2027 Fall Training

Sunday Training: September 12, 2027

Extended Training: September 14 - September 17, 2027
 

Overview and Schedules

Our offerings include short courses on Sunday before the conference and Extended Training courses after the conference.

Sunday Training

Midweek Training

Extended Training 

IMPORTANT:

The SDP room block at The Lofton Hotel is now FULL, but conference and training registration is still open.

If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time to join us in Minneapolis, September 13–18.

Register today and join us for a great week of education, networking, and events!

Registration Closed

Course Descriptions - Sunday Training (Sept. 12)

Introduction to Depreciation

This overview course begins with a discussion of group depreciation accounting, the importance of depreciation, and the complications inherent in estimating depreciation expense. Your instructors will explain how to conduct life and salvage analyses and detect and solve problems in property data needed for these analyses. Detailed instructions will be provided for calculating annual and accumulated depreciation.

Most of the topics included on the CDP Exam are included in this course. Introduction to Depreciation is intended for professionals involved in preparing depreciation studies as well as managers wanting an overview of the segments of a depreciation study.

There is ample opportunity during class and at an informal evening reception to ask questions of the expert instructors and network with fellow attendees from utilities, state and Federal Commissions, and consulting firms.  This course is often repeated for additional review of depreciation concepts. You will receive up to 6 CPEs for this course and additional CPEs if you also attend Extended Training.  There are No Prerequisites for this course. 

Depreciation Regulation, AI, and Current Issues Panel

This course is intended for the depreciation practitioner as well as managers seeking an overview of issues related to utility ratemaking and depreciation analysis. The course begins by explaining how depreciation fits in the process of utility ratemaking. This course includes the popular class requested by our members: AI and Generative AI. This class begins with an overview of AI and AI’s impact on utilities. The class then discusses the implications of AI for depreciation of electric utilities and the conduct of depreciation studies. This Sunday course ends with a discussion of current issues including those currently before regulators, decarbonization, electric vehicles and battery storage, and topics suggested by attendees.

There is ample opportunity during class and at an informal evening reception to ask questions of the expert instructors and network with fellow attendees from utilities, state and Federal commissions, and consulting firms. This course may be repeated for a review of depreciation regulation and current issues. You will receive up to 6 CPEs for this course and additional CPEs if you also attend Extended Training. This course has No Prerequisites.

Course Descriptions - Midweek Training Course (Sept. 14-16)
 

Utility Ratemaking History, Revenue Requirements, and Process

In response to your requests, our depreciation experts developed this course to explain how depreciation fits into utility ratemaking. The course begins with a brief review of the history of utility regulation, including seminal court cases that you encounter in testimony. The instructors then present the formula you need to know showing the components of the revenue requirements equation. Each component is explained with examples to illustrate their interactions.

The course moves on to the ratemaking process beginning with data requests and discovery. The course completes the cycle by walking you through the hearings process, briefs, and commission decision.

You will be taught by an impressive collection of depreciation experts, including The Honorable Branko Terzic(former FERC Commissioner); Bill Stout, PE, CDP (former Chairman of the Board and CEO, Gannett Fleming); Dane Watson, PE, CDP (Founder and Managing Partner, Alliance Consulting Group); and Rick Fisher, CDP (Director of Revenue Analysis, Xcel Energy).

Ample opportunity is provided during class and at informal evening receptions to ask questions of the expert instructors and network with fellow attendees from utilities, state and Federal commissions, and consulting firms.  You will receive up to 14 CPEs for this course and additional CPEs if you also attend Sunday Training.  There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Descriptions - Extended Training Courses (Sept. 14-17)

Depreciation Fundamentals

This course is a superb introduction to depreciation topics and preparation for the CDP Exam. You will learn about the property data required for a depreciation study and the life and salvage analyses performed in the study. You will then use the results of these analyses in depreciation calculations. The course also provides an excellent introduction to Life Cycle Analysis and Technology Forecasting.

The Reserve Imbalances and True-up class defines and calculates reserve imbalances and presents options to true-up the reserve. Plant and Depreciation Accounting will help you navigate through the accounting aspects of the course. In Evolution of the Iowa Curves, a Ph.D. graduate from Iowa State University explains the derivation and use of the Iowa Curves that you will use throughout this course and in the analyses you perform or review at work.

Ample opportunity is provided during class and at informal evening receptions to ask questions of the expert instructors and network with fellow attendees from utilities, state and Federal commissions, and consulting firms.  This course may be repeated for valuable review of important depreciation topics.  You will receive up to 22 CPEs for this course and additional CPEs if you also attend Sunday Training.  There are No prerequisites for this course.  This course is a prerequisite for other SDP Extended Training courses.

Life Analysis Methods and Applications

This course explains and probes life analysis models. After a brief review of actuarial and simulation life analysis models, pitfalls of the models are discussed. You will then apply the models to real-world data and our experts will provide valuable insights to help you interpret the results of the models. New this year, the course includes an  introduction to Life Cycle Analysis and Technology Forecasting. The Life Span model will also be explained and applied. In Engineering Aspects of Life Analyses, you examine engineering reasons that cause assets to fail or be replaced.

The class Forecasting Life using Life Analysis Results uses case studies with real-world data to give you the tools to help you transform life analysis results into life forecasts. Applying Service Life Estimates to Depreciation completes the cycle by showing you how average service lives and average remaining lives are used to calculate depreciation rates. This class also includes a well-received segment on the weighting of remaining lives.

Ample opportunity is provided during class and at informal evening receptions to ask questions of the expert instructors and network with fellow attendees from utilities, state and Federal commissions, and consulting firms.  This course may be repeated for valuable case study practice and preparation for the life analyses you preform or review at work.

You will receive up to 22 CPEs for this course and additional CPEs if you also attend Sunday Training.  Prerequisite: Depreciation Fundamentals (or permission from Dr. Susan Jensen based on your qualifying experience or courses).

Analyzing Net Salvage in the Real World

This course examines how the components of net salvage (gross salvage and cost of removal) are recorded to accumulated depreciation, analyzed using statistical techniques, and estimated and used in the calculation of annual and accrued depreciation. You will discuss activities that contribute to net salvage and how they are impacted by the causes of retirement.

Net salvage transactions will be analyzed in relation to the original cost and current cost of the retired assets. The estimation of net salvage for mass and life-span properties will be discussed. You will also discuss adjustments for the age of the retired asset and inflation. The course will bring you up to date on current issues involving net salvage including Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs).

Ample opportunity is provided during class and at informal evening receptions to ask questions of the expert instructors and network with fellow attendees from utilities, state and Federal commissions, and consulting firms.  This course may be repeated for valuable preparation for the net salvage analyses you preform or review at work.  You will receive up to 22 CPEs for this course and additional CPEs if you also attend Sunday Training.

Prerequisite: Depreciation Fundamentals (or permission from Dr. Susan Jensen based on your qualifying experience or courses).

Bios for Training Faculty and Associate Trainers