Wednesday, September 30, 2015
University of Missouri - Columbia, MO
Event Link:
The focus of Symposium 2015 is utility infrastructure and the challenges associated with its replacement and modernization, the extent to which resiliency and sufficiency exists within the utility industries, and how to design more effective regulatory or business models.
In addition to the below three panels, the Symposium will also feature a CEO Panel. The confirmed panelists are Lynn Good, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy and Pierce Norton, II, president and chief executive officer of ONE Gas, Inc., and Susan Story, president and chief executive officer of American Water.
Panel I will examine issues associated with the modernization and replacement of utility physical infrastructure. Included in this discussion will be topics such as the cost recovery of new investment, technological innovation and modernization, mandated environmental investments, and the nature and extent of new infrastructure needs.
Panel II will focus on the resiliency and sufficiency of utility infrastructure for the 21st century. Topics addressed in this panel include the ability of the infrastructure to respond to disruptions originating from a variety of factors, the challenges of physical and cyber security, the reliability and sufficiency of existing infrastructure relative to projected demand growth, and the impact of emerging technologies.
Panel III is intended to be an integrative panel with its emphasis on how changes in utility business models and regulatory practices can lead to solutions for many infrastructure challenges. The discussion of business practices will examine how best to attract the investment capital necessary for infrastructure modernization or replacement while considering consumer affordability and access. This panel will also examine how changes in regulatory processes, policies, and procedures can stimulate a more capable, resilient, and efficient utility infrastructure.