Detailed Agenda By Day of the SOLD OUT EVENT
Check back often for updates!
The Depot, 225 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Agenda
8:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Mesa Verde Room
Plugfest Team Set-up
6:00 PM – 9:00PM
Newport Beach
Board of Directors Dinner
Sponsored by 
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Segerstrom Room
Registration & Badge Pick-up Open
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
East Galleria and Balboa
Vendor Set-up for Premier Solutions Circles and The Innovation Zone
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Lido Room
Board of Directors Breakfast & Meeting
(closed session)
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
China Cove Room
Sponsored by
Technical Session: Ensuring Interoperability Between LMR and Broadband
Mission Critical Push To Talk (MCPTT) connects your teams over mobile broadband and has the ability to connect via your existing LMR networks too. During this technical session, the experts will discuss how these technologies converge & provide interoperability across your systems. Learning objectives:
- Discover why Utilities need interoperability when adopting private LTE solutions
- Uncover the layers of interoperability opportunity across your systems
- Explore interoperability with the ecosystem of end user devices
- Learn about the evolution of MCPTT Technology and 3GPP Standards
Taught by Gino Scribano & Madhu Pai
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Monarch Bay Room
Sponsored by
Technical Session: Extending utility broadband capabilities with interconnected Utility Private LTE Networks
As utilities build private LTE networks, they are uniquely positioned to benefit from interconnecting with peer utilities. This technical session will explore how a federation of interconnected networks can help accelerate wireless broadband adoption, improve operations, resiliency, and security as well as foster application innovation at scale. Learning Objectives:
- Evaluating shared infrastructure models and benefits to utilities
- Network sharing for resiliency in the face of disasters & other threats
- Utility interconnected networks benefits
Taught by Tim Godfrey, Mike Brozek, Jeremy Haynes & Mark Poulin
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Monarch Bay Room
Sponsored by
Technical Session: Public/Private Hybrid Network Architecture, De-Risking P-LTE Deployments
Partnering with Public Cellular Networks offers utilities an option to mitigate some of the risks associated with P-LTE deployments. In this technical session, utility industry engineers will lead the learning objectives around these key topics:
- Accelerating P-LTE devices
- Dependencies on RAN timing
- Roaming & fail-over to public networks
Taught by Cole Crews & James Rose
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
China Cove Room
Sponsored by
Technical Session: Strategies for ‘growing into’ a PLTE solution
Many utilities are interested in PLTE for addressing Grid Mod telecom requirements, but can PLTE be built over time addressing ‘hotspots’ first? This session will address getting started in PLTE strategies with learning objectives:
- Fundamental components of PLTE
- Advantage of building one piece at a time
- Disadvantages of building one piece at a time
Taught by Mike Robinson
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
China Cove Room
Sponsored by
Technical Session: Spectrum Options for 4G & 5G Private Networks
After years of spectrum scarcity, utilities now have several alternative bands to choose from as they consider private networks systems. This technical session will compare and contrast the most relevant spectrum options for private networks. Learning objectives:
- Identify the six different spectrum bands that most utilities may consider for private 4G and 5G networks
- Discuss the relative technology availability. advantages & disadvantages of each band
- Review the 3GPP band approval status, ecosystem of equipment & devices available
Taught by Robert Finch
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Monarch Bay Room
Sponsored by
Technical Session: Securing the PLTE
Private LTE networks are built , in part to improve reliability and resiliency of the digital foundation of a modern grid. The standard 3GPP standards have embedded security, but vulnerabilities extend far beyond the UE to EPC connection. Join this session to understand how to build a truly secure and resilient private wireless LTE network. Learning objective includes:
- Protecting, Detecting and Responding to cyber threats within a pLTE architecture.
Taught by Jeff Tufts
5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
Mesa Verde Room
Plugfest Testing Primer
Led by Mat Eshpeter (Burns & McDonnell) and Tim Spyers (Ameren)
6:00 PM – 9:00PM
Westin Terrace by the Pool
Welcome Reception – Badges Required
Sponsored by:
& 
7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Segerstrom Room
Registration & Badge Pick-up Open
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Terrace Pavilion
Attendee Breakfast
Sponsored by 
8:15 AM – 8:30 AM
Plaza Ballroom
Welcome & Opening Keynote: Ali Mohammed, NYPA and UBBA Chairman
8:30 AM – 9:25 AM
CIO Panel: IT’s role in the grid of the future
Plaza Ballroom
Utility CIOs will share their insights on the need of high speed communications to enable future capabilities. We will discuss the challenges of protecting a grid that will deploy more IoT devices & sensors. Come learn about critical nuances of utility CIOs.
