My CUBA certification expires next year and I need to get my continuing education hours in order. I've been to two utility conferences and completed some online courses, but I'm not sure what actually qualifies. Does anyone know if webinars count? What about vendor training sessions? PNM here in Albuquerque has been doing monthly technical sessions but I don't know if those are approved for CE credits.
CUBA recertification requirements - what counts as continuing education?
Ruben, the CUBA guidelines are pretty broad. Most webinars count as long as they're related to utility auditing or energy management. I've used everything from AESP webinars to manufacturer training sessions. Just keep good documentation - certificates, agendas, attendance records. The key is showing it's relevant to our profession. I think vendor sessions definitely count if they're technical in nature.
I just renewed mine last month. The examiner accepted everything I submitted including some OG&E technical presentations and even a few YouTube videos from utility engineering channels (as long as I could document the content and time spent). They're pretty reasonable as long as you can show it enhanced your knowledge in utility operations, billing, or auditing practices.
Don't forget about the ethics requirement - you need at least 2 hours of ethics training in each renewal period. I learned that the hard way when they rejected my application the first time. Xcel Energy actually offers free ethics workshops for auditors that count toward the requirement. Check if PNM has something similar.
Thanks for the info, everyone. I had no idea about the ethics requirement - that would have been an unpleasant surprise. I'll check with PNM about their workshops and start documenting everything better. Sounds like they're pretty flexible as long as you can justify the relevance.
The CUBA folks also accept college courses if you're taking any business or engineering classes. I took a power systems analysis course at Montana State that counted for 6 hours. Just make sure to get pre-approval for anything expensive or time-intensive. Better safe than sorry when it comes to renewal requirements.