The Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA), a collaboration of industry leaders dedicated to accelerating innovation through secure, reliable, utility-owned private communication networks, today announced that Anterix, ComEd and individuals from Oncor Electric Delivery and Tampa Electric were crowned UBBA Award winners at this year’s UBBA Summit & Plugfest in Fort Worth, Texas. The annual event gathered representatives from more than 35 utilities across the United States along with solution providers and other industry stakeholders for three days of strategic panels, utility experiences, technical presentations and Plugfest testing focused on unique grid edge operational use cases.
The utility industry is experiencing rapid transformation as data centers, electric vehicles and cybersecurity threats drive opportunities to reimagine the grid. The UBBA Awards celebrate individuals, teams and organizations who have demonstrated excellence, leadership and a commitment to delivering innovation in ensuring a more resilient, secure and efficient digital grid. This year’s winners are pioneers who continue to embrace new technologies, partnerships and strategies to help the industry meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Recipients of this year’s UBBA Awards are:
- ComEd, for their leadership in optimizing operational intelligence through IoT integration, breaking down silos for better collaboration and supporting the mission of the UBBA.
- Anterix, for helping establish private wireless broadband communication networks in the 900 MHz band as a foundational platform for the modern grid and a catalyst for industry transformation.
- Mike Childers, senior director of digital grid communication, Oncor Electric Delivery, for his support of the UBBA mission, commitment to innovation and collaboration across the UBBA community.
- John Currier, senior director of grid modernization, Tampa Electric, for his innovative approach to integrating private wireless network operations across IT, distribution and transmission functions.
“I have long believed that digital grid innovation must begin with the foundation of advanced communication,” said Currier. “I am proud to be honored alongside a group of esteemed individuals and organizations who share this belief and am excited to continue supporting UBBA in its mission to demonstrate the value of resilient, secure communication networks.”
In 2027, UBBA will bring its renowned Plugfest to DTECH 2027 in Atlanta with a utility operational workshop and mini-Plugfest. The workshop, offered for field crews, SCADA managers, dispatch teams, distribution operations leaders and the people supporting them, is an add-on for utilities registering for DTECH and will focus on addressing common utility challenges and opportunities, including:
- Storm response and mutual-aid communications failures
- Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), grid-edge analytics and asset management
- SCADA and OT network latency and reliability
- Push-to-talk and critical voice-over-broadband
- Remote inspections, drone operations and live video from the field
The UBBA mini-Plugfest will highlight demonstrations for the 2026 Plugfest event in Fort Worth focused on next-generation AMI meters and use cases for edge computing and data analytics. The workshop will also feature a utility use case showcase, giving attendees the opportunity to learn about and see practical applications while hearing directly from other utilities about the operational problems each application is designed to address.
“The success of the UBBA Summit & Plugfest reflects the strength of our community and its shared commitment to advancing utility grid communications,” said Russ Ehrlich, senior manager, digital grid at Exelon and chairman of the UBBA Board of Directors. “Attendees to our DTECH workshop will have an opportunity to get a taste of the Plugfest experience and hear directly from UBBA members about how private wireless networks can accelerate digital transformation across utility operations. Our goal is for attendees to leave with a deeper understanding of the value these networks offer, along with practical insights they can apply to drive innovation and advance their own digital transformation initiatives.”
The 2027 UBBA Summit & Plugfest will take place October 12-14, 2027 in San Diego. More details and registration info will soon be available at www.UBBAplugfest.org. For more information on UBBA and to inquire about potential membership, visit www.UBBA.com.
The Utility Broadband Alliance (UBBA) is a collaboration of utilities and ecosystem partners dedicated to championing the advancement and development of private broadband networks for America’s critical infrastructure industries. Members have access to resources that accelerate their journey toward a secure, resilient and future-proof grid. To learn more, visit www.ubba.com.