Moderator: Carlos Carazo (SCE), Speakers: Todd Inlander (Southern California Edison) and Andy Dickson (ComEd)
9:30 AM – 10:25 AM
Panel: Programmatic Approach to PLTE Deployment
Plaza Ballroom
Many utilities are making the choice to deploy PLTE networks to provide better control and a wide range of capabilities. However, the deployment of a PLTE network is often logistically and geographically complex. On this panel, we will talk to utilities that have taken different approaches and are at different phases of their deployments to learn some of the pitfalls and how utilizing a programmatic approach might allow for a faster and smoother deployment.
Moderator: Bruce Albright (Burns & McDonnell) Panelists: Joe Mellott (Evergy), Russ Ehrlich (Exelon), Caleb Murphy (SDG&E) & Tim Spyers (Ameren)
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Rural & Urban Nuances of Grid Modernization
Plaza Ballroom
Utilities demand for higher performance connectivity increases daily as they transform for the modern world. To meet growing operational and customer needs, they must provide high-performance systems in the most demanding and remote regions, whilst supporting new use cases, such as grid automation, augmented reality, and more. Yet, the communication requirements of such use cases are complex and may not be met by legacy wireless equipment. Private cellular networks combined with a new wave of innovative wireless technologies are set to meet the demands of tomorrow. UBBA Executive Advisory Council will share their industry leading experience in this panel session.
Moderator: Ryan Gerbrandt (Anterix) Panelists: Jacob Reeb (Cambridge Consultants), Ali Mohammed (NYPA), Joe Walsh (NRTC) & David Allen (UScellular)
11:20 AM – 12:00 PM
Closing the Digital Divide
Plaza Ballroom
The panel will focus on why the utility model is critical to closing the Digital Divide. Providing modern broadband access to all Americans will require us to partner at a level not seen since we rolled out the electric grid decades ago. Lean about unique partnering business models, emerging funding options, and innovative community development.
Moderator: Joyce Deuley (Zpryme) Panelists: Josh Leonard (Burns & McDonnell), Franc Arbide (NextEra Energy) & Robert Johnson (Empire State Dev.)
12:05 PM – 1:00 PM
Emerging Wireless Broadband Use Cases
Plaza Ballroom
As the requirements for decarbonization, integration of DERs, EVs & energy storage increase, grid modernization is becoming more critical. An important aspect of this evolution is deploying & managing wireless broadband communications. Recent advancements in chipsets, industrial LTE gateways, mobility handsets, LTE modules, sensors and modems bring about new utility centric use cases. The panelists will discuss insights into the top use cases supporting the most critical needs of the electric grid – security, wildfire mitigation, dynamic line rating, demand response, FLISR, smart meters, as well as viewpoints on future applications driving the ecosystem.
Moderator: Alice Moy-Gonzalez (Anterix) Panelists: Jeremy Anderson (NovaTech Automation), Ashley Pearson (Aclara), Chris Trabold (GE),& Alan McIntyre (Southern Linc)
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Terrace Pavilion
Lunch
Sponsored by 
2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
East Galleria, Balboa & Mesa Verde Rooms
Plugfest, Premier Solutions Circles & The Innovation Zone
2:00 PM – 2:25 PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – Key lessons learned from utility P-LTE deployments
Powered by 
2:30 PM – 2:55 PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – Mapping the future of communication frameworks
Powered by
3:00 PM – 3:25PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – Interconnecting DERs using edge computing
Powered by 
3:30 PM – 3:55PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic- Wildfire mitigation with LTE, analytics & smart sensors
Powered by 
4:00 PM – 4:25PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – Critical connectivity management for P-LTE networks
Powered by
5:00 PM
Outside Plaza Ballroom Doors
Shuttle Buses Leaves for Beach Party! – Badges Required
Sponsored by
6:00 PM – 10:00PM
Beach
All Attendee Beach Party! – Badges Required for All
Sponsored by
7:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Segerstrom Room
Registration & Badge Pick-up Open
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Terrace Pavilion
Attendee Breakfast & Membership Meeting
8:15 AM – 8:30 AM
Plaza Ballroom
Welcome and Special Announcement
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Plaza Ballroom
Keynote: Jill Anderson, Executive Vice President – Southern California Edison
Jill Anderson leads many of SCE’s operations groups — including Transmission & Distribution, Customer Service, Safety, Security, and Business Resiliency, and Operational Services — and is responsible for safely delivering reliable, clean and affordable power to more than 15 million people in a 50,000-square-mile service area spanning Central, Coastal and Southern California.
