2020 CUB Policy Conference: Registration Opens September 2
Posted on August 27, 2020 by Amelia Lamb
Tags, Energy, Telecommunications, Conference & Events
Registration is now open for the 2020 CUB Policy Conference, Finding Hope: Improving our Energy Systems in the Age of COVID-19!
Taking place on Friday, October 16, this 10th anniversary CUB conference will be our first to be hosted online in a virtual format. The CUB Policy Conference is designed to educate energy and utility policy analysts, attorneys, advocates, regulators, and others working in and around the energy industry. CUB plans to apply for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits for this event from the Bar Associations of Oregon and Washington.
We are pleased to announce that the day’s agenda will be kicked off with live opening remarks from Oregon Governor Kate Brown. Following will be a presentation from CUB Executive Director Bob Jenks, who will then moderate what has become our traditional opening panel, The View From the Top: A Conversation with NW Utility CEOs. The energy sector was already undergoing profound change when the pandemic hit. While we are in one of the worst economic collapses in modern history, utilities are still seeking to modernize their systems. Many customers still want greater control over their energy supply. Stakeholders and regulators are continuing to grapple with what it means to be a regulated utility in the age of the climate imperative. COVID-19 also underscores the vital need to address equity and affordability.
Discussion by NW utility CEOs on these dynamics will be framed by two overarching questions that, in turn, will also frame the rest of the day:
- What are current or near term realities and challenges due to COVID-19?
- What are future or longer term opportunities and challenges due to the intersection of COVID-19 and the imperative to meet decarbonization goals?
Our second panel of the day is entitled A Once-In-A-Century Crisis Requires Once-in-A-Century Solutions for Customers. The public health and economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic is historically unique. Many residents, particularly in communities of color and low-income households, have fallen into financial crisis. This panel will explore the connection between utility services and economic security through the lens of customer protection policy responses in Oregon and other states. Has Oregon met the challenge of protecting customers in the initial aftermath of this once-in-a-century crisis with agility and innovative solutions? Where and why have we failed and succeeded? Given the likelihood of slow recovery, how long will economic security measures be needed? Are we sufficiently prepared to respond to the immediate impacts of the next crisis?
After a lunch break, CUB will convene representatives of Oregon’s regulatory agencies to discuss Implementing the Oregon Climate Action Plan, Executive Order 20-04, which Governor Brown issued in March 2020. More information on this special panel conversation is coming soon.
Our final panel discussion will focus on Moving Forward: Beyond Restoring the Status Quo. On March 8, Governor Brown issued Executive Order No. 20-04 directing the PUC and several other state agencies to take decarbonization actions. Shortly thereafter, as COVID-19’s public health impacts were becoming clearer, Governor Brown issued the Stay Home, Save Lives order on March 23. The economic impact of the pandemic will be long-lasting with significant challenges to rebuilding our economy and employment levels. Pre-existing needs to address equity and affordability have increased. At the same time, we cannot wait to decarbonize given the long life of utility investments and the urgent need to address climate change. Equity, affordability, and decarbonization must not be viewed as conflicting goals. How do we move beyond the status quo and emerge from the pandemic with an energy system that is more equitable, clean, efficient, customer friendly, and resilient?
Sponsorship packages are available at a variety of levels; for information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Deputy Director Janice Thompson at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). CUB is grateful to our sponsors for their generous support of this event, particularly Polar Bear Sponsors NW Natural and Portland General Electric, Grizzly Bear sponsor Avista Utilities, and Media sponsor Clearing Up.
Visit the 2020 CUB Conference website for more information on our sponsors, the day’s agenda, and how to register. And stay tuned to the CUB blog for coming updates, including in-depth previews of all three panel discussions! For convenient CUB conference updates right in your inbox, sign up for our Policy Conference email list. You can also find CUB Conference updates on Twitter at #CUBCon20.
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09/11/20 | 0 Comments | 2020 CUB Policy Conference: Registration Opens September 2