| Upcoming Events |
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Bismarck State College
National Energy Center of Excellence
May 31 - June 1, 2009
Bismarck State College
National Energy Center of Excellence Bismarck, ND
June 4-6, 2009 |
| BSC to Host Spring UMW APDA Meeting |
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BSC will be hosting the Spring Upper Midwest American Public Dispatchers Association Meeting on June 4-6, 2009 at the National Energy Center of Excellence. Participants can earn up to 13 NERC CEHs while in attendance and spouses are invited to attend.
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Student Success Story |
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Julie Page
B Operator - Power Department
Company: MeadWestvaco
Evadale, Texas
Travel to Bismarck North Dakota to walk through a college graduation ceremony and receive a Power Plant Technology degree? This idea is something Julie Page never thought would ever happen before discovering Bismarck State College's energy education programs. "Here I am in Bismarck, North Dakota about to walk through graduation! I am so excited for this opportunity and am very pleased with the program," said Page.
Page discovered the Power Plant Technology program through searching the internet looking at various online degree programs. She decided to take the program because the courses offered were exactly what she needed to advance to the next level of her career. She was also impressed by BSC's excellent reputation in the energy education field.
When asked about Page's experience in the program, she said "I really enjoyed the interaction with the other students and learning from the others who had more experience than me. I also found the online courses extremely convenient and felt the program was great in all aspects. I have already recommended it to several others and hope they take advantage of this opportunity."
Page also discussed how she felt that the program will help prepare her to move up to an "A" operator position when the time comes and also hopes it will bring her new opportunities. A new gasification plant is currently being built in the area and she may consider that as an option in the future.
Congratulations Julie - Thank you for attending the graduation ceremony!
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| Renewable Energy Action Summit to be Held at BSC |
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 This year's Renewable Energy Action Summit will be held at Bismarck State College's National Energy Center of Excellence May 31 - June 1, 2009.
The summit will be kicked off with a reception from 6:30-8:00 p.m. on the 31st followed by a full day of speakers and panel discussions on June 1st from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The keynote speaker is former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Andy Karsner, who will be speaking on the outlook for renewable energy development. Tom Buis, former President of the National Farmers Union and current CEO of Growth Energy, a national ethanol advocacy organization, will be the closing speaker.
Some of the panel discussions and speaker topics include the Smart Grid, State and Federal Energy Legislation, Small-scale Renewable Energy Developments and the status of the ethanol industry. This year's sponsors include Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Governor John Hoeven, Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson and the Great Plains Energy Corridor (GPEC). Please visit the website: http://www.energynd.com/ for registration information. |
| Keep in Contact with Former Energy Classmates on Facebook! |
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| Attention former BSC Energy program graduates! A Facebook group has been established for all BSC Alumni for Power Plant, Process Plant, Electric Power, Electrical Transmission Systems, Nuclear Power and BAS in Energy Management programs. Please use this group to keep in contact with your former classmates.
When in Facebook, search Groups for Bismarck State College Energy Alumni. |
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| Congratulations! |
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| Congratulations to all of the graduates receiving degrees in May! This year we had our first Bachelor of Applied Science in Management graduates:
Jacalynn Bentz - Bismarck, ND
Shawn Neidhardt - Gillette, WY
Bruce Ogden - Mandan, ND
Johnny Peterson - North Little Rock, AK
Judy Ring - Eau Claire, WI
Andrew Slager - Westfield, IN
Watch for our next newsletter featuring articles about the graduates! |
| Student Internships are Good Employee Source |
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When it comes to hiring new power plant workers, companies want experience. For Madison Gas & Electric, the first source has been Bismarck State College. The relationship between the Wisconsin utility and BSC goes back to 1981.
"BSC is THE main source for our employees and really the only school that trains boiler and turbine operators," says Debra Loeks, senior employment consultant for Madison Gas & Electric (MG&E). "Hiring BSC grads takes some of the guesswork out of who's interested and saves training time."
The company has employed at least 80 graduates and student interns over the years, including Holly Burch, now an assistant professor of Energy Technology Programs at BSC. Burch earned an AAS in Power Plant Technology from BSC in 1988 and worked for MG&E through the early 1990s. She left to teach when the company began indicating it would cut back energy production at its Blount station.
