NRTC

NRTC CEO Tim Bryan gave an NRTC Update this morning during the Georgia Electric Membership Corp. board meeting in Savannah. CEOs and directors from Georgia's 41 electric cooperatives attended the Georgia EMC annual and board meetings (Nov. 11-12). At right, a Monday evening riverside view of Savannah.

Calix, a platform, cloud, and managed services company, has named NRTC a Calix Service Cloud Certified Partner. NRTC was one of the first partners to complete the company’s Calix Service Cloud training program. The Calix Service Cloud gives customer service teams real-time access to customer information, which leads to shorter call times. https://lnkd.in/eW3v5nXq

Many electric co-ops don’t know where to start when planning to deploy, operate and maintain a microgrid. NRTC and it’s microgrid partner, PowerSecure, led an NRECA webinar demonstrating that microgrids can be beneficial in the right situations and with careful customization of the solution to meet cooperatives’ needs. https://lnkd.in/eXmBY2nz

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit heard oral arguments today on the FCC’s “Open Internet” order. Parties opposing regulation of the internet through extensive Title II regulation raised Major Questions Doctrine issues, while the FCC argued that Congress has delegated authority to determine Title II status to the Commission. There is no indication of when the court will decide the case. The Sixth Circuit stayed the effects of the current Title II decision in the summer. https://lnkd.in/eanksPuh

NRTC finished its October National Cyber Security Awareness Month activities this week with a webinar detailing the security measures that federal broadband funding programs are requiring as before awarding support to rural providers. Tom Neclerio of NRTC cybersecurity partner SilverSky described the threat level, which has evolved from annoying teenagers to modern-day criminals and “nation-state actors” destroying the nation’s infrastructure. https://lnkd.in/euKvwZBX

NRTC won four awards, including Channel Partner of the Year, from its AMI partner, Itron, during the recent Itron Inspire 2024 conference in Palm Desert, CA. NRTC also won awards for "Growth Partner of the Year," "Deployment Services Champion" and "Best Partner Collaboration." https://lnkd.in/d-neY5Cu

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and NRTC is once again participating as a Cybersecurity Champion for this program led by the National Cybersecurity Alliance. In addition to sharing cybersecurity tips on social media throughout the month, NRTC is helping spread awareness by speaking on the topic at industry events and hosting a webinar on October 29th, “CISO Insights to BEAD and E-ACAM Cybersecurity Requirements”. Make sure you attend if you have applied for, or been awarded, broadband funding. https://hubs.li/Q02VT48K0

Today, as part of #CoopMonth, we celebrate the fifth cooperative principle: education, training, and information. At NRTC, we’re dedicated to the growth of our team, our members and our members' communities. We invest in employee development with dedicated funds for continuous learning, ensuring our team remains at the forefront of industry advancements. Additionally, we maintain robust communication channels to keep our members informed and prepared, whether it’s about the latest in smart grid solutions, broadband expansion, or emerging mobile technologies. At NRTC, we believe that education, training and information drive progress, and we’re here to help members stay ahead of the curve. #CooperativePrinciples #NRTC

The Minnesota Border-to-Border Broadband Development grant program recently awarded $52 million in grants in its tenth round of funding to internet providers throughout the state. Among the winners, East Central Energy (ECE), Braham, MN, is receiving nearly $7 million, to fill in unserved areas of Mille Lacs County. NRTC has assisted ECE through three rounds of Border-to-Border applications in recent years. https://lnkd.in/ezve9PHp

Increased capacity demands are on the rise, and utilities must look toward microgrid solutions to stay ahead. Tune in on Wednesday, October 30, at 2 p.m., Eastern, for an interactive panel discussion that tackles the pressing issue of capacity growth and how microgrid deployment—whether behind or in front of the meter—can offer effective, timely solutions. Among the expert speakers is Milton Geiger, NRTC’s Vice President of Smart Grid Solutions, who will share his insights on harnessing the power of smart grids and distributed energy resources (DERs) to meet today’s utility needs. Visit this website for more information and to register: https://hubs.li/Q02Vwm8n0