous stories. It will be our pleasure to guide you through “Georgia’s First City” on one of our orange and green trolleys.

Book online at https://www.trolleytours.com/savannah/1-day-tour

Scroll down and select Monday, August 14th and follow the prompt to fill in your information.

Meet at 215 West Boundary Street, will be in confirmation email

10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Room: Offsite/On you own

Maximize time in Savannah with a half-day private tour in the Historic District and beyond. See popular landmarks including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Bonaventure Cemetery, and the Isle of Hope Marina. Learn about Savannah's history, heritage, and architecture during this private excursion.

Guests will be picked up from the hotel at 10 AM cut-off date July 31st

Book online at https://forms.gle/ybdYYdjTZjFsNYCDA

12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Offsite/On you own

Treat your taste buds to a cultural feast in downtown Savannah. Eating your way through the city gives you a unique way to become acquainted with the city layout and history. This Savannah food tour encompasses all of the city’s most mouthwatering bites and fascinating bits of history. You will have a full day of flavors as you indulge in 6 different locations to give you a taste of our favorite foods in town. We will show off some local gems that shine in that southern sun. In around 3 hours, you will have a whole new idea of Southern flavors and Savannah charm.

Book online at https://southernflavorssavannah.com/tours/taste-tour/

             "Select Monday, August 14th and follow the prompt to fill in your information

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: Lobby
Experience POWER Week Optional Tours
Mitsubishi Power Savannah Machinery Works (SMW) Tour

Mitsubishi Power Savannah Machinery Works (SMW) is an ultra-modern advanced technology manufacturing facility located in the Edenic town of Pooler, Georgia. Just outside of Savannah, SMW manufactures advanced technology fuel-efficient gas turbines and steam turbines in addition to providing a suite of complete gas and steam turbine services. The facility has nearly half a million square feet in high-technology manufacturing space and equipment. In addition to world-class turbine manufacturing, SMW provides critical services to power producers throughout the Western Hemisphere. 

 

We invite you to experience a behind-the-scenes tour of Mitsubishi Power Savannah Machinery

Works. 

 

Promo Video - https://power.widen.net/s/vgtbtjqdvq/50th-advanced-class-gas-turbine-celebration-social


  • 1:00 pm - Depart Westin
  • 1:30 pm – Arrival & Safety Presentation – Savannah Room
  • 2:00 pm – Tour Starts – Groups of 25
  • 4:00 pm – Open Q&A / Networking / Refreshments – Savannah Room
  • 4:30 pm – Depart
  • 5:00 pm – Arrive Westin
4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Room: Lobby
Registration
Registration Hours
Sponsored by:
If you are a power plant manager, site manager, have a role in leadership at your facility's power plant, or are moving into a management role, you are invited to participate in this exclusive cocktail hour for Plant Management Institute attendees only. Fluor invites you to join them for light hors d' oeuvres, beer, wine, and a specialty cocktail to welcome you to Plant Management Institute and Experience POWER Week. Look for your personal invitation when you arrive onsite!
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Room: Golf Club
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
POWER & PUTT Welcome Reception

Open to Everyone...⛳Enjoy light appetizers, beverages and even a putting green as we welcome you to Experience POWER Week 2023.

Tuesday, August 15
7:30 am - 6:30 pm
Room: Lobby
Registration
Registration Hours
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Harbor A
Panelist
Joe VonDerHaar
Plant Manager, Spurlock
East Kentucky Power Cooperative Inc. [EKPC]
Panelist
Dennis Buchanan
Plant Director, Harrington Station
Xcel Energy
Panelist
Brian Heinbaugh
Plant Manager - Wildcat Point Generation Facility
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative
Panelist
Rizwan James
Power Generation System Operations Director
Dominion Energy/ Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Panelist
Michael Burroughs
Plant Manager - Plant Scherer
Georgia Power
Panelist
Willam Mock III
Plant Manager Coastal Generation (McIntosh CC, McIntosh CT, McManus, Robins, Mitchell)
Georgia Power
Panelist
Kathryn Bowling
Plant Manager Eastern Gas
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Panelist
Jeffrey Fassett
President
IEM Energy Consultants
Sponsored by:
The Plant Management Institute prides itself on being an open forum for free-flowing conversations about the challenges facing today's plant manager/resource manager. With the power industry needing to address numerous changes to operations, some of the topics we normally cover have taken on new meanings or directions. Join our team of power plant leaders discussing the topics that are most important to you. Previous topics included: workforce issues, low load and cycling, ...
10:30 am - 11:45 am
Room: Riverscape
Facilitator
Mr. James Goosby
Southern Company Executive in Residence, Auburn University McCrary Institute
Southern Company
Instructor
Tricia Schulz
Group Leader, Embedded Systems Security
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

