California ISO Stakeholder Symposium is fast approaching

By Joanne Serina, VP, Stakeholder Engagement and Customer Experience |

The California ISO Stakeholder Symposium is fast approaching and is set for Nov. 9 and 10 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in downtown Sacramento. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted our plans for a 2020 Symposium, it has now been four years since we were able to bring stakeholders together in this setting, so we are excited to again host the ISO’s signature event this year.

A lot has happened in the industry since our last gathering, which gives us an excellent opportunity for a robust discussion on a number of relevant and timely topics, including the emerging Extended Day-Ahead Market, the regulatory and transmission infrastructure needed for deeper regional coordination and the technological breakthroughs envisioned to achieve a decarbonized grid.

The ISO’s President and CEO, Elliot Mainzer, will kick off the event by welcoming stakeholders with an introduction and a look at the ISO’s refreshed strategic plan that sets the 5-year roadmap for the ISO and supports its vision of operating the world’s most reliable, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable power system.

Elliot will then convene a roundtable of leaders from across the West to discuss the Extended Day-Ahead Market, accomplishments of the past year, challenges and obstacles that must be overcome and the success benchmarks we hope to achieve.

We look forward to a robust discussion and hearing various perspectives from these special guest speakers:

  • Stefan Bird, President and CEO, PacifiCorp
  • Lisa Grow, President and CEO, Idaho Power
  • Jim Shetler, General Manager, Balancing Authority of Northern California (BANC)
  • Debra Smith, CEO and General Manager, Seattle City Light
  • Caroline Winn, CEO, San Diego Gas and Electric
  • Steve Powell, President and CEO, Southern California Edison; and
  • Martin Adams, General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

As the topic of governance and regional collaboration among Western state policymakers continues to evolve, we will bring together key state leaders from across the region to discuss market design, governance structure and the level of regulatory collaboration that will be needed to effectively leverage resources across the West.

That will lead us into a discussion about the innovations needed to achieve a regional transmission landscape with experts who will identify potential solutions to the transmission impasse and how we will untangle the wires to establish a robust transmission system for the future.

Guests will also hear from Senator Chris Brooks of Nevada and Senator Chris Hansen of Colorado for a special moderated discussion on their roles and vision in shaping policy for the global energy industry.

The second day of the program will feature the ISO’s COO, Mark Rothleder, who will discuss key operational findings from the recent heat wave events and highlight areas of focus that will be needed to maintain reliability for the future.

We will also feature a panel of speakers representing various customer and stakeholder sectors who will discuss key opportunities and challenges in engaging with the ISO as it evolves its energy market and expands the customer base.

Lastly, we are pleased to bring together several key experts who will discuss the technological breakthroughs that will be needed to achieve a decarbonized grid from long-duration storage to offshore wind and other innovative clean-energy solutions.

Over the last decade, the California ISO Stakeholder Symposium has evolved into one of the largest gatherings of energy professionals in the West, drawing top leaders and advocates from energy-related sectors nationwide. In 2018, the event drew more than 800 attendees from the energy, technology financial and legal sectors along with key policymakers and legislators. To connect with the diverse audience attending this year’s Symposium, the ISO is again offering sponsorship opportunities for companies interested in maximizing their brand exposure.

We are pleased to have our Platinum level sponsors, AES, Buchalter, NextEra and Pattern participate in the program as our networking event sponsors. If you are interested in a company sponsorship, you can find more information on our Become a sponsor webpage.

As we put the finishing touches on the Symposium, we are looking forward to presenting an interesting and engaging program for our attendees. I am also personally eager to reconnect face to face with many of the ISO’s stakeholders, colleagues and friends as we finally get to come together again for this much anticipated event.

If you have not registered yet, secure your spot by going to the ISO’s Stakeholder Symposium website to register and also find out more details about the agenda, speakers and opportunities to become a sponsor.

I look forward to seeing you November 9th and 10th!

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