November 2006 Conference
November 30, 2006
Moving Toward Greater Reliance on Wholesale Energy Markets
Sessions will include:
Session 1:Price Volatility in Wholesale Electric Markets: Causes and Solutions
Session 2:Issues at the Interface of Natural Gas and Electricity Prices
Session 3:The Future of Natural Gas and Electricity Markets: A Roundtable Discussion
Agenda
8:45 am Welcome: David Loomis, Executive Director, Institute for Regulatory Policy Studies
8:50am Opening Remarks: Hon. Erin O’Connell-Diaz, Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission
9:00 amSession 1: Price Volatility in Wholesale Electric Markets: Causes and Solutions
- Price trends in electricity over the past decade
- Outlook for wholesale electric prices in Midwest markets
- Factors contributing to movement in prices and price volatility
- Lessons learned in natural gas markets that can be transferred to the electric market – How will customers deal with exposure to wholesale energy prices
Moderator: Hon. Charles Box, Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission
- Speakers:
- Howard Haas, Assistant Market Monitor, PJM
- Jacob Williams, Peabody Energy
- Robert Stephens, Principal, Brubaker and Associates
10:45 am Morning Break
11:00 am Session 2: Issues at the Interface of Natural Gas and Electricity Prices
- Impact of electricity generation on gas prices and pipeline operations
- Interchangability of gas supplies in the natural gas market place
- Variation in BTU content and ability of utility to recover costs
- LNG – price and safety impacts
- Decoupling rates from delivery charges
- FERC’s role
- Price stability and energy efficiency
- How does increased efficiency affect cost recovery?
Moderator: Hon. Lula Ford, Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission
- Speakers:
- Mark Hereth, Consultant, Process Performance Improvement Consultants
- Cynthia Marple, Director, Rates and Regulatory Affairs, American Gas Association
- Ed Merrell, Deputy Director, Policy Analysis and Rulemaking, FERC
12:45 pm Lunch
1:45 pm Session 3: The Future of Natural Gas and Electricity Markets: A Roundtable Discussion
- Where should the market go from here?
- The interplay among wholesale markets
- Competitiveness of wholesale markets
- Points of commonality between vertically-integrated and restructured states: problems and solutions
Moderator: Hon. Kevin Wright, Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission
- Speakers:
- * Hon. Nora Brownell, former FERC Commissioner
- Hon. John Norris, Chairman, Iowa Utilities Board
- Hon. Steve Gaw, Commissioner, Missouri Public Service Commission; President, Organization of MISO States
3:30 pm Close