NEM's Fall Industry Leadership Roundtable will be held November 15-16, 2007, in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the offices of NEM Executive Committee member Integrys Energy Services. This meeting is open to all NEM members and prospective members as well. The Agenda can be viewed at this hotlink.

Many of the issues that are before Commissions throughout the country will be addressed and your input on NEM's positions would be greatly appreciated. Additionally, the dinner on Thursday evening will be held at Curly's Pub at the famous Lambeau Field. Please note that NEM has arranged for the Packers Pro Shop to remain open until 7PM that night for those interested in buying souvenirs while at Lambeau Field.

Please note that shuttle service will be available throughout the event as follows:
1- Shuttle from the Ramada Inn to Integrys Energy Services will depart at 8:30 AM on November 15th and 16th;
2- Shuttle from Integrys Energy Services to Lambeau Field for dinner will depart at 5PM on November 15; and
3- Shuttle from Lambeau Field returning to Ramada Inn will depart at 8PM on November 15th.

NEM negotiated discounted room rates at the Ramada Plaza Green Bay at the rate of $84/night. You must call the Ramada at 920-499-0631 and request the NEM rate (it is not available on the internet). Please register for the meeting using this hotlink.

Many thanks to Integrys Energy Services for hosting the meeting.

NEM will hold its Winter Executive Committee and Policy Development Meeting on January 17 and 18, 2008, at the South Carolina Research Authority in Charleston, South Carolina for a third time. Hotel accommodations have been arranged at the rate of $109 per night at the Hilton Garden Inn, Charleston Airport, 5265 International Blvd., North Charleston, SC 29418. Please call (843) 308-9330 to make your reservations.

NEM booked the new Embassy Suites Hotel Washington D.C. Convention Center for the Annual Spring Membership Meeting and Restructuring Conference on April 29 and 30, 2008. Hotel accommodations have also been arranged at this facility located at 900 10th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. NEM has secured preferred hotel rates of $259.00 per night. Please call (202) 739-2001 to make your reservations.

Please call headquarters for sponsorship opportunities for the Spring Event as advertisements are currently being developed. Your attendance, participation and sponsorship of these events are needed and would be greatly appreciated as would your input on speaker invitations and discussion topics.

A group of thirty-five former state regulators issued a letter to U.S. electricity policy makers entitled, "Empowered Electricity Consumers are Driving Markets." The letter recounts that:

"The undersigned former state public service commissioners from across the country, having been given the privilege of protecting the public, were there to witness that the 'good old days' of electricity regulation were actually not that good. Project cost overruns ran into the billions, investment in critical infrastructure only received lip service, and conservation of resources was only a pipe dream. Prior to restructuring to promote greater competition in electricity, consumers had government-imposed restrictions on their ability to manage their electricity destiny. While state regulators and legislators gave some very select customers the ability to enjoy a certain degree of flexibility in how they received service, most consumers were told who would be selling them electricity and the price that they would pay for it.

On behalf of consumers, state and federal policymakers decided that they could do better by allowing consumers, instead of state regulators, to have a greater say in their ability to shape their electricity purchases. As former state regulators, we believe this is the best policy and the one that will produce the best long-term results for our consumers. The reason is simple - educated and empowered consumers will make decisions that are in their best interests and force the market to respond. Not surprisingly, that is exactly what is happening."

The full text of the Former Regulators' Letter is available on the NEM Website.

Those members currently doing business and/or interested in doing business in Ohio and that have been following SB221 should take a few moments to familiarize themselves with a new group called the Alliance for Real Energy Options (AREO) in Ohio. A number of NEM members including Integrys Energy Services and Direct Energy are spearheading the group.

In response to the electric bill being considered by the Ohio legislature, AREO is promoting four Key Principles to Ensure Choices, New Jobs and Green Energy Innovation for Ohio:

Principle One - Competitive retail and wholesale markets are the best way to ensure that all Ohioans receive reliable electric power and allow consumers to shop among suppliers for innovative products and services.
Principle Two - Competition is the best means to address climate change, demand response, conservation and the development of advanced and renewable energy projects.
Principle Three - Competition in the retail and wholesale sectors will spur economic development, innovation and job creation, including the construction of new generating facilities.
Principle Four - Competition provides consumers with the ability to select electric rate plans that best meet their needs - just as Ohioans do today when they shop for telecommunications, internet, natural gas, and video services and nearly every other product or service they utilize.

Those interested in signing onto AREO's Statement of Principles should contact Teresa Ringenbach of Integrys Energy Services at 216-241-2132 or TLRingenbach@integrysenergy.com

Additional information about AREO is available at: www.realenergyoptions.com

FERC convened a conference to examine the state of the natural gas industry. The conference consisted of three panel discussions on natural gas markets, the role of LNG in U.S. gas supply and natural gas infrastructure.

Chairman Kelliher opened the conference with observations on the North American gas market, noting that, "U.S. gas production remains roughly flat, while Canadian imports decline and demand continues to rise." Moreover, Chairman Kelliher said that, "liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the fastest growing source of U.S. natural gas supply, and will remain the case for the foreseeable future. So our gas market is steadily becoming less North American and more international." The full text of Chairman Kelliher's Opening Statement is available on the NEM Website. Commissioner Moeller noted, despite the perception of FERC's focus on electric markets, that the Commission has a number of important on-going gas dockets right now, including those related to price transparency and requests for changes to capacity release rules. A Full Summary of the Conference is available on the NEM Website.