In today's age of artificial intelligence and cyber-attacks the power industry is focusing not only on physical security, but cybersecurity, supply chain security, and the human factors involved. The McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, are positioned to help the power industry address these issues. In this session leaders from the McCrary Institute will lead a discussion on approaches to improve their ability to address cybersecurity issues, with an emphasis on operational technology security and relevant government initiatives that can provide resources for your staff and partners.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Room: Harbor A
Facilitator
James Goosby
Southern Company Executive in Residence, Auburn University McCrary Institute
Southern Company
Instructor
Tricia Schulz
Group Leader, Embedded Systems Security
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

This lunch session will be a brief overview of what The McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security focus areas are and how power generators can leverage these resources to help advance cyber risk mitigation and operational resilience initiatives.

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Grand AB
Experience POWER Week General Sessions
Nuclear Energy's Role in a Net-Zero Future
Moderator/Chair
Clint M. Medlock
Project Manager - Research and Development
Southern Company Services
Panelist
Jeremiah Haswell PE
Director, Project Oversight, Vogtle 3 & 4
Southern Company
Panelist
Jhansi Kandasamy
Director, Net-Zero Program
Idaho National Laboratory
Speaker
Mike Goff
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy
US DOE
Panelist
Nicholas Smith
Deputy Director
National Reactor Innovation Center
Panelist
James Schaefer
Senior Managing Director
Guggenheim Partners
As a clean energy source, many experts agree that nuclear power must play a key role in achieving net-zero emissions. This session will discuss the first new nuclear units, Vogtle Three and Four, built in the United States in over three decades. Additionally, perspectives and updates will be provided for a variety of advanced reactor technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs).
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Room: Grand AB
Keynote
Grace Stanke
Miss America 2023
Miss America

Miss America Grace Stanke is a nuclear engineering student and advocate for clean energy. In this talk, she will discuss the importance of inspiring the next generation of engineers to pursue careers in clean energy. She will explore the challenges and opportunities facing the clean energy industry, and how we can ensure that we have the talent we need to build a cleaner future. She will also discuss her own journey as a young woman in STEM, and how she has overcome challenges to achieve her dreams.

This talk is for anyone who is interested in learning more about clean energy, the future of engineering, and how we can inspire the next generation of leaders.

  • Miss Stanke is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied nuclear engineering.
  • She is the current Miss America, and has used her platform to promote STEM education and clean energy.
  • She is a strong advocate for public education about nuclear energy, and has spoken out against the stigma surrounding this important technology.
  • She is also a strong advocate for inspiring the next generation of engineers, and has worked with policymakers and industry leaders to develop programs and initiatives to support this goal.
4:00 pm - 4:20 pm
Room: Grand AB
Experience POWER Week General Sessions
A Southern Welcome
Speaker
Rick Anderson
SVP | Culture & Strategy | Power Generation | Future Energy | Operations Excellence | Plant Management
Southern Company
4:20 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: Grand AB
Keynote
Tim Echols
Commissioner
Georgia Public Service Commission
The ongoing transformation of the world's energy sector involves several notable trends intertwined with advanced power generation technologies. There are many impacts, from maintaining a reliable supply of electricity and natural gas, to integrating distributed energy resources on the power grid. In the U.S., different states have differing priorities, with several focused on maintaining specific fuel types while others push for more renewable energy. Sustainability is a buzzword; so is equity across communities, as access to clean energy becomes a focal point. Solar power remains tried and true, while e-mobility--driven by electric vehicles--continues an upward trajectory. And nuclear power, at both large and smaller scales, is receiving renewed attention as a source of clean power. Tim Echols, commissioner with the Public Service Commission of Georgia, is a proponent of a diverse energy mix, and he's helping make Georgia a leader in supporting new and advanced technologies in the power sector.
PRESENTATIONS:
5:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Room: Grand AB
Experience POWER Week General Sessions
POWER magazine Top Plants Awards Presentation
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Room: Harbor A & Lawn
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
Smoke on the Water POWER magazine Awards Reception
Sponsored by:

Sponsored by GE Vernova and Siemens

For more than four decades, POWER magazine has honored the top performers in the electricity-generating industry with annual power plant awards. Highlighting plants that have distinguished themselves by innovative design or engineering upgrades, producing power more reliably or economically than comparable plants, or demonstrating a new generation of environmental controls technology, don’t miss the opportunity to network with Award winners at the Smoke on the Water reception during Experience POWER week in Savannah, GA.  Join us as we honor these prestigious teams. Nuclear Engineer Student and Current Crowned Miss America Grace Stanke will be on hand for photos and Award Distribution.


Enjoy southern grill favorites, smoky old-fashioned, cigar rollers, DJ, games and more along the Savannah River during this opening reception.

