9:00-10:00 a.m.

Competitive Markets at a Crossroads?

Competitive energy markets have been operating in the US for over 20 years. Competitive markets were originally born out of customer frustration with the high cost of coal and nuclear generation and later reinvigorated by the cost savings potential of pooled resources. Markets have often been a vehicle for delivering new services and options to customers in the electric industry. Now, as we stand on the verge of the next generation revolution with utility scale renewables costs quickly approaching the levelized cost of natural gas, it is time to reflect on the cost and realized benefits of electricity restructuring and market development in the United States. This panel will focus on growing pains and lessons learned from the last two decades of electricity restructuring and how we can leverage these learnings to maximize customer benefits as we look to transition to a low-carbon future.  

Moderators: 

Hon. DeAnn Walker, Texas 

Hon. Beth Trombold, Ohio

Panelists:

Alison Silverstein, Independent Consultant, Alison Silverstein Consulting

Mike Jacobs, Senior Energy Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists

Mason Emnett, Vice President of Competitive Markets, Exelon

Business Meeting

The business meeting will include an update from Vermont Law. Richard Mroz will speak to the law school’s partnership with Protect Our Power, an organization conducting research on grid security and resilience. Mark James will also present the key findings of the Phase 2 report on State regulatory issues and cybersecurity

Energy and Regulatory Transitions: State Updates

States across the country are seeing changes in technology and the energy resource mix. This panel will provide a glimpse into the efforts of four States responding to these changes and transforming their states’ generation portfolios through regulatory initiatives that include both traditional and innovative tools. Commissioners from different regions will present their views on how these changes are occurring, regulatory policies that support them and impacts on ratepayers from an affordability and reliability perspective

Moderator: 

Hon. Judith Williams Jagdmann, Virginia

Panelists:

Hon. Anthony O’Donnell, Maryland

Hon. Charlotte Mitchell, North Carolina

Hon. Richard Lozier, Jr., Iowa 

Hon. Kara Fornstrom, Wyoming 

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

Are Pilot Programs Going the Way of the Dodo?

Pilot programs are a common way for utilities to test new ideas, but all too often “pilot” becomes a synonym for “small” which interferes with the utilization of good statistical design protocols. As a result, the pilot program fails to yield statistically meaningful results. Any failure to adhere to accepted research methods interjects concerns about objectivity, reduces the confidence in applying the results, renders the transferability of outcomes to other utilities highly unlikely, and raises questions about other potential biases in the research. A prudently designed pilot program that serves the public interest should spur innovation and be positively viewed for purposes of cost recovery.

Moderator:

Hon. Sarah Freeman, Indiana

Panelists:

Hon. Dan Lipschultz, Minnesota

Tom Ashley, Vice President, Policy, Greenlots

Julia Friedman, Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs and Market Development, Oracle

Lon Huber

What Commissions Should Know About Environmental, Social and Governance Issues in the Industry

(Joint with the Committee on Consumers and the Public Interest)

Environmental, Social and Governance issues (ESG) have become a catalyst in the transition of investor-owned electric and gas companies.  Recognizing the rising importance of ESG to major investors, customers and stakeholders, EEI developed the first-of-its-kind, sector-specific ESG reporting template, resulting in clarity, consistency and comparability of ESG information desired by these important constituencies.  Initially, the primary focus of the EEI ESG template was on “E” issues (specifically carbon), but recently the dialog has moved to “S” issues, such as community workforce development, and to “G” issues, such as cybersecurity governance.  As activists are playing a bigger role in the energy sector, companies are proactively engaging with key constituents to address ESG issues, which will enable continued access to capital markets at affordable rates. Panelists will share their perspectives on ESG issues impacting the sector, company disclosures, and the implications of their industry assessments.  

Moderator:

Hon. Michael Richard, Maryland

Panelists:

Devin James, Manager, Investor Relations & ESG, Edison Electric Institute

Elin Katz, Managing Director of Energy Consulting and Associate General Counsel, Tilson Technology Management

Jim Kerr, Chief Legal Officer, Southern Company

Jeffrey Kotkin, Vice President Investor Relations, Eversource Energy

Melissa Lavinson, SVP Governmental & External Affairs, Pepco Holdings

Business Meeting

Introductions

Mary Kilmarx Award announcement

FERC PURPA NOPR overview

Resolutions

NRRI Regulation Training Initiative overview

This initiative is a remote platform for providing training on key regulatory issues for Commissioners, staff, industry and other stakeholders.  

Building Energy Efficiency: Technology, Policy, and Finance on-line course preview.

This on-line course examines the complexities, progress, and opportunities for energy efficiency in buildings (BEE) through the lenses of technology, policy, and finance. Participants will learn the fundamentals of the various kinds of BEE policy programs, their goals and their evaluation, with a special focus on utility customer programs and key policy tools for them.  The course explores the potential energy cost savings and non-energy benefits of BEE interventions as well as motivations and barriers for BEE from a multidisciplinary perspective.  Mini cases are used to explain key developments in BEE technology, policy and finance. Importantly, the course explores the leading edge of BEE including “data-driven” intelligent efficiency, the value of BEE in today’s changing grid, building decarbonization and BEE’s role in international climate efforts.

9:00-11:45 a.m.

At times, we tend to present regulatory panels on a topic-by-topic basis. Rates, safety, supply, demand, innovation & research, integration between gas and renewables, energy efficiency, employment, costs and infrastructure, are often looked at in “silo mode.”  

However, as we discuss the individual pieces or topics, we must not overlook the fact that many of them are interrelated and at times they should be looked at "holistically." 

