5th Annual Public Participation in Transmission Siting Conference

Here's news about an upcoming conference in Las Vegas that might be of interest.
Date: January 10 and 11, 2011

"New transmission is needed to accommodate growing load and new generation sources. The process for getting new transmission sited and built is costly and often controversial. A key tenet of transmission siting is a comprehensive public outreach process. By engaging all stakeholders early and often, transmission owners can balance the need for system improvements with landowner priorities, environmental considerations, and political pressure. However, this is a daunting challenge. Many utility infrastructure projects are modified, delayed, or stopped altogether due to public opposition. These changes are often expensive and can affect the capacity and reliability of the power system.

How can a utility make necessary infrastructure improvements while encouraging relationships with stakeholders and regulators? It is becoming clear that in successfully engaging the public, utilities are moving beyond traditional approaches and employing a wide range of participation techniques.

Resources are limited, and it's more important than ever to ensure that public involvement efforts are efficient and effective...."  Read more about this event at this link.