Wednesday, August 16
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Room: Lobby
Registration
Registration Hours
7:00 am - 8:30 am
Room: Grand CDEF
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
Networking Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
8:00 am - 10:00 am
Room: Grand B
Speaker
Joe Sullivan
Director of Sales
PXiSE
Speaker
Hassan Obeid
Global Technical Advisor - Systems and Controls
Cummins Power Generation
Speaker
Anderson Barkow
Co-Founder/CFO
BoxPower, Inc.
Speaker
Ms DeLaine Bacon
VP - Business Strategy & Analysis
Block Energy
Sponsored by:
Microgrids have gone mainstream, now well-established as part of the present and future of power generation. A mix of technologies can be deployed to provide electricity to business complexes, neighborhoods, critical infrastructure, remote areas, and more. Join us for a look at the design and development of some model microgrids and a discussion of their importance in the power generation landscape. In this time slot, we will feature four microgrid case studies.
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Room: Grand A
HydrogeNext Conference Sessions
But First a Hydrogen Safety Moment
Speaker
Nick Barilo
Executive Director of the Center for Hydrogen Safety
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
Speaker
Ms. Jean Ann Berthold
Staff Applications Engineering
Draeger Inc
Speaker
Timothy Lebrecht
Industry Manager, Energy Transition and Chemical Processes
Air Products
Safety is at the core of everything we do so join us while we focus on some unique safety issues that the hydrogen industry is facing as it relates to pipelines and enclosures. 
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: Harbor B
Moderator
Frank Andracchi, PE
Energy Industry Executive
Independent Consultant
Speaker
Reed Lengel
Regional Sales Director, North America
Mitsubishi Power Aero
Speaker
Jon Rodriguez
Energy Bus Director, Engine Power Plants
Wärtsilä
Speaker
Siraj Taj
Principal / Owner
ST Power Services Consultants, LLC
Speaker
David Little
Industry Technical Consultant
Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company
Power companies face numerous challenges as more renewable resources are added to the grid. Fast-starting options that can ramp up and down quickly, such as aeroderivative combustion turbines and reciprocating engines, have never been more important to operating a reliable and stable power system. Meanwhile, combined cycle units have other obstacles to overcome as operators try to maximize performance and minimize breakdowns. Many of the implications of growing renewables will be addressed in this session.
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: Harbor A
Moderator/Chair
Willam Mock
Plant Manager Coastal Generation (McIntosh CC, McIntosh S/CT, McManus, Robins, Mitchell)
Georgia Power
Panelist
Mr. Jeff Grubb
Director, Resource Policy & Planning
Georgia Power
Panelist
Max Sherman
Kiewit
Panelist
Julie Ann Soutuyo
Senior Manager
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Panelist
Todd Snitchler
President & CEO
Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA)
What will the generation mix look like in 5, 10, or 20 years? As the world focuses on the clean energy agenda, we must look to how we are going to get there. How long will it take to get permits to operate various generating assets? In this session, we hope to address issues around reserve margins, resource planning, and have an open discussion on the best way to achieve our goals.
9:00 am - 10:00 am
Room: Grand A
HydrogeNext Conference Sessions
Hydrogen Materials Supply Overview
Moderator/Chair
Dr. Siari Sosa
Low Carbon Resources RD&D Technical Development Manager
SoCal Gas
Speaker
Anthony Deorsey
Research Manager
THE CLEANTECH GROUP
Speaker
Mark Hendricks
Vice President, Engineering
DEHN, Inc.
Speaker
Justinn General
Product Design Engineer
Lamons
With so many factors affecting the supply chain, one must stop to think about issues around material availability as we look to increase hydrogen production. In this session, we will do a 0 thousand feet overview and discuss areas we might want to be on the watch for as this industry grows
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Room: Grand CDEF
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
Donut Madness Networking Break in Exhibit Hall

Enjoy a variety of Savannah baked donuts and coffee as you mingle with exhibitors during this break in the exhibit hall.

