The Answers To Hit Your Carbon Reduction Goals

April 12 - 14, 2021

Virtual

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Attendee Experience

The 2021 Virtual Experience

Utility Conference is exclusively for the busy utility professional responsible for distributed and renewable energy programs. They need answers from the community they trust.

This is an experience where peer-to-peer utility learning is emphasized and supported by subject matter experts.

Get the tools, experience and expertise to increase performance, innovation, and peer-to-peer collaboration as the energy system moves to a carbon-free future.

Utility thought leaders responsible for carbon reduction and grid modernization programs from across the U.S.
A utility-only community experience
Intense, collaborative learning with your peers

What’s new this year

Be the office legend

Bring all of your coworkers (the entire company if you want, no caps, no limits) for the cost of one in-person event registration.

Learn better in a team?

Let SEPA do the legwork so you can nail down takeaways and brainstorm with utility peers.

Make networking fun with pub-style trivia

Learn More

Agenda

All times shown are in Eastern Daylight Time.

Monday, April 12

Monday, April 12
Tuesday, April 13
Wednesday, April 14

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Incentivizing Innovation Through Thoughtful Regulation
The 2021 Utility Conference opening general session will feature a fireside chat with SEPA Managing Director, Janet Gail Besser. This discussion will investigate the challenges, opportunities, and realities of the shifting economics facing utilities, and the interstate wholesale power markets that serve them. The conversation will explore the role of distributed energy resources in transmission, the investment risk of fossil fuel assets, an analysis of recently implemented utility carbon reduction strategies, and much more.
- Janet Gail Besser
  
  Managing Director
  
  Smart Electric Power Alliance
  
  Moderator
- Allison Clements
  
  Commissioner
  
  FERC
  
  Speaker

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Quick talks
Aggregation of Customer-Sited Assets to Support The Grid & Customer's Goals
Presenter: Sangeeta Ranade, VP, Clean Energy Solutions, NYPA
NYPA is working to bring distributed resources such as solar, storage, and level 2 chargers to governmental and commercial customers across New York State. Sangeeta will share how NYPA's solution to aggregate government customer-sited assets helps to better support the grid and customer's goals.
Change Imperative: An Economywide View of Decarbonizing the Electric Sector
Presenter: Stephen Torres, Principal Manager, Climate Adaptation & Resilience Planning and Analytics, Southern California Edison
As other states adopt GHG reduction targets, electric utilities will need to understand how decarbonization in other sectors impact the electric sector, the impact of these new loads in hourly demand, and how to integrate higher level of renewables to meet states' GHG reduction goals. Stephen Torres will discuss how SCE utilized economy-wide GHG reduction pathways to support their role in decarbonizing the economy in California.
- Stephen Torres
  
  Principal Manager, Climate Adaptation & Resilience Planning and Analytics
  
  Southern California Edison
  
  Speaker
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
What a Long Strange Year it's Been: Navigating Uncertainty to Create a More Resilient Utility
After the initial shock in March 2020, utilities faced significant, and urgent, internal challenges to maintain services for customers. Today, successful utilities have turned these challenges into opportunities and led with exceptional courage and compassion.
- Chris Schroeder
  
  Vice President, Strategic Solutions
  
  Smart Electric Power Alliance
  
  Moderator
- Jenell McKay
  
  Policy & Strategy Manager, Advanced Clean Technology
  
  San Diego Gas & Electric
  
  Speaker
- Josh Gould
  
  Director of Innovation
  
  Duquesne Light
  
  Speaker
- Rebecca Tolene
  
  Vice President, Environment
  
  Tennessee Valley Authority
  
  Speaker
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Integrated Distribution Planning: Strategy Stories from Peers
Growing DER adoption and electrification, coupled with an unprecedented number and magnitude of natural disasters have highlighted significant challenges to current distribution system capabilities and planning processes. Several state clean energy mandates and grid modernization processes have driven increased movement towards integrated distribution planning (IDP). Panelists will share their experiences in different phases of investigation and implementation and execution of IDP plans.
- Ben Ealey
  
  Principal, Grid Integration
  
  Smart Electric Power Alliance
  
  Moderator
- Lavelle Freeman
  
  Director of Distribution System Planning
  
  Eversource
  
  Speaker
- Susan Mora-Schrader
  
  Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives
  
  Exelon Utilities
  
  Speaker
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Is Stakeholder Engagement Zooming Along?
How do you continue to develop pilots, programs, and other customer offerings, when in-person convenings are impossible? Dig into opportunities, lessons learned, and best practices from utilities who are setting the bar for virtual stakeholder engagement.
- Kate Strickland
  
