Conference on Transmission Finance

The electricity transmission industry is in an expansion phase the world over, after a long period of low investment and sluggish growth. The move towards more liberalised and unbundled electricity operations, increasing demand for power, growing remote generation resources, increasing attention to grid reliability and security of supply, and the need to replace ageing assets have provided a new perspective on transmission investment. This trend is being reinforced with the adoption of explicit regulatory and policy initiatives aimed at stimulating transmission financing.

There is also a change in the way the electricity transmission business is viewed. Transmission is evolving from a “support activity” handled by integrated utilities to a stand-alone business, which is critical to the operation of the grid. The good news is that the financing community is generally supportive of these developments as they create a more focused and transparent environment for investors. While the new transmission structure is still in its infancy, thinking is emerging that traditional modes of financing may not be able to keep pace. Private investors are expected to play a much bigger role in bridging the gap. Non-traditional sources of finance such as private equity, and infrastructure and pension funds are beginning to target transmission businesses.

Technology and innovation are providing an impetus to transmission financing. Declining equipment costs are making it easier to mobilise funds for transmission projects. Meanwhile, strategies are being designed to finance and support new smart grid applications and asset management practices.

These regulatory and market forces are compelling transmission businesses to achieve operational excellence and still realise revenue targets. In many economies, they are also creating divestiture and M&A opportunities. Performance evaluation and benchmarking have become essential under the emerging industry structure and are important tools for incentive regulation. However, inadequate regulatory remuneration threatens credit ratings and impacts the financing capability of transmission operators.

In response to these developments, Global Transmission Research is organising a conference on “Transmission Finance” on March 15-16, 2012 at Grosvenor House in London, UK. The objective of the conference is to explore the issues that impact transmission investment, and evaluate the available and emerging options to finance the required infrastructure. The conference will provide an understanding of the emerging thinking on how the transmission business is viewed and financed.

This will be the first-of-its-kind industry meet to discuss issues, understand changing business and market structures, evaluate options, gain knowledge and identify potential solutions for financing the next wave of transmission development.

Key benefits to participants

The two-day conference will have focused sessions and discussions to:

• Learn from speakers representing a wide spectrum of expertise, opinion and perspectives
• Identify the policy issues impacting transmission expansion
• Understand the effects of cost allocation and pricing methods on transmission expansion and financing
• Analyse traditional financing methods and emerging options
• Understand lenders’ viewpoints on transmission financing
• Examine how renewable energy development impacts the associated transmission financing
• Assess merchant transmission models as opportunities to overcome financing obstacles
• Determine the changing technology costs and their impact on financing
• Review relevant benchmarking tools and practices
• Gain insight into the transmission asset valuation process and practices
• Know the legal aspects of financing
• Understand the ratings procedure for transmission businesses.

Day 2

The confirmed speakers so far include:

• Dr Jean-Marie Bemtgen, Directorate General, European Commission
• Iain Cameron, Chief Operating Officer, Frontier Power
• Sean Gammons, Director, NERA Economic Consulting
• Dr Sabine Schulte-Beckhausen, Counsel, White & Case, Germany
• Glenn J. Berger, Partner – Energy & Infrastructure Projects, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
• Tara Davies, Managing Director
• Julien D’Hollander, Business Development Manager, Elia, Belgium
• Jason Mann, Associate Director, Frontier Economics
• Dr Charlotte Ramsay, Head of European Strategy, Ofgem
• Guido Mattei, CEO, European Consulting Brussels
• Liam O’Keeffe, Managing Director, Credit Agricole CIB
• Chris Veal, Managing Director, Transmission Partners, UK
• Dr Frank-Peter Hansen, Bundesnetzagentur, Germany
• Oliver John, Economic Grid Management, Amprion GmbH, Germany
• Dr Masoud Bazargan, Head of Smart Grids Advanced Research, Alstom, UK
• John Stephenson, Director, ABB Ventyx
• Mathew Knight, Director of Business Development, Siemens Energy
• Dr Per Agrell, SUMICSID and Director of Louvain School of Management Research Institute
• Johan Huisma, Associate, UMS Group
• Matt Brown, Senior Director, Pöyry Management Consulting, UK
• Shawn Carraher, Managing Consultant, London Economics International
• Oliver Schuh, Director, Energy & Utilities Group, Fitch Ratings

