Beyond the Smart Grid: Challenges in the Electricity Markets
President Barack Obama has made it clear that transforming the U.S. economy from a fossil fuels-driven to a “green” economy based on domestic, renewable energy sources is a top priority for his administration. The electricity grid is an essential part of this modernization process. The “smart grid” has received considerable attention as well as substantial financing in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. However, electricity transmission and distribution systems remain highly fragmented and regionalized, supported by various owners, regulators, and operators. Major challenges exist around creating the appropriate governance mechanisms to develop our electricity infrastructure.
On September 11, the Brookings Institution’s Energy Security Initiative and Metropolitan Policy Program hosted a discussion on the challenges of modernizing the electricity grid. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff delivered a keynote address on the federal perspective. Following the chairman’s remarks, Charles Ebinger, senior fellow and director of the Energy Security Initiative, moderated a panel discussion on the governance issues in the electric transmission sector. Lynne Kiesling, senior lecturer at Northwestern University, moderated a panel discussion on the technological implementation and regulatory reforms necessary for the development of a national smart grid.
After each panel, participants took audience questions.
Agenda
Welcoming Remarks and Introduction
Moderator: Charles Ebinger
Senior Fellow and Director, Energy Security Initiative
Keynote Address
Jon Wellinghoff
Chairman, U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Panel 1: The Governance of National Transmission Lines
Moderator: Charles Ebinger
Senior Fellow and Director, Energy Security Initiative
Peter Huber
Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
Bill Gaines
Chief Executive Officer and Director of Utilities, Tacoma Power
Larry Mansueti
Director, State and Regional Assistance, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy
Charles Gray
Professor
Panel 2: Policy Reforms of the Electricity Distribution System
Moderator: Lynne Kiesling
Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, Northwestern University
Jeffrey Ross
Executive Vice President, GridPoint
Cheryl Hindes
Director, Customer Load and Settlement, Baltimore Gas and Electric
Lisa V. Wood
Executive Director, Institute for Electric Efficiency - The Edison Foundation
Richard Morgan
Director of Policy
Closing Remarks
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