  Manager, Industry Strategy
  
  Smart Electric Power Alliance
  
  Moderator
- Mary C Palmer
  
  Environmental Program Coordinator
  
  Austin Energy
  
  Speaker
- Rachel Huang
  
  Director, Energy Strategy, Research and Development
  
  SMUD
  
  Speaker
- Brian Schuster
  
  Director, Customer and Community Engagement
  
  National Grid
  
  Speaker
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Equitable Program Design for a Carbon-Free Future
Maximizing participation in clean energy programs and initiatives is a group effort. This session will discuss how the emPOWER campaign became a scalable model for addressing the needs of low-to-moderate-income customers and improving access to environmental benefit programs in California.
- Ben Russak
  
  Director, Public Partnerships
  
  Liberty Hill Foundation
  
  Speaker
- Tom Knox
  
  Executive Director
  
  Valley Clean Air Now
  
  Speaker
- Michelle Nuttall
  
  Sr. Advisor, Energy Equity & Access Policy
  
  Southern California Edison
  
  Moderator
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
The Tale of 2222: Emerging Technologies and Wholesale Markets
DERs are rapidly changing the way the grid is managed. This session will investigate the impacts of growing DER adoption on overall utility performance both at the circuit level and in different applications from high-density feeders to rural circuits. Our panel of experts will discuss emerging regulatory and technological advances, including cluster studies, performance metrics, the proliferation of dispatchable smart inverters, and FERC Order 2222.
- Lee Hall
  
  Smart Grid Program Manager
  
  Bonneville Power Administration
  
  Moderator
- Anja Gilbert
  
  Principal, Integrated Grid Planning and Innovation
  
  PG&E
  
  Speaker
- Henry Yoshimura
  
  Director, Demand Resource Strategy
  
  ISO-NE
  
  Speaker

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Quicktalks
The State of Utility Low-Income Solar
Presenters: Jared Leader, Senior Manager, Research and Industry Strategy and Ravi Malhotra, Founder and President, ICAST
SEPA and ICAST will present recent research highlighting the latest utility and state actions on reducing utility costs for low-income communities through solar PV and discuss how solar PV and community solar programs can help with housing affordability for low-income populations. SEPA is a partner on ICAST's U.S. DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) supported initiative, Project Sunlight, which seeks to provide solar PV access to low-income customers and develop a cost-effective approach to scale these projects.
Non-Wires Alternatives: A Look at Eversource’s Screening Framework
Presenter: Gerhard Walker, Principal Engineer, Eversource
Gerhard Walker will share insights from Eversource's NWA Screening Framework that looks at a broad portfolio of NWA options, both from a technical and a financial standpoint.
- Gerhard Walker
  
  Principal Engineer
  
  Eversource
  
  Speaker
- Jared Leader
  
  Senior Manager, Research and Industry Strategy
  
  SEPA
  
  Speaker
- Ravi Malhotra
  
  Founder and President
  
  ICAST
  
  Speaker
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
A Clean and Modern Transition: Ensuring the Table is Set for What Comes Next
Customers and external stakeholders are hungry for what comes next with a clean and modern grid. However, effectively managing that transition is a challenge for utility leadership and their teams. How can you set the table today by thoughtfully implementing carbon reduction and grid modernization plans that will ensure a sustainable and reliable system down the road? Start off your last day of Utility Conference with an appetite for solutions!
- Jolene Thompson
  
  President and Chief Executive Officer
  
  American Municipal Power, Inc.
  
  Speaker
- Luis A. Reyes
  
  Chief Executive Officer
  
  Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc.
  
  Speaker
- Sharon Allan
  
  Chief Strategy Officer
  
  Smart Electric Power Alliance
  
  Moderator
- Mary Kipp
  
  President
  
  Puget Sound Energy
  
  Speaker
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
The Customer is Always Right: Tailoring Solutions With Renewable Energy Products
For buyers small and large, purchasing clean energy isn’t one size fits all. Utilities can utilize renewable energy products as a bespoke option for meeting customers’ clean energy needs and goals. This session will compare different solutions from across the country.
- Chris Hansen
  
  VP, Origination and Renewables
  
  Tennessee Valley Authority
  
  Speaker
- Heather Mulligan
  
  Manager, Customer Clean Energy Products
  
  Puget Sound Energy
  
  Moderator
- Kevin Brannan
  
  Manager, DER Products and Services
  
  Evergy
  
  Speaker
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Achieving Municipal and Transit Agency Electrification Goals
Municipalities and transit agencies across the country are rapidly adopting clean transportation goals. This session will cover strategic approaches to help these entities achieve their goals, including charging infrastructure and utilizing microgrids, energy storage, and grid energy services.
- Fabio Mantovani
  
