2012 National Electricity Forum Overview

The 2012 National Electricity Forum (2012 Forum) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and is held annually in conjunction with the NARUC Winter Committee Meetings. The 2012 Forum is planned by the 2012 National Electricity Forum Working Group, which is an ad hoc volunteer group consisting of a broad cross section of stakeholder representatives.

The 2012 Forum will be held on February 8 and 9, 2012. Presenters and participants at the 2012 Forum will address cutting-edge issues and discuss how collaboration can successfully modernize the nation's electricity infrastructure. The Forum will feature national thought leaders from all sectors of the electric power industry, academia, policymakers, equipment manufacturers, consumers, and other affected parties. The first three panels will include futurists, senior DOE officials, industry representatives, state utility regulators, and business leaders who will provide their perspectives on what the world will look like in 2035 and discuss their visions for the 21st Century electricity industry and its successful execution.

Day 1 of the 2012 Forum will also include a series of panel discussions that will address technology frontiers, customers' vision of the 21st Century electricity industry, and the dynamics of regulating the industry. Discussion topics will include transformational technologies, integration of intelligence and communications, R&D needs, customers’ benefits and cost burdens from an electricity industry transformation, smart grid devices, and barriers to transformation as a result of regulatory practices. Panelists in each of these sessions will represent experts, state and federal policymakers, academia, and stakeholder perspectives.

The discussions on Day 2 of the 2012 Forum are focused on generation needs, plug-in electric vehicles, grid-scale electricity storage technologies, transmission planning, energy efficiency, demand response, distributed generation, micro-grids, and institutional solutions to achieving a transformed 21st Century electricity industry.

Why is the National Electricity Forum Needed?

The DOE Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability is responsible for helping to drive the evolution of the electric power infrastructure by working with stakeholder groups on the complex technical and policy issues related to modernizing the electric delivery system. At the same time, NARUC members and regional entities also have decision-making authority to coordinate and plan for a robust system that meets the increasing demands on the system. Additionally, NARUC members have responsibility for difficult decisions regarding electricity industry investments. The 2012 Forum provides a unique opportunity to bring experts together to discuss these critical issues.

The National Electricity Forum is the only Forum co-sponsored by DOE and NARUC and its purpose is to enhance the intellectual dialogue among all parties. The 2012 Forum presents an opportunity to identify policy and infrastructure objectives for policymakers, system planners, and other decision makers in the electric power system. The infrastructure needs discussed at this preeminent policy forum will help decision makers accomplish the goal of a robust, reliable electricity system and collaboratively build an electric future that serves U.S. consumers for generations to come.

Who Should Attend

• Industry chief executive officers and senior management
• State policymakers, including state legislators and public utility commissioners and staff
• Smart grid proponents and other technology providers
• Investment community and venture capitalists
• Consumer advocates
• State energy office officials
• Federal energy officials
• Members of Congress and staff
• Academia
• Press and commentators
• Researchers and analysts with interest in the U.S. electric power system
• Students
• Environmental groups and advocates
• National lab employees

General Information

The 2012 Forum is being managed by Energetics Incorporated. Energetics is a consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy. For more information regarding the 2012 Forum please contact Peggy Welsh, Director, Electricity Program at pwelsh@energetics.com or call 202-406-4108 or Katie Shay, Energy Policy Analyst, at kshay@energetics.com or call 410-953-6229.