2023 NPA Annual Conference
August 22-23, 2023
Younes Conference Center South, 416 W Talmadge Rd, Kearney, NE.
Tuesday, August 22
8:00 a.m. Conference Registration Desk Opens
9:00 a.m. Welcome Remarks & Introduction
Stan Clouse, Mayor, City of Kearney
NPA President Kevin Wailes, CEO, Lincoln Electric System
9:15 a.m. Planning for Our Energy Future
LES Microgrid - Scott Benson, Manager, Resource & Transmission Planning, Lincoln Electric System
Hydrogen Hub Overview & Update - Courtney Dentlinger, Vice President, Customer Service, External Affairs, and Chief Customer Officer and John Swanson, Director, Generation Strategies and Research, Nebraska Public Power District
Hydrogen Hub Overview & Update Presentation
Nebraska Department of Energy & Environment Priority Climate Action Plan Process - Jim Macy, Director, NDEE
NDEE Priority Climate Action Plan Process Presentation
10:00 a.m. EPA New Power Plant Rules
A.J. Singletary, Associate, Van Ness Feldman
EPA New Power Plant Rules Presentation
10:45 a.m. Energy, the Human Condition and the Environment
Chris Wright, CEO, Liberty Energy
11:45 a.m. Networking Lunch Break
Sponsored by Nelnet Renewable Energy
1:00 p.m. Inflation Reduction Act Considerations for Public Power
Michael Mace, Managing Director, PFM Financial Advisors LLC
Inflation Reduction Act Considerations Presentation
2:00 p.m. Resource Adequacy in an Evolving Utility Industry
Sue Kelly, North American Electric Reliability Corporation, Board Member
Lam Chung, Vice President and Engineer for Strategy, Innovation and Finance, Midwest Reliability Organization
Moderator: Kevin Wailes, CEO, Lincoln Electric System
3:15 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. Load Growth Challenges and Opportunities
Brad Underwood, Vice President, Systems Transformation, Omaha Public Power District
Jason Fortik, Vice President, Power Supply, Lincoln Electric System
Mick Spencer, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Nebraska Public Power District
Moderator: Tom Kent, President & CEO, Nebraska Public Power District
Load Growth Challenges and Opportunities Presentation
4:15 p.m. Cyber Tatanka – What the Heck is It?
Dustin Thorne, Manager, Cyber Security, Lincoln Electric System
Lourdes Herling, Manager, Cyber Security Governance, Risk & Assurance, Nebraska Public Power District
5:30 p.m. Social Hour
7:00 p.m. Nuclear Now
Beneath our feet, Uranium atoms in the Earth’s crust hold incredibly concentrated energy. Science unlocked this energy in the mid-20th century, first for bombs and then to power submarines. The United States led the effort to generate electricity from this new source. Yet in the mid-20th century as societies began the transition to nuclear power and away from fossil fuels, a long-term PR campaign to scare the public began, funded in part by coal and oil interests. This campaign would sow fear about harmless low-level radiation and create confusion between nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. Looking squarely at the problem, Oliver Stone shows us that knowledge is the antidote to fear, and our human ingenuity will allow us to solve the climate change crisis if we use it.
Wednesday, August 23
8:00 a.m. Conference Registration Desk Opens
8:00 a.m. Navigating Local Energy Development Planning
David Levy, Partner, Baird Holm Law Firm
Michaela Valentin, Manager, Government & Community Relations, Omaha Public Power District
Navigating Local Energy Development Planning Presentation
8:45 a.m. Energy Issues in the Nebraska Legislature
Seth Voyles, Manager, Government Relations, Omaha Public Power District
John McNally, Manager, Governmental Affairs, Nebraska Public Power District
Moderator: Shelley Sahling-Zart, Vice President & General Counsel, Lincoln Electric System
9:45 a.m. Break
10:00 a.m. Maintaining Public Power’s Legacy of Value
Scott Corwin, President & CEO, American Public Power Association
Maintaining Public Power's Legacy of Value Presentation
11:00 a.m. Cyber Security Threats – How Vulnerable Are You?
Kenneth A. Schmutz, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI Omaha, Cyber Task Force
12:00 p.m. Adjourn
Hotel Reservations
For reservations, call the Fairfield Inn at 308-236-4200 or the Comfort Inn at 308-236-3400 and ask for the Nebraska Power Association group block. The group rate is $139.95 and is available until July 22, 2023.
2023 Conference Sponsors
Sponsorship Levels are:
Bronze-Level ($500) - Includes one complimentary conference registration and meal tickets, and recognition on conference signage. Your company logo will also be displayed on the NPA website.
Silver-Level ($750) - Includes two complimentary conference registrations and meal tickets, and recognition on conference signage. Your company logo will also be displayed on the NPA website.
Gold-Level ($1,000) - Includes three complimentary conference registrations and meal tickets, and recognition on conference signage. Your company logo will also be displayed on the NPA website.
Diamond-Level (More than $1,000) - Includes four complimentary conference registrations and meal tickets, and recognition on conference signage. Your company logo will also be displayed on the NPA website. NOTE: If you would like to sponsor at the Diamond Level, please email aschuller@les.com or ssahling@les.com
Platinum-Level (Event based sponsorship i.e. lunch, social hour, dinner) - Includes five complimentary conference registrations and meal tickets, recognition on conference signage, your company logo displayed on the NPA website, and an opportunity to speak briefly about your company at the sponsored event. NOTE: If you are interested in sponsoring a specific event, please email aschuller@les.com or ssahling@les.com
