America’s consumers have now suffered ten years of misguided experimentation with electricity deregulation. Residential, commercial, and industrial consumers share unprecedented concerns over the price, reliability, and sustainability of their electricity systems.

Electricity prices must be fair. These prices should reflect prudent investment decisions that produce economically efficient and environmentally sound service. Consumers increasingly question whether deregulation has delivered on the promises made by its adherents a decade ago. Deregulation advocates urge regulators to stay the course, but consumer experience with deregulation suggests it is time to change course.

The Take Back the Power Conference will address the reasons deregulation has failed to live up to its promise. Experts on state and federal energy policy will propose legal, legislative, and regulatory reforms to ensure delivery of reliable and cost-effective electricity to consumers.

The Take Back the Power Conference has been organized by consumer, labor, public power and industry advocates, including the following supporting organizations:
-Citizen Power
-Democracy and Regulation
-McCullough Research
-Public Citizen
-Tellus Institute
-TURN
-The Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO

Registration is closed. If you are interested in attending, please email .




“Take Back the Power” Conference
Monday, February 26, 2007
National Press Club Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street, NW, 13th Floor
Washington D.C.


Conference Attendees

 

8:30 a.m.

Welcome and Introduction
Tyson Slocum, Director, Public Citizen’s Energy Program

Restructuring: The Big Picture
Marilyn Showalter, Executive Director, Power in the Public Interest (View Presentation)

9:00 a.m.

THE FAILED ECONOMICS OF DEREGULATION

Why Deregulation Never Could Have Worked
Dr. Richard Rosen, Senior Fellow, Tellus Institute (View Presentation,View Report)

Do Competition and Electricity Mix?
John Kelly, Director of Economics and Research, American Public Power Association (View Presentation)

Global Status of Electricity Liberalization
Steve Thomas, Professor of Energy Policy, Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), Business School, University of Greenwich (View Presentation)

10:30 a.m.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Richard Blumenthal, Attorney General, State of Connecticut (View Presentation)

Introduction by
Carl Wood, Former California Public Utility Commissioner

11:00 a.m.

LIGHTS OUT?: DEREGULATION’S EFFECT ON RELIABILITY

What Determines the Reliability of a Power System
Jack Casazza, President, American Education Institute (View Presentation)

Deregulation’s Effect on Labor and Reliability
Jim Hunter, Utilities Director, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (View Presentation)

11:45 a.m.

THE DEREGULATION DISASTER: STATES PAYING THE PRICE

An Educational and Legislative Overview of State Retail Activity
Kenneth Rose, Independent Consultant (View Presentation)

Tall Tales of Texas IV: The Big Lie Continues
Janee Briesemeister, Senior Legislative Representative, AARP (View Presentation)

Failure of Retail Choice in Pennsylvania and Ohio
David Hughes, Executive Director, Citizen Power

1:00 p.m.

NETWORKING LUNCHEON - First Amendment Room

2:00 p.m.

SENDING A MESSAGE TO FERC: OPTIONS FOR FEDERAL REFORMS
Moderator: David Mohre, Executive Director, Energy & Environmental Division, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Panelists:
Lynn Hargis, Energy Attorney, Public Citizen (View Presentation)
Marty Howard, Consultant to McCullough Research (View Presentation)

3:30 p.m.

THE PROSPECTS OF RE-REGULATION: OPTIONS FOR STATE-LEVEL REFORMS
Moderator: Jerrold Oppenheim, Counsel, Democracy and Regulation (View Presentation)

Panelists:
Representative Vickie Orsini Nardello, Deputy Majority Whip and Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Technology, Connecticut House of Representatives (View Presentation)
Bill Julian, Retired, Former Legal Advisor and Legislative Director, California Public Utilities Commission (View Presentation)
Senator Brian Frosh, Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, Maryland General Assembly
Donna Ginther, Manager, State Legislative Program, AARP Illinois (View Presentation)

4:45 p.m.

Review and Closing Remarks
Tyson Slocum, Public Citizen

5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

RECEPTION - First Amendment Room
Hosted by Citizen Power