IN-PERSON CLASSROOM SEMINARS

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What California's Electricity Policy Means for the Western United States


A Two-Day Classroom Seminar (CPE Approved)

Register Soon to get Early Bird Pricing.

This in-depth two-day program provides attendees with a clear understanding of the regional energy, economic, and environmental implications of restructuring the "world's eighth largest economy" around the country's most ambitious clean energy policy.

What You Will Learn
  • Why California may be that "giant sucking sound" for regional electricity generation
  • Framework for California's long-term strategy in clean energy and how the different pieces of the puzzle-cap and trade program, 33% RPS, Clean Jobs Programs, Energy Storage targets, Electric Vehicles, Distributed Energy incentives, Existing Thermal Power Plant Restrictions, and Demand Management and Efficiency Programs-are intended to work together.
  • New realities and operating modes that more tightly integrate natural gas and electricity industries.
  • Basic composition of the Western Region grid.
  • How neighboring states differ from California in their electricity and energy policies.
  • How neighboring regulatory policies are shaping up to take advantage of California's aggressive program.
  • Regional transmission investment plans, line locations, and flows.
  • Emerging new technology areas, including energy storage, fast response turbines, vehicle to grid infrastructure, and HVDC transmission and conversion stations.
  • Policy coordinating activities among the regional stakeholder organizations and state governments.
  • Economic development potential for the entire region.
  • Renewable energy development and growth throughout the region, including wind, solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal, and others.
  • Impact of the latest FERC policy rules and proposals
  • General operational changes for California ISO and the Western Region Coordinating Council (WECC)
  • Dispatch considerations for existing power stations
  • What all this means for power marketers and traders-opportunity or not?
  • What it takes to integrate significant quantities of renewable energy into an existing T&D system
Seminar Agenda
  • Review of the Western Region Electricity Infrastructure
  • Fundamentals of the electricity production and delivery value chain-fuel/energy source, power generation, transmission, distribution, and energy consumption and consumer services
  • How electricity demand is matched to electricity supply on a minute by minute basis
  • California's myriad clean energy policies and programs
  • The evolving federal policy framework and its impact on the region
  • Regional initiatives and policies
  • Neighboring states' policies and programs
  • Why renewable energy based electricity is different
  • Forecast of state by state impact of California's goals visualized through the production and delivery value chain for the region and individual states
  • o Fuel supply (primarily natural gas)
  • o Renewable resource areas (wind and solar)
  • o Power generation facilities (gas-fired, wind and solar, biomass, geothermal)
  • o Transmission infrastructure
  • o Distribution infrastructure
  • o Electricity demand management
  • Economic development impact on the region, jobs creation, ratepayer impacts, etc.
  • The future of electricity in the Western Region-impact on traditional utilities, M&A activity, industrial and economic growth, who wins and who loses-gazing twenty years into the crystal ball
Hotel and Seminar Information
This two-day seminar will be held at the hotel listed below or can be conducted on-site at your facilities. The seminar will start promptly at 8:00 AM and will finish at 4:30 PM on the first day. On the second day, the seminar will resume at 8:00 AM and will finish at 12:00 PM (noon). The program includes continental breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks. Attendees also receive a professionally produced seminar manual that can serve as a valuable office reference. Dress is casual for all seminars.
COVID 19 Information: Please click here for the PGS Covid-19 policy. You can confirm each hotel's specific COVID 19 policy using the link(s) provided below.
Registration Fee and Discounts
The price for this comprehensive two-day seminar is $1,595 (USD).
Register online or Call (843) 212-4038.
  • Additional attendees and government employees receive a 10% discount.
  • Register 4 or more attendees and receive 20% Off. Special pricing is available for groups of 5 or more.
    If you want attendees to pay with separate credit cards or have other questions, please call (843) 212-4038 for assistance.
Payments and Cancellations
Payment is due prior to the start of the seminar by Visa, Master Card, American Express, or corporate check. Seminar fees will be charged to your credit card at the time of registration unless other arrangements have been made. Please make checks payable to "PGS Energy Training" 26 Teal Lane • Hilton Head Island, SC 29926. Cancellations will result in a credit that is good for 2 years which can be transferred to a colleague. Substitutions may be made at any time. For more information on PGS policies regarding administrative matters and complaint resolution, please contact our offices at (843) 212-4038.
CPE Credits in Specialized Knowledge

This live group seminar is eligible for 11.0 CPE credits. Be aware that state boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. As of January 1, 2002, sponsored learning activities are measured by program length, with one 50-minute period equal to one CPE credit. One-half CPE credit increments (equal to 25 minutes) are permitted after the first credit has been earned in a given learning activity. You may want to verify that the state board from which your participants will be receiving credit accept one-half credits.

PGS Energy Training is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org. CPAs interested in attending any seminars should contact our offices for details on CPE credits granted and any prerequisite requirements.
PGS Energy Training is registered with GARP as an Approved Provider of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits. If you are a Certified FRM or ERP, please record this activity in your Credit Tracker at http://www.garp.org/cpd. Please inform PGS Energy Training that you are a GARP CPE participant upon seminar registration.

The Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) is a not-for-profit membership association dedicated to preparing professionals and organizations for making better-informed risk decisions. GARP's membership represents more than 150,000 risk management practitioners and researchers at academic institutions, banks, corporations, government agencies, and investment management firms in 195 countries and territories. GARP administers the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and Energy Risk Professional (ERP) Exams – certifications recognized by risk professionals worldwide. Visit www.garp.org/cpd.
Who Should Attend

Among those who will benefit from this seminar are decision makers and representatives from state and regional policy-maker organizations, RTO/ISO/grid operators, electric utilities, power marketers, traders, investors and lenders, attorneys, fuel suppliers, equipment and technology firms, project developers, consumer and advocacy groups, risk management personnel and corporate planners, and other stakeholders who need to understand the regional implications of restructuring the "world's eighth largest economy" around the country's most ambitious clean energy policy.

Prerequisites and Advance Preparation

This course has no prerequisites. No advance preparation is required before the seminar.

Why Choose PGS?

PGS seminars are known for their clear explanations and in-depth content. Register for a PGS class today, and join the over 10,000 energy professionals who have already attended one of PGS's proven programs.

Program Level & Delivery Method
Intermediate level. CPE delivery method is "Group-Live."