"It meant BSC was getting a good instructor and we had someone who knew our plant - a plus for all of us," Loeks said.
Burch and Loeks keep in touch, especially when MG&E comes to recruit on campus. The company recently interviewed 27 energy students for summer internships at Madison's coal-fired Blount station, where 65 percent of the operations workers are BSC grads. MG&E can choose up to four summer interns and has hired three to start work May 20.
"The lucky students who go to Madison will get terrific hands-on experience because the plant is old and much of the equipment operation is done manually," Burch said.
Summer internships between MG&E and BSC began in 1997. Interns typically work at the Blount station when the plant is in the summer's peak cooling season.
"Interns are a way of getting help we may not need year-round," Loeks said. "The program started out as a practical solution to get extra summer work hours filled and resulted in finding good and valued future employees for us."
Students obtain invaluable experience, and if hired full-time, receive 80 percent tuition reimbursement to finish their program online through BSC. An average of two interns a year are hired from the summer program.
"If there is an opening, interns are the people we turn to because they know the Blount plant," Loeks said. "The past 20 years most of those positions have been filled by BSC grads."
In 2005, MG&E built a new gas turbine plant on the University of Wisconsin campus. Eight of the nine auxiliary and control operators at the Co-Gen facility are BSC grads.
Loeks added: "You can see that BSC has provided MG&E with well-trained and high-quality employees." |
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NECE Simulation Spotlight |
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The Variable Frequency Transmitter (VFT) Simulation is the latest addition to a suite of animations, mini-simulations, and simulations used to reinforce power concepts for the NECE students and industry partners.
Suited for use in courses and customized training with a focus in power system operation, the VFT Simulation includes two Balancing Authority (BA) models which each include governor and Automatic Generation Control (AGC) models. Two transmission lines connect the BAs with the VFT in service on one of the transmission lines. A power flow model allows the students to see how power flows between the BAs based on the interchange schedules set in the BAs' AGC systems and the control system of the VFT. The VFT is modeled to operate either synchronously (when the two BAs are connected) or in asynchronously (when the two BAs become separated from each other) and has angle or power set point control modes. When operated synchronously, the VFT acts similar to a Phase Shifting Transformer (PST); however, due to its unique nature, it can adjust power flow in a vernier fashion versus a step-wise fashion like the PST. What really sets the VFT apart from other power system equipment is its ability to connect two asynchronous systems. This ability is similar to that proved by back-to-back DC ties, but again the VFT offers vernier control of power flow. Since there are no switched power electronics as found in DC ties, the need for complex power filtering equipment is eliminated, thus reducing the VFT's footprint and cost. While in asynchronous mode, the VFT model also includes a frequency response system. This system will allow the VFT to automatically deviate from its power or angle set point to assist a BA in the event of a frequency excursion.
While accurate modeling is important, the simulations used by the NECE are also easy to use. Developed to be natively web-based, the simulations can be used in both the classroom and for online NECE offerings. Furthermore, the only software needed is a web browser and the Adobe Flash plug-in. The extremely small file sizes used in the simulations makes the experience for our students using dial-up Internet connects a pleasant rather than frustrating one.
Look for this simulation in the near future in select ETST and ELPW courses, NERC CEH courses, customized non-credit courses, and the Industry Resource Center (IRC). | |
| Employee Spotlight |
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Rachelle Smith
BSC National Energy Center of Excellence
Administrative Assistant
Rachelle Smith was recently promoted from the NECE Receptionist position to the NECE Administrative Assistant. She works very closely with the faculty, advisory board members and other industry partners, and is the first line person to answer the phone.
Smith earned an AAS in secretarial science from BSC in 1990. She was office coordinator for the Medcenter One Foundation and secretary at Heartland Child Nutrition, both in Bismarck, ND. She worked three years as development assistant for the Girl Scouts of Sakakawea Council and was décor coordinator at Lady J's Catering also in Bismarck, ND. Smith has 13 years experience doing administrative assistant work for companies in the newspaper, real estate and healthcare industries. She and husband Vince Smith, a BSC lineworker graduate, have a son, Cayden, 15, and daughter, Mckenna, 13. Rachelle is a native of Bowbells, ND and enjoys reading, camping, computers and decorating.
Thanks for all your hard work! | |
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