September 13, 2022
9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Central time
Web-only Program
0.4 CEUs available
Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly more common. This program will explore the impacts of climate change on reliability, how the utility industry is managing and adapting to those changes, and how the usual decisions regarding infrastructure planning needs are being affected.
DRAFT AGENDA
9:00 – 9:10 Welcome Remarks
Sarah Justus, Director of Construction, American Transmission Company; WPUI Board Chair
9:10 – 10:00 How Does the Utility Industry Conduct Reliability Assessments? Can traditional standards still be used or how do they need to be revised?
Alison Silverstein, Consultant, Researcher, and Strategist, Alison Silverstein Consulting
Warren Lasher, President, Lasher Energy Consulting, LLC
10:00 – 10:50 How Are Utilities Thinking About Climate Change? A utility engineer’s perspective on climate change adaptation and risk analysis — What are they doing about it?
Aaron Graber, Supervisor, Design, Records, and Standards, Overhead Transmission, ITC Holdings
10:50 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 11:50 Panel: The RTO Perspective – What lessons have been learned regarding climate change? How are RTOs adapting?
Moderator:
Sally Talberg, President, Talberg Policy Solutions
Panel:
Asim Haque, Vice President, State and Member Services, PJM Interconnection
Talina Mathews, Chief Financial Officer, Big Rivers Electric Corporation
Holly Taylor, Manager, Regional Affairs, California Independent System Operator
11:50 – 12:10 Break
12:10 – 1:00 Panel: The Regulator Perspective – How does climate change factor into the regulator decision-making process?
Moderator:
Tyler Huebner, Commissioner, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Panel:
Sarah Freeman, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
Tremaine Phillips, Commissioner, Michigan Public Service Commission
Joseph Sullivan, Commissioner, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
1:00 – 1:10 Break
1:10 – 2:00 Panel: Paying for the Future: A discussion about who will pay for infrastructure upgrades.
Moderator:
Tom Content, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin
Panel:
Sarah Justus, Director of Construction, American Transmission Company
Eric Myers, Vice President, Transmission and Market Strategy, Ranger Power
Gordon Pietsch, Director of Transmission Planning and Compliance, Great River Energy
Jackie Winchester, Director of Engineering, Alliant Energy
2:00 Adjourn