Schwarzenegger Energy Advisor to Speak at Journalism Seminar

11/17/2003

From: Paul Davis of the Foundation for American Communications, 626-584-0010 or davis@facs.us

News Advisory:

A special one-day seminar for journalists: "California's Electricity Future," will be held Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Stanford University. The program will focus on the reliability, supply and cost of electricity for your readers and viewers. There is no fee for working journalists and lunch is included. The program has been developed by the Foundation for American Communicati ons (FACS) in Pasadena and by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).

The faculty is a blue-chip group with a great deal of hands-on knowledge about the situation in California. The faculty includes energy expert Jim Sweeney of Stanford's Terman School of Engineering, a senior fellow at SIEPR who is on the governor-elect's Energy Task Force; Professor Frank Wolak, an economist at Stanford who is also chairman of the Market Surveillance Committee of the California Independent System Operator; and Severin Borenstein, professor of Business Administration and Public Policy at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Also joining the seminar will be an industry expert and a consumer advocate.

This seminar is designed to help you report on the issue of providing electricity to California residents and businesses following the electricity shortages and blackouts in many communities in 2001 and the huge blackout in the East and Midwest in August 2003. Generation capacity has been increased but there are few new transmission lines for the state.

A new administration is soon to be in Sacramento. There are many policy issues to be addressed, and there are questions about reliability, supply and cost for the citizens of the state. Electricity supply and prices will be considered in a context of all energy resources, petroleum, natural gas and energy alternatives. Experts will provide analytical tools, sources and resources journalists may use in reporting stories.

One must register to attend. To register, go to http://www.facsnet.org and select the Dec. 2 program on energy. A registration form is provided. Or call FACS at 626-584-0010. Fax number is 626-584-0627.