10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Harbor A
Moderator/Chair
Rizwan James
Power Generation System Operations Director
Dominion Energy/ Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Co-Chair
Brian Heinbaugh
Plant Manager - Wildcat Point Generation Facility
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative
Speaker
Benjamin Carmichael
Business Development Manager, Advanced Energy Systems Research and Development
Southern Company
Speaker
Thomas Overton
Senior Strategic Development Specialist
General Atomics
As we move to find the right generation mix with as much clean energy as possible, the concern is how fast is too fast to make this transition and what solutions will be financially viable. This session will take a look at upcoming clean, emerging technology solutions and host an honest discussion on what is realistically viable.
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Grand B
Chair
Allan Schurr
Chief Commercial Officer
Enchanted Rock, LLC
Speaker
Rahul Jha
General Engineer
Commonwealth Edison
Speaker
Feliz Ventura
PROGRAM MANAGER, RESILIENCE
East Bay Community Energy
Speaker
Chris Cantone
Chief Revenue Officer
Scale Microgrid Solutions
Speaker
Marty Trivette
SVP, Energy Solutions and Digital Innovation & Technology
AlphaStruxure
Commercial and industrial buildings consume a significant amount of energy in providing goods and services, making them vulnerable to power outages. Community microgrids can help to mitigate this risk by providing a reliable and resilient source of electricity. A community microgrid is a self-contained energy system that can operate independently of the main power grid covering multiple customers, even hundreds of them. It typically consists of a mix of renewable energy sources, load controls such as solar and wind power, as well as energy storage. In the event of a power outage, the microgrid can island itself from the grid and continue to provide power to its connected buildings. Community microgrids offer a number of benefits for commercial and industrial buildings, including: • Increased reliability: Microgrids can help to ensure that critical businesses and facilities have a reliable source of electricity, even during power outages. • Reduced costs: Microgrids can help to reduce energy costs by allowing businesses to generate their own electricity during peak prices. • Increased resilience: Microgrids can help to make businesses more resilient to extreme weather events and other disruptions. This session will explore the benefits of community microgrids for commercial and industrial buildings and whole communities. It will also discuss the challenges of developing and implementing microgrids, and the best practices for doing so.
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Harbor B
Chair
Angie Lucas
Director
EPCE - Energy Providers Coalition for Education
Co-Chair
Joe VonDerHaar
Plant Manager, Spurlock
East Kentucky Power Cooperative Inc. [EKPC]
Moderator
Kristen Himmerick
Vice President, Solutions
CAEL - Council for Adult and Experiential Learning
Panelist
Anna Munie
Manager of Carbon Neutrality Programs
Lansing Board of Water and Light
Panelist
Rachel Wampler
Labor Forecast Center Leader
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Panelist
Blake Osner
Director, Employee & Leadership DevelopmentJEA Academy
JEA/Jacksonville Electric Authority
Panelist
Chase Bortone
Region Director
FieldCore
The current focus on power generation and the increasing demand for clean energy has caused a disruption in power generation jobs. It is getting extremely hard to recruit, train, and retain employees. In addition, the aging workforce and the pool of new generation workforce make the transfer of knowledge also a challenge. This session will post several case studies on solutions that seem to be working, and an open discussion is encouraged. How can you transfer knowledge and retain the talent your company needs to thrive? Get insights into the culture and practices of industry leaders in engaging employees.
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Grand A
Speaker
Rodolfo Tellez-Schmill
Product Champion - Process Simulation
KBC Advanced Technologies, Inc.
Speaker
Dr. Ethan Simonoff
Technology Development Project Manager
SoCal Gas
Speaker
Kirk Edelman
Chief Commercial Officer
Verdagy
Speaker
Elias Greenbaum
President
GTA, Inc.
In this session, we will do a deep dive into several different electrolyzer technologies and review the ins and outs of the engineering background to understand the nuances of utilization. 
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Room: Grand CDEF
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
Networking Lunch in Exhibit Hall
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Grand B
Moderator/Chair
Peter Kelley
Managing Partner
RenewComm
Speaker
Martin Milani
CEO
Sunverge Energy, Inc.
Speaker
Joe Sullivan
Director of Sales
PXiSE
Speaker
Drew Smith
Director of Utility Solutions, East Region
Smarter Grid Solutions
A distributed energy resource management system, or DERMS, is a software platform used to manage a group of distributed energy resource (DER) assets--such as rooftop solar, energy storage, or a fleet of electric vehicles--to deliver vital grid services and balance demand with supply to help utilities achieve mission-critical outcomes. Get ready to learn more about how DERMS enhances the value of these services for both power companies and consumers.
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Room: Harbor A
Electric Power Insights Sessions
Not Your Daddy's IRA
Moderator/Chair
Jeffrey Fassett
President
IEM Energy Consultants
Co-Chair
Michael Burroughs
Plant Manager - Plant Scherer
Georgia Power
Panelist
Hilary Lefko
Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright
Panelist
Eric Fins
Vice President
Grove Climate Group
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 was billed as a program that would reduce the budget deficit, fight inflation, and more importantly, invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030. How has the IRA been working, and has the power industry seen the benefits? This session will provide real-world examples of how this program has been functioning.
1:30 pm - 3:15 pm
Room: Grand A
Moderator/Chair
Bobby Noble
Program Manager Gas Turbine Research & Development
EPRI
Speaker
Katrina Fritz
Executive Director
California Hydrogen Business Council
Speaker
Carl Dunaway
Director, Business Development North Region
Wärtsilä
Speaker
Robert Schrecengost
Program Manager, Advanced Turbines, Materials
US DOE
Speaker
Hari Gopalakrishnan, Ph.D.
Lead Consultant, Market Intel and Strategy
Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.
Sponsored by:
One of the keys to developing new industries is the opportunity to test technology. In this session, we will hear updates from several projects in the works. This session will showcase several projects that are currently underway to test and develop hydrogen technologies. We will hear from project leaders about the challenges and opportunities they are facing, and learn about the potential impact of these projects on the future of hydrogen energy.
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Harbor B
Speaker
Ben Nowak
Mobile & AR Architect
CapTech Consulting
Speaker
Mary Bartlett
Patrick Engineering
Speaker
Robert Schulte
Principal
Schulte Associates LLC
Sponsored by:
The electric grid is arguably the most important infrastructure in the world--essential for modern society. However, power grids around the world are faced with myriad challenges, including aging infrastructure, increasing demand, and more frequent and severe natural disasters. In this session, experts will offer tips for creating a robust and resilient power system.
3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Room: Grand CDEF
Sponsored by:

