Candace Vannasdale is no stranger to technological advancements in our industry. Serving since
May 2018 as the first ever female General Manager for Harriman Utility Board has given her an
opportunity to see her team put their technical experience to work for her community.

“In the past, some of the smartest technology investments HUB made included the purchase and implementation of SCADA, outage management software (OMS), Interactive voice response, GIS mapping, electric modeling software, and our Customer Service & Billing software. For nearly a decade, our customers have been able to report power outages via IVR, which is tied to our prediction-based OMS. We’re also actively working on implementing AMI for the first time, in addition to working on projects such as electric vehicle (EV) fast-charge infrastructure, a utility-scale solar project to take advantage of TVA’s Flexibility 1.0, smart grid technologies, fiber for electric system benefits, and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband service.”

Candace credits Seven States as being a valuable partner for HUB as the needs of its customers continue to evolve.

“Due to our size, we don’t have adequate staff to tackle major technology and innovation projects on our own. Seven States has allowed us to complete projects that we don’t have the time, resources, or understanding to manage entirely in-house. And because they are a not-for-profit, member-owned organization, we have always felt comfortable that the solutions Seven States recommends are best for the community we serve and not for their own bottom line. We’ve contracted with Seven States on a utility-scale solar project, where they wrote our RFP, helped us analyze the responses, and are now helping us negotiate a purchase power agreement (PPA). I would recommend any LPC to utilize this service to explore their options for “flexibility”. One of the biggest mistakes we made was assuming that our solar farm would be “too small” to be a viable economic choice, when in fact, the PPA we negotiate with our solar vendor will lead to substantial savings for our rate payers. Seven States is also helping us through a TVA-funded EV Fast Charge Network project. Without the help of Seven States, the project would have moved much slower and cost more. Seven States educated us about available tax credits for our project, so in the end our project will be 100% covered by outside sources and will include our first battery energy storage system (BESS). Seven States has proven their value to us, and we hope they will play a larger role in grid modernization throughout the Valley to help all LPCs participate in the more integrated grid of the future.”

As the Valley continues to grow and transform, Candace wants her customers to know that she is planning for immediate needs with long-term innovation benefits in mind.

“HUB’s vision is to inspire social and economic improvement through intentional action. We are a small system with large system ambitions. We strive to be a purpose-driven organization, where each decision plays on another with our vision in mind. When it comes to innovation, we seek to transform HUB into a smarter utility that will meet changing customer expectations both now and in the future. We’re currently writing a grant application for a project that will allow HUB to improve reliability by as much as 70%. But even if we are not funded, this project will still occur, just over a much longer timeframe. We take our job as the trusted energy advisor in our community very seriously, and that means day after day, we strive to act with professionalism and strict adherence to our strategic plan.”

While change can often be intimidating in our industry, Candace advises future leaders who want to inspire innovation in their community to work hard and embrace the challenges.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Anything is possible; it’s truly just a matter of priorities. Develop a list of goals and formulate a ‘road map’ for achieving those goals. Obtain buy-in from your employees and governing board, and never be afraid to reach out to others for help or support. The most beautiful thing about public power is the relationships we form with one another. When others achieve success, they are always willing to share how. When others experience failures, they are willing to share lessons learned. Working together, we can yield some amazing results.”