December 2000

This periodic memo summarizes recent ELCON activities and highlights upcoming events.

Recent Activities & Achievements

   ELCON’s Strategy Meeting was held December 5 in Washington, DC, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  PowerPoint presentations on ELCON legislative and regulatory agenda for 2001 are available on the members only section of the website.  The tabulation of the annual questionnaire is also on the ELCON website

   A Joint Board/Member and Technical Committee meeting was held at the ELCON office on December 6.

   ELCON has asked FERC to convene a Technical Conference on Interregional Coordination to provide guidance to all market participants on implementation of Function 8 of Order 2000 regarding Interregional Coordination for Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs).  ELCON was joined by EPSA, Enron , Reliant and Dynegy.

   In a victory for all Industrial Consumers, Detroit Edison withdrew its application to FERC allowing it to deal with an affiliate and cancel its code of conduct.  FERC had denied DTE’s request, stating that DTE had “not eliminated the potential for affiliate abuse.”

   John Anderson was a featured speaker at North American Summit on Harmonizing Business Practices in Energy Restructuring, sponsored by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and the Department of Energy in Dallas, TX.

   ELCON supported American Public Power Association’s request that GridSouth be required to conduct a truly collaborative process in its RTO formation and filings.  GridSouth’s initial filing claimed that the proposal was a result of collaborative process using stakeholders, however stakeholders were allowed to participate through GridSouth’s website only after the primary document had been developed.

   John Anderson was the keynote speaker at the Maryland Industrial Group’s December meeting.  He spoke on “Electric Competition:  Where Are We?”

Future Activities – Mark Your Calendar

   There will be a Technical Committee Meeting on January 16 – 17, at ELCON offices starting at 1:00 pm on January 16 until noon the following day.

   An ELCON Board Meeting will be held on January 17 at 1:30 pm EST via teleconference.  Details will follow.

   ELCON’s 25th Annual Meeting will be held February 7 – 9 in Phoenix, AZ.  Make your reservation with Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel by calling (480) 967-6600.  Reserve by January 7 in order to receive ELCON’s room rate of $149 per night.

ELCON in the News

   Marc Yacker was quoted in Deregulation Outlook, emphasizing that Congress must pass federal legislation to create an effective interstate transmission grid and functioning wholesale electricity markets.

   John Anderson was quoted in Power Markets Week commenting on Department of Energy Secretary Bill Richardson’s proposed rulemaking to FERC requesting mandatory system reliability standards.  Anderson, although supportive of Richardson’s effort, said that the administration should require the creation of mandatory regional transmission organizations.

   Restructuring Today reported that ELCON believes that all FERC filings other than RTO West should be rejected.  John Anderson was quoted asserting that none of the filings met the spirit of Order 2000, especially regarding independence, operational authority, scope and configuration, and interregional coordination.

	ELCON’s 25th ANNUAL MEETING Mark your calendars.  February 7 – 9, 2001 in Phoenix, AZ. More information will follow.