Services Committee Meeting

MEAN Services CommitteeMunicipal Energy Agency of Nebraska

Younes Conference CenterAugust 18, 2021

Our product is energy. Our mission is service. Our power is people. NMPPenergy.org

Call to Order

⚫ Nebraska Open Meetings Act – Section 84-1412 (8)

⚫ Roll Call

3


Services Committee-Roll Call

1. Present


Services Committee Consent Agenda

⚫ Approval of Minutes of the May 19, 2021

meeting.

⚫ The next meeting of the Services Committee

will be held November 17, 2021 at the

Younes Conference Center, Kearney, NE or by

virtual if required.

5


Services Committee Approval. Consent Resolution (Seek a motion and second).

6

WHEREAS, certain business of the Services Committee of the Municipal Energy Agency of

Nebraska (MEAN) transpires on a regular and routine basis or is not of a controversial nature; and,

WHEREAS, roll call votes on each individual issue greatly extended the meeting time.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEAN Services Committee that in the interest

of economizing time, yet complying with the Open Meetings Act of the State of Nebraska, which

requires roll call voting, the following issues are hereby consolidated in this Consent Resolution:

1. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY the MEAN Services Committee that the minutes of the May

19, 2021 meeting are hereby approved.

2. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY the MEAN Services Committee that the next meeting will be

held on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney,

Nebraska or virtual if required.


Services Committee-Consent Resolution

1. Yes

2. No

3. Abstain


Operations & Maintenance Updates


Distribution Projects

Tim Cerveny, Manager of Resources & Transmission


O&M Activities

⚫ Shickley 7.2 kV uprate

⚫ Fairmont Underground

⚫ Crete Pole Replacement

⚫ Fonda System Upgrade

⚫ Beaver City Pole Replacement

⚫ Rich – Meter Testing


USDA Energy Audits

Joe Hoebelman


Audit Types

⚫ Facility Assessments

⚫ HUD Audits

⚫ USDA Audits

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)

– Loan guarantees on loans up to 75% of total

eligible project costs

– Grants for up to 25% of total eligible project costs


CEM

⚫ Certified Energy Manager

Designation required by the USDA to complete audits for

their REAP program


Discussion of Potential Services

Mandy Hansen

Supervisor of Member Services


Services Survey Update

⚫ Thank you!

⚫ Final responses received July 16th

⚫ 52 MEAN Communities participated

⚫ Next steps/considerations


0 5 10 15 20 25 30

POWERMANAGER SOFTWARE

AUDITS

MUTUAL AID

FINANCIAL PLANNING/RATE DESIGN

ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SERVICES

REGULATORY (NDEE/EIA) ASSISTANCE

Current Services/Marketing Items


0 5 10 15 20 25

OUTAGE MANAGEMENT

BROADBAND

IT SERVICES/CYBERSECURITY

GIS MAPPING

O&M CREWS

ASSET MANAGEMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE PLANNING

GRANT WRITING

AMI

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

DISTRIBUTED GENERATION

Potential Service Ideas


YesNo

GIS MAPPING COMPLETED

Yes

No

ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Cost and

Manpower

ESRI,

Beehive,

GWorks

24 Interested in

Implementing


0 2 4 6 8 10

STAFF KNOWLEDGE/MANPOWER

3RD PARTY PROVIDER/SUPPORT

FUNDING/COST

OUTDATED

OTHER

NO ISSUES

Top Challenges with Current IT


0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

IT PLANNING/FORECASTING

CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING

IT STRATEGIC PLANNING

SYSTEM BACKUP

EMPLOYEE PHISHING EMAIL SECURITY TEST

IT OPERATIONS OVERSIGHT

ENDPOINT ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE

IT ASSESSMENT

Potential IT Service Ideas


Questions?


Cybersecurity Services

Sarah Jones

Director of Enterprise Business Support

David Russell

Manager of Digital Solutions Group


Municipal Cyberattacks on the Rise

⚫ Between 2017 and 2020, cyber attacks on state and

local governments grew by 50% 1

Likely a fraction of true number

⚫ Average ransomware attack demands have grown to

nearly $500,000 1

Pay ransom or payrecovery costs

1. BlueVoyant. August 2020. State and

Local Government Security Report


Municipal Cyberattacks on the Rise

⚫ Municipals vulnerable due to provision of critical

services and access to citizens’ sensitive information

2021 Oldsmar, FL water system attack

⚫ Average downtime from ransomware is 21 days 2

2. Coveware. 2020. Coveware Q4 Ransomware Marketplace Report.


Increased Focus on Cybersecurity

⚫ White House actions

May Executive Order

Interagency ransomware task force

Discussion of mandatory cyber incident reporting and baseline security standards for critical infrastructure industrial control systems

