The inspection, preventive and emergency maintenance, and operation of our Transmission and Distribution facilities is the responsibility shared by many managers, supervisors, engineers, and operations personnel throughout the electric utility industry.  "How are we doing? To answer this question it helps to exchange factual information with other members of the electric utility community. The factual information has to come from credible user programs. The Transmission & Distribution Maintenance Management Association (T&D MMA) stresses and facilitates the development, management, and results of these programs.

Annually a conference is held in the fall of the year, (Sept./Oct.) to promote the exchange of factual programs developed and implemented by other members of the electric utility community. The conference program addresses some of the current challenges facing our industry, as we attempt to reduce cost without jeopardizing safety, availability, and reliability. The program format consists of formal presentations, Success/Failure panels, and open forum workshops. The goal is to provide stimulus for peer networking and sharing in transmission, distribution, and substation maintenance.

The conference and association had its beginning in 1975. Salt River Project was in the process of developing procedures, work measurement systems, and computer programs to implement a master maintenance plan for transmission and distribution work. Salt River Project employees were sent to other utilities to find effective maintenance programs. It became apparent that other utilities were asking the same questions and were struggling with similar programs. With this common concern in mind, Trent O. Meacham, Assistant General Manager, Power Construction & Maintenance, Salt River Project, sent out a survey to numerous utilities to determine who might be interested in developing a seminar devoted to discussions on programs for the management of maintenance.

The response was immediate and positive! The first seminar was held on October 20-21, 1976 in Scottsdale Arizona, hosted by Salt River Project. There were 25 utilities participating with an attendance of approximately 75.

Due to an over whelming success the participants unanimously agreed that this type of seminar should continue. On October 19-20, 1977 the second conference was again hosted by Salt River Project in Scottsdale, Arizona. This time there were 45 utilities participating with approximately 110 attendees. Trent Meacham was the General Chairman for these first two seminars.

Any formal group such as EEI, IEEE, APPA, etc. does not sponsor the conference. In 1994 the steering committee commissioned a sub-committee to pursue the opportunity of formally organizing the conference into an association. On July 6, 1995 we became officially known as "Transmission and Distribution Maintenance Management Association, recognized as T&D MMA. The T&D MMA is an non-profit organization committed to provide an information exchange forum for electric utilities whose core business is the transmission and/or distribution of electric energy.

The conference will continue as long as people are interested in the interchange of information and want to find out how others are doing. Suggestions and/or changes for a better exchange of maintenance management are always welcome.