DAY ONE | JUNE 14, 2011
8:00 Registration Opens and Coffee is Served
9:00 Opening Remarks from Conference Co-Chair
Spencer Campbell
Partner, Stewart McKelvey LLP
9:15 Outlooks and Challenges for Atlantic Canada’s Power Markets
Hon. Craig Leonard
Minister of Energy and Minister Responsible for
New Brunswick Energy and Conservation Agency
Government of New Brunswick
Hon. Richard Brown
Minister of Environment Energy and Forestry
Government of Prince Edward Island
10:15 Networking Coffee Break
10:30 How Power Generation and Transmission in Atlantic Canada Fit Into the Evolving North American Big Picture
Greg Schmidt
President, Energy Council of Canada
- Understanding the merits and shortcomings of transmission systems in Atlantic Canada, the North East U.S., and North America as a whole
- Determining the needs for transmission capacity increases in the Maritime provinces
- Looking at system upgrades and modifications that are currently being proposed and how they will affect the overall grid
- Inside Atlantic Canada, outside Atlantic Canada
- The impacts of inter-jurisdictional power trading on prices, reliability and general system efficiencies
- Assessing the logistical and financial impacts of integrating renewables into the existing infrastructure
11:15 Prospects for Regional Cooperation and the Integration of Atlantic Power Markets
Fred O’Brien
President and CEO, Maritime Electric
Sylvain Gignac
President and CEO, New Brunswick System Operator
Gaëtan Thomas
President and CEO, New Brunswick Power
- Explaining the challenges and opportunities associated with the Atlantic Energy Gateway
- Assessing the feasibility of an Atlantic Canadian ISO
- Looking at the advantages and disadvantages of a co-operational system on a province by province basis
- Understanding the regulatory roles of the National Energy Board and the local utilities in regional cooperation initiatives
12:30 Networking Luncheon for Delegates and Speakers
Special Address by:
Bill Smith
Senior Vice President of Energy Sector
Siemens Canada
Sponsored by:
1:45 Analyzing the Impact of the Lower Churchill Falls Project on the Power Landscape in Atlantic Canada and New England
William (Bill) K. Marshall
President, WKM Energy Consultants Inc.
Additional speakers to be announced
- Understanding the key elements of the agreement between Nalcor and Emera
- Looking at project timelines and implementation strategies
- Examining how the enhanced transmission and generation capacities will affect:
- The accessibility of clean energy within Atlantic Canada
- Rates for renewable energy
- Adherence to emission-reduction targets
- Potential for exports to New England
- Job creation in the affected communities
- Assessing the challenges associated with building the undersea cable
- How the deal will affect regional reliance on clean energy from Quebec
2:45 Effectively Collaborating with First Nations Communities to Facilitate Timely and Successful Project Implementation
Regent Dickey
Senior Advisor, Technologie, Major Projects Management
Office, Natural Resources Canada
- An in-depth look at the National Energy Board’s Aboriginal Engagement work for Major Projects Management Office (MPMO) projects and consideration of Aboriginal concerns in NEB decisions
- An overview of how the NEB regulates international power lines
- Examining the NEB’s requirements for company consultation with Aboriginal groups for NEB regulated projects
- What is the MPMO, what is attempting to achieve?
- Understanding the MPMO's approach to Aboriginal crown consultation
- "Whole government" approach, stages of engagement/ consultation, roles and respectabilities, executive oversight committee
- Examining the current level of consultation required for generation and transmission projects in Eastern Canada
- Practical strategies to streamline the consultation process to enhance efficiencies surrounding communications, negotiations, decisions and project development
3:30 Networking Refreshment Break
3:45 Examining the Implications of Abundant Natural Gas Supplies on Power Demands and Generation Requirements in the Maritime Provinces
Richard Foley
Branch Chief / Program Manager,
Division of Pipeline Certificates,
Office of Energy Projects,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Benjamin Schlesinger
President, Benjamin Schlesinger and Associates Inc.
- Understanding the direct implications of shale gas development in New Brunswick, Quebec and the North East U.S. on the electricity sector in Atlantic Canada
- How the plentiful and low-priced natural gas supplies have affected regional power demands in Canada and the U.S.
