Power Industry Speaks Out On Impending Energy Legislation

Energy Central - 02.04.2010

Congress is set to possibly adopt the most sweeping environmental and energy law in generations to address issues such as energy efficiency, renewables development and carbon emissions. Caught in this tidal wave of change are utilities and energy providers, pressured by recession-related drops in energy sales and rising demand for infrastructure investment.

Energy Central, the leading resource in the global power industry for news, events, databases, insight and analysis, announced today that Gregory Jaczko, Chairman of the independent U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, will update power industry leaders on the regulatory issues affecting the current applications for new reactors during a keynote address and Q&A at the EnergyBiz Leadership Forum (http://www.energybizforum.com).

The 2010 Forum will examine the fallout of the economic downturn, look at stimulus funds and early returns on the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) investment, and discuss the country’s progress in developing a new energy economy. Speakers include representatives from utilities, government, consumer advocacy groups, research laboratories, energy associations, businesses, regulators, and the energy vendor community.

The Forum will be held in Washington, D.C., February 28 through March 2, 2010, at the Mandarin Oriental. The event will kick off with a reception on Sunday, 2/28, with the sessions being held on Monday and Tuesday.

David Crane is the president, CEO and a director of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, that owns and operates one of the country’s largest and most diverse power generation portfolios, providing more than 24,000 megawatts of generation capacity—enough to supply more than 20 million homes. NRG’s retail business, Reliant Energy, serves more than 1.6 million residential, business, commercial and industrial customers in Texas. Prior to joining NRG, Mr. Crane was CEO of International Power plc, a UK-domiciled wholesale power generation company, from January 2003 to November 2003, and as COO from March 2000 through December 2002.

Crane is a leading voice on climate change and the power sector’s role in reducing greenhouse gases from the next wave of new power generation while meeting growing energy needs. He is outspoken on the need to advance climate legislation and support clean energy resources and technologies critical to our transition to a low carbon society.

Anthony Early is chairman and chief executive officer of DTE Energy, which owns Detroit Edison, an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and Michigan Consolidated Gas Company (MichCon), a natural gas utility serving 1.3 million customers in more than 550 communities throughout Michigan.

Earley is currently a Vice Chair of the Edison Electric Institute, the trade association of investor utilities. In this role he is actively involved in the development of national policies on energy, the environment and climate change issues. As a former Chair of the Nuclear Energy Institute, he has played an active role in revitalizing the nuclear industry in the United States.

David Ratcliffe is chairman, president and chief executive officer of Southern Company, one of America's largest producers of electricity. Elected by the board of directors in December 2003, Ratcliffe became president of Southern Company in April 2004 and assumed the additional responsibilities of CEO and chairman in July 2004.

A complete list of speakers and panelists includes:

· Sharon Allan, Senior Executive, Accenture

· Jon Arnold, Managing Director, Worldwide Power and Utilities, Microsoft

· Denise Bode, Chief Executive Officer, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

· David Coen, Board Member, Vermont Public Service Board; Chariman of the Board & President, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)

· David Crane, President & Chief Executive Officer, NRG Energy

· Rich Creegan, Vice President Product Marketing and Strategy, Itron

· Mark Crisson, President & Chief Executive Officer, American Public Power Association (APPA)

· Moray Dewhurst, Vice Chairman & Chief of Staff, FPL Group

· Eric Dresselhuys, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Silver Spring Networks

· Anthony Earley, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, DTE Energy

· Glenn English, Chief Executive Officer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)

· Marvin S. Fertel, President & Chief Executive Officer, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)

· S. Julio Friedmann, Carbon Management Program Leader, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

· Clark Gellings, Vice President of Technology, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

· John Gilleland, Nuclear Program Manager, TerraPower

· Rep. Bart Gordon, Chair, House Committee on Science and Technology

· Charles Gray, Executive Director, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)

· Greg Guthridge, Managing Director, Global Retail Utilities Practice, Accenture

· Mary Healey, Consumer Counsel, State of Connecticut; President, National Association of State Utility Advocates (NASUCA)

· Ralph Izzo, Chairman of the Board, President & Chief Executive Officer, Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG)

· Linda Jackman, Group Vice President, Oracle Utilities Product & Industry Strategy

· Dr. Greg Jaczko, Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

· Betty Ann Kane, Chairman, District of Columbia Public Service Commission

· Sen. Harris McDowell III, Senator, State of Delaware

· David M. Ratcliffe, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Southern Company

· Joseph Rigby, Chairman of the Board, President & Chief Executive Officer, Pepco Holdings

· Stephan Scholl, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Tax & Utilities Global Business Unit, Oracle Corporation

· Ted Strickland, Governor, State of Ohio

· Edward Tirello, Jr., Managing Director and Senior Power Strategist, Berenson & Company

· Malcolm Unsworth, President & Chief Executive Officer, Itron

· Guerry Waters, Vice President, Industry Strategy, Oracle Utilities

· Barry Worthington, Executive Director, United States Energy Association

· Stephen Wright, Administrator, Bonneville Power Administration

· Will Wynn, Principal, LPB Energy Management; former Chairman, Austin Energy; former Mayor, City of Austin, TX

EnergyBiz magazine’s parent company, Energy Central produces the Leadership Forum. Through interactive presentations, Q&A sessions, and roundtables, the conference discusses and analyzes energy production, consumption, and policy in the United States. See the EnergyBiz Leadership Forum Web site for details, including a full schedule and agenda for the event.

About Energy Central:

Energy Central, headquartered in Aurora, Colorado, and established in 1996, is the leading resource connecting professionals in the global power industry to news, events, databases, insight and analysis. Encompassing web sites, e-newsletters, direct marketing channels, events and print publications, the company delivers critical business information to top executives, managers, leaders and industry influencers. Energy Central currently publishes EnergyBiz and Intelligent Utility magazines. Sierra Energy Group is the research and analysis division of Energy Central, providing trusted, high-value, accurate information on global power issues. EnergyCentralJobs.com is the most-used job web site in the global power industry, connecting job seekers and employers.

Contact:
Energy Central
Michael Guilfoyle, 303.228.4763
mguilfoyle@energycentral.com

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