---------------------- Forwarded by Vince J Kaminski/HOU/ECT on 02/19/2001 
08:07 PM ---------------------------


"Dennis Ray" <djray@engr.wisc.edu> on 02/19/2001 01:51:42 PM
To: "Vince Kaminski" <Vince.J.Kaminski@enron.com>
cc:  
Subject: PSERC Internet Seminar on California


Please feel free to join us if you can. Let me know if you have any
questions about how to connect on-line.

Dennis

----
Dennis Ray
Executive Director
608-265-3808



PSerc Internet Seminar
February 20, 2001
Time 1.10 PM Central Time


Black and Blue: The California Electricity Restructuring Saga
George Gross
Professor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana ) Champaign


Abstract

California led the nation in the electricity restructuring arena. Starting
with the various and numerous forums of all the stakeholders at the
California Public Utility Commission, a wide ) sweeping regulatory reform
act giving customer choice to everyone was enacted in 1996. The
implementation of the restructuring began in 1998. Since May 2000, the
prices in the wholesale California electricity markets have stayed at
extremely high levels. Since the restructuring has frozen the prices at the
retail level, the market developments have put the two largest California
utilities on the verge of bankruptcy. In addition, the state has suffered
major impacts due to the shortage of electricity in the past 9 months. There
are key developments at both the state and federal levels impacting the
California situation. This presentation will review the major reasons for
this &dismal and
dangerous situation8 in California. The focus will be on the market
developments and their interaction with the regulatory initiatives. The
experience to date will be assessed in terms of key issues in market
redesign and supply availability. The importance of the California
developments to the restructuring across the nation will be discussed.

George Gross is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and
Professor, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research and teaching activities are in
the areas of power system analysis, economics and operations, utility
regulatory policy and industry restructuring. Formerly with the Pacific Gas
and Electric Company, Dr. Gross founded the company's Management Science
Department and held other key management and policy positions. A Fellow of
IEEE, Dr. Gross was awarded the Franz Edelman Management Science Achievement
Award by the Institute of Management Science.

Instructions for Audio Connection

Dial the number given below and enter the participant code when asked to do
so.

Dial In Number: (865) 523-8587

Participant Code: 105600


IP Address for Netmeeting

Read the instructions to down load and install Netmeeting. At about 12.50 PM
Central Time on February 20, 2001, dial the following IP address in
Netmeeting 128.174.115.17

Please make sure the resolution on your machine is set to 1024 x 768 . This
will be the setting on the machine at which the Power Point slides
originate. If your machine is not set to the same resolution, the slides on
your
machine during the seminar will lose information.