- Shale gas as a “game changer” in North America
- Marcellus related natural gas infrastructure in the United States
- Prospects for converting coal powered generation into natural gas powered generation
- How feasible would this be?
- How significant would the emissions reduction be?
- Determining how an increased reliance on natural gas will affect electricity prices
- Will it decrease demands for energy exports to the U.S.?
4:30 The Current Status of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station Refurbishment Project and Its Impact on Local Energy Supplies
Michael Allen
Project Director, Point Lepreau Refurbishment Project
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL)
Rod Eagles
Deputy Chief Nuclear Officer & Refurbishment Project
Director, New Brunswick Power
- The outlook for nuclear energy in the Atlantic Canadian power landscape
- What are the current timelines for project completion? Is development on track to meet these targets?
- Examining the challenges that have arisen during the execution of the refurbishment project
- What were the challenges to date?
- How were they overcome and what lessons were learned?
- What is the importance of Point Lepreau Generating Station for the province of NB and the greater region?
- The supply mix, job creation
5:15 Co-Chair’s Recap and Conference Adjourns
DAY TWO | JUNE 15, 2011
8:30 Coffee is Served
9:00 Opening Remarks from Conference Co-Chair
9:15 Panel: Exploring Technological Innovation in Clean Energy Generation in Atlantic Canada
Julian Boyle
Energy Manager, City of Halifax
Rob Brandon
Assistant Program Manager Distributed Power Generation
Office of Energy Research & Development
Natural Resources Canada
Doug Keefe
Executive Director, Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy
Dan Roscoe
Chief Operating Officer, Scotian Windfields Inc.
- The current status of research, development and pilot projects for renewable energy technologies in the region, including projects in wind, solar, biomass and tidal energy
- What renewable energy technologies are most relevant to the Atlantic region and what are the principal issues that are impeding deployment
- Updates on cooperative efforts to develop off-shore wind and tidal energy technologies in the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine
- Examining current needs for energy storage and the status of storage projects in Atlantic Canada
- Lessons learned from international projects
10:30 Networking Coffee Break
10:45 Examining Power Demands in the North East U.S. and Their Impact on Project and Infrastructure Development in the Maritime Provinces
John Kerry
Director of Policy
New England Governors’ Conference Inc.
Danielle Powers
Vice President, Concentric Energy Advisors
- Understanding the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)’s spring 2011 order on transmission planning and cost allocation
- Supply and demand forecasts for New England
- How this will impact power supply planning and transmission development in Atlantic Canada?
- Looking at transmission upgrades being implemented south of the border and how they will impact:
- Power sharing within the U.S.
- The American appetite for Maritime energy
- Assessing the opportunities presented by renewable energy credit (REC) markets in the U. S. and how renewable energy producers in Atlantic Canada can capitalize on this
- Updates on American climate change regulations that will impact power purchasing and production
11:30 Meeting Renewable Energy Targets and Understanding the Key Issues in Integrating Renewables into Transmission Grids
John Herron
President, Atlantica Centre for Energy
- How the stringent renewable energy targets in Nova Scotia will affect the development future of the province
- Assessing the feasibility of these targets
- The impact of renewable energy implementation on North American electricity prices
- Strategies to expand transmission systems in order to better deal with the integration of renewable energy
- The status of current investment in new technology development for renewable generation
- Examining new feed-in-tariff policies for renewable in other jurisdictions
- Where have they been implemented?
- Did the implementation go smoothly?
