Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

Electricity-transmission grid, power markets among conference topics

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will offer a course for industry specialists on electricity transmission and power markets June 14-17.

The 2004 Illinois Transmission Business School will convene at the Illini Center, 200 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago.

Taught by leading professionals, the courses will explore the challenges faced by the electricity industry, including the question of transmission grid reliability, emerging transmission business structures and how the evolution of the electricity markets is affecting the nature of the transmission business.

“The mega-blackout of last Aug. 13 in the Northeast reinforced the criticality of transmission in ensuring the reliability of the nation’s electricity supply,” said George Gross, an Illinois professor of electrical and computer engineering who is the director of the Transmission Business School. “Our program is designed to provide industry participants with a comprehensive understanding of the technical and business challenges facing the industry.”

In addition to examining the obstacles to and incentives for grid expansion and improvement, the presentations will look at the impact of market forces on the movement of energy, congestion management and a wide range of regulatory issues.

Besides Gross, lecturers will include Tom Ernst, supervising engineer of Minnesota Power; Paul Gribik, the director of FTR Markets at Midwest Independent System Operator; Leonard Hyman, a consultant for R.J. Rudden Associates; Jay Morrison, senior regulatory counsel for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association; Thomas J. Overbye, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Illinois; and Mary Ellen Paravalos, manager of ITC development of National Grid Co.

Also speaking will be Michael Rosenberg, the manager of market assessment at ISO New England; Harry Singh, senior market adviser of the office of market oversight and investigation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Jennifer T. Sterling, director of transmission planning for Exelon; and Bruce Wollenberg, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota.

James W. Glotfelty, the director of the office of electric transmission and distribution for the U.S. Department of Energy, will discuss the future of the nation’s transmission infrastructure, and Phil O’Connor, vice president of Constellation NewEnergy, will speak on transmission needs from the energy service providers’ perspective.

The Transmission Business School is coordinated through the Illinois Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER). Information and registration are on the Web.



This article was imported from a previous version of the News Bureau website. Please email news@illinois.edu to report missing photos and/or photo credits.

Read Next

Earth and Environmental Sciences Researcher portrait standing in front of graphics from study

Researchers advance first-of-its-kind AI tool for translating life-saving weather warnings across the US

A new study led by Joseph Trujillo-Falcón documents how artificial intelligence is used to translate life-saving weather forecasts and alerts into non-English languages.

Arts Photo of a group of violinists from Apollo's Fire standing and playing onstage.

Krannert Center announces performers for 2026-27 season

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts’ 2026-27 season features a variety of performers, including jazz and classical music, theater and dance.

Life Sciences Research News Veterinary Medicine Photo of researchers in the laboratory. They are standing in front of dozens of fish tanks.

One simple trick makes zebrafish a better model for microbiome research

A new advance in animal husbandry involving a popular aquarium fish should speed the pace of microbiome research, scientists report.

Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

507 E. Green St
MC-426
Champaign, IL 61820

Email: stratcom@illinois.edu

Phone (217) 333-5010