Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for the following NEM meetings:

September 2009 Fall Leadership Roundtable - NEM’s Fall Leadership Roundtable Meeting will be held next week on September 15 & 16, 2009, at the Hampton Inn & Suites, Albany Downtown, Albany, NY 12210. NEM’s room rate has been secured at $129.00 per room per night. Many thanks to Matt Picardi of Shell Energy North America for the generous offer to host this meeting. The Agenda is available at this hotlink.

To date, the following public officials have confirmed to attend the Fall meeting:

Office of Governor David A. Paterson, Thomas Congdon (Day 2 only)
Office of Governor David A. Paterson, Kimberly Harriman
New York State Senator Aubertine's Office, Senator Aubertine and Chief of Staff, Lee Willbanks
Delaware State Senator Harris McDowell
New York State Assemblyman William Barclay
Chairman, NYPSC, Garry Brown (Day 2 only)
NY State Dept. of Public Service, LuAnn Scherer
NY State Dept. of Public Service, Fran Hart
NY State Dept. of Public Service, Marty Insogna (Day 2 only)
NYISO - Robert Pike

January 2010 Executive Committee Meeting - NEM’s Annual Winter Executive Committee Policy and Planning Meeting will be held January 19 & 20, 2010, at the headquarters of South Carolina Research Authority in Charleston, South Carolina. NEM’s room rate has been secured at $129.00 per room per night at the Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Airport, 5265 International Blvd., N. Charleston, SC 29418. The Executive Committee sets the course for NEM’s advocacy in the coming year at this meeting. Many thanks to Bill Mahoney and South Carolina Research Authority for the generous offer to host this meeting.

April 2010 Annual Global Energy Forum – NEM’s Annual Global Energy Forum, will be held April 27 & 28, 2010, at the Embassy Suites Convention Center, Washington DC, 900 10th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. NEM’s room rate has been secured at $289.00 per room per night. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

FERC Staff issued its fourth annual report on demand response (DR) on advanced metering as required by EPAct 2005. The report estimates the potential for demand response through 2019 under business as usual, expanded business as usual, achievable participation and full participation scenarios. The report notes that in 2009 there are 7.95 million advanced meters installed nationwide. The 2009 national reduction in peak demand from demand response in 2009 is estimated at 37 gigawatts (GWs). Furthermore, the potential for peak electricity demand reductions nationwide in 2019 is estimated between 38 GW and 188 GW. The report also discussed regulatory barriers to consumer participation in demand response and suggested actions such as information sharing on effective program designs; customer awareness and education about DR; coordination of wholesale and retail DR strategies; improving interoperability and open standards; coordination of DR and energy efficiency policies; and clear articulation of the role of DR in operational and long-term planning. The full text of the Report is available on the NEM Website.