John Chandler
Puget Sound Energy

Phil Butcher
Upstream Tech

DESCRIPTION

More and more systems are being automated, which is good. But now Cyber Security is the new headache. Additionally, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making it easier to predict and identify non-compliant operational trends. Speakers during this session will highlight case studies and lessons learned involving these revolutionary technologies.

Who should attend:
Hydropower engineers, operators, planners, asset managers and consultants

Why you should attend:
To learn about specific challenges and vulnerabilities facing our hydro assets and how cyber security and AI can mitigate against them. You will also learn the latest trends and best practices that will help safeguard hydroelectric plants from cyber threats and leverage AI for enhanced operational efficiency.

Moderator:
John Chandler, Water Resources Technical Lead, Puget Sound

Panelists:

• Rachel Farr, Senior Director of Product Management, GE Digital
• Phil Butcher, Senior Software Engineer, Upstream Tech
• Andy Dodge, Senior Advisor-Office of Energy Infrastructure Security, FERC

Speaker Bios:

• John Chandler is the technical lead of water resources for Puget Sound Energy. He manages the water at the 200 MW Baker Project for flood control, power generation, environmental protection, and other objectives. John also has experience in dam safety, water management adaptation, and supports decarbonization efforts. He received his P.E. license in Washington in 2012.
• Rachel Farr is an accomplished product manager and engineering leader with over 20 years of experience in the industrial sector. She leads a global team responsible for delivering a portfolio of software applications, including APM, focused on enabling power generation and oil & gas companies to lead through the Energy Transition while managing risk, optimizing performance, and improving margins.
• Phil Butcher is a Senior Software Engineer on the HydroForecast team at Upstream Tech which is comprised of experts in hydrology, meteorology, machine learning/AI and software engineering. They are responsible for the research, development and maintenance of HydroForecast's models which provide short-term, seasonal, and climate scale predictions of water availability across the globe. Phil has an MS in meteorology from Iowa State University and 14 years of experience in the field of operational hydrology/meteorology, model development, and software engineering. He has previously worked for the National Weather Service's Northwest River Forecast Center and the U.S. Department of Energy's Bonneville Power Administration.