National Lineworker Appreciation Day, observed on April 18 every year, honors the efforts of both women and men who work diligently to keep our lights on. These dedicated lineworkers labor around the clock to ensure that electricity flows through our communities, even in the most challenging conditions.
Let’s take a moment to express our gratitude to these brave individuals who keep our cities illuminated!
Paul Lampe joined the KMEA’s team on March 18th. Paul brings a wealth of experience to our organization with 24+ years with the City of Independence – MO, Power & Light Department, in the Engineering and System Operations areas. Prior to his employment with the City of Independence Paul was employed 7+ by Burns & McDonnell, duties included substation design, transmission and distribution analysis.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Missouri-Rolla. Later, he pursued advanced studies, earning a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) from Kansas State University.
For the past 30 years, Paul has called Lee’s Summit, Missouri, home. Alongside his wife and three children. His journey began in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, but life took him to various places—Washington, Missouri; Muskegon, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri and Clarinda, Iowa—before finally settling in the Kansas City area.
His wife is a dedicated preschool teacher. They have three children, having adopted their 1st two children from Poland. Their oldest son works in security; daughter, a sophomore at Emporia State University, balances academics with her passion for soccer; youngest son, a sophomore at Lee’s Summit North High School.
Paul enjoys spending time on the lake with family and friends, cycling, volleyball, woodworking and watching sports (basketball, football, soccer, etc.)
Please join us in welcoming Paul to the team! His experience and knowledge will be very valuable to our organization. Welcome abord, Paul!
We are excited to introduce our newest team member, Brooke Kistler, she is the new Senior Accountant. She joined the KMEA’s team on February 26th. Brooke brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our organization, and we’re excited to have her on board.
Brooke was born and raised in Olathe, Kansas. She attended Olathe North High School.
Brooke’s educational journey led her to pursue an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Accounting from Metropolitan Community College (MCC). Prior to joining KMEA, Brooke served as a controller at DDIR, a commercial real estate company.
Some of her hobbies are volleyball, camping, and she loves spending time with her husband and three sons.
Please join us in welcoming Brooke Kistler to the KMEA family! We’re confident that her positive energy will make a significant impact on our organization.
Recently, representatives of many municipal owned electric utilities including KMEA members and staff attended the APPA Legislative Rally held in Washington D.C. The goal of this event is to bring awareness to the congressional delegation regarding challenges that face community owned utilities. Along with opportunities to meet with representatives of congress members also had the ability to learn from the many educational sessions that APPA presented during the rally.
The APPA Legislative Rally is an annual event organized by American Public Power Association to help local utilities across the nation to bring awareness to national leaders about the challenges and opportunities that local utilities are faced with.
We are excited to introduce the latest additions to KMEA’s system operations team: Brennan Caume and Noah Cunningham.
Brennan Caume:
Brennan Caume, born and raised in Blue Springs, Missouri (just outside Kansas City, Missouri), brings a unique blend of skills to our team. After graduating from Blue Springs High School, Brennan pursued studies at Missouri State University. Initially focused on cell and molecular biology, he later shifted gears to business and construction management.
Brennan’s professional journey took him to Foundation Recovery Systems (FRS), where he worked as a laborer. Beyond work, Brennan enjoys playing hockey (a sport he’s been passionate about since childhood), golfing, cheering on the Chiefs during football season, and spending time with his family.
Noah Cunningham
Noah Cunningham, from Wichita, Kansas, has recently joined us in the Overland Park area. His educational journey includes attending Wichita High School and pursuing studies at Butler County Community College.
When Noah isn’t immersed in technology, he channels his passion into various hobbies. He enjoys working on cars and motorcycles, honing his woodworking and metalworking skills, and building and fixing computers. Prior to joining KMEA, Noah worked as a cell phone repair and micro soldering technician, IT networking specialist at Textron Aviation, and an engineering specialist intern, where he assisted in modernizing and supporting single engine Cessna and Beechcraft airplanes.
Welcome abord, Brennan and Noah!
KMGA proudly observes National Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day on March 18, 2024. This marks the nineth consecutive year of official nationwide celebration in honor of the dedicated individuals who power our communities through natural gas utilities.
On this special day, we recognize the tireless efforts of the employees who safeguard and maintain one of our most valuable resources—the natural gas infrastructure. Their commitment to safety is paramount, especially in light of historical events like the New London, Texas school explosion in 1937. That tragic incident prompted widespread odorization of natural gas and underscored the need for stringent safety measures.
Through this annual event, we aim to raise public awareness about the vital work performed by natural gas utility professionals. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all KMGA members and their dedicated staff, who ensure the delivery of safe and reliable gas services to our community.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) has been awarded a $1.9 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) to help local governments replace traffic signals and/or street lighting with energy efficient lighting technology.
The agency’s grant application stated that “many publicly owned facilities in Kansas communities are aging and inefficient, incurring high costs for energy and maintenance. Replacement of street lights and traffic signals with more energy efficient lighting can significantly cut energy use and maintenance costs while improving light quality and output.”
The grant is part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The KCC will prioritize awards to cities and counties that did not directly receive federal grants under the program, with a particular focus on rural, underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Applications for funding are expected to be available to eligible entities early next month. More information is available on the KCC website.
The City of Colby recently added a second Cat C175 diesel generator at the city’s power plant, as it continues to transition from its legacy generating equipment. The two Cat gensets can provide up to 6 MW of power, combined, and are housed in enclosures positioned next to the substation at the power plant.
The Biden administration and several companies are eyeing a new way to produce hydrogen: drilling for it underground.
“Gold” hydrogen got a boost in September from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, which announced a $20 million funding opportunity. The agency currently is selecting projects. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Colorado School of Mines launched a gold hydrogen research consortium that includes Chevron and BP the same month.
Multiple startups, meanwhile, are moving forward this year on projects. Australia-based HyTerra is planning to soon drill for hydrogen at a well in Kansas on its own. Koloma, which publicly discussed its activities last summer for the first time and is backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy, is actively looking for places in the U.S. to drill for gold hydrogen.
