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Cost
Recovery and the Smart Grid: How the Maryland PSC's Decision Could
Change the Way Utilities Recoup Investments YOUR PRESENTERS:
The Maryland Public Service Commission recently approved Baltimore Gas & Electric's (BGE) revised smart grid plan -- with conditions disallowing any surcharge for cost recovery. BGE had described the use of the surcharge as a deal-breaker and later acquiesced.
Even though the BGE plan was partially funded by government stimulus money, the PSC concluded that the financial risk to the utility's customers from the surcharge was too great. Reactions to the decisions coming out of Maryland have been mixed. Some praised the regulator's June rejection of BGE's smart-grid plan -- which led to DOE threatening to take back the giant grant it awarded the utility last fall -- saying the rejection expresses the PSC's concern over how utilities are spending ratepayers' money. But for those who support the growth of the smart grid, the recent rulings in Maryland could raise serious doubts about its future in the U.S. Several PUCs and PSCs around the country are reviewing smart-grid rate cases. And because these types of cases are fairly new for regulators, they're naturally looking at what other states are doing. And while Maryland said "no" to BGE's surcharge proposal, Ohio and Texas said "yes" to similar ones. So how can you figure out what might happen in your state? Join Smart Grid Today for its latest web conference "Cost Recovery and the Smart Grid: How the Maryland PSC's Decision Could Change the Way Utilities Recoup Investments" on Friday, September 17, 2010. Listen as our panel of experts offers its interpretation of the Maryland PSC's decision and helps you better understand how it could affect the way you recoup the costs associated with smart-grid deployment. How much of the bill will customers be allowed to cover? What's the fairest way to collect these costs? And what additional options are available to utilities and others that want to invest in the smart grid now but don't want to go broke in the process? Get answers to these questions and more when you register to attend this very timely web conference. Whether you're a regulator, a utility executive, technology vendor or anyone in a related business who has a vested interest in the growth of smart grid technology and its associated costs, this is one web conference you can't afford to miss. Best of all, you and your entire team can participate in this web conference for one low flat fee of only $247 per dial-in site. You can even ask your own questions and get advice from our experts, tailored to your specific needs, when we open up the phone lines for live Q&A from the audience. Reserve your spot for this timely web conference today!
Here's
just some of what you'll learn during
Your web conference registration includes:
Register Now! Or for more information, call us at +1-301-769-6804 (888-471-4447 toll-free in US & Canada)
Dr. John Anderson is President & CEO of the Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON). He joined ELCON in 1980 and was named Executive Director in 1984. ELCON represents large industrial electricity consumers. Its member companies come from virtually every sector of the manufacturing community. Many ELCON members cogenerate some of their electricity requirements. Dr. Anderson has presented papers and spoken extensively on a wide range of electricity issues of importance to large industrial firms. He holds both MS and PhD degrees from the University of Florida with concentration in public utility and industrial organization. Dr. Alan R. Schriber is Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. He was appointed by Governor Bob Taft in 1999 reappointed in 2004, and reappointed again by Governor Ted Strickland in 2007. Chairman Schriber also served as a PUC commissioner from 1983-1989, appointed by former Governor Richard F. Celeste. As chairman, he regularly testifies before the Ohio legislature and has testified before the United States Congress on several issues including electric reliability. Chairman Schriber also serves as chairman of the Ohio Power Siting Board. An experienced economist, he was an assistant professor of economics at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio; owner and president of ARS Broadcasting Corp. in Cincinnati, and a personal investments manager. Chairman Schriber earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin, a master's degree in economics from Miami University, and a doctorate in economics from Indiana University. Barry Smitherman was appointed to the Texas PUC in 2004, was reappointed in 2007 and promoted to chairman later that year. In 2009, he received the State Leadership award from the American Wind Energy Association for the PUC's pioneering renewable energy zone policy for proactive transmission development. Chairman Smitherman is a member of the State Bar of Texas, an ex officio board member of ERCOT, secretary/treasurer of RSC for the Southwest Power Pool, a member of the ERE Committee at NARUC, and served as one of 30 members of the DOE inaugural Electricity Advisory Committee. For 16 years he was a public finance investment banker working with state and local governments throughout the South, Southwest and Midwest. Chairman Smitherman has also been a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's office. He graduated from Texas A&M University, receiving a BBA summa cum laude. He received his JD from the University of Texas School of Law, and an MPA at Harvard University. Robert Wilhite is Senior Vice President, Intelligent Networks and Communications at KEMA Consulting and a 25-year veteran of the utility industry. Through a combination of technical capabilities and business problem-solving skills, Mr. Wilhite has provided numerous consultative solutions in strategic planning, new business/market analysis, financial analysis, business modeling and process design plus program implementation. Mr. Wilhite is directly responsible for achieving strategic growth and operational performance objectives for KEMA's global AMI, communications and utility automation practice areas. He also serves on the board of trustees of Utilimetrics and as chairman of the Implementation work group at the GridWise Alliance. Mr. Wilhite was named one of the Top 25 Consultants in the U.S. by Consulting Magazine in 2009. Register
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