Electric Power Research Institute has honored 13 Tennessee Valley Authority engineers and technical experts for their work in helping to solve an array of technological challenges facing the utility industry.

“EPRI’s 2012 Technology Transfer Awards recognize the highest achievements in research and development during the year by EPRI members,” said Dr. Joe Hoagland, senior vice president of TVA Policy and Oversight. “TVA congratulates these award winners for their outstanding contributions to TVA and our industry.”

Anda Ray, senior vice president of TVA Engineering, Environmental & Support Services, praised the winners for improving TVA’s performance and called them role models.

“Their persistence, professionalism and innovation are clear and visible examples of how we carry out continuous improvement every day,” she said. “We are so very proud of them.”

The 13 recipients, the most ever for TVA in a single year, were honored during EPRI’s Power Delivery and Utilization R&D group winter advisory meeting on Feb. 12, in Austin, Tx., and EPRI’s Environment and Generation R&D groups winter advisory meeting on Feb. 19, in Savannah, Ga.

Power Delivery and Utilization Awards:

• Bradley Baucom and David Smith were honored for championing a standard modular communication approach that would make off-the-shelf residential products compatible with utility demand response programs.  
• Philip Wiginton, David Till and DeJim Lowe received honors for their contributions to a study for the Department of Energy, evaluating the balancing and scheduling impacts of high levels of Southwest wind generation by Southeast utilities.
• TVA Technology Innovation Director Bruce Rogers, Bruce Harvey of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association and seven local power company representatives received awards for project work in the collection and analysis of massive volumes of data involving power transformer and circuit breaker fleet management.

Environment Award:

• Ed Stephens was recognized for developing and implementing an assessment methodology to evaluate the sensitivities and risks of a large, capital intensive biomass repowering project at a fossil plant.

Generation Awards:

• Mellissa Cook, Ross Vincent and Jean Ortiz were honored for applying EPRI information to help TVA improve its cycling operation at fossil plants, allowing units to operate at lower minimum loads. This improved TVA’s turndown capability by 1,500 MW.  For details, see: http://www.tva.com/environment/technology/pdf/improve_unit_turndown_capability.pdf
• Xavier Cotto, Heriberto Gonzalez and Randall Olson were recognized for analyzing and applying EPRI guidelines that reduced unnecessary alarms at a number of TVA plants. For more information, see:http://www.tva.com/environment/technology/pdf/reduce_unnecessary_alarms.pdf

In addition, Jennifer Brogdon received recognition last summer for her service on EPRI’s Technology Management Committee and Executive Committee.

“The winners have shown exceptional application of EPRI research and technology to solve a problem of size and significance, champion a technology both within their companies and across the industry, drive progress in the electricity sector, and provide meaningful benefits for their stakeholders and society,” said Tom Alley, vice president of Generation at EPRI.

TVA is a founding member of EPRI, a non-profit organization created in 1972 to conduct collaborative research on key issues facing the electricity sector. TVA’s membership enables TVA to leverage benefits from high-quality research, leading to real-world solutions to utility issues and providing data for making sound business decisions.