CPES ADDS PROFESSIONAL ENERGY FINANCIAL INSIGHT TO THEIR BOARD
Carolyn Morrison, Webster Bank, Joins as CPES Board Member
Hartford, CT (July 1, 2016) – Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) welcomed new Board Member Carolyn Morrison (Webster Bank, Waterbury, Connecticut) during their June meeting held at the Courtyard Marriott, Cromwell, Connecticut.
“Not only are we excited to have Carolyn’s interest and enthusiasm on our Board, we are thrilled that she will be able to provide insight on the financing challenges and opportunities for energy projects,” said Joey Lee Miranda, CPES President and Partner at Robinson + Cole.
Carolyn has worked in commercial banking in Connecticut for twenty years. The last five years have been focused on the energy sector, including project finance for:
- Utility scale solar and wind (Vermont, Connecticut and Maine)
- Distributed generation – solar, fuel cells, CHP (CT and New York)
- Residential solar lease portfolio (Connecticut)
She is a graduate (BA and MBA) of University of Connecticut.
A diverse panel with different interests in shared clean energy will shed light on legislation adopted this session allowing the state to move forward with shared clean energy facilities.
Panelists:
- Katie Scharf Dykes, Deputy Commissioner for Energy at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP)
- Roddy Diotalevi, Senior Director – Sales & Marketing at UIL Holdings
- Jamie Howland, Director, Climate and Energy Analysis Center & Director, Energy Efficiency and Demand Side Initiative, Acadia Center
- Moderator: Eric Johnson, Director of External Affairs, ISO-New England and CPES Vice President
Click here for link to download presentations and link to draft DEEP RFP.
23rd Annual New England Energy Conference & Exposition:
Powering New England’s Evolution in the 21st Century
On May 10-11, 2016, the Northeast Energy and Commerce Association (NECA) and the Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) hosted more than 250 attendees at the 23rd Annual New England Energy Conference & Exposition at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel in North Falmouth, Massachusetts.
The conference began the evening of May 10 with an inspiring keynote address from Sara Burns, President and Chief Executive Officer of Central Maine Power Company.
Panel I
On May 11, the conference opened with a roundtable discussion on New England’s Energy Balancing Act. David O’Connor, Senior Vice President for Energy of ML Strategies, LLC, moderated a panel of energy industry representatives including Anne George, Vice President of External Affairs & Corporate Communications for ISO New England; Camilo Serna, Vice President of Strategic Planning & Policy for Eversource Energy; Dan Dolan, President of the New England Power Generators Association; and Rebecca Tepper, Deputy Chief of the Energy and Environment Bureau for the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. The discussion centered around the challenges facing New England and the solutions proposed by the region to address those challenges.
Anne George spoke of the dramatic shift toward natural gas-fired generation over the last 15 years and the significant number of new gas-fired generators looking to interconnect to the system. When asked about the most pressing challenge facing the region, George pointed to the balancing of public policy objectives with the administration of competitive wholesale electricity markets in New England.
Camilo Serna identified inadequate natural gas infrastructure as the region’s greatest challenge, pointing to the Access Northeast pipeline expansion project as a potential solution to that problem. He also discussed the challenge of meeting the region’s clean energy goals without imposing too many costs on electric ratepayers. He supported a diverse portfolio of resources to achieve these goals, including large-scale hydropower from Eastern Canada and other cost-effective clean energy resources. Dan Dolan discussed turnover in New England’s generation fleet and the resources that stand ready and willing to replace those that are retiring. He noted that more than 1,400 MW of new generation cleared in the most recent Forward Capacity Auction out of more than 6,000 MW of new resources that qualified to participate in the auction. Rebecca Tepper spoke of the region’s thriving wholesale electricity market, which is producing some of the most cost-effective resources in the country. She said that the Attorney General’s Office has not been supportive of out-of-market solutions, like funding natural gas pipeline expansion projects through electric ratepayers. This risky and untested plan, she said, is being challenged in the Massachusetts court system.
Panel II
The day continued with a panel discussion on Restructured Energy Markets and the Grid of the Future: Can They Work Together?
Kathleen Kelly, Principal Consultant and Vice President of Consulting Operations for Daymark Energy Advisors moderated a panel of energy industry representatives including Leah Gibbons, Director of Regulatory Affairs for NRG Energy; David Littell, Principal for the Regulatory Assistance Project; Tim Roughan, Director of Energy and Environmental Policy for National Grid; and Micah Remley, Senior Vice President of Product for EnerNOC, Inc. 
Panelists discussed the innovative, value-added products and services available to customers to give them greater control over their energy usage and the regulatory structures that are needed to deploy these products and services on a larger scale.
Lunch Keynote
Attendees took a break for lunch, where they heard from keynote speaker Stephen Whitley, former President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York ISO. Whitley spoke of his experiences working for Tennessee Valley Authority, ISO New England, and the New York ISO. He said that some his greatest challenges involved the issue of energy infrastructure.
