Electric utility events provide effective networking, public relations and educational opportunities for your business. Electricity conferences not only help you stay abreast of the latest electric utility industry advancements, but allow you to exchange ideas with colleagues. Plus, electricity conventions give your company significant name recognition among current and future business prospects, partners or clients.

There are a wide range of electric utilities events and conferences, with topics ranging from technology and storage to energy management and accounting. To get the most value from an electricity conference, evaluate the following:

1. Is the electricity convention designed for electric utility industry professionals in your specialized field?

2. What special exhibits, workshops or keynote speakers do the power utility trade shows offer to expand your knowledge base or increase your business profitability?

3. How much should your business pay for power utility conferences and electricity seminars?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select electric utility conferences geared towards professionals in your field

Choose an electric utility event that focuses on your specific power utility discipline. If your focus is on emerging technologies, select a specialized utility technology conference rather than a general electric utility event. Find out if the electric utility trade show is designed for management, technical workers or consultants, and select events most appropriate to your occupation.

I recommend: The IDEA Campus Energy Conference provides educational sessions and networking opportunities for campus or institutional district energy system operators. The Energy Efficiency for the Mass Market that Maximizes Results, Benefits and Customer Satisfaction workshop presented by EUCI is designed for utility executives, management and professionals who work with demand response programs. The EEI/AGA Introduction to Public Utility Accounting and Advanced Public Utility Accounting courses are recommended for public utility accountants and accounting, auditing and financial managers.

Attend electric utility events with informative workshops and reputable speakers

Select electric utility trade shows and conferences that offer a selection of classes, exhibits and workshops relevant to your career. For the most beneficial learning experience, look for electric utility seminars and classes focused on specific topics rather than broad generalizations. Choose electricity conferences with successful, reputable and credible speakers who are known for their electric utility expertise.

I recommend: The International Association of Electrical Inspectors offers a comprehensive menu of seminar topics, including neon lighting, emergency systems and information technology equipment, grounding and bonding. The American Public Works Association features a diverse selection of national events, live workshops and web-based training sessions for electric utility professionals. The Electrical Energy Storage Applications and Technologies Conferences focus on electrical energy storage technologies and applications, including conventional and advanced battery energy storage, power electronics and compressed air energy storage.

Choose electricity conventions in your price range

Register for electric utilities events and conferences that fit within your company's budget. In addition to the conference fees, factor in costs for travel, lodging and meals. To save money, consider smaller local or regional electric utility events, rather than larger national or international power utility conferences.

I recommend: The National Association of Electrical Distributors Eastern Region Conference offers discounts for early-bird registrations. The Electric Market Forecasting Conference presented by EPIS features a two-day conference registration fee and a convenient online registration. The EUEC Clean Air, Mercury, Global Warming & Renewable Energy conference and expo offers discounted registration rates for authors, exhibitors and students, as well as a daily registration option.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To save on travel fees, consider participating in online electric utility events. While you may not benefit from the networking opportunities that come with attending an electricity convention, you will still receive the same valuable educational information from the comfort of your home or office.