Electric Co-op Today

Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives will take Web conferences to a new level with “Virtual NET 2010.”

The 2010 NET Conference will be a virtual affair. (Illustration By: Touchstone Energy)

“Recently tabulated financial results indicate that 43 percent of cooperative revenue is received from commercial and industrial businesses. This is the highest result ever,” said Jim Bausell, Touchstone Energy COO. “Now is as important a time as ever to renew our strong cooperation with the businesses which provide the employment lifeline to the consumer-members we serve.”

On Aug. 31, the nearly four-hour program will start at the same time, 8:15 a.m., in the Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones. The list of confirmed speakers includes:

• NRECA CEO Glenn English, who will discuss the future of the energy industry;

• Martin Lowery, NRECA executive vice president, external affairs, with a look at how the smart grid will improve business productivity and efficiency;

• Dena G. Stoner, NRECA vice president of government affairs, presenting an update from Capitol Hill;

• Jay Morrison, NRECA regulatory counsel, discussing the implications that federal regulations will have on power supply, cost and reliability; and

• Daniel Gross, Newsweek economics editor, with a look at the U.S. and global economies in the short-term and long-term.

Bausell envisions co-ops using the afternoon to host local events, which is what Western Farmers Electric Cooperative will do. The Anadarko, Okla.-based G&T is incorporating the Virtual NET into its Oklahoma Emerging Technology Conference, an annual event to which distribution co-ops bring their key accounts.

“This year’s agenda will feature the Virtual NET Conference in the morning, and then focus on Oklahoma-related energy issues in the afternoon,” said Nikki Dacus, Western Farmers’ marketing coordinator. “We are excited to be able to bring the quality of the NET speakers and agenda to our Oklahoma group of key accounts, legislators and co-op staff who will attend our conference this year.”

Registration for Virtual NET is available through cooperative.com. Also, the entire program will be rebroadcast Sept. 30.

The traditional NET Conference will return Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2011, in New Orleans.

Tags: NET Conference, R&D, Touchstone Energy