🥪Delight in our grilled cheese bar as you network with fellow attendees and exhibitors during this break in the exhibit hall.

3:45 pm - 4:15 pm
Room: Grand B
Speaker
Stephanie Judge
Head of Energy SaaS
NextEra Analytics, Inc.
Learn how businesses must rethink the approach to data to reach aggressive sustainability goals. Any successful approach will be rooted in increased data resolution, and the broken paradigms that enable it. Increasing data resolution is a precursor to many major breakthroughs in human history, and the 21st century's decarbonization will be no exception. To achieve the necessary scale of data resolution, we must break the paradigms of thought currently influencing business practice and technology advancement. Only then can the community of solutioners expand their view of challenges to reveal more levers available in pursuit of progress. Alongside this perspective shift, we're reminded that simplicity is key. Overcomplication must be left in our past as we step into an efficient and sustainable future.
3:45 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: Harbor B
Moderator/Chair
Mrs. Wayshalee Patel
Manager
Sargent & Lundy
Speaker
Mendy Lee
Asst. Director of NCCC
Southern Company Services
Speaker
Kathleen Nelson Romans
Business Development Manager
Carbon America
Speaker
Andrew Erickson
Senior Associate
Sargent & Lundy
Research and development around carbon capture have been a focus for the Department of Energy for many years. Climate change and decarbonization efforts continue to be an important focus and the United States has set ambitions of net-zero greenhouse gases emissions by no later than 2050. Carbon capture is an option to reach these goals, especially around existing electric generating units. In this session we will hear how government policy affects the deployment of carbon capture projects as well as unique challenges and decisions that power generation facilities face when selecting their decarbonization strategy.
3:45 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: Harbor A
Electric Power Insights Sessions
POWER Top Plants Presentations
Moderator/Chair
Aaron Larson
Executive Editor
POWER magazine
Speaker
Hamed Hossain
Business Owner SeaFloat
Siemens Energy, Inc.
Speaker
Jakob Tyroller
Project Manager
Siemens Energy, Inc.
Speaker
Jonathan Warren
Business Development Manger
Dominion Energy, Inc.
Speaker
Anbarasan Sellappan
Deputy COO
Edra Power Holdings
3:45 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: Grand A
Speaker
Marc Lemmons
Senior Technical Leader - Boiler/HRSG
EPRI
Speaker
Bob Kimball
Sr. Vice President, Industrial Water Lead
WSP
Speaker
Jeffry Simmons
Senior Vice President and General Manager
Toshiba America Energy Systems Corp
Speaker
Michael Cates
Area Vice President, Corporate Accounts
Nalco Water
There are many pieces to the renewable-hydrogen puzzle, including balancing the technological demands of hydrogen production and utilization with the abilities of current technologies for combustion, purification and separation of hydrogen and related products, such as ammonia. The session will also address some of the requirements related to water demand for hydrogen production.
4:15 pm - 5:15 pm
Room: Grand B
Speaker
Jamie Rotbert
Manager of Sales Enablement
GridPoint
Speaker
Martin Milani
CEO
Sunverge Energy, Inc.
Speaker
Lance Haman
Resiliency Project Manager
Georgia Power
Distributed energy resources provide many benefits for the power grid system. At the wholesale level, DERs reduce the energy capacity required to meet local requirements, lessen the cost for maintaining system balancing and electric grid reliability, mitigate the congestion and losses caused by transmission, and reduce the quantity of energy production. DERs provide similar benefits at the distribution level and create a more flexible and reliable grid system, enabling customers to have more choices for energy access. In this session, we'll hear from energy experts who will discuss the financial benefits of power purchase agreements, demand response programs, leasing arrangements, and ancillary services provided by DERs.
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Room: Grand CDEF
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
Peaches & Punch Hour In Exhibit Hall

🍹There’s nothing like a Georgia Peach! This happy hour in the exhibit hall will feature signature peach-themed appetizers & signature drinks and is the perfect time to get in more networking!

