The Role of Electricity Delivery Infrastructure in Addressing
Climate Change, Demand Growth, and Energy Security

February 20-21, 2008   •   Renaissance Hotel   •   Washington, DC

Session Summaries

Keynote Speakers   
View Talking Points by Marsha Smith>
View Keynote Speech by Kevin Kolevar>

The Honorable Marsha H. Smith, Commissioner, Idaho Public Utilities Commission and President of NARUC, provided comments on how the States are meeting the Three Grand Challenges.
The Honorable Kevin Kolevar, Assistant Secretary of Electricity Delivery and Energy Delivery at DOE, discussed the Administration's goals regarding the Three Grand Challenges.

Three Grand Challenges: The Role of the Electric Delivery System in Addressing Climate Change, Demand Growth, and Energy Security   
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Moderated by Michael T. Burr, Editor-in-Chief, Public Utilities Fortnightly, with comments by The Honorable Joseph T. Kelliher, Chairman, FERC; The Honorable Sam J. Ervin, IV, Commissioner, North Carolina Utilities Commission; The Honorable Phil Sharp, President, Resources for the Future; The Honorable Eileen Claussen, President, Pew Center for Global Climate Change; and Kurt E. Yeager, Executive Director, Galvin Electricity Initiative. The panelists provided their perspectives on how the Nation's electricity delivery system can address the Three Grand Challenges.

Addressing the Three Grand Challenges: Perspectives from the Electric Power Industry   
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Moderated by The Honorable Fred Butler, Commissioner, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and NARUC First Vice President, with comments by Jeff Sterba, CEO, PNM Resources, Inc.; Jan Schori, General Manager, Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Ralph Izzo, CEO, PSE&G, Inc.; Masheed Saidi, COO, U.S. Transmission, National Grid; and Lloyd Yates, CEO, Progress Energy Carolinas. The speakers provided industry's perspective on meeting the Three Grand Challenges.

Luncheon Speaker   
View Luncheon Speech by Rick Sergel >

Rick P. Sergel, President and Chief Executive Officer, North American Electric Reliability Corporation discussed the urgency of embracing new technologies that will result in increasing operating efficiency to transform transmission into a clean energy superhighway to enable future development of needed generation, included renewable energy resources.

Addressing the Three Grand Challenges: Perspectives from the Nation's Technology Leaders   
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Moderated by The Honorable Patricia Hoffman, U.S. Department of Energy, with comments by Susan Tomasky, American Electric Power; Robert Gilligan, GE Energy; Michael Howard, Electric Power Research Institute; and Dan W. Reicher, Google.org. The panel outlined the various approaches that must be conducted to deploy innovative technologies that will enable the electric power system to be transformed to meet the Nation’s consumers demand while meeting environmental goals.

Addressing the Three Grand Challenges: State and Regional Perspectives   
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Moderated by The Honorable Jim Sullivan, Alabama Public Service Commission and NARUC Committee on Critical Infrastructure, with comments by The Honorable Paul Hudson, Texas Public Utility Commission; The Honorable Carl Holmes, Kansas House Committee on Energy and Utilities; Paul Murphy, Independent Electricity System Operator of Ontario; and Paula Carmody, Maryland Office of People's Counsel. The panel of State policymakers discussed the challenges that face States and regions in meeting the Three Grand Challenges.

Challenges in Developing New Electricity Infrastructure to Deliver Power from Renewable and Conventional Resources to Customers   
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Moderated by The Honorable Pat Oshie, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission and NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment, with comments by The Honorable Dian Grueneich, California Public Utilities Commission; Nick Brown, Southwest Power Pool; William McCollum, Tennessee Valley Authority; and Will Kaul, Great River Energy. The panel addresses what is happening in various regions to enable the integration of renewable energy resources and new other sources of generation into the system that meets the goals of addressing the Three Grand Challenges.

Regional and Multi-Regional Electricity Delivery Infrastructure Planning - Inter-regional Transmission, Seams, and Cost Recovery Issues   
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Moderated by The Honorable David Coen, Vermont Public Service Board and NARUC Second Vice President, with comments by Gordon van Welie, ISO New England Inc.; Angela O'Connor, New England Power Generators Association; Laurie Aylsworth, Northeast Utilities System; and The Honorable Jack Keir, Energy Minister of New Brunswick. Using the New England region as a case study, the panel discussed the various aspects of inter-regional transmission planning, financing and operations.

Challenges for Deployment of Demand-Side Electricity Delivery Resource Options and Energy Efficiency Programs   
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Moderated by The Honorable Marshall E. Whitenton, U.S. Department of Energy, with comments by The Honorable Robert Lieberman, Illinois Commerce Commission; Paul J. Tyno, Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.; Brett Perlman, EnerNOC, Inc.; and Kathleen Hogan, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The panel addressed various efforts that are underway to deploy successful demand-side programs, including demand response energy efficiency programs.

Should Grid Operations be Changed to Meet the Challenges of Climate Change, Demand Growth and Energy Security?   
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Moderated by The Honorable William Bryan, U.S. Department of Energy, with comments by David Hawkins, California Independent System Operator; Mladen Kezunovic, Texas A&M University; Michael Petrucelli, GridPoint; and Joe Miller, Horizon Energy Group. The panel discussed what the components of a Smart Grid should be and how a Smart Grid will meet the Three Grand Challenges.

Luncheon Speaker   
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Andrew Weissman, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, EnergyBusinessWatch discussed discussed the intersection of energy security and climate change.

Build It and They Will Come: Transmission Siting Challenges   
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Moderated by The Honorable Garry Brown, New York Public Service Commission, with comments by The Honorable Phyllis A. Reha, NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and Minnesota Public Utilities Commission; T. Graham Edwards, Midwest Independent System Operator; Sandra Hochstetter, Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation; and Linda Ceylor, Save Our Unique Lands. The panel discussed what the various regional approaches are to transmission siting.

Closing Keynote Speakers   
View Closing Keynote Speech by "Bud" Albright >

The Honorable C. H. "Bud" Albright, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy discussed the U.S. Department of Energy's efforts to address climate change.