This Committee on Gas meeting will be a dedicated discussion seeking to properly engage in as many of these topics as practically possible and look at how actions in one area may affect another.  To that end, representatives from state and federal agencies, the natural gas industry, former and current commissioners, will gather to discuss with the committee membership and audience a variety of timely topics that we all encounter as regulators and practitioners. 

Moderators: 

Hon. Diane X. Burman, New York

Hon. Brandon Presley, Mississippi

Hon. Julie Fedorchak, North Dakota

Hon. Jay Balasbas, Washington

Panelists:

Hon. Tricia Pridemore, Georgia 

Emeritus Committee on Gas Chairs

Gas Technology Institute Leadership Team

PHMSA Leadership Team

Erin Hutson, Laborers' International Union of North America

Subcommittee on Supplier and Workforce Diversity Leadership Team

Jim Jerozal, Managing Director, Energy Efficiency at Nicor Gas

Jeff Loiter, Principal Researcher, NRRI

Jeff Petrash, VP & General Counsel, National Propane Gas Association

Tuesday 11/19

10:45-11:45 a.m.

*** DO NOT MISS CONCURRENT SESSION A2 ON TUESDAY ***

 The Future of Natural Gas in Decarbonization Focused States

Participants:

Dr. Roger Aines, Energy Program Chief Scientist, LLNL Global Security E Program

Dawn Constantin, SVP, Marketing & Regulatory Affairs, BP Energy Company

Richard Meyer, Managing Director, Energy Analysis, American Gas Association

Dena E. Wiggins, President, Natural Gas Supply Association

Thomas P. Meissner, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO, Unitil

9:00 - 9:30 a.m.

Business Meeting

Joint Panel with Critical Infrastructure

Lessons Learned From a Cyber Attack - What Companies and Regulators Need to Know

Cyber-attacks are on the rise and lack of cybersecurity poses one of the biggest economic threats of today. Companies, government agencies and municipalities are targeted on a daily basis and if they are not prepared they often suffer devastating results. A specific cyber-attack will be covered, as well as a discussion of other types of cyber-attacks and best practices. 

Moderator:

Hon. Michael Caron, Connecticut

Panelists:

Greg Lowe, President and CEO, Syringa Networks

Kathryn Condello, Senior Director National Security, CenturyLink

Craig Harber, Chief Technology Officer, Fidelis Cybersecurity

Networking Break

The Mozilla Decision: What's Next for States?

Moderator:

Hon. Sally Talberg, Michigan

Panelists: 

Matthew Murchison, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP

Brad Ramsay, General Counsel, NARUC

9:00-9:30 a.m.

Business Meeting

Get the Lead (and Copper) Out

In October of this year, the EPA announced the signing of the proposed Lead and Copper Revision (LCR).

Committee members will discuss comparisons between the Pre publication version of the Rule and the current Rule including sampling, risk communication, and strengthening drinking water treatment requirements-- notably the protection of children in schools.

Moderator: Hon. Maria Bocanegra, Illinois

Panelists: 

Suzanne Chiavari, Engineering Director Treatment and Resiliency, American Water

Megan Glover, Co-founder and CEO, 120WaterAudit

Mike McGill, President, Water PIO

Can I Drink It?

Recycled water is beneficial because it is allegedly less expensive than potable water.  Water reuse is critical to conservation and preservation of aquifer integrity at all times, and not solely during droughts. The Committee will learn about basic physical, biological, and chemical principles to remove contaminants from water -- from primary treatment through advanced treatment.

Moderator: 

Hon. Eric Anderson, Idaho

Panelists: 

David Spacht, CFO Artesian Water and President Artesian Wastewater Management

Richard Svindland, President of California American Water and Hawaii American Water

Mr. Robert Puente, San Antonio Water System President and CEO

9:00-10:15 a.m.

Social Media & Digital Risks

Presenter: Dr. Sam Small, CSO- ZeroFOX

Networking Break

Ransomware & Cloud Application Security

Presenter: Chris Richmond, -proofpoint

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

NARUC 132nd Annual Meeting and Education Conference

Welcome by NARUC President Nick Wagner of Iowa

Presentation of the Colors by Marine Corps Support Battalion Company H.

Singing of our National Anthem by Andrea Howard, Contract Specialist for Dept of Air Force, 502 Contracting Squadron.

Election of Officers for 2019 - 2020

Nomination for President: Hon. ToNola Brown-Bland

Second for President: Hon. Jack Betkoski

Nomination for First Vice President: Hon. Butch Howard

Second for First Vice President: Hon. Kristine Raper

Nomination for Second Vice President: Hon. Willie Phillips

Second for Second Vice President: Hon Ann Rendahl

In Memoriam 2018-2019

The Great Debate: Energy Resource Options

Every electricity resource has various attributes that can or do support a well-functioning grid. However, how those resources and their benefits are defined, valued, and compensated is a subject of some controversy. Join representatives of coal, natural gas, nuclear, renewables, battery storage, and demand-side management industries as they take center stage to debate the attributes they think should be valued and compensated at the state and regional levels.

Facilitator: Hon. Nick Wagner, NARUC President

Participants:

Michelle Bloodworth, CEO, America's Power

Katherine Hamilton, Executive Director, Advanced Energy Management Alliance

Karen Harbert, CEO, American Gas Association

Maria Korsnick, President and CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute

Nat Kreamer, CEO, Advanced Energy Economy and AEE Institute

Kelly Speakes-Backman, CEO, Energy Storage Association