Contact: 

Geof Becker
Tepper School of Business
412-268-3486   
gbecker@andrew.cmu.edu

Scott Addison / Michael Stewart   
gabbegroup   
212-220-4444

Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Conference Focuses
On Ensuring Reliable Energy Delivery for Next Three Decades

Industry Experts Will Gather March 13–14 To Tackle Critical Challenges

PITTSBURGH—In the face of unprecedented growth in energy demand and the resulting strain on the electricity system, the upcoming Carnegie Mellon Conference on the Electricity Industry will bring together academic and industry experts to address concerns over the capacity of America's aging power grid. Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business will host the two-day conference, March 13–14.     

The focus of this year's forum is ensuring the nation has the physical and human resources needed for the next 30 years. It will address topics such as the capacity of modern power grids; new technologies being developed for generation, transmission and distribution of power; and the quality and quantity of undergraduate power-engineering education.    

"Reliable electric service is essential for our health, security and prosperity — there may be no more fundamental need in a modern society," said conference co-host Lester Lave, professor of economics at the Tepper School. "Yet our power system faces numerous challenges, from deregulation to aging infrastructure, and we need new solutions to answer the demands of future power creation and distribution."    

The conference is co-sponsored by Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School, Electricity Industry Center, and departments of electrical and computer engineering and engineering and public policy. The event is a signature offering by the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, which was established in August 2001 to work with industry, government and other stakeholders to address the strategic problems of the electricity industry, making it more competitive and its systems more reliable.

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