Experts to discuss power outage study

A U.S. Department of Energy study on power outages that occurred in many regions of the country in the summer of 1999 will be the subject of an executive roundtable hosted by the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute.

The roundtable, 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, will be at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St. It features two UW engineering professors who helped write the study on electric reliability in the United States.

Fernando Alvarado and Christopher DeMarco from the UW Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering were among the 15 experts who investigated power failures that occurred in regions throughout the U.S. including Chicago.

The goal of the study, released in March, was to discover any common threads in those outages that can help inform a national effort for blackout prevention.

For a balanced dialogue, WPUI has invited Wisconsin Public Service Commission Commissioner John Farrow and Jeff Knitter, manager of resource planning for Wisconsin Electric to present their organizations’ reactions to the study. WPUI Director Susan Stratton will facilitate discussion.

For more information, call (608) 263-4180, or visit: WPUI Web site.

Cost: $225 for non-members, $150 for WPUI members, $75 for government and nonprofit organizations. Reservations due by Wednesday, April 12. University students can register at no charge based on space available after April 12.