For speaking opportunities, please contact:

Jyoti Suri
Global Transmission Report
Email: jyoti.suri@globaltransmission.info
Tel: +27-82-8307274

Global Transmission Research is a leading provider of information and analysis on the global electricity transmission industry. We publish newsletters and reports. We also organise conferences on crucial issues and topical themes relevant to the transmission industry. We publish the Global Transmission Report (a monthly newsletter) and Global Transmission Weekly (a weekly update). We also operate the website www.globaltransmission.info. These products and services provide information on all the key developments, trends and issues in the sector. They track major projects, contracts and investments. They profile leading transmission system operators and report on regulatory initiatives. They also provide the latest data and statistics on the sector.

We recently published a report titled Global Electricity Transmission Report, which profiles the electricity generation and transmission sectors of the top 101 countries. This report describes the existing state of, and the expected growth in, the electricity industries of these countries in terms of generation and transmission capacity. It briefly examines the major regulatory, technological and financing developments and trends over the past few years. It also analyses the key growth drivers and challenges, and assesses the outlook for the global transmission industry.

In June 2011, we organised our first conference on “Grid-Scale Energy Storage” at Hotel Metropole in Brussels, Belgium. The conference received a strong response from both speakers and delegates.

Our clients include leading organisations across the world such as EU GIG OU, ABB, Siemens, Alstom, GE Energy, Tractebel Engineering, ESB International, State Grid International Development, International Energy Agency, European Investment Bank, Nexans, Bechtel, Mott MacDonald, Balfour Beatty, Poyry, Nexant, SNC-Lavallin, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, Maxwell Technologies, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, Red Electrica de Espana, Terna, Elia, Reliance Energy, KEC International, Swissgrid, Brookfield, Statnett, Boston Consulting Group, El Sewedy Cables, National Contracting Company, Energinet, Energostroynaladka, CTEEP, EdF, Hyosung, AltaLink, Suez-Tractebel, MWB Shanghai, Xcel, Teshmont, Vattenfall, Dow Chemicals, Alberta Electric System Operator, AIC-USA, Hubbel Power Systems, Efacec Energia, ISA Interconexion Electrica, Israel Electric Co., Trade Wind, Hythro Power, BHP Billiton, Eskom, EFACEC, UB Engineering, PJM Interconnection, BKW FMB Energie AG, Thomas & Betts Corp, Fraunhofer-Institut fur Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik UMSICHT, Cardiff University, ABEINSA, European Commission (Institute of Energy and Transport), KEMA, Volta River Authority, etc.

The conference is expected to draw participation from:

• Transmission grid operators/companies
• Bankers, investors and financiers
• Credit rating agencies
• Regulators and policymakers
• Renewable energy developers
• Equipment manufacturers and technology vendors
• Research and development organisations and individuals
• Technical institutes
• Industry consultants
• Industry lawyers

This conference is relevant for participants from both matured economies with already unbundled electricity businesses and from developing countries that are expected to do so and hence seek solutions.

Sponsorship (Limited to four organisations)*

This conference will provide an excellent opportunity for organisations to showcase their products and services. The deliverables include:

• Two delegate registrations (full conference)
• Table space at the conference
• Distribution of sponsor promotional material to each delegate
• Logo presence at the conference
• Acknowledgement on conference website
• A hyperlink to the organisation’s website
• Speaker slot (If relevant, subject to approval of organisers)

Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel
Park Lane, London
W1K 7TN United Kingdom

For registration and sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Ms Yasmeen Chopra
Global Transmission Report
Email: yasmeen.chopra@globaltransmission.info
Tel: +91-11-46113914
Mobile: +91-9555437913

For speaking opportunities, please contact:

Jyoti Suri
Global Transmission Report
Email: jyoti.suri@globaltransmission.info
Tel: +27-82-8307274

To register, email us to: registration@globaltransmission.info or visit us at www.globaltransmission.info