Website Terms of Use
Updated October 2025
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These Terms of Use (“Terms”) constitute a legally binding agreement between you (“User,” “you,” or “your”) and HVDC AMERICA (“HVDC AMERICA,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). These Terms govern your use of the HVDC AMERICA website located at www.hvdcamerica.org (the “Site”), including all related services, information, content, tools, applications, features, and functionality made available through the Site.
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By accessing, browsing, or otherwise using the Site, you affirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree to these Terms in their entirety, you must discontinue use of the Site immediately.
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1. Ownership of Site; Agreement to Terms of Use
The Site, including all design, layout, content, features, and functionality (such as text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, audio and video files, digital downloads, data sets, software, and documentation), is owned by HVDC AMERICA or its licensors and protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.
Your use of the Site is a privilege, not a right, and is expressly conditioned on your compliance with these Terms. HVDC AMERICA reserves all rights not expressly granted in these Terms. Unauthorized use of the Site or its materials constitutes a violation of these Terms and may also violate applicable laws.
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2. Content and Limited License
Unless otherwise stated, all materials available on the Site (“Content”) are provided for informational, educational, and collaborative purposes only.
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HVDC AMERICA grants you a limited, revocable, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to access and use the Site for lawful purposes in accordance with these Terms. This license is subject to the following restrictions:
A. You may download and print a reasonable number of copies of publicly available materials for personal, research, or non-commercial use only.
B. You must retain all copyright, proprietary notices, and disclaimers intact on all copies.
C. You may not copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, publicly display, mirror, encode, translate, transmit, distribute, or create derivative works from the Content without HVDC AMERICA’s prior written consent.
D. You may not exploit the Site or its Content for commercial purposes, competitive benchmarking, or resale without written authorization.
Any attempt to circumvent these restrictions, including by automated data scraping or unauthorized data extraction, is strictly prohibited.
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3. Acceptance of Terms
By using the Site, you represent and warrant that you:
A. Have read and understood these Terms.
B. Agree to comply with them.
C. Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract.
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HVDC AMERICA reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time without prior notice. The updated Terms will be effective upon posting. Your continued use of the Site constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
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4. Eligibility
This Site is intended for individuals and organizations who are 18 years of age or older. If you are under 18, you may only use the Site under the supervision and consent of a parent or legal guardian. By using the Site, you affirm that you meet these eligibility requirements.
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5. User Accounts
Some features of the Site may require account registration. By registering, you agree to:
A. Provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information.
B. Maintain the confidentiality of your username and password.
C. Accept full responsibility for all activities conducted under your account.
D. Promptly notify HVDC AMERICA of any unauthorized access, security breach, or suspected misuse.
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HVDC AMERICA reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts if it believes information provided is false, incomplete, or violates these Terms.
6. Prohibited Conduct
When using the Site, you agree not to:
A. Violate any applicable local, state, national, or international laws, rules, or regulations.
B. Access or attempt to access areas of the Site, accounts, systems, or networks without authorization.
C. Interfere with or disrupt the security, integrity, or performance of the Site.
D. Introduce viruses, malware, worms, Trojan horses, or other harmful code.
E. Use the Site to promote, conduct, or support unlawful activity.
F. Post or transmit false, misleading, defamatory, obscene, or otherwise objectionable content.
G. Infringe the intellectual property or proprietary rights of HVDC AMERICA or third parties.
H. Use the Site or its Content for commercial exploitation, including scraping, data mining, or automated harvesting.
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Violation of these rules may result in immediate termination of your access, legal liability, and referral to law enforcement.
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​7. Collaborative Use and Data Restrictions
HVDC AMERICA is a nationally coordinated initiative that unites utilities, industry partners, research institutions, and government stakeholders to advance modernization of the U.S. electric transmission grid. To preserve the integrity of this mission:
A. Any data, tools, or resources shared through the Site are intended exclusively for mission-related research, collaboration, and public interest purposes.
B. You may not repurpose Site materials for commercial exploitation, resale, or competitive advantage without express written authorization.
C. Unauthorized redistribution, licensing, or commercial use of collaborative data is prohibited.
D. Benchmarking, scraping, or systematic downloading of Site resources for competitive use is prohibited.
E. HVDC AMERICA reserves the right to revoke access, suspend privileges, or pursue legal remedies against individuals or entities misusing collaborative resources.
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By using the Site, you acknowledge that HVDC AMERICA maintains ownership and control of all shared data, and that your access is conditional and revocable.
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8. Intellectual Property
All intellectual property on the Site, including trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, graphics, and software, is owned by or licensed to HVDC AMERICA. Unauthorized use may constitute infringement under U.S. and international law.
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You may not use any HVDC AMERICA trademarks or branding without prior written permission. Misrepresentation of affiliation or endorsement by HVDC AMERICA is strictly prohibited.
9. User-Generated Content
If you submit or contribute any materials (such as feedback, comments, or research data) to HVDC AMERICA through the Site, you grant us a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, and distribute such content in connection with our mission.
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You remain solely responsible for your submissions and agree not to provide content that is unlawful, defamatory, or violates third-party rights. HVDC AMERICA reserves the right to review, edit, or remove any content submitted by users.
10. Indemnity
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless HVDC AMERICA, its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, contractors, and partners from and against any claims, damages, liabilities, losses, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your misuse of Site materials.
11. Privacy
Your use of the Site is governed by the HVDC AMERICA Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect personal and organizational data. By using the Site, you consent to data practices consistent with our Privacy Policy.
12. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability
A. The Site and its Content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without warranties of any kind.
B. THVDC AMERICA makes no guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or availability of the Site.
C. To the maximum extent permitted by law, HVDC AMERICA disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
D. HVDC AMERICA shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Site, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
13. Third-Party Links
The Site may contain links to third-party websites or resources. HVDC AMERICA provides these links for convenience only and does not endorse or assume responsibility for third-party content, policies, or practices. You access such websites at your own risk.
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14. Feedback and Information
Any suggestions, recommendations, or other feedback you provide to HVDC AMERICA through the Site are deemed non-confidential. HVDC AMERICA may freely use, modify, and implement such feedback without compensation or attribution.
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15. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms and any disputes arising from them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
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Any disputes, claims, or proceedings shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Los Angeles County, California, and you consent to such jurisdiction and venue.
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16. Changes to Terms
HVDC AMERICA reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. Updates will be posted with a revised effective date. Continued use of the Site constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
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17. Termination
HVDC AMERICA may, at its sole discretion and without notice, suspend or terminate your access to the Site if it believes you have violated these Terms, engaged in unauthorized conduct, or acted in a way that compromises the mission or security of HVDC AMERICA.
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18. Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and HVDC AMERICA regarding your use of the Site and supersede all prior or contemporaneous agreements or understandings.
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19. Contact Us
For questions or concerns about these Terms, please contact:​​
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HVDC AMERICA