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Room: Offsite/On you own
Experience POWER Week Optional Tours
Boo Ya'll Comedy Tour - $30

Hop aboard our air-conditioned party bus for a 90-minute ghost tour celebrating the City Built on the Dead. We guarantee you’ll have a spooky good time! 

Led by a professional comedian, this side-splitting tour, designed for visitors age 21 and over, includes a stop at McDonough’s, a favorite local pub, where attendees can get their favorite spirits “to-go,” Savannah-style. You’ll even get visits from some of Savannah ghostly beings along the way, all of whom are only too eager to share their tragic stories with you. 

Book online at https://oldsavannahtours.com/all-tours/boo-yall-comedy-tour/

"Scroll down and select ""Buy Tickets"" on the right hand side of the page

Select Wednesday, August 16th where you will see the option to click "7:30 PM, Boo Y'all Comedy Ghost Tour"

Thursday, August 17
7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Room: Lobby
Registration
Registration Hours
7:30 am - 8:30 am
Room: Grand CDEF
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
Networking Breakfast in Exhibit Hall
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: Harbor A
Electric Power Insights Sessions
Winter Storms: "When Will We Learn?"
Moderator/Chair
Brian Heinbaugh
Plant Manager - Wildcat Point Generation Facility
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative
Co-Chair
Rizwan James
Power Generation System Operations Director
Dominion Energy/ Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Panelist
Joe Bush
Operations Manager
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative
Panelist
Ross Sinclair
Manager, Pipeline Control
Williams
Panelist
Paul McGlynn
Reliability Engineer
PJM Interconnection
Panelist
Mr. Keith Higginbotham
Manager Customer Service
Williams
Winterizing your power plant to negative 5 degrees has been in practice for a long time, and yet we still face constraints with every long-term freeze. This session will discuss recent Winter Storm Elliott lessons learned and start an honest open discussion on solving winter storm reliability issues from the Regional Transmission Operators and the boots on the ground at the power plants.
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Room: Grand B
Moderator
Charlie Moon
Energy Professional. Collaborator. Strategic Thinker
Uplight, Inc
Panelist
Joel Gamoran
VP and GM of Energy Services
Arcadia
Panelist
Nick Palumbo
Alderman
City of Savannah
Panelist
Jim Madej
COO
Viridi Parente
The Inflation Reduction Act brings the promise of the largest investment in clean energy technologies, energy efficiency, and support for commercial, industrial, and residential electricity customers in U.S. history. It provides new and updated incentives to help scale up clean energy manufacturing and deployment. Learn more about how tax credits and rebates for electricity customers, the legislation's goal of electrifying transportation, and its support of domestic manufacturing to help the American supply chain, is transforming the energy sector.
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: Harbor B
Moderator
Mike Harbison
President
M E H & Associates, LLC
Speaker
Chris Bone
Senior Program Manager Generation Projects
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Speaker
Patrick Kiser
General Manager, Strategy & Engineering
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Speaker
Una Nowling
Technology Leader for Fuels, Combustion, and Efficiency
Black & Veatch
Speaker
Jeffery Pope PE
Program Manager, Facility Decommissioning & Demolition Services
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co. Inc.
As the power industry transitions to cleaner generation resources, one of the most difficult questions to answer is what to do with coal-fired facilities. Some will continue operating into the 2030s and beyond, but many will be retired sooner rather than later, and focus will shift to repowering or repurposing the sites. In this session you will hear about options that could make sense from both financial and environmental perspectives.
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: Grand A
HydrogeNext Conference Sessions
Financial Metrics of Hydrogen Projects
Moderator/Chair
Hari Gopalakrishnan, Ph.D.
Lead Consultant, Market Intel and Strategy
Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.
Speaker
Ed Davis
Senior Consultant and Team Lead
U.S. DOE, Loan Programs Office
Speaker
Mike Kramer
Vice President of Growth and Finance
Constellation

Hydrogen is a clean, and versatile energy carrier with the potential to play a major role in decarbonization. However, in order for hydrogen to be adopted at scale, it needs to be financially viable. This session will explore the financial metrics behind hydrogen projects, including life cycle analysis, storage, transportation, and project viability. We will discuss the factors that make hydrogen projects successful, and provide insights into how to make your own project more financially attractive.


Join us for this informative session to learn more about the financial potential of hydrogen and how you can get involved in this exciting new industry.


