Event Calendar
Power Supply Decision-Making (BLC)
Date(s): October 14, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM CST - 4:00 PM CST
PROGRAM LOCATION
Florian Gardens Conference Center
2340 Lorch Avenue
Eau Claire, WI
(715) 832-8836
Registration: 8:30 a.m.
Program: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
ROOM BLOCK
Holiday Inn South
4751 Owen Ayres Court
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715) 830-9889
Room Block Name: Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association or WECA
Room Block Rate: $121 (double queen)
Room Block Expires: Monday, September 14
Room Block Link: October Room Block
Rooms may be available under the room block after the cut-off date only if the hotel has rooms available. Contact the hotel directly to book rooms after the deadline.
Power Supply Decision-Making (BLC #976.1)
1-1/2 Skill Builder Credits
This course focuses on navigating the G&T responsibility of making generation and transmission investment decisions for the benefit of distribution cooperative member systems. Some of these investments, such as with coal-fired generation, may have had a lower initial capital investment but have required significant additional investment throughout their productive life to comply with changing emissions laws and regulations. On the other hand, nuclear generation entailed significant initial investment, much of which was driven by changing regulations, lengthy construction periods and high interest rates during the era in which much of our nation’s nuclear plant investment was made. Regardless, these generation and transmission investments were made with a vision and a plan, and that requirement will also be the case going forward in an uncertain power supply future.
KEY TOPICS
- Understanding of the G&T decision points regarding future power supply decisions.
Wisconsin Grid Resilience Grant Program
Date(s): October 14, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM CST - 2:00 PM CST
Wisconsin Grid Resilience Grant Program
Eligible projects must improve the resilience of the electric grid against disruptive events and meet at least one of the state’s objectives. A partial list of eligible projects includes undergrounding overhead lines; deployment of monitoring and control technologies; reconductoring or replacement of old overhead lines; installation of adaptive protection technologies; hardening of power lines, facilities, substations, and other systems; and for technology used to mitigate against the risk of wildfires.
How much money is available?
$7.2 million with the potential of an additional $9.7 million for the final two years. Small utilities will receive at least 75% of the funding.
What are the match requirements?
One-third (1/3) of the eligible project cost.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
CEOs/general managers, finance managers, and key operations staff.
AGENDA
1. Welcome & What’s New
- Overview of the Grid Resiliency Program
- Key program changes
- WECA’s updated Guidebook
- What resilience means in practical utility terms
- Eligible project types most relevant to Wisconsin co-ops
- Existing capital/work plan projects vs. projects developed specifically for the grant
- Critical loads, difficult-to-serve areas, aging infrastructure, and system bottlenecks
- Comparing several potential projects and choosing the strongest candidate
4. Building the Narrative
- Translating an engineering project into a compelling grant narrative
- Project readiness, cost estimates, and match
- Procurement and construction schedule
- Environmental review, BABA, and other federal considerations
- Compliance requirements