IEEE REPC Conference History

60^th Annual

IEEE Rural Electric Power Conference

1956 – 2016

 Celebrating 60 years of providing sound, usable technical information and networking for engineers from all facets of the electric utility industry responsible for reliable electric service to rural and suburban areas

Rural Electric Power Committee: an Update

On the 60^th Anniversary

Introduction: The Rural Electric Power Committee (REPC) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is celebrating its 60^th Anniversary this year.  It has a long history of providing sound, usable technical information and networking for electric utilities that serve rural and suburban territory. The IEEE REPC was formed in 1956 by a group of engineers as a forum to share best practices for undertakings organized by that part of the electric utility that provides service for areas other than densely populated urban areas.  Participants came from a variety of interests. Large IOUs sent engineers from their rural operating divisions. Other attendees were from smaller cooperative and municipal utilities that served no urban but maybe some suburban customers.  Engineers attended from companies that provided products and services to these utilities.  Engineering professors and students also attended to see today’s real world and to help explore tomorrow’s possibilities.  Because of this diversity all REPC members stay abreast of actual performance of available technology from every viewpoint.  Suburban and rural expansion has challenged suppliers of electricity providing service to areas that were in the boonies 60 years ago.  REPC has evolved with the needs of the members.

This article intends to showcase how rural engineers are often at the forefront of technical developments; not “leading from behind.”  This is possible because the atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation exists within the REPC. Conference attendees intentionally did not spend time trying to resolve political and/or legal controversies in the industry.  Attendees understood they all faced similar engineering/operations challenges and could learn much from each other on those challenges while other utility employees dealt with non-technical issues.

The Early Years: Papers were presented and subcommittee meetings were held to discuss a variety of subjects such as: Practical Factors in Rural System Planning (1957); Time Lag Loading for Farm Motors (1963); Who Profits from Electric Heating and Cooling (1963).  As early as 1961, REPC attendees heard a paper presented on Computer Applications for Rural Distribution.  Paper presenters included folks from Maquoketa Valley REC, Clark County PUD, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Rural Electrification Administration, Line Materials Industries, Iowa State University, Southern Engineering Company, Farmers’ Electric Coop, Illinois Power Company, Sangamo Electric Company and Kansas State University; just to name a very few.  The attached list of past chairpersons demonstrates the diversity of membership. The late Peter Lee of Ulteig Engineering was one of the original founders of REPC.  He would instruct paper presenters, “Be sure your paper is something attendees can take home and use.  If you need some high-falutin theory to prove your point, put it in the appendix.”

Evolution of the REPC: The REPC has a substantial number of emeritus members who remain active in the committee.  REPC has a reputation of being an event where engineers new to the industry can be immersed in a crash-course that profits their employer.  Experience blending with new vision in a mutually beneficial long term relationship.   Technology used in rural applications is driven by the culture of those people who inhabit the rural areas all over the world.   Even today members of some groups live a simple life and shun the use of modern technology.  At the same time, other consumers of electric power from rural utilities have been known to embrace emerging technology even before their urban friends do.  REPC provides awareness of lessons learned while deploying this technology around the world.  REPC members continue to work closely with entities like NRECA International that provide funding and technical support to emerging economies.  Papers have been presented on Problems Facing Developing Countries Planning for Rural Electrification (1965). Rural Electrification Problems & Situations in Latin America (1965).  IEEE REPC members are currently engaged with an IEEE-IAS group that is investigating electric power line fatalities in India.

As the rural economy evolved, the electric utility industry evolved also, sometimes with anxiety.  REPC Papers: Design Considerations For Serving Industrial Loads (1967); Farm Loads Change To Three-Phase (1967);  Forecasting Loads on Small Electric Distribution Systems (1967); Overcurrent Protection of Motors Served by Phase Converters (1967); A Large Power User’s View of the Rural Electric System (1968). Experience with Underground in Coastal Areas (1968).

Technical Developments: Since 1956, numerous technical issues originated in rural areas and were addressed by REPC engineers.  Urban solutions were adapted to rural culture.  In many cases, ingenious rural solutions were implemented by the urban utilities. The list below outlines the developments and includes a few examples of the 883 papers presented in 59 years of REPC.  Not included in the list are all the papers relating to the efficient planning, design, operation and maintenance of a rural/suburban electric utility system.

• Farmstead wiring and safety
  • Expanding Farmstead Wiring (1957)
  • Side Effects of Rural Outdoor Lighting (1963)
  • New Safety in Power Tools (1964)
  • Practices for Utility Grounding (1964)
  • Low Voltage Safety Demonstration (1964)
  • Air Ion Studies with Swine (1965)
  • Effects on Mammals of Ground Neutral Voltages From Distribution Lines (1975)
  • Response of Dairy Cattle to Transient Voltages and Magnetic Fields (1994)
• Rural business, energy efficiency and power quality
  • Who Profits from Electric Heating and Cooling (1963)
  • Control of Voice-Frequency Noise in Electric Power Circuits (1963)
  • Special Duty Motors for Farmstead Mechanization (1964)
  • Results of a Beef Feed Lot Lighting Study (1964)
  • A Large Power User’s View of the Rural Electric System (1968)
  • Electric Brooding and Poultry House Research (1969)
  • Service Reliability Measurements (1969)
• Consumer energy production
  • Selection and Application of Standby Generators (1968)
  • Rural use of Wind Power to Conserve Energy Resources (1976)
  • Co-generation Application on the TVA System (1981)
  • Dealing With Co-generators & Small Power Producers (1984)
  • Metering Considerations for Consumer Owned Generation Facilities (1984)
• Big data
  • Computer Applications for Rural Distribution (1961)
  • Engineering Uses of System Data (1969)
• Smart Grid
  • Electric Control of Automatic Egg Gathering, Processing & Handling (1965)
  • Load Survey Studies as a Prerequisite to Load Management (1976)
  • Management of Electrical Peaks Caused by Irrigation (1977)
  • An Evaluation of Load Management Control of Air Conditioning (1977)
  • Utility Benefits from the Use of Distribution Line Carrier System (1977)
  • Thyristor Cross-talk in Power Control Systems (1977)
  • Co-generation Interface Update (1984)
  • Telephone & High Speed Data Over Dist Lines & Dedicated Wires (1984)

Aubrey Fussell

1914 – 2009

FOUNDER

• BSME University of Texas 1937
• PE-EE South Carolina 1940
• US Navy 1941 – 1945
  • Engineering services for ship construction and repair
• Fussell Engineering Founder: Havre, Montana 1946 – 1971
  • Helped start some of the first electric cooperatives in Montana
• IEEE_REPC Chairman 1971
• Glacier Electric Cooperative 1971-1986
• REPC Papers Presented
  • Voltage Dips That Occur When 3ph Induction Motors Start on V-Phase (1978)
  • Hand Held Calculator Program to Calculate Motor Start V & I & Line Dips (1984)

Peter B. Lee

1922 – 2002

FOUNDER

• U. S. Army 1943-1945
• BSEE North Dakota State University 1947
• Ulteig Engineering 1947-1986
  • Spearheaded regional conversion to underground distribution
• IEEE_REPC Chairman 1978
• REPC Papers Presented
  • System Planning for Underground Rural Distribution Cable (1969)
  • Application of Reactors to Underground Distribution Systems (1973)
  • Rural Electrocution Safety (1983)
  • Alternate Distribution Voltages (1984)