Here Comes the Sun

While the Beatles’ song chimed that “It’s all right” -- is it?  This discussion explores the growing impacts of residential solar on utility customer service, providing a snapshot of attitudes held by residential customers overall, and by solar adopters.  Why and how do customers choose solar?  How important are perceived environmental benefits versus savings potential?  How are utilities handling their evolving relationship with solar customers?  What are the impacts on call centers? Could the growing importance of customer service change customer perceptions of traditional generation and distribution?  Join the discussion on the ever-changing customers’ attitudes, since we know, “The sun will come out tomorrow.”

Panelists:
Jamie Wimberly, Chief Executive Officer, DEFG, LLC

Daniel Gabaldon, Director, Enovation Partners

Beyond Lifeline Reform: Discussion of Other Existing Low-Income Consumer Programs in the Market

(Joint session with the Staff Subcommittee on Telecommunications)

Many rural and low-income customers now have access to broadband through new and modified provider-sponsored programs. Differences in participation qualifications, services, and program successes and failures will be discussed. Will Lifeline and/or other low-income programs be a broadband lifesaver? Join the discussion to find out.

Moderator: Phil Boyle, Vice-Chair, Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Oregon

Panelists:
Al Lubeck, Public Policy Director, CenturyLink

David Bergman, Counsel, NASUCA

Don Laub, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Comcast

Mark Brown, Vice President & Counsel, Government Affairs, Charter Communications

View Presentations 

The NARUC Critical Infrastructure Subcommittee will have a small group, closed meeting to discuss any topics of interest. There is no formal agenda. The discussion will be led by Lynn Constantini from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. 

GTI Updates

Presenter: Ron Edelstein, Director, Regulatory and Government Relations, Gas Technology Institute

NRRI Update & Regional Regulatory Updates

Presentation of the latest research activitiesat NRRI, to be followed by an "open mike" discuscussion of relevant natural gas related news

Moderator: Andreas D. Thanos, Chair Staff Subcommitte on Gas

Presenter: Ken Costello, NRRI

Managing Price Volatility in the Competitive Retail Natural Gas Market

Gas retail competition has become a reality in most of the country.  Over the past 100 years or so, natural gas customers became accustomed to the “regulated price” provided to them by the gas utility. 
As consumers move to competitive suppliers, these suppliers have to compete with each other in terms of service and pricing, but also with the established safety of the regulated utility prices. 

Although gas commodity prices are at the lowest they have been in decades, the potential for an uptick, whether seasonal or otherwise, is always likely.  Any price fluctuation, particularly an upward move, will affect the consumer, the supplier and ultimately the regulatory commission.  It is therefore important , that we all have a good understanding of “what is available out there.”

The panelists will discuss the near-term outlook and expectations for natural gas based on production trends and regional transportation and storage capabilities. It will review the tools used by the respective companies to ensure that their customers are protected, to the extent possible, from the unpredictability of the market.

Moderator: Andreas D. Thanos, Chair, Staff Subcommittee on Gas

Panelists:
Jennifer Fordham, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Natural Gas Supply Association

Ron Cerniglia, Director Government & Regulatory Affairs, Direct Energy

Mark Reese, Vice President, U.S. Gas Supply, Just Energy

Bob Anderson, Executive Director, Committee of Chief Risk Officers

U.S. DOE: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces

Agenda TBA

Agenda TBA

We Want Three States!:  California, Nevada, and Oregon Staff Discussion

This session will feature a discussion amongst staff from the California Public Utilities Commission, Nevada Public Utilities Commission, and Oregon Public Utility Commission.  Come hear the latest on rate design and related issues as staff from each of these commissions update the Subcommittee, share information, and gain a better understanding of what is going on at the staff level on the many issues facing the commissions.  

