2026 Engineers and Operations Conference & Tradeshow

Description

ENGINEERS & OPERATIONS CONFERENCE
September 23-25, 2026
The Garden Event Center, Duluth, MN

This annual conference is a venue for the co-op engineering and operations professionals to learn about best practices and emerging issues, obtain valuable tools to enhance operations, and have the opportunity to network and share lessons learned and experiences with others from around the state. There is opportunity to share and discover programs that are successful for other cooperatives. Good practices, education about new practices and tools in system design, and updates on rules and regulations are reviewed.

AGENDA
Schedule as it comes in

WEDNESDAY
12:00pm  Registration
1:00pm    Welcome & Introductions
1:10pm    Get to Know Each Other - Erica Schmidt, Ben Pierson
1:40pm    What Your CFO Wants You to Know - Alison Deelstra, CFC
2:30pm    Break
2:45pm    Why is My Bill So - Ben Bratrud, PSE
3:30pm    Updates & What You Need to Know About Federated - Troy Dahl
4:30pm    Adjourn
5:30pm    Dinner sponsored by Primus Marketing

THURSDAY
7:00am     Breakfast in hotel breakfast area
8:00am     Resiliences Granted By The State  - Jay Berken, DOC
9:00am     G&T Load Forecasting
10:00am   Break
10:15am   Distribution Automation in Practice
11:15am   Outage Coordination and Restoration With EDGAR - Giri Lyer & Matt Lee
12:00pm   Lunch
1:00pm     CoPilot Beyond Basics - Stu Anderson
2:00pm     Break
2:15pm     Cooperatives Working With Data Centers, From the Trenches - Adam Tromblay, Nobles & Geronimo
3:15pm     Vendor Member Presentations
3:45pm     Adjourn

4:30pm - 6:00pm     MREA vendor member trade show and reception. The Garden Event Center.

FRIDAY
7:00am     Breakfast in hotel breakfast area
8:00am     MISO Markets Overview & Utility Interface - Tessa Haagenson, Connexus
9:00am     Ethics & Meaningful Work - Christopher Michaelson, Professor St Thomas University
10:00am   Break
10:15am   Gopher State One Call/Locates
10:45am   MREA Legislative Updates
11:15am   Committee Elections
11:30        Wrap up & Adjourn

 Continuing Education Credits (CECs)
Attendance at this event can be utilized for the submission of CECs.  Each participant will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance after the event takes place.  Please click the following link to access instructions for printing the certificate, found in your profile on our website.

 Please note that the number of credits listed within MREA's system is an estimation of what this event is worth.  Each state calculates CECs differently, thus individuals should follow recommendations of the state in which they make submissions when calculating CEUs earned for this, and other, events and classes attended.  For assistance in calculating PDH visit http://mn.gov/aelslagid/contedfaq.html

HOTEL
The Inn on Lake Superior
350 Canal Park Drive
Duluth, MN 55802
218-726-1111
Please call the hotel to make reservations under the MREA September Room Block.

Event Policies
MREA Event Cancellation Policy (Link to Full Policy) updated 12.19.2025

MREA Event Code of Conduct (Link to Full Policy)
MREA is committed to providing a safe, productive and welcoming environment for all participants and staff in MREA meetings, conferences, training programs, and events both online and in-person. All Event participants including but not limited to attendees, speakers, exhibitors, staff, students, guests and vendors, are expected to abide by this MREA Event Code of Conduct, and this code applies to all space and situations in which MREA meeting-related activities are being conducted, including virtual meetings and those sponsored by organizations other than MREA but held in conjunction with MREA Events. Participation constitutes agreement to comply with the Code of Conduct as a condition of attendance. 

2026 Late Registration
All events in 2026 will be subject to a $50 late registration fee for anyone that registers 2 weeks prior to the published event dates.