⚫ Cybersecurity is a priority of APPA

Development of cybersecurity tools

Security listserv

Cyber defense community

Member reach through joint action agencies like MEAN


Proposed MEAN Cybersecurity Service

⚫ MEAN has staff capabilities to assist with cybersecurity

⚫ Member survey results

19 communities interested in cybersecurity pilot program

participation

Seeking feedback and approval to proceed with a pilot

⚫ MEAN has applied for a DEED grant to defray pilot costs

⚫ Potential for future federal programs and grant funding?


Cyber Program Methodology

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Assess

Mitigate

Monitor &

Manage


Pilot Goals

⚫ To provide 4-5 pilot participants with a tactical cyber roadmap

that includes budgetary costs

Communities of various sizes

⚫ To complete an Axio 360/APPA Cybersecurity Scorecard, conduct

a Network Assessment, and a phishing test and present feedback

to the communities on their cyber posture

Evaluate community IT and OT networks and their

interconnections

Online dashboard shared by community and MEAN continuously

updated to track progress and cyber maturity


Axio Sample Assessment Dashboard


Cybersecurity Community Engagement Phases

⚫ Phase I – Kickoff Conference Call with Community Team

Review project expectations

Review Data collection questionnaire

Set date for workshop (Phase II)

⚫ Phase II – Initial Site Visit (Workshop)

Review and answer questions for security assessment

Vulnerability assessment conducted

Discuss phishing exercise (scope, duration, targets)

⚫ Phase III – Final Site Visit and Wrap-up

Provide and review scorecard results

Review draft cyber security roadmap

Review phishing exercise


Pilot Development of Other Services

⚫ Based on pilot results, group visibility through Cybersecurity

Scorecard platform, envision developing other fee-based

services to assist with remediation efforts:

Ongoing organization-wide cyber awareness training and quarterly

employee phish testing and tool to report phishing

Secure document repository for network related information

Antivirus software

Backup solution

System patching

Vulnerability assessment


Pilot Costs

$10,000

$9,000/yr

$1,900 for pilot

$4,800/yr

$2,900/yr

$3,200

$31,800

⚫ Axio Scorecard training for MEAN staff (one time)

⚫ JAA branded access to scorecard

⚫ Member access to scorecard

⚫ RapidFire Network Detective Pro vulnerability scan tool

⚫ PhishingBox Phishing Test and Cyber Training

⚫ Estimated travel costs

⚫ Total pilot costs

⚫ Work will be performed by existing staff


APPA Axio Cyber Scorecard Pricing

⚫ 20% discount if JAA purchases access for all members

⚫ Cost for MEAN branded access as a JAA plus all M & K

participants would be $22,200

APPA Member Non-Member

Total Customers

≤ 5,000 $250 $500

5,001 – 10,000 $900 $1,800

10,001 – 50,000 $4,000 $8,000

50,001 – 100,000 $8,000 $16,000

100,001 – 500,000 $12,000 $24,000

>500,000 $20,000 $40,000


Committee and Board Direction

⚫ Pilot cost is unbudgeted--$31,800

⚫ Ongoing cost is estimated at $23,000 - $37,000

⚫ Potential for grant funding

⚫ Questions for Services Committee/Board

Do you want us to do this project?

Do you want us to proceed now?

Do you want us to wait until next FY and add pilot cost to

budget?

Do you want us to wait until next FY and add pilot cost plus

extension of service to more members to the budget?


35

Services Committee Approval. Potential IT

Services (Seek a motion and a second).


Services Committee Approval. Potential IT Services.

1. Yes

2. No

3. Abstain


Development of Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Budget Including Estimated Costs for

Recommended Services

Staff


38

American Public Power AssociationAPPA Dues

Carol Brehm

Member Relations Representative


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American Public Power Association | APPA Dues

MEAN pays 100% of the APPA membership dues for Service Schedule M and K Participants

Includes 100% payment of the Demonstration of Energy Efficient Developments (DEED) research and development annual dues for all MEAN Service Schedule M and K Participants

▪ Fiscal Year 2020-2021 = $151,400

▪ Fiscal Year 2021-2022 = $158,100

▪ Fiscal Year 2022-2023 = Estimated $166,300

For a list of MEAN-DEED Members | http://www.publicpower.orgAPPA > Programs > DEED (Research & Development) > DEED Members

www.publicpower.org


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MEAN Scholarship Program

Carol Brehm


This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

http://scaniaz.blogspot.com/2013/01/senarai-biasiswa-2013-yayasan-negeri.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


