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EPIC Excellence Awards

Excellence awards

The EPIC planning committee offers excellence awards on an annual basis. Recipients are nominated by fellow industry individuals. The window to submit a nomination for 2027 will be open from August 24, 2026 through December 30, 2026. Areas for nominations are:

EPIC Excellence in Innovation

This award recognizes individuals, teams, or organizations that have demonstrated exceptional creativity, originality, and effectiveness in developing and implementing inno-vative solutions to challenges or opportunities within their respective fields. These awards celebrate breakthroughs in technology, processes, or business models that have made a significant impact and brought about positive change.

Nominations should highlight but not be limited to these elements:
• Their innovation is different from existing solutions or approaches and can be considered an
original concept or project
• The innovation has brought about tangible benefits or improvements (through processes, procedures or value in time)
• The innovation has the potential to be sustained over time and has long-term viability
• The individuals or teams behind the innovation have shown leadership in project completion

This award recognizes organizations that have implemented new initiatives that have had positive changes on how they perform their day to day maintenance of their plant, reduced the time routine repairs require, implemented new preventive maintenance programs and are using new technologies that help control emissions from their plants.

Nominations should highlight but not be limited to these elements.
• Excellence in Maintenance Performance
• Development of products that ensure the equipment runs at optimum performance
• Efforts to minimize environmental impacts
• Provides training to its maintenance crews to ensure their safety and the plants efficiency
• Provides technological advances in industrial control systems and software tools
• Outstanding Corporate citizenship

This award recognizes organizations that have implemented initiatives that have had significant impact on the operation of its facility, reduced risks to its employees or provided significant training/education to its employees.

Nominations should highlight but not be limited to these elements:
• Excellence in Operations Performance
• Reliable and economical energy provider
• Provides training to its operators to ensure their safety and the plants efficiency
• Provides technological advances in industrial control systems and software tools
• Outstanding Corporate citizenship

This award recognizes organizations that have implemented initiatives that have significantly reduced the risks to its employees, made changes to its processes in order to provide positive impacts to the environment, to provide improvements in general health and safety, and to provide environmental awareness to its employees.

Nominations should highlight but not be limited to these elements:
• Excellence in Safety Performance
• Provides training to its employees to ensure their safety
• Provides latest advances in safety related software tools
• Improved practices providing an onsite safety benefit.
• Demonstrate true innovations in tackling detrimental health impacts
• Demonstrates a clear and practical solution for HSE in the energy industry
• Outstanding Environmental Stewardship
• Outstanding Corporate citizenship

This award recognizes individuals, teams, or organizations that have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to environmental responsibility, sustainability, and the responsible management of natural resources. These awards celebrate initiatives, projects, and practices that reduce environmental impacts, improve resource efficiency, and promote sustainable solutions within the energy industry and related fields. Recognized efforts demonstrate how environmental stewardship can support long-term sustainability while advancing energy progress and innovation.

Nominations should highlight, but are not limited to, these elements:

  • Demonstrates a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable practices.
  • Achieves measurable environmental benefits, such as reduced emissions, waste, or resource use
  • Offers long-term sustainability and potential for broader adoption.
  • Demonstrates leadership and collaboration in advancing environmental stewardship.Integrates environmental responsibility into energy operations, technology, or infrastructure.
Submit Nomination

2026 Excellence in Safety

Minnkota Power Cooperative

Minnkota Power Cooperative is guided by a strong safety-first culture rooted in integrity, teamwork, innovation, reliability, and an unwavering commitment to protecting employees, members, and communities. Over the past several years, Minnkota has achieved industry-leading safety performance, including record-setting injury-free milestones, top-tier EMOD ratings, and outstanding results in national safety assessments. The cooperative supports this culture through comprehensive training, advanced safety technologies, specialized emergency response teams, and innovative programs that enhance both workplace and public safety. Minnkota also demonstrates leadership in environmental stewardship through responsible operations, emissions reduction efforts, and land and water conservation initiatives. Together, these efforts position Minnkota as a model of excellence in health, safety, and environmental responsibility within the energy industry.

2026 Excellence in Innovation

Rainbow Energy Center

Rainbow Energy Center owns and operates Coal Creek Station, one of North Dakota’s most efficient coal-fired power plants, generating approximately 1,150 megawatts of electricity and employing about 200 people. Acquired on May 1, 2022, just as the plant neared closure. Rainbow transformed the facility into a thriving, flexible energy hub. Through innovation and strategic vision, Coal Creek Station now supports multiple onsite and contracted customers, including large-scale data operations. Advanced infrastructure and dynamic power management allow Rainbow to shift hundreds of megawatts within minutes to meet grid and customer needs. 

 

Committee members, participants and vendors are encouraged to solicit facilities to apply for these awards. Finalists will be selected from the applications submitted. Winners are recognized at the awards presentation on the final day of the annual conference.

The Energy Progress & Innovation Conference annually accepts applications for the following awards.