EPPEI History

The original Electric Power Institute (EPI) was founded by Prof. John Denison with the active collaboration of Dean Fred Benson in the 1963-64 time frame. The motivation was to provide a mechanism to maintain the electric power teaching program and develop a research program in the area at the time when most universities were greatly de-emphasing power. Early industry supporters included the Texas Utilities Co. operating companies( Dallas Power & Light, Texas Power & Light and Texas Electric Service ).By 1965 industry supporters included all the investor-owned utilities headquartered in the state plus Dow Chemical, Freeport. Dr. A. D. Patton was hired to be a part of EPI in 1965 and was the first researcher in the area and indeed about the first person hired in the department with a research mission. In 1998, EPI has changed name to Electrical Power & Power Electronic Institute (EPPEI) to better reflect the activities of power system and power electronics groups.

EPI directors over the years were:

EPPEI directors over the years were:

EPI had responsibility for running the annual Protective Relay Conference and the annual Meter School and for a time Municipal Electric Short School (now conference run by TEEX) . EPI also ran on-site as well as general short courses on various topics. EPPEI continues to sponsor those events.