The theme of this year’s conference is Cooperation and Innovation – highlighting the ways that our region’s utilities, developers, regulators, stakeholders, and communities have worked together for the public good.

 

Conference agenda

Agenda may change. Updates will be posted regularly with speakers and additional information.

Sunday, June 9

2-7 pm Registration open
5-6:30 pm Welcome reception at the Renaissance Hotel

Monday, June 10 

7:30-8:30 am  Continental breakfast 
8:30-9 am  Welcome and opening remarks 

Chair Katie Sieben, Minnesota PUC and MARC President 
9-10 am  Panel – Cooperation and Innovation: A Minnesota Perspective 

  • Moderator: MN Chair Katie Sieben
  • Panelists include FERC Commissioner Allison Clements and Bethany Owen, CEO of Allete
10-10:30 am  Break 
10:30-11:30 am  Breakout session 1 – Innovative ideas in Commission permitting

  • Moderator: North Dakota Commissioner Sheri Haugen-Hoffart

Breakout session 2 – Innovation in transportation electrification
11:30-1 pm  Lunch hosted by 2025 MARC host state – Indiana 
1-2 pm  Panel – Data centers and load growth

  • Moderator: Minnesota Commissioner Joe Sullivan
2-3 pm  Panel – The state of inter-regional planning in the MARC footprint

  • Moderator: Indiana Commissioner Sarah Freeman
3-3:15 pm  Announcements 
3:15-3:45 pm  Break 
3:45-4:45 pm  Breakout session 1 – Advanced meters, data, and privacy

  • Moderator: Iowa Chair Erik Helland
5-6 pm  MARC Board meeting (Commissioners only) 
Evening  On your own 

 

Tuesday, June 11 

7:30-8:30 am  Continental breakfast 
8:20-8:30 am  Announcements 
8:30-9:30 am  Panel – Innovative energy technologies: Nuclear, geothermal, transmission, hydrogen, and more 
9:30-10 am  Panel –The future of gas

  • Moderator: SD Chair Kristie Fiegen
10:30-11:00 am  Break 
11:00-12 pm  Breakout session 1 – Tales from the demand side

  • Moderator: Illinois Commissioner Ann McCabe
12-1:15 pm  Lunch 
1:15-2:15 pm  Panel – Domestic manufacturing and the energy workforce 
2:15-3:15 pm  Panel – Equity and affordability 

  • Moderator: Missouri Commissioner Maida Coleman
3:15-3:45 pm  Break 
3:45-4:45 pm  Breakout session 1 – Virtual power plants, aggregation, demand response, and distributed energy resources

Breakout session 2 – Energy storage for grid reliability

  • Moderator: Indiana Commissioner David Veleta
6:40 pm  Minnesota Twins baseball game at Target Field – including game ticket and food/drink voucher

Wednesday, June 12

7:30-8:30 am Continental breakfast
8:20-8:30 am Announcements
8:30-9:30 am Panel – The State of regulation in the MARC footprint: Commissioners’ perspectives 

  • Moderator: Lauren Bethke, Minnesota PUC
9:30-10 am Closing remarks
Starting at 10 am  

Tours, including:

  • Xcel Energy Sherco Solar Facility
  • Xcel Energy Marshall Operations Center
  • Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant
  • CenterPoint Energy Hydrogen Electrolyzer Pilot
  • LJ Shosten Union Training Center
  • District Energy St. Paul
  • Walking tour of downtown Minneapolis led by Minnesota Commissioner John Tuma
  • NextEra Gopher Energy Storage Project

2024 MARC Conference List of Tours

Transportation will be provided – will depart from and return to the Renaissance Hotel.

Other information

  • Conference dress code is business casual