- Their effects on project viability
12:15 Networking Luncheon for Delegates and Speakers
1:30 Developments in Federal and Regional Environmental Regulations and their Impact on the Electricity Sector in Atlantic Canada
Katie Sullivan
Canadian Director
International Emissions Trading Association
- Examining the current and proposed emissions regulations on regional, national and international levels
- How these will regulations affect the power sector in Eastern Canada
- Requirements for reducing, measuring and reporting emissions
- The types of proactive measures that should be taken to prepare for the future implementation of proposed regulations
- The implications of the federal government’s plans to phase out coal plants
- How the federal government’s coal life requirements will affect long-term generation planning in the Maritimes
- Understanding the impacts of regional cap and trade systems within the U.S. and Canada on the electricity sector in the Maritimes, including RGGI and the WCI
2:15 Community Driven Power Production: Strengthening Economic Development and Achieving Power Self Sufficiency
Janice Ashworth
Nova Scotia Sustainable Electricity Alliance
David Coon
Executive Director
Conservation Council of New Brunswick
- Strategies to secure funding sources for community renewable energy projects
- Making a business case for renewable energy projects
- Assessing the feasibility of community renewables
- How to address issues of scale
- Determining the transmission requirements
- Securing a win-win scenario for the consumer and community as a whole
- Determining the feasibility of implementing feed in tariffs
- Design considerations
- Setting the right price
3:00 Networking Refreshment Break
3:15 The Power Shift Atlantic Smart Grid Demonstration Project
Michel Losier
Program Director, PowerShift Atlantic
New Brunswick Power Corporation
Dr. Liuchen Chang
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of New Brunswick
Anne-Marie Curtis
Director Retail Operations
Nova Scotia Power Inc.
Robert O. Younker
Director, Corporate Planning
Maritime Electric
George Porter
Senior Director of Market & Renewables Development
New Brunswick Independent System Operator
PowerShift Atlantic is a joint initiative of New Brunswick Power Corporation, Nova Scotia Power Corporation, Maritime Electric Company Ltd., Saint John Energy, the New Brunswick System Operator and the University of New Brunswick. This is an example of regional collaboration: Working together, engaging customers to shift load patterns, leveraging Smart Grid technology in an attempt to integrate wind power more effi ciently.
- This session will assess and analyze the primary project objectives, including:
- Is load control of up to 2500 customers a cost effective and reliable ancillary service to follow wind power generation
- An evaluation of load control performance in response to measured and forecasted wind power
- Determining the customer’s role and their acceptance of utility control for the purposes of renewable energy integration
4:15 Effective Public Engagement Strategies to Maximize Social License and Move Projects Forward Efficiently
Karen McCarthy
President, M5 Public Relations
- Understanding the challenges associated with the execution of public engagement strategies and stakeholder consultation
- Avoiding project opposition – Getting to the root cause of problems encountered
- Devising innovative strategies to overcome any issues
- Learning from your successes and tribulations and applying lessons learned to strategic planning for future projects
- Examining the role of social licensing in maintaining the confidence of shareholders and the public at large
- Best practices in the effective use of social and digital media campaigns as part of your communications efforts
- Looking at real world examples - Assessing how strategic public engagement methods have influenced the success of energy projects
5:00 Co-Chair’s Closing Remarks and Conference Concludes
PRE-CONFERENCE | JUNE 13, 2011
1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Registration opens at 1:00 p.m.)
Workshop -A : A United States Direct Markets 101
Benjamin Schlesinger
President, Benjamin Schlesinger and Associates Inc.
This interactive learning session will function as a crash course on the fundamentals of American electricity markets, preparing you to for optimal engagement in conference sessions that address this subject area in greater detail.
- Understanding the context - History of Canadian energy exports to the United States
- An in depth study of how direct markets work in the United States
- Differences in New England vs. New York
- Central Procurement Model vs. Widespread Model
- What are the current barriers in exporting Atlantic Canadian power to the U.S.?
- The Canadian export agreements that are currently in existence
POST-CONFERENCE | JUNE 16, 2011
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Registration Opens at 8:30 a.m.)
Workshop -B: A Step by Step Guide to Getting Your Renewable Energy Project Approved
Christopher Stewart
Partner, Stewart McKelvey LLP
This interactive learning session will take you through the process of attaining approval for renewable energy projects – start to finish!
Find out how to:
- Avoid unnecessary delays
- Make sure you’ve done all the necessary due diligence
- Practice drafting effective applications, contracts and agreements pertaining to various aspects of your project
- Discover proven strategies to obtain publically-sourced financing available for renewable energy projects
- Learn about jurisdictional differences in project requirements across Atlantic Canada and strategies to make sure you’re taking all the right steps
Conference Details