| 9:00am-5:00pm 09/10/2008 | Site Visit – CenterPoint Energy CenterPoint has deployed BPL to 45,000 electric and gas customers in its Houston service territory. The deployment is part of an overall Advanced Metering System (AMS) that CenterPoint Energy proposed to deploy to 250,000 homes and businesses over a three year period. CenterPoint is seeking PUC approval for the deployment, and plans to begin implementation of its deployment plan upon completion of the PUC review and issuance of a PUC order approving the plan. CenterPoint plans to install the meters on homes and businesses as requested by retail electric providers (REPs) who elect to participate in the plan. The interactive meter will enable REPs to offer new products and services to their customers such as time-of-use rates, which encourage shifting electricity demand from peak to off-peak times when costs are lower, thereby helping to offset the need to build new generation. Interactive meters will also enable customers to take advantage of greater transparency regarding their usage and allows them better means to evaluate various REP rates, helping customers to seek the best retail prices and services. Finally, the meters will not only automate meter reading, but also enable remote connect and disconnect of electric service, which should significantly reduce the time required for customers to have new electric service connected or to switch REPs. CenterPoint plans to implement a load research program to measure the impact on consumers’ electricity usage from the information and capabilities made available by the interactive meters. Results of this initial deployment would be evaluated in deciding whether to seek subsequent approval by the PUC for full deployment for 2 million electric meters across CenterPoint’s system.This site visit will show how BPL is being deployed for utility applications on a significant scale.Don’t miss this exciting opportunity! |
| 3:00pm-5:30pm 09/10/2008 | UPLC Board of Directors Meeting (Private Event) |
| 5:30pm-7:30pm 09/10/2008 | Networking Reception |
| 8:00am-5:30pm 09/11/2008 | Registration |
| 8:30am-9:00am 09/11/2008 | Continental Breakfast |
| 9:00am-10:00am 09/11/2008 | Roadmap for the Industry: Where We Are, Where We Are Going, and What We Need to Do to Get There The Chairs of UPLC will provide opening remarks regarding the current state of the BPL industry and the utility industry, and will outline a roadmap for the coming year. Ray Blair, Technology Co-Chair, Board of Directors; Vice President – BPL Initiatives, IBM |
| 10:00am-10:15am 09/11/2008 | Networking Break |
| 10:15am-11:15am 09/11/2008 | Smart Grid and BPL This session will examine the opportunities and challenges for deploying BPL for smart-grid applications, and will include presentations from a variety of companies that are focused on the smart-grid market. Dave Zabetakis, Senior Vice President- Business Development, CURRENT Group |
| 11:15am-12:00pm 09/11/2008 | Broadband and BPL This session will examine the business opportunity for using BPL to offer commercial services. During this session you will gain first-hand experience from companies that are deploying BPL to provide broadband services to in-building and rural markets. Steve Turner, COO, International Broadband Electric Communications |
| 12:00pm-1:00pm 09/11/2008 | Networking Lunch |
| 1:00pm-2:00pm 09/11/2008 | Technical Update This session will include representatives from the leading BPL manufacturers presenting their newest technologies. Find out what is currently available and what is being developed for both Access and in-home BPL. Chano Gomez, Vice President- Technology & Strategic Partnership, DS2 |
| 2:00pm-3:00pm 09/11/2008 | Standards Roundtable This session will include representatives from the main organizations working on developing standards for coexistence and interoperability between in home and Access BPL systems as part of IEEE’s P1901 Working Group. Rob Ranck, Executive Director, Homeplug Power Alliance (INVITED) |
| 3:00pm-3:15pm 09/11/2008 | Networking Break |
| 3:15pm-4:15pm 09/11/2008 | Regulatory Update This session will describe the current state of public policies that will affect BPL at the state and federal level. It will also focus on smart-grid legislation and regulations and how BPL can benefit. Brett Kilbourne, Director- Regulatory Services & General Counsel, Utilities Telecom Council |
| 4:15pm-5:15pm 09/11/2008 | International Developments This session will include presentations about the deployment of BPL around the world. Find out where BPL is being deployed, the issues that have been encountered, and the outlook going forward. Dymitr Wajsman, APTEL (INVITED) |
| 5:30pm-7:00pm 09/11/2008 | Networking Reception |
| 8:00 am-9:00 am 09/12/2008 | Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00am-12:00pm 09/12/2008 | Registration |
| 9:00am-10:00am 09/12/2008 | BPL Case Study: CenterPoint Energy Hear the CenterPoint Energy case study for their BPL Deployment. Chuck Hackney, Department Manager, CenterPoint Energy |
| 10:00am-11:00am 09/12/2008 | BPL Case Study: Xcel Energy, Boulder Colorado Come hear the case study of how Xcel Energy is working with Boulder Colorado to deploy BPL. Jim Mollenkopf, Vice President- Architecture & Technologies, CURRENT Group (INVITED) |
| 11:00am-11:15am 09/12/2008 | Networking Break |
| 11:15am-12:00pm 09/12/2008 | Utility & Service Provider Roundtable This session will provide insights from utilities and service providers about the opportunities and challenges for BPL, as well as predictions about the future for BPL going forward. Ray Blair, Vice President – BPL Initiatives, IBM Corporation |
Links:
[1] http://www.uplc.utc.org/node/665
[2] http://www.uplc.utc.org/node/666
[3] http://www.uplc.utc.org/node/669
[4] http://www.uplc.utc.org/utc/broadband-power-line-2008-sponsorships
[5] http://www.uplc.utc.org/utc/broadband-power-line-2008-accommodations