Welcome and Introduction from the Chair

George Vegh, Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

New Roles and Responsibilities of the Ontario

Power Authority: FIT – IPSP Update

Colin Andersen, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Power Authority

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has been given a central role in implementing the goals of the Green Energy and Green Economy Act (the Act). Colin Andersen, the OPA’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will discuss progress to date on:

• Feed-in Tariff take up and prospects
  
• How the OPA is working with transmitters and distributors on
  system expansions and conservation
  
• The role of the Integrated System Plan

Ontario Energy Board: Status Update

The Honourable Howard I. Wetston, QC

Chair & Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Energy Board

This session will help you understand the new role and responsibilities of the OEB, including:

• Major challenges and opportunities for the OEB in light of its new
  responsibilities
  
• How does the new Green Energy Act and Regulations require the
  OEB to address environmental and social issues?
  
• What is the role of the OEB in reviewing infrastructure expansion?

From Promise to Delivery: How the Green Energy and Green Economy Act Came Together and What it Means for Stakeholders

Jason Chee-Aloy, Director, Generation Development
Ontario Power Authority
Jonathan Norman, Director, Transmission and Distribution
Policy, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Peter Fraser, Manager, Wholesale Power Policy

Regulatory Policy Development, Ontario Energy Board

This panel features the leaders of the working groups who were tasked with the responsibility to develop and implement the Act. They will discuss the challenges and successes of the joint effort.

Electricity Reform and Protection of Consumer Privacy

Ken Anderson, Assistant Commissioner (Privacy)
Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario

The goals of the Green Energy and Green Economy Act are to create
an environment conducive to the development of renewable energy projects and create a culture of conservation so that people can go about their lives using less energy. To assist in conservation, the Act also introduces the concept of the ‘smart grid’. The infrastructure that will be used to support the ‘smart grid’ includes smart meters that will be installed in all Ontario homes and small businesses by the end of 2010.

These meters will create a bi-directional flow of information that will tell consumers how, when and how much electricity they use. This new consumer information monitoring raises significant privacy concerns including personal habits and lifestyles of individuals.

This session will help you understand the potential privacy problems identified by the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario and the controls that should be implemented by utility market players to protect consumer information in this evolving market.

Note: Ample time will be provided for questions from the delegates.

Performance: How the Rules and Approvals Work in the Market

Moderator and Speaker
Kristyn Annis, Associate, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Panellists
David Brochu, President and CEO, UPC Solar Recurrent Energy (Chicago)

Nicole Geneau, Project Manager, NextEra Energy Canada ULC

Joe Gaboury, CEO, Five Nations Energy Inc.

This panel of key industry players will discuss their successes and challenges in applying for approvals for renewable energy projects including a comparison to experiences in other jurisdictions and partnering with stakeholders to gain social acceptability.

Recap and Introduction from the Chair

George Vegh, Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Understanding Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Contracts

Michael Weizman, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
William Sutherland, Senior Managing Director – Project
Finance, Manulife Financial Corporation

Ontario Power Authority is in the process of implementing Ontario’s new Feed-in Tariff (FIT) Program. FIT is the cornerstone of Ontario’s renewable energy plan and is North America’s first comprehensive guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production.

This session will provide an overview of the FIT rules, application procedures and lessons learned in the first round of applications.

• FIT Rules and applications
  
• Domestic content requirements
  
• Project finance implications
  
• Price Schedules
  
• Transmission development
  
• Connection costs
  
• Curtailment risk and compensation

OEB Approvals & Strategies for Success

George Vegh, Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Mary Anne Aldred, General Counsel, Ontario Energy Board
Pankaj Sardana, Vice President, Treasurer & Regulatory
Affairs, Toronto Hydro Electric System
Michael Lyle, General Counsel and Vice President, Legal
Aboriginal and Regulatory Affairs, Ontario Power Authority

Chris Tyrrell, V.P. & Chief Conservation Officer, Toronto Hydro Electric System

The Green Energy and Green Economy Act has not only committed Ontario to significantly increase the proportion of clean and renewable energy, it has also imposed a new mandate and new duties on the OEB, including deadlines for completing assessments from generators to distributors and transmitters for connections to the distribution and transmission systems.
Understanding these commitments and new approval processes is critical in today’s rapidly evolving electricity generation market. This panel will help you understand the new challenges and hurdles and help you avoid the costly risk of stalled projects.

Environmental Assessments and Approvals

Joanna Rosengarten, Associate, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Marcia Wallace, Manager, Program Development

Ministry of the Environment
Anthony D. Ciccone, Ph.D., P.Eng, Principal, Golder Associates Ltd.

• Permitting process for renewable energy projects
  - how does the process differ today vs. prior to new legislation?
  
• Is the process working?
  
• Overview of Renewable Energy Permit Guide
  - applications and type of information required
  
• Industry issues with noise modeling and setback requirements