The Western Load Research Association
(WLRA)
Western Load Research Association
Fall 2011 Meeting & Conference
September 13-16, 2011
Portland, Oregon
Conference Announcement and Call for Papers
Our friends at Portland General Electric are proud to host the Fall 2011 Western Load Research Association (WLRA) meeting and conference in Portland, Oregon, September 13-16. New for the fall conference, we will be including Load Forecasting as part of our conference, adding an extra half day. We have heard from Load Forecasters that this would be a great place for them to network with other professionals and discuss what is happening in the industry.
Location
The Courtyard by Marriott Portland City Center Hotel
550 SW Oak Street
Portland, Oregon 97204
1-503-505-5000
www.MyFavoriteCourtyard.com
You must make your hotel reservations by August 16, 2011 to guarantee room availability
Agenda
We will be starting on Tuesday at 1:00 pm (after lunch), and going through Friday noon.
We plan to schedule the load forecasting focused presentations on Tuesday and Wednesday,
and the load research and related (DR, evaluation, pricing, etc.) on Wednesday, Thursday,
and Friday morning, and the business meeting Friday morning. Crossover presentations
that relate to both will be scheduled for Wednesday. While we hope everyone will stay
for the whole conference, if you can only stay for part of the time, this information
may help you plan. If you do stay for only part of the time, please indicate that with
a note on your registration form.
Call for Papers:
Presentations at the conference will continue to demonstrate that load research and
load forecasting are great tools for dealing with the newer challenges of the modern
electric utility industry, including smart grid implementations, demand response,
renewable energy, and dynamic and time-of-use pricing programs, as well as the traditional
regulatory needs. Papers and discussions can focus on innovative new technologies and
methodologies or the traditional principles of statistical analysis.
WRLA will accept papers on any subject related to load research or load forecasting,
including but not limited to, least-cost sampling, end-use research, integrated resource
planning, program evaluation, load profiling, innovative rate design, energy efficiency
measures, and peak-demand forecasts.
WLRA is continuing to expand utility involvement, and special priority consideration
will be given to utilities wishing to make presentations. The continued success of the
WLRA Conference depends on participation from utility members. It is for this reason
that utility presentations are particularly encouraged, but utility-vendor partnership
presentations are also welcomed, and vendor presentations will be considered.
Presentations need not be extravagant and a presentation can be as short as fifteen (15) minutes.
If you would like to make a presentation, please fill out the attached
"Call for Papers"
form and email to Kristy Patteson (kpatteson@idahopower.com), WLRA Co-Chair.
Please submit your paper by August 30, 2011.
Expanded Roundtable Discussions
The Fall Conference will continue to feature roundtable discussions. If there are topics
you would like discuss during the roundtables, please make sure to note them on your
Conference Registration Form.
Vendor Reception
We don't yet have a vendor coordinator for this meeting. Vendors who would like to participate should
contact WLRA Co-Chair Kristy Patteson (information below). If any vendor is willing to coordinate the
reception this time around, we would be thrilled to have a volunteer. It is fairly easy, and you get
to pick the food!
Special Evening Dinner Event:
The group activity will be a Willamette River Dinner Boat Cruise on the Portland Spirit.
It will be held on Wednesday night, September 14th. Additional guest tickets may be purchased
for $70.
Registration:
Please register by August 24, 2011. Conference registration is $450. Conference registration and
payment can be completed online soon at http://www.loadresearchonline.com/WLRA, or by
downloading and sending the attached registration form to:
Portland General Electric
Attn