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MEAN Scholarship Fund

⚫ Available to Service Schedule M & K Participants

⚫ ~ $7,600 in scholarship funds disbursed

General Scholarships – 9

Line Worker Scholarships - 5

⚫ $1,873 awarded to 7 MEAN communities

⚫ $4,210 awarded to 4 MEAN communities

APPA Conference Scholarship – 3 ⚫ $1,550 awarded to 3 MEAN communities


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Summary

⚫ General Scholarship

50% of registration fees

⚫ Line Worker and APPA Training

100 % of registration fees

⚫ Staff recommends no budget change

Scholarship Type Amount

General 12,000

Line Worker 8,000

Total $20,000


Member Educationand Communication

Carol Brehm


43


44

⚫ Provides an education, training and

communication platform

⚫ New Provider: Talent LMS

~September 1

⚫ Staff recommends program continuation

through FY 2022/2023

No change to the budget


Cost of Service | Rate Design Study

Andrew Ross

Director of Retail Utility Services and Member Relations

45


46

This service was approved by the MEAN Board and Management Committee in May 2001

Designed to help MEAN Participants establish electric rates that are:

Competitive Fair Reasonable Non-discriminatory Encourage economic development



47

MEAN pays 50%of the cost of an electric cost of

service/rate design study

Over 30 SSM, SSJ & SSK Participants have COS/RDS

Service Agreements

Fiscal year cost has ranged from $22k-$65k



48

Computer Software Value Support Plan

Andrew Ross

Director of Retail Utility Services and Member Relations


In 1984, this service was established for MEAN Participants

using NMPP’s business and load management software

➢Heavily used service by most MEAN Participants

➢ 35 of MEAN’s 62 Service Schedule M, K, & J Participants use at least one software package

➢ NMPP continually refines and updates the programs to meet the demands of the utilities and the industry

➢ Projected FY2022-2023 budget is $96,000

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Computer Software Value Support Plan


Net Metering

Mandy Hansen



Net Metering/Customer Owned Generation Guide

✓ Provides assistance to utilities navigating

state and local net metering requirements

✓ MEAN Provides a Customer Owned

Generation (COG) Resource Guide to SSM,

SSK and SSJ Participants

✓ COG Guide last updated and distributed in

November of 2017

✓ Update planned and budgeted for FY2020-

2021 ($15,500)

✓ Anticipated publication pending legislative

updates during FY2021-2022

✓ Not budgeted for FY2022-2023


MEAN Energy Efficiency Programs

Mandy Hansen



MEAN Energy Efficiency Programs

⚫ Commercial LED Program:

Implemented April 1, 2016

with a budget ranging from

$75,000-$105,000

Proposing a budget of $80,000 for FY2022-2023

Payments are made by MEAN directly to the

owner/customer for LED upgrades on existing, indoor

facilities (non-residential)

Maximum incentive $2,500 per program year

Currently available to SSM, SSK and SSJ Participants


MEAN Energy Efficiency Programs (cont.)

⚫ Residential Programs

Implemented June 1, 2019 (heat pump program added in 2021)

Smart Thermostat Program

Attic Insulation Program

Cooling System Tune-up Program

High Efficiency Heat Pump Program

$45k budgeted for FY2021-2022

Recommending a budget of $25k for FY2022-2023


Program Progress

⚫ 41 MEAN communities participating since 2016

⚫ ~667 LED projects submitted with $385 paid to customers

Total energy savings estimated for program is ~2,200 MWhs

annually

Peak demand savings estimated at 300 KW

Total cost per KW savings is $290

⚫ FY2020-2021 totals:

50 LED Projects totaling $58,035 approved

38 Residential projects completed with ~$2,500 paid to

customers


Services Committee Approval. Direct staff to develop the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget including estimated costs to provide the recommended services (Seek a motion and a second).

56

MEAN Services Committee Resolution

WHEREAS, the Services Committee of the MEAN Board of Directors

desires to recommend the MEAN Board of Directors direct staff to

develop the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget including estimated costs to

provide the recommended Services.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY the MEAN Services

Committee, that the Committee recommends the MEAN Board of

Directors direct staff to develop the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 budget

including estimated costs to provide the recommended Services.


Services Committee Approval. Direct staff to develop the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget including estimated costs to provide the recommended services.

1. Yes

2. No

3. Abstain


58

Services CommitteeAdjourn

Services Committee Meeting

Documents

Transcript of Services Committee Meeting