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AI Technology.
By Mike Hyland
Executive Director, NEPPA
Happy New Year from the NEPPA Staff!
Since we are so busy dealing with snowstorms, mutual aid, the apprentice lineworker program, and safety training signups, etc. – I opted to see if Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software could help me write this month’s Newsline. So, I consulted my engineering daughter, and she recommended that I sign up for a ChatGPT account. It was free, the signup was super easy, and ‘Bam!’ – I’m using an AI tool within minutes. Below is the January NEPPA Newsline that I asked ChatGPT (3.5 version) to write for me. At the bottom – I’ll decipher the good and bad. -MJH
why should municipal electric utilities located in the northeast send their employees to the various training opportunities at NEPPA?
ChatGPT
The New England Public Power Association (NEPPA) offers specialized training programs and resources tailored to the needs of public power entities in the Northeast. Municipal electric utilities in the region could benefit from sending their employees to NEPPA training opportunities for several reasons:
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Relevance to Northeast Utilities: NEPPA understands the unique challenges and requirements of electric utilities in the Northeast. The training programs offered by NEPPA are designed to address regional issues, regulatory considerations, and the specific needs of municipal utilities in the area.
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Networking Opportunities: NEPPA provides a platform for professionals in the public power sector to connect and share experiences. Training events organized by NEPPA offer valuable networking opportunities, enabling employees to build relationships with peers, industry experts, and suppliers. This can facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration among utilities in the region.
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Regional Best Practices: Training sessions at NEPPA focus on regional best practices, allowing employees to learn from the experiences and successes of other municipal utilities in the Northeast. This can lead to the adoption of more effective strategies and approaches to address common challenges faced by utilities in the region.
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Tailored Curriculum: NEPPA's training programs are specifically tailored to the needs of public power entities. The curriculum is likely to cover topics relevant to the operation, maintenance, and management of municipal electric utilities, ensuring that employees receive training that directly applies to their roles.
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Industry Expertise: NEPPA brings in industry experts and professionals to lead training sessions. This ensures that employees receive high-quality instruction and insights from individuals with deep knowledge of the public power sector in the Northeast.
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Regulatory Insight: Given the dynamic regulatory environment in the energy sector, staying informed about changes in regulations is crucial. NEPPA's training programs often include updates on relevant regulations and compliance requirements, helping utilities stay ahead of changes that may impact their operations.
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Access to Resources: NEPPA provides access to resources, tools, and information that can support municipal utilities in their daily operations. Training participants may gain access to materials and guidance that can be valuable for implementing best practices and improving efficiency.
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Continuing Education: Many NEPPA training programs offer continuing education credits, which can be essential for employees to maintain professional certifications and stay current in their field.
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Vendor Interaction: NEPPA events may provide opportunities for utilities to interact with vendors and suppliers who specialize in products and services relevant to the electric utility industry. This can be valuable for utilities looking to explore new technologies or solutions for their operations.
In summary, municipal electric utilities in the Northeast should consider sending their employees to NEPPA training opportunities for the specialized, region-specific knowledge, networking, and resources that can contribute to the continued success and growth of their organizations. NEPPA's focus on the unique challenges and opportunities in the Northeast makes it a valuable resource for public power entities in the region. (End of ChatGPT Newsline)
My thoughts:
First off, I was very impressed with how easy it is to use the program. The web based program is quite basic, and you are prompted to simply ask a question or task for the program to deliver an answer. It is very fast. As in – super fast. The Newsline above was written in less than one second. It took me longer to enter the question in the chat box than it took the ChatGPT program to deliver the results.
Second, it’s not without mistakes. In line 1 it reads –“The New England Public Power Association (NEPPA) offers….” Well, that isn’t correct. We are not New England, but Northeast Public Power. To the program developers’ credit, it plainly states at the bottom of the page: “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.”
Third, like any new toy or tool, it’s fun to play around with it and see what results it gives you. I asked it to write a program in Python Script to send a text to my Fantasy Football colleagues. Not only did it write the script, but it also suggested that I might want to use a program called Twilio to automate these texts.
Overall, this ChatGPT is basic AI, but there are 100’s of more powerful applications and software’s out there on the internet to play around with and test their power. More importantly, some of the AI will be a disruptor to your daily life, a disruptor at your utility, especially if it’s used for the bad by nefarious actors.
So, Happy New Year. I hope you all had a joyous and peaceful holiday season. Since we covered Technology in the December Newsline, I felt it just to use technology to kick off 2024. I’d be interested in your feedback: have you employed any AI for your utility, such as at your call center, or maybe to provide messaging to your customers? How about your home life? We are entering a fascinating time for AI, and the power will only grow with time.
Cheers to 2024.
-Mike
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Upcoming Training & Events | |
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OSHA 10
General Industry
NEPPA is pleased to offer OSHA 10 General Industry course on
January 23 - 24, 2024
8:00 am - 2:30 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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Customer Service:
Electricity 101 &
De-Escalation
NEPPA is pleased to offer a NEW program
January 25, 2024
8:00 am - 2:30 pm
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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TACTICAL TUESDAY
Equipment Financing
Adam Wagner
February 13, 2024
2:00 - 3:00 pm
VIRTUAL
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General Manager / Leadership
Roundtable
February 15, 2024
8:30 am - 1:00 pm
Norwood Municipal Light Dept.
Norwood, MA
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Don't be left out in the COLD... Register NOW! | |
Apprentice Lineworker Program
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@Your-Site Safety & Technical Training
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Tactical Tuesday
March 12, 2024
2:00 pm (EST)
Virtual
Basic Electricity and Mathematics for Utility Operations*
March 19, 2024
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
Substation I*
March 19 - 22, 2024
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
Metering I*
March 26 - 27, 2024
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
General Foreman Roundtable
March 28, 2024
8:30 am (EST)
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
@Your-Site Virtual Training: Underground Distribution Review*
April 17, 2024
8:30 am (EST)
@Your-Site Virtual Training: Personal Protective Equipment*
April 18, 2024
8:30 am (EST)
Public Utility Management Program (PUMP) - Session I*
April 23 - 25, 2024
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
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2024 RodE&O Conference & Expo*
May 7 - 9, 2024
Hull, MA
2024 Annual Mutual Aid Exercise*
June 26 , 2024
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
2024 Annual Conference*
August 25 - 28, 2024
Bretton Woods, NH
@Your-Site Virtual: Hot Stick Safety*
September 4, 2024
8:30 am (EST)
@Your-Site Virtual: Job Briefing*
September 5, 2024
8:30 am (EST)
Public Utility Management Program (PUMP) - Session II*
October 29 - 31, 2024
NEPPA Training Center
Littleton, MA
2024 Energy Connect Conference*
October 2024
TBD
*Please contact communications@neppa.org to be notified as soon as registration opens.
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Current utility and corporate / associate members can submit their white papers, articles, and press releases to be considered for NEPPA's Monthly Newsline and/or Social Media Platforms.
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(978) 540-2200.
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