Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz to Speak on Campus

EVENT: Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz will kick off a day-long discussion of the electricity system in Texas on Monday, May 9, with an address on the UT Austin campus speaking to participants in the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER) Task Force.

WHEN: 8:30-9:30 a.m., Monday, May 9. The task force meeting runs from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

WHERE: Avaya Auditorium (POB 2.302), Peter O’Donnell, Jr. Applied Computational Engineering and Sciences Building, 201 E 24th St, Austin, Texas.

WHO MAY ATTEND: The event is open to the public.

BACKGROUND: Moniz, a physicist who has served as secretary of energy for the past three years, will discuss the diversity of the U.S. electricity system, including varying resource mixes, state policies, and a variety of other factors, with particular focus on the Texas market.

Following his remarks, experts representing Texas’ electric grid operator, city owned utilities, rural electric co-ops, competitive electricity providers, and others will discuss trends and challenges relating to the provision of electric service in Texas.

• 8:30-9:30 a.m.: Opening Remarks by Secretary Moniz and USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Lillian Salerno

• 9:30-10:45 a.m.: Panel 1- Bulk Power Generation and Transmission: How Can We Plan, Build, and Operate the Appropriate Amount for Future Needs?

• 10:45 a.m.-noon: Panel 2 – Electricity Distribution and End Use: How Do We Manage Challenges and Opportunities?

• Noon-1 p.m.: Lunch

• 1:00-2:15 p.m.: Panel 3 – New Technologies and Actors in the Grid Edge Space

• 2:15: Public Comment Period

The public stakeholder meeting is part of the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), an integrated study of the U.S. electricity system. The Austin meeting covers Texas and its electricity grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. A background memo and more information on the meeting are available at http://energy.gov/epsa/quadrennial-energy-review-stakeholder-engagement.

FULL EVENT AGENDA:

Opening Remarks:

• Secretary Ernest Moniz
• Mayor of Austin Steve Adler
• University of Texas Vice President for Research Daniel Jaffe
• USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Lillian Salerno

Panel 1: Bulk Power Generation and Transmission: How Can We Plan, Build, and Operate the Appropriate Amount for Future Needs?

• Cheryl Mele, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
• Cris Eugster, Group Executive Vice President and Chief Generation & Strategy Officer, CPS Energy
• Mark Schwirtz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Golden Spread Electric Cooperative
• Franklin Maduzia, Associate Commercial Director – Energy, The Dow Chemical Company
• Dr. Michael Webber, Deputy Director of the Energy Institute, Co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator, Josey Centennial Fellow in Energy Resources, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering , The University of Texas at Austin

Panel 2: Electricity Distribution and End Use: How Do We Manage Challenges and Opportunities?

• Mark Carpenter, Senior Vice President, Transmission & Distribution Operations, Oncor
• John Hewa, Chief Executive Officer, Pedernales Electric Cooperative
• Phil Williams, General Manager, Denton Municipal Electric
• Jennifer Smith, Executive Director, Congregation Beth Israel
• Tonya Baer, Public Counsel, Texas Office of Public Utility Counsel
• Michelle Foss, Chief Energy Economist, University of Texas at Austin

Panel 3: New Technologies and Actors in the Grid Edge Space

• Brewster McCracken, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pecan Street Inc.
• Deborah Kimberly, Vice President, Customer Energy Solutions, Austin Energy
• Doug Lewin, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Market Development, CLEAResult
• Jim Steffes, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Direct Energy
• Matthew Lynch, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Bractlet