Moderator: Chris Villarreal, Minnesota

Panelists:
Paul Phillips, California

Stephen St. Marie, California 

Anne-Marie Cuneo, Nevada

Lance Kaufman, Oregon

Show Me the Numbers: A Framework for Assessing Distributed Solar Policies

Panelist:
Tim Woolf, Vice President, Synapse Energy Economics

This session will feature a presentation on a recently released report by Synapse on a framework for assessing distributed solar that addresses all issues qualitatively, with a focus on distributed generation development, cost-effectiveness, and cost-shifting.  

(Closed Session) Manual on Distributed Energy Resources Rate Design and Compensation

With the final version of the Manual now released, attend this session to hear details about the final version, including what's changed, what's new, and what's next.  Hear from several members of the drafting team on the role and purpose of the Manual, and how this might be used by a commission.

9:00 a.m. - 9:10 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Hon. Nikki Hall, UMA Chairwoman, South Carolina

Gaining The Competitive Advantage: Successes and Challenges of Diverse Supplier Certification

Given the challenges diverse suppliers have in growing their businesses and in competing in the global economy, it is often necessary for them to partner with major certifying bodies to maximize potential opportunities. Major corporations with supplier diversity programs are members of both state and national advocacy organizations that assist with contracting diverse suppliers. These organizations act as the gatekeepers, so to speak, between diverse suppliers and successful business opportunities and procurement. This panel will examine the relationships between all parties involved in the certification process and potential challenges and successes involved to date and going forward.

Moderator: Stephanie Green, Supplier Diversity Manager, California Public Utilities Commission

Panelists:
Virginia Gomez, President & CEO, Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council

Summer Sepulveda, Director of Corporate Relations and Community Development, Women's Business Enterprise Council - West

Sydney Furbush,  Supplier Diversity Manager, San Diego Gas and Electric

Stephanie Hickman, President & CEO, Trice Construction Company

Osceola Consulting's Tribal-Based Technology Delivery Center

This presentation will highlight the Tribal Technology Center, its overall business and job creation model and future plans for expansion in and outside of California.

Presenter: Kevin O. Narcomey, President and CEO, Osceola Consulting

21st Century Innovations in Energy: An Equity Framework

The National Urban League will present an overview of a White Paper it released in October 2016 reviewing the current state of the energy industry and setting forth a plan by which the NUL will address various pressing economic and policy issues of concern to the African-American community. 

Presenter: Donald Cravins, Jr., Senior Vice President for Policy and Executive Director, Washington Bureau, National Urban League

Commissioner Discussion:  UMA Supplier Diversity Toolkit

The Supplier Diversity Toolkit was formally launched at the NARUC Annual Meeting in San Francisco.  Now the UMA Committee members will discuss future plans for the Toolkit, including an action plan to retrieve relevant data from each state represented at NARUC.

Moderator: Hon. Nikki Hall, UMA Chairwoman and Commissioner, South Carolina

Comments: Laurie Dowling, Executive Director, National Utilities Diversity Council

Commissioner Discussion: Subcommittee Name Change

Moderator: Hon. Nikki Hall, UMA Chairwoman, South Carolina

U.S. DOE: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces

Hot Topic: Industry Efforts to Stop Utility Consumer Bill Scams

Speaker: Becky Knox, Senior Director, Retail Energy Policy, EEI

1:05 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Rural Wireless and Consumers: New Proposals and Issues

The panel will examine recent proposals for a joint federal-state approach to ensuring that rural wireless consumers have access to broadband networks and services comparable to those in urban areas.  The panel will address broadband adoption in rural and, by extension, urban areas associated with rural broadband deployment.

