SEPA to Hold Public Meeting on Future of D.C. Energy System

June 27 Technical Conference Kicks Off Phase 1 of MEDSIS

Media contact: K Kaufmann, [email protected], 202.379.1637

WASHINGTON, DC – The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) has announced a Technical Conference as part of the District of Columbia Public Service Commission’s (DCPSC) Modernizing the Energy Delivery System for Increased Sustainability (MEDSIS) Initiative.

The DCPSC launched MEDSIS in 2015 with the goal of ensuring the nation’s capital has a modern, efficient and equitable energy system, as laid out in the initiative’s vision statement:

“The District of Columbia’s modern energy delivery system must be sustainable, well-planned, encourage distributed energy resources, and preserve the financial health of the energy distribution utilities in a manner that results in an energy delivery system that is safe and reliable, secure, affordable, interactive, and non-discriminatory.”

The meeting agenda includes breakout sessions specifically aimed at gathering input from attendees. SEPA is reaching out to a broad range of stakeholders — utilities, businesses, nonprofits, community groups and the media —  to ensure all voices and perspectives are included.

“The MEDSIS Initiative clearly establishes Washington, D.C. as a leader in the U.S. energy transition, and SEPA is excited to work with the Public Service Commission and stakeholders across the region,” said Sharon Allan, Chief Innovation Officer. “We will be drawing on our work with utilities and regulators across the country to focus on the integration of a broad range of distributed energy resources — solar, storage, electric vehicles and demand response — and ensure these technologies benefit all D.C. residents, businesses and other organizations.”

The DCPSC has contracted with SEPA to coordinate and manage the first two phases of MEDSIS, including the Phase 1 Technical Conference. The goals of this daylong event are to (1) determine the scope and appropriateness of a system assessment of D.C.’s energy delivery system and (2) identify the working groups needed to proceed with Phase 2.

In Phase 2, these working groups will create a framework and guidelines for implementing MEDSIS Pilot Projects, which will be financed through the $21.5 million fund established as a condition of the Pepco-Exelon merger. Potential working groups include Pilot Projects, Non-Wire Alternatives (NWAs), Utility Distribution Integration Resource Planning (DIRP), Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Consumer Protections.

To attend the Technical Conference, please RSVP. Following registration, you will receive additional information on the event.

For background on MEDSIS, visit the initiative’s website.