9:30 am - 10:00 am
Room: Grand B
Speaker
Robb Homolka
Global Commercial Hybrid Microgrid Mgr - Caterpillar Electric Power
Caterpillar Inc
Post hurricane Maria in 2017, the US Coast Guard wanted reliable back-up power for its Caribbean location. Caterpillar and local Puerto Rico Cat® dealer RIMCO worked with their consultant to review the sequence of operations that the US Coast Guard (USCG), would expect if they lost utility connection. The USCG had two different sites they were looking at for hybrid power solutions, the Air Station, and Housing. Caterpillar analyzed several scenarios of integrated solutions with energy storage and genset assets to support the sites. Controls and electrical integration for the hybrid solution are now being achieved with Cat switchgear and Microgrid Controller. The USCG wanted to an Independent Power Producer to provide power to those sites for continuous 30 minutes if the local utility went down. Caterpillar provided an optimized hybrid solution to meet the customers needs. Each system entails diesel generators, battery energy storage(s), paralleling switchgear, microgrid controllers and the local dealer provides a long-term service agreements (LTSA). Solution Offered - Full Grid Connected Hybrid (1st Hybrid for Caribbean) Air Station: • 2 x C15 0.5MW diesel generators • 1 x PGS840 hybrid energy storage with Ethernet Switch and Power Meter • 1 x Master Microgrid Controller -Medium • 1 x CAT Paralleling SWGR & ATS • CAT 5 Year LTSA Housing: • 2 x 3512 1.5MW & 1 x C7.1 • 1 x PGS840 and 2 x PGS1260 with Ethernet Switch and Power Meter • 1 x MMC-Medium • CAT 5 Year LTSA
10:00 am - 10:45 am
Room: Grand CDEF

🍰Enjoy an assortment of Savannah baked coffee cakes, lemon bars and fruit during this break in the exhibit hall.

10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Grand B
Moderator/Chair
Ann Marie Augustus
Chief Operating Officer
Urban Electric
Speaker
Keith Norman
Chief Sustainability Officer
Lyten
Speaker
Joe Ferrari
VP of Sales
Energy Dome
Panelist
Jeffrey Burkett
Clean Energy Associates
Advanced battery energy storage solutions can improve the efficiency of distributed energy and renewable energy. The need for energy storage is increasing exponentially, as is the need for longer-duration and safer batteries that can be deployed at various sites, including for commercial and industrial, and residential settings, and for transportation. To make the best use of distributed power generation, it will take many different battery chemistries to meet demand.
10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Harbor A
Electric Power Insights Sessions
High-Tech Tools to Enhance Power Operations
Speaker
Tina Dornbusch
Director of Product Management
Merit Controls
Speaker
Ron Kessler
Vice President- Robotic Inspection Solutions
Team Industrial Services
Sponsored by:
Testing and inspections play crucial roles in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of power plants. Many tools are available to help maintenance teams identify potential safety risks and detect emerging equipment problems ahead of breakdown. This session will provide attendees with innovative methods to make testing and inspections safer and more effective, while also examining how data can be used to enhance processes and improve reliability.
10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Grand A
HydrogeNext Conference Sessions
Hydrogen - A Decarbonization Solution
Chair
Clint M. Medlock
Project Manager - Research and Development
Southern Company Services
Co-Chair
Benjamin Carmichael
Business Development Manager, Advanced Energy Systems Research and Development
Southern Company
Speaker
Steven Parente
Hydrogen Infrastructure & Integration Specialist Electric Power Division
Caterpillar (NI) Ltd
Speaker
Jeff Chase
Clean Power Generation Lead, Research, Development, & Demonstration (RD&D)
SoCal Gas
Speaker
Kenneth Koye
Chief Executive Officer
Gulf Coast Ammonia LLC
Sponsored by:

Electrification is often touted as the only path to a clean energy future. However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that hydrogen could play a major role in decarbonizing our energy system.

In this session, we will explore the real reasons why you should care about a hydrogen future. We will discuss the benefits of hydrogen, the challenges that need to be overcome, and the early movers in the industry. We will also discuss how large equipment manufacturers are repurposing reciprocating engines to utilize hydrogen.

Topics to be covered:

  • The challenges of hydrogen production and distribution
  • Early movers in the hydrogen industry
  • How large equipment manufacturers are repurposing reciprocating engines to utilize hydrogen