Panels IIIA and IIIB
Two panels were offered in the afternoon, including Cutting Carbon: Stop or Step on the Gas and Energy of Tomorrow: Not Your Mother’s Centralized Power Plant! They featured the following speakers and perspectives:
Panel IIIA: Cutting Carbon: Stop or Step on the Gas
MODERATOR:
Shaela McNulty Collins, Senior Counsel, Regulatory, NiSource/Columbia Gas of Massachusetts
POLICY PERSPECTIVE:
Tracy Babbidge, Bureau Chief, Energy and Technology Policy, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
GAS GENERATION PERSPECTIVE:
Daniel Allegretti, Vice President, State Government Affairs, East, Exelon Corporation
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION PERSPECTIVE:
David Ismay, Clean Energy and Climate Change Staff Attorney, Conservation Law Foundation
PIPELINE PERSPECTIVE:
Tom Kiley, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northeast Gas Association
Panel IIIB: Energy of Tomorrow: Not Your Mother’s Centralized Power Plant!
MODERATOR:
Janet Gail Besser, Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs, NECEC
STORAGE:
Sean Becker, President, SparkPlug Power
OFFSHORE WIND:
Matthew Morrissey, Managing Director, Offshore Wind: Massachusetts
DISTRIBUTED GENERATION:
Matt Cinadr, Project Manager, SourceOne
TOOLS TO MANAGE THE ENERGY FUTURE:
Kerrick Johnson, Vice President, Vermont Electric Power Company
Wrap-Up Session
The final session of the day included leaders from each of the six New England states including Paul Roberti, Commissioner of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission; Mark Vannoy, Chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission; Michael Caron, Commissioner of the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority; Jolette Westbrook, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities; Christopher Recchia, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service; and Donald Kreis, Consumer Advocate for the New Hampshire Office of Consumer Advocate.
The panelists provided their thoughts on developments taking place within their respective states and around the region, including energy efficiency investment, renewable energy development, grid modernization, and natural gas pipeline expansion.
On April 13, 2016, the Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) heard from representatives of the natural gas industry on infrastructure projects progressing within Connecticut and throughout New England.
Left to Right:
Michael Dirrane, Steve Leahy, Cynthia Armstrong, Gregg Therrien, Robert Perless, Chris Luca
As background, moderator Stephen Leahy, Vice President of Policy & Analysis for the Northeast Gas Association, explained that there are five interstate natural gas pipelines serving New England: (1) the Algonquin Gas Transmission Pipeline, (2) the Tennessee Gas Pipeline, (3) the Iroquois Gas Transmission System, (4) the Portland Natural Gas Transmission System, and (5) the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline. There are also several liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities serving the region, including Distrigas in Everett, Massachusetts and Canaport in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Michael Dirrane, Director of Marketing for Spectra Energy, discussed the infrastructure projects in progress and proposed along the Algonquin and Maritimes transmission systems, including the Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) project, the Atlantic Bridge project, and the Access Northeast project. According to Dirrane, the AIM project will add 20% more gas capacity to the Algonquin pipeline, enabling additional supplies of Marcellus Shale gas to reach customers in Connecticut. The project has an in-service date of November 2016.
Cynthia Armstrong, Director of Marketing & Business Development for Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS), provided background on PNGTS, which began serving New England in 1999 and now consists of more than 300 miles of pipeline. She explained that PNGTS delivers gas into the Algonquin and Tennessee pipelines, back-feeding the region’s natural gas transmission system from the east.
Rob Perless, Project Development Manager for Iroquois Gas Transmission System, provided background on the Iroquois system, which commenced operations in 1991 and was designed to bring Canadian gas down to the New York and New England markets. Perless provided an update on the Constitution Pipeline project, which has faced significant regulatory delays in the State of New York. Perless also provided an update on the project Iroquois plans to submit in response to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for natural gas expansion projects.
Gregg Therrien, Director of Gas Construction for Connecticut Natural Gas and The Southern Connecticut Gas Company, discussed expansion projects on the local gas distribution system in Connecticut. Many of these projects, he explained, were made possible by the 2013 Comprehensive Energy Strategy and legislation passed in 2014 to enable the recovery of costs associated with gas expansion projects over a 25-year period.
Christopher Luca, Program Manager of Gas Expansion for Eversource, discussed the Wilton, Connecticut expansion project, a 3.6-mile distribution system expansion project which began on August 1, 2014 and concluded on October 24, 2014. The project involved extensive community engagement to ensure construction met the Town’s desired timeline, particularly for a local school and the downtown business district. This project would not have been possible, Luca said, without the Comprehensive Energy Strategy and the legislation passed to implement it.
Connecticut Power and Energy Society Annual Conference Includes Remarks from Governor Dannel P. Malloy
On March 9, 2016, the Connecticut Power and Energy Society held its annual Energy, Environment and Economic Development Conference.