Moderator: Hon. Brandon Presley, Mississippi

Panelists:
Hon. Catherine J.K. Sandoval, California

Grant Spellmeyer, Vice President, Federal Affairs and Public Policy, US Cellular

Mike Oldak, Vice President Strategic Initiatives & General Counsel, Utilities Technology Council

David LaFuria, Partner, Lukas Nace Gutierrez & Sachs, LLP

H. Russell Frisby, Jr., Partner, Stinson Leonard Street - representing EEI

The Price is Right?: Comparing Consumer Tariffs and Their Potential Bill Impacts

Over the last several years new pricing and rate plans have emerged in the electric market.   Whether it is prepay, time of use, budget billing, etc… many consumers have new options to choose from.  But how do these new options compare to a traditional rate.  This panel will explore the many new pricing plans offered to consumers and how consumers are reacting to them, and explore the impact on consumers, as well as the need to educate consumers about these new options.

Moderator: Hon. Tim Echols, Georgia

Panelists:
Alison Peters Brown, Director of Pricing & Rates, Georgia Power

James Lewis, President & Co-CEO,  Just Energy

Kelly Speakes-Backman, Senior VP Policy & Research, Alliance to Save Energy

1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Aliso Canyon Operational Update: Keeping the Lights on in Southern California: A Story of Cross-Industry Coordination and Communication

(Joint session with the Staff Subcommittee on Electric Reliability)

In October of 2015, a gas leak was detected in one of the 115 natural gas injection/withdrawal wells in the Aliso Canyon natural gas underground storage facility.  This facility is the second largest natural gas storage facility in the west and is critical to the electric reliability of southern California.   During typical summer operations, the 86 billion cubic feet of capacity provides fuel for 17 electric generating plants, with a combined capacity of 9800 MW.   And in the winter, the core typical demand for the gas supply flips, with residential and small commercial customers using 60 percent of the facility’s gas for heating.  

By the time the leaking well was permanently sealed in the early spring of 2016, about 80 percent of its capacity was lost and the entire facility was shut-in indefinitely.  Given the unprecedented number of electric generation plants counting on just-in-time gas delivery from Aliso Canyon, and the minimal amount of time to plan for alternate deliveries, how did California keep the lights on in the summer of 2016, and what provisions will assure winter operations?   Our speaker will describe the unprecedented level of coordination and communication across agencies and industries required to serve customers reliably.

Moderator:
Patricia Poli, Chair, NARUC Staff Subcommittee on Electric Reliability

Speaker:
Steve K. Ashbaker, Director Events Analysis & Situational Awareness, WECC

Grid Modernization: Consumer Impacts and Perspectives

Growing customer engagement has been a driving force behind transformation of the U.S. electric industry. We should expect more customer engagement in the future but some customers will remain passive. Now several years after the ARRA grants provided funding for the smart grid, many benefits of these investments are being realized by consumers. We will discuss research that examines how investments in grid modernization and smart grid technologies are empowering consumers to break the mold of passive consumption and become dynamic users. Both utilities and regulators will face new challenges in the emerging world of active and passive customers. Our speakers will share insights into the consumer perspective on the customer/utility relationship of the future. 

Moderator: Kimberly Duffley, Attorney, NC Utilities Commission and Vice-Chair of the Staff Subcommittee on Electricity

Panelists:
Nathan Shannon, Deputy Director, Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative

Ken Costello, Principal Researcher, Energy & Environment, National Regulatory Research Institute

Agenda TBA

Agenda TBA

3:00 p.m. - 3:05 p.m.

Transportation Task Force Welcome

Moderators:
Hon. Gladys Brown, Pennsylvania

Hon. Ann Rendahl, Washington

Town Hall on Transportation Issues

In the enabling Charter for the NARUC Transportation Task Force, the Motor Carrier Section was charged with “compiling best state practices to modify common carrier laws in light of new business models and a trend toward competitive entry.”  To fulfill this mission, the Task Force sought input from NARUC members on the common issues that arise when regulating Transportation Network Companies (TNC).  Over the past several months, the Task Force has gathered information from NARUC members about how individual states regulate TNC service, including the issues and best practices that have emerged. Now that the Task Force has a comprehensive summary of state regulators’ perspectives on these issues, we are seeking industry and stakeholder input on the same topics, which include jurisdictional issues, driver safety, vehicle safety, insurance, and rates.