10:45 am - 12:00 pm
Room: Harbor B
Moderator/Chair
Joe VonDerHaar
Plant Manager, Spurlock
East Kentucky Power Cooperative Inc. [EKPC]
Speaker
Kevin Moore
PE, PLS
East Kentucky Power Cooperative Inc. [EKPC]
Speaker
Patricia Scroggin-Wicker
Director
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.
Speaker
Todd Svoboda
Principal Engineer
East Kentucky Power Cooperative Inc. [EKPC]
Just when you thought you had met all the regulatory constraints from Rule 316, new environmental regulations continue to be implemented. They are particularly problematic for companies that need to rely on existing resources until new generation is in place. This session will revisit the current and upcoming regulations and discuss the challenges in meeting these new NOx requirements for power generation.
12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Room: Riverscape
Roundtable Moderator
Stephanie Judge
Head of Energy SaaS
NextEra Analytics, Inc.
Speaker
Dr. Rachana Vidhi
Director Technical Sales
NextEra Analytics, Inc.
Speaker
Nicholas Licht
Technical Sales Lead
NextEra Analytics, Inc.
Sponsored by:
Join us for a deep dive into real projects that NextEra completed ahead of schedule and under budget by using a new approach to data. Learn how unconventional problem solving, forward-thinking strategy and efficiency-first implementations keep NextEra, the largest producer of energy from the wind and sun, on top of goals time and time again. Bring your questions and let's step into progress together!
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Room: Grand CDEF
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
Networking Lunch in Exhibit Hall
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Grand B
Speaker
Peter Prakash
CIO
Swell Energy
Moderator
Shawn Borden, CEM
Utility Program Development Manager
Caterpillar Electric Power
Speaker
Suleman Khan
CEO
Swell Energy
Speaker
Dr. Greg Ledva
Director of Emerging Technologies
Virtual Peaker
Speaker
Travis Duckro
Director
AutoGrid Systems
Sponsored by:
Virtual power plants typically consist of a collection of distributed energy resources tied to the grid and connected by advanced technology to function as a single, intelligent unit. They can use a variety of resources in different combinations, from rooftop solar to wind, biomass, hydropower, and battery energy storage. VPPs use sophisticated aggregation software to efficiently process large amounts of data from decentralized power units, and make calculated decisions to benefit the overall system. A VPP emulates the function of a traditional power plant, supplying capacity when needed.
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Harbor B
Moderator/Chair
Diane Fischer
Director, Generation Services
Kiewit Engineering Group, Inc.
Speaker
Darrell Furlong
Director of Energy Storage Product Management and Hardware Engineering
Wärtsilä
Speaker
Scott Childers
Vice President, Essential Power division
Stryten Energy
Utility-scale energy storage is needed for the future of renewable energy. This session will discuss current energy storage technologies and the challenges and issues with bringing these technologies to full-scale execution.
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Grand A
Moderator/Chair
Benjamin Carmichael
Business Development Manager, Advanced Energy Systems Research and Development
Southern Company
Panelist
Rick Moore
Vice President, Climate and Energy
Connected DMV
Panelist
Shawn Bennett
Battelle
Panelist
Katrina Fritz
Executive Director
California Hydrogen Business Council
Panelist
Dr. Will James
Battelle

Hydrogen hubs are clusters of hydrogen production, storage, and demand. They are being developed around the world as a way to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy source.

In this session, we will hear from several hydrogen hubs about their concept activities, opportunities, adjacent projects, seed markets, and connections. We will learn about the challenges and opportunities of developing hydrogen hubs, and the potential for hydrogen to play a role in the clean energy transition.

  • Activity
  • Concept
  • Opportunities uncovered
  • Cooperation with States
  • What is your Nuance
  • Seed Market 


1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Room: Harbor A
Electric Power Insights Sessions
Top of Mind EV Issues in the Power Industry
Moderator/Chair
Samuel R. Barnes, P.E.
Executive Director of Operations EPPC
Charge Infrastructure
Panelist
Michael Smith, PE
VP Business and Technology Strategy
The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. [ECSC]
Panelist
Alex Urist
Vice President
XCharge North America
Panelist
Tyler Hughes, PE
Vice President National Business Line Lead - Electrification
WSP
The electrification of transportation is the second largest new load to the grid forecasted over the next 10 years. There are concerns about the grid keeping up with the demand for electric vehicles (EVs). This demand is being dealt with in different ways by different utilities. EV charging original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are using technology and batteries to address immediate needs in locations where demand is greater than the ability to serve the loads.
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Room: Grand CDEF
Experience POWER Week Networking Events
The Georgia Fair Social in the Exhibit Hall

Traditional Georgia Fair staples, such as local brews, assorted popcorn, candy and hot dogs will be available during this final networking opportunity of Experience POWER Week. Use this time to meet with exhibitors one last time! 

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Room: Grand B
Moderator
Darrell Proctor
Senior Editor
POWER magazine
Panelist
Drew Smith
Director of Utility Solutions, East Region
Smarter Grid Solutions
Panelist
Ken Munson
CEO
Rhythmos
Panelist
Eran Rozenfeld
VP North America
Driivz Inc
The push for strategies to combat climate change involves many sectors, with transportation joining power generation at the top of the list. Designing the transition to electric-powered vehicles, and incentivizing their adoption, is driving the push for the creation of an e-mobility ecosystem, both in the U.S. and around the world. This session will get under the hood as our panel of experts looks at how e-mobility is changing the future of energy.