The conference began with keynote remarks from Fred Carstensen, Professor of Finance and Economics at the University of Connecticut School of Business, who provided an overview of Connecticut’s economic outlook. Carstensen stressed Connecticut’s need for a more holistic vision and integrated approach to stimulating economic growth in the state.
The conference also featured a keynote presentation by Daniel Sosland, President of Acadia Center, who discussed the shift toward a lower-carbon, consumer-focused energy future. Sosland stressed the importance of grid-modernization efforts to empower energy consumers and integrate greater levels of distributed energy resources.
The conference also featured panel discussions on energy leadership at the local level, advanced technology in energy storage, and regional energy solutions to address challenges facing the electric grid.
After an update from Katie Scharf Dykes, Deputy Commissioner for Energy at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Governor Malloy addressed attendees on the efforts made at the state and regional level to achieve a cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy future for Connecticut. Malloy highlighted the 2011 merger of the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Public Utility Control to form the new Department of Energy and Environmental Protection with a coordinated approach to energy and environmental challenges confronting the state. Malloy also championed the creation of the Connecticut Green Bank, which expects to attract $500 million in private investment for clean energy projects by the end of the fiscal year. Finally, Malloy highlighted Connecticut’s leadership role in regional discussions on the need for additional investments in energy infrastructure in New England.
For more photos of this event, please check out our facebook page photo album.
Photo Credits: Joe Murphy Photography
Thank you to our sponsors for this conference!
Legislative Preview
CPES and the CT Bar Association Energy, Public Utility and Communications Section held their annual Legislative Preview on January 13, 2016. The panel included the leadership of the Energy and Technology Committee: Senator Paul Doyle, Co-Chair; Representative Lonnie Reed, Co-Chair; Senator Paul Formica, Ranking Member and Representative Tim Ackert, Ranking Member.
The Committee members discussed some issues that will be considered this session including community solar and virtual net metering. The Committee will hold a information gathering public hearings on February 9 and 11 in Hartford.
30th Anniversary Holiday Event
L to R: Jennifer Arasimowicz, David Silverstone, Robert Cables and Paul McCary
CPES celebrated 30 years of serving its members and the energy industry in Connecticut with a grand event a the historic Society Room in Hartford on December 9th. Highlights of the meeting included:
Panel: A look back at the past 30 years
- Paul McCary, Partner, Murtha Cullina, and incorporating attorney for CPES (1994) and its predecessor the Connecticut Cogeneration Society (1985)
- Jennifer Arasimowicz, Vice President, Managing Counsel, FuelCell Energy, Inc, and CPES past president
- Robert Cables, Principal Analyst Wholesale Power Contracts, The United Illuminating Co., and CPES past president
- David Silverstone, Chairman of the Board, Science Park Development Corp., former Partner, Silverstone & Koontz, and counsel to many early independent power projects
Gordon van Welie, President and CEO, ISO New England: The transformation of the region’s power system and a look ahead to the electric grid of the future. Click here for a copy of his presentation.
CPES also honored Arlene Hiller who has managed our meetings and worked for the Society for 30 years.
Sponsors:
November 4, 2015: New England Clean Energy RFP
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is coordinating with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and utilities from Massachusetts and Rhode Island on a mult-state RFP to identify projects that will help advance the clean energy goals of the three states. The RFP is intended to obtain grid-scale Class I and large-scale hydropower resources and associated transmission. Our panel included:
- Tracy Babbidge, Bureau Chief, Energy & Technology, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
- Timothy Brennan, Director, Regulatory Strategy, National Grid
October 7, 2015: What’s the Deal? 21st Century Energy Conference
Sathya Motupally, Phd, Chief Operating Officer, Dooson Fuel Cell America, Inc.
CPES President Joey Lee Miranda introduces panel discussion on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability: Commercial and Institutional Success Stories
September 9, 2015 Meeting: Competitive Transmission.
The Connecticut Power and Energy Society (CPES) and New England Women in Energy and the Environment (NEWIEE) held their first meeting of the 2015-16 season September 9, in Hartford with a joint networking event and a conversation about an emerging approach to electric transmission development in New England. Click here for more.
CPES on the Move: President’s Report
If your summer is anything like mine, you are busy juggling work, volunteer and family activities, and hopefully taking some vacation time to replenish your personal energy supply.
While we’re juggling all of that, I’m excited to report that CPES has been putting together a great lineup of programs for the summer and to kick off our 2015‒16 season. We’ve made several enhancements based on recent feedback from our members. We will continue to hold our monthly meetings and plan several energy conferences with our partners, but we will be trying out some new meeting formats and locations to better accommodate where people work and their busy schedules. I think you’re going to like where we’re headed. Click here for more…
CPES Policy Committee Meeting – August 13, Hartford
The Connecticut Power and Energy Society hosted a kick-off meeting Thursday, August 13 for a new Policy Committee. For the first meeting, the committee heard reports on energy policy developments from the General Assembly’s 2015 legislative session from staff attorneys in the legislature and at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. We also heard from staff at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s new office in New England. Finally, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the objectives for the committee and future topics. Click here for more information.