VALLEJO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/07/13 -- The Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) today announced that Jon Wellinghoff, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, will be a keynote presenter at PLMA's Spring Conference set for April 24 and 25, 2013 in Austin, Texas.

"Demand Response Practitioners' Perspective" is the event theme to focus on regulatory and policy updates from FERC, NERC and ERCOT, and explore innovative approaches to demand response programs, price and rate response, regional regulatory issues, legal challenges, and technologies. Session topics will include: ERCOT Policy Panel; Texas Utility Case Studies; Public Power, Electric Cooperative and Generation & Transmission Association Perspective; Demand Response and Distributed Generation; Roles of Retail Marketers and the A,B,C Network in Demand Response; Implementing the Open Automated Demand Response Standard; Emerging Market for Grid-Interactive Electric Water Heating, and International Market Outlook.

During the Thursday luncheon, PLMA will present its 10th Annual PLMA Awards to the best demand response programs offered in calendar year 2012. The PLMA Award Program recognizes those energy industry leaders that create innovative methods to meet peak load needs and manage variable generation. Nominations are being accepted at www.peaklma.org through March 15.

"This conference is taking place while the Texas legislative considers several demand response related issues," said PLMA Treasurer and Conference Chairman Dave Hyland of Schneider Electric. "Being able to watch regional events unfold while gaining national insight from the FERC Chairman is sure to offer an unparalleled learning and networking opportunity for new industry entrants as well as experienced veterans." General session chairs will include: Paul Tyno, REGEN Energy; Rich Philip, Duke Energy; Peter Weigand and Ross Malme, Skipping Stone; Bob King, Good Company Associate; Jason Cigarran, Comverge; Stuart Schare, Navigant Consulting; Greg Wikler, EnerNOC; Joe Childs, Cooper Power Systems; Mike Gordon, Joule Assets; Joe O'Malley, Mad Dash; and Rachel Reiss-Buckley and Ti Mougne, E Source.

The Conference is co-sponsored by Open ADR Alliance and REGEN Energy with promotional support from Gulf Coast Power Association, Smart Grid Today, South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource, and Utility Analytics Institute. PLMA Conferences are produced twice annually and attract a broad range of energy professionals and industries -- private and publicly owned utilities, technology companies, retail energy providers, curtailment service providers, meter manufacturers, equipment vendors, integrators, research organizations, not-for-profit groups, consultants, and more. Government officials, including federal and state utility regulatory commissioners and staff, are offered discounted registration fees. To view a preliminary agenda and register to attend or sponsor, visit www.peaklma.org.

About Peak Load Management Alliance
The Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) was founded in 1999 as the national voice of demand response practitioners. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to the principles of demand side management, load shaping, and the integration of energy efficiency and demand response. Its membership represents a diverse collection of utilities, curtailment service providers, service and technology companies, industry consultants, and consumers. PLMA strives to be an advocate of critical energy management initiatives -- providing a community of expertise within a rapidly changing energy landscape. Learn more at www.peaklma.org.

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