9:05 AM – 10:00 AM
Panel: Next Generation Strategies
Plaza Ballroom
Across the NA utility industry, women make up less than 30% of the workforce, but the leaders on this panel are helping shape the future of the industry. This panel of utility executives will highlight different vantage points on the future of utility strategic decisions. They will share the exciting and challenging issues in the energy sector.
Moderator: Kim Kerr – SVP (UScellular) Speakers: Lorene Miller – VP of Customer Service Operations (SoCalEdison), Tami Barron – CEO (Southern Linc), Sarah Salati -EVP & Chief Commercial Officer (NYPA)
10:05 AM – 10:55 AM
Panel: Addressing cybersecurity challenges across critical infrastructure
Plaza Ballroom
As critical infrastructure communication networks add new devices and federal funding attracts more participants to the broadband space, utilities must be ever diligent in their cybersecurity efforts. In this session our panelist will share comprehensive insights into the latest cyber threats, mitigation regulations, and best practices
Moderator: Brian Barrios (SoCalEd) Panelists: Lance Mueller (Sempra), Rich Mahler (Accenture), Ken Rabedeau (Nokia) and Mike Sohn (FBI)
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Panel: Utility Hosted Core
Plaza Ballroom
As utilities begin deploying PLTE networks, considerations around the core and management of a PLTE network are coming up. Some utilities want to leverage their cores, services, and expertise while other utilities may want a PLTE network, but don’t want to own and manage their own cores. This session will focus on how utilities may partner for these services from both perspectives – utilities that have cores to provide service on and utilities that may be looking for hosted services.
Moderator: Kathy Nelson (West Monroe Partners) Panelists: Alan McIntyre (Southern Linc), Russ Ehrlich(Exelon), Wendall Reimer (Xcel Energy)
11:50 AM – 12:30 PM
Grid Modernization Strategies – Another Look
Plaza Ballroom
As utilities embrace grid modernization, the communication infrastructure becomes an integral part of any application solution. This panel will discuss various strategies & applications supporting grid resiliency, reliability, optimization and interconnection compliance for renewable integration driving the need for a multipurpose communication infrastructure. For example, severe weather events have caused large power disruptions leading to significant customer outages. Outcome is optimal reconfiguration and constrained resource distribution to maximize power availability to critical loads based on enhanced grid intelligence. Data is the core for all grid innovation and understanding the performance requirements for centralized and de-centralized applications is an important aspect in determining the communications infrastructure requirements.
Moderator: Larry Powers (Nokia) Panelists: Gary Rackliffe (Hitachi Energy), Mauricio Subieta (Nokia) John Yaldwyn (4RF), Jeff Gooding (SCE), and Omar Zevallos (SDG&E)
12:35 PM – 1:00 PM
Plaza Ballroom
Southern California Edison’s 2045 Strategic Plan
SCE’s Principal Manager of Technology Strategy, Brenden Russell, will share the utility’s long-term vision and role of communications in the future digital grid.
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Terrace Pavilion
Attendees Lunch & Special Presentation
2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
East Galleria, Balboa & Mesa Verde
Premier Solutions Circles, The Innovation Zone & Plugfest Testing
2:00 PM – 2:25 PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic- Five questions to answer before building a private wireless network
Powered by
2:30 PM – 2:55 PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – The benefits of testing your LTE network
Powered by 
3:00 PM – 3:25 PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – Distributed energy applications over LTE
Powered by 
3:30 PM – 3:55 PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – Building the digital utility today for the grid of the future
Powered by 
4:00 PM – 4:25 PM
Balboa Room
Premier Solutions Circles Topic – Large footprint utility IoT network for advanced sensing
Powered by 
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Mesa Verde Room
Plugfest Awards & Closing Remarks
Sponsored by 
5:00 PM
Various
Open night for vendor invitation dinners
8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Catalina Room
After Party
8:00 AM – 1:30 PM