  VP, e-Mobility
  
  New York Power Authority
  
  Speaker
- Garrett Fitzgerald
  
  Principal, Electrification
  
  Smart Electric Power Alliance
  
  Moderator
- Jordan Smith
  
  Consulting Engineer
  
  SCE
  
  Speaker
- Yamen Nanne
  
  Electric Transportation Program Manager
  
  LADWP
  
  Speaker
- Sejal Shah
  
  Senior Program Manager
  
  National Grid
  
  Speaker
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Deliberate Collaboration: Building the Utility of the Future at the Expense of None
Aggressive state and local carbon reduction goals have led to increased renewable generation and transmission assets, many of which need to be sited on land under the stewardship of proactive community leadership. How can utilities collaborate, and not compete, with these communities? This session will identify how PNM successfully transitioned to a culture of thoughtful, deliberate collaboration with 23 sovereign tribal nations across the state to partner for the effective stewardship of the environment to the benefit of all parties.
- Cathy Newby
  
  Director, Tribal Government and Customer Engagement
  
  Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM)
  
  Speaker
- Max Zuni
  
  Former Governor
  
  Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico
  
  Speaker
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
Unique Pairings: Rate Design for a Carbon-Free Future
Concerned about developing modern utility pricing solutions that accelerate carbon reduction efforts? This unique session will investigate recent efforts to renovate rate design to support carbon reduction efforts. Get ready to challenge your pre-existing assumptions!
- Lon Huber
  
  Vice President, Rate Design and Strategic Solutions
  
  Duke Energy Corporation
  
  Moderator
- Margot Everett
  
  Director, Energy, Sustainability and Infrastructure
  
  Guidehouse
  
  Speaker
- Nick Brown
  
  City Energy Manager
  
  City of Phoenix
  
  Speaker

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Top Speakers

Lon Huber

Vice President, Rate Design and Strategic Solutions, Duke Energy Corporation

Lon Huber

Lon Huber is a Vice President at Duke Energy overseeing the development and implementation of pricing and strategic solutions for the collection of over $22 billion in regulated revenue per year. Responding to changing customer needs, Lon is tasked with the development of new innovative electric rate designs in all jurisdictions of Duke Energy. Lon works to create new customer centric product bundles by leading the company’s demand side management and energy efficiency strategy as well as customer renewable strategy.
Lon also heads Duke’s Regulated Wholesale Portfolio consisting of 7.6 GW of contracts and over $2 billion revenue. Lon’s team structures all renewable QF contracts, which in the North Carolina consists of the nation’s second largest state portfolio of solar, second only to California. Finally, his team supports Duke’s generation procurement, helping Duke transition its 53 GW fleet to net zero by 2050.
Lon has received numerous awards for his creative solutions to the electricity industry’s most pressing issues, including the top honor from the Energy Storage Association as well as Utility Dive’s Innovator of the Year award.

Luis Reyes

CEO & General Manager, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Luis Reyes

Mr. Luis Reyes has been Chief Executive Officer and General Manager at Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KCEC) since 1993. KCEC’s solar fleet serves 10% of capacity. KCEC has undertaken constructing a Solar Deployment Plan in 2017. Solar energy will account for approximately 40% of KCEC’s energy needs to serve its current and future member’s loads. KCEC’s goal is to be able to build to approximately 100% of KCEC’s daily electrical energy needs by 2023 by utilizing solar electric generation capacity in approximately 1 MW facilities located in various locations around KCEC’s service territory.

Jolene Thompson

President and Chief Executive Officer, AMP

Jolene Thompson

Jolene Thompson was named AMP President/CEO in 2020. She has been with AMP since 1990, having most recently served as executive vice president of member services and external affairs where she provided oversight of AMP’s government relations, communications, technical services, environmental affairs, sustainability initiatives, risk, insurance, strategic planning and member programs, including North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) compliance activities. She also serves as the general manager of the Municipal Energy Services Agency (MESA).

Thompson, active nationally, serves as chair of the American Public Power Association (APPA) Board of Directors and as a member of the executive committee. She is a member of the Boards of The Energy Authority (TEA) and Large Public Power Council (LPPC). Thompson was previously a member of the Transmission Access Policy Study (TAPS) Group Board of Directors, where she served on the executive committee and as chair of the legislative committee. She previously chaired the APPA Advisory and Legislative and Resolutions committees and sat on the Consumer Federation of America Board of Directors.

Thompson is a recipient of APPA’s Harold Kramer-John Preston Personal Service Award and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Otterbein University. She served as the executive director of the Ohio Municipal Electric Association (OMEA) from 1997-2020. Thompson led the environmental permitting and public relations teams that worked on AMP generation projects in multiple states. She directed the successful launch of the $26-million Efficiency Smart program for AMP members, and has overseen major human resource and benefit program updates. Throughout her career, Thompson has worked closely with AMP members and advocated with state and federal policymakers on behalf of AMP and public power.

In February 2020, the AMP Board of Trustees named Thompson to replace long-time AMP President and CEO Marc Gerken, PE, following his retirement.

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