Washington, D.C.  Patricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary for the Department’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE), announced today the 2010/2011 membership of the re-established Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC). The 27 Committee members announced today represent a diverse group that includes state government officials, industry executives, environmentalists, and consumer advocates.  The EAC will provide advice to the OE in carrying out its mission to modernize the Nation’s electricity infrastructure, and in implementing the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

“I am very pleased that the Electricity Advisory Committee membership includes so many of the Nation’s experts in electricity policy, planning and operations,” said Assistant Secretary Hoffman.  “The Department of Energy and my office will benefit greatly from the advice and counsel that we receive from this stellar executive-level advisory committee.  I look forward to working with the EAC on matters of critical importance to DOE and the Nation as we work to modernize the electricity grid, helping to enable a clean energy economy.”

The EAC will make recommendations on a wide range of policy and technical issues that affect electricity delivery.   These include challenges to smart grid deployments and integrating renewables into the grid; electricity-related research and development priorities; ways to enhance the benefits provided by the Nation’s transmission infrastructure; coordination between DOE, State and regional officials and the private sector on matters affecting electricity supply, demand, and reliability, including response to energy supply disruptions; and emerging issues.

The EAC, originally established in 2008, published three reports in 2008 and early 2009 on electricity supply adequacy, smart grid implementation and energy storage technology development. Many recommendations from these reports were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and are being implemented in DOE policies and programs under the Obama Administration.

Richard Cowart, Director and Principal of the Regulatory Assistance Project, will serve as Chair of the EAC, and Commissioner Lauren Azar of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission will serve as Vice Chair.  

The EAC's first meeting in 2010 will take place on October 29, 2010 in Arlington, Virginia.  All EAC meetings are open to the public.  . 

2010/2011 Members of the Electricity Advisory Committee are:

Richard Cowart
Director and Principal
Regulatory Assistance Project
EAC Chair

Honorable Lauren Azar
Commissioner
Wisconsin Public Service Commission
EAC Vice Chair

Guido Bartels
General Manager
Global Energy and Utilities
IBM

Rick Bowen
President-Energy
Alcoa

Fred Butler
Salmon Ventures LLC and
Commissioner (Ret.)
New Jersey Board of Public Utilities

Ralph Cavanagh
Co-Director, Energy Program
Natural Resources Defense Council

Lisa Crutchfield
Executive Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
National Grid USA

Honorable Robert Curry
Commissioner
New York State Public Service Commission

Jose Delgado
Executive Chairman (Ret.)
American Transmission Company

Roger Duncan
General Manager (Ret.)
Austin Energy

Robert Gramlich
Senior Vice President
American Wind Energy Association 

Honorable Dian Grueneich
Commissioner
California Public Utilities Commission

Michael Heyeck
Senior Vice President, Transmission
American Electric Power

Joseph Kelliher
Executive Vice President, Federal Regulatory Affairs
NextEra Energy, Inc.

Edward Krapels
Director
Anbaric Holdings

Barry Lawson
Manager, Power Delivery
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

Ralph Masiello
Senior Vice President, Power Systems Automation
KEMA

David Nevius
Senior Vice President
North American Electric Reliability Corporation

Irwin Popowsky
Consumer Advocate
Officer of Consumer Advocate of Pennsylvania

Wanda Reder
Vice President, Power Systems Services
S&C Electric Company

Brad Roberts
Executive Director
Electricity Storage Association

Honorable Tom Sloan
Representative
Kansas House of Representatives

Honorable Barry Smitherman
Chairman
Texas Public Utilities Commission

Richard Vague
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Energy Plus Holdings, Inc.

Mike Weedall
Vice President, Energy Efficiency
Bonneville Power Administration

Gordon van Welie
President and Chief Executive Officer
ISO New England, Inc.

Brian Wynne
President
Electric Drive Transportation Association

 

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