Panelists:
Curtis Scott, Senior Legal Director, Regulatory & Insurance, Uber

Michael Farren, Economist, Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Rachelle Celebrezze, Senior Policy Advisor, Lyft

John Clarke, James River Insurance Co.

Town Hall on Rail Issues

The NARUC Executive Committee established the Transportation Task Force to, in part, address the recent increases in the transportation of crude oil by railroad companies and the concerns of NARUC members and state railroad programs about railroad safety. The Working Group on Railroad Safety was formed to consider generating a document compiling information on state and federal authority over railroad safety, the transportation of crude oil, and the recent developments at the state and federal level in those areas. Over the past several months, the Working Group coordinated meetings, education sessions and requested focused industry feedback to inform the drafting of its Report on Railroad Safety. The Working Group has prepared a draft of issues, challenges, best practices and authorities related to the regulation of railroad safety, and is seeking input from interested stakeholders and member states on additional issues that should be addressed and ways to make the Report more useful as a tool for states.

Moderator:
Hon. Ann Rendahl, Washington

Panelists:
Railroad Working Group Staff TBA

Comments from Interested Parties

The Wide World of NARUC – Welcome and Introductions

Hon. David Danner, Washington

Approval of Minutes/Resolutions

Hon. David Danner, Washington

Remarks by Terry Barnich Award Recipients

The Terry Barnich Award is presented annually by the International Relations Committee to commissioners or staff in recognition of outstanding efforts to further international cooperation among utility regulators and to promote professional regulation. This year’s winners will deliver brief remarks.

Moderator: Hon. David Danner, Washington

Panelists:
Hon. Philip Jones, Washington

Raj Addepalli, New York

Live from Marrakech: A Report on COP 22 – Marrakech

As the 22^nd Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC reaches its midway point, one of the key members of the US delegation will give an update on the proceedings.

Moderator: Hon. David Danner, Washington

Panelist: Jonathan Pershing, Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State (invited)

Update on Energy Reform in Mexico

The International Relations Committee has been following the implementation of energy reforms in Mexico. That country’s new chief energy regulator will provide a progress report.

Moderator: Hon. David Danner, Washington

Panelist: Hon. Guillermo García Alcocer, Chairman, Energy Regulatory Commission of Mexico

The 2016 DOE-sponsored Commissioners' Mission to China: Major Lessons

For the third year, the US Department of Energy sponsored a Utility Commissioner Clean Energy Technology and Policy Mission to China. During this four-city, two-week mission, the five-commissioner delegation saw first hand the demonstration of cutting-edge energy technologies and participated in discussions on energy market reforms and carbon emissions trading. This session will allow them to share their major takeaways.

Moderator: Hon. Travis Kavulla, Montana and NARUC President

Panelists:
Hon. Sherina Maye Edwards, Illinois

Hon. Elizabeth Jacobs, Iowa

Hon. Sandy Jones, New Mexico

Hon. David Ziegner, Indiana

Mr. Robert Gee

Preview of 27^th World Gas Conference

A look ahead to the next triennial meeting of the International Gas Union, which will be held in Washington, D.C., in June 2018.   

Presenter: Hon. Diane Burman, New York

EEI International Activities Mid-year Report

Report on NARUC International Programs

Presenter: Erin Hammel, Director of International Programs, NARUC

3:15 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Updates from Partners
Matt Duncan, Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy 

Sue Gander, Director, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices

David Batz, Senior Director, Cyber & Infrastructure Security, Edison Electric Institute

Discussion of Catalog of Information on Cyber/Physical Measures Taken by States to Protect Critical Infrastructure

Discussion led by NJ Board of Public Utilities

States and Industry to Discuss Costs Associated with Physical and Cybersecurity Upgrades

Moderator: Hon. Nick Wagner, Iowa

Panelists:
Hon. Joanne Doddy Fort, District of Columbia

Billy Ball, Chief Transmission Officer, Southern Company