Welcome…
The Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners is a regional association within the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). The objectives of the conference are:
To promote the best interests of the National Association; to contribute to the betterment of commission regulation through study and discussion;
To promote uniformity in the structure, terminology and coordination of regulation while honoring the public interests within the charge of each state commission; and
To promote cooperation of the member commissions with each other, with the National Association and its members and with the other regulatory agencies.
2018 Western Conference
Nearly 300 people attended the 2018 Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners June 3-6 in Boise, Idaho. If you were among them, please complete this online survey in order to help the Wyoming Public Service Commission as they prepare for the 2019 Western Conference in Cheyenne, Wyo. from June 2-5, 2019.
A discussion between Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur and Idaho Commissioner Paul Kjellander, along with speeches by FERC Commissioner Richard Glick, Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter and Clif Bar General Counsel Bruce Lymburn were among the highlights.
Lymburn, the keynote speaker, discussed the company’s culture and the role that energy played in Clif Bar’s decision to build a plant in Idaho.
Commissioner Glick gave a portion of his speech in a dimly lit conference room, under backup power, after a power outage struck the conference site not long before he took the podium.
Educational sessions touched on a number of topics, including the future of coal generation, innovative nuclear reactor designs, the ways in which legalized marijuana has impacted the grid, the implications of expanded customer offerings on utilities, research aimed at hardening the grid and boosting resiliency, the consequences of resource mandates, pipeline safety and “smart cities,” a panel discussion that focused on the ways that cities and utilities are using data to not only boost efficiency but also improve service among customers and quality of life among residents.
Activities included a tour of Intermountain Gas Company’s LNG Plant, which is located on the outskirts of Boise and is unique to the West; a bike ride along the Boise River Greenbelt that included some extreme off-roading; and a whitewater rafting trip on the Payette River, a tributary of the Snake River, source of the majority of the hydropower that helps keep power rates low for Idahoans.
On Tuesday night, we descended on Boise’s historic Basque Block for dinner and a party that features live Basque music, amazing Oinkari dancers, paella, museum visits and more.
Thanks again to all who attended or sponsored the event.
The conference program can be found here (PDF).
A list of conference attendees can be found here.
You can obtain a certificate of attendance here.
Here are the slides from the educational sessions:
Nuclear reactors of the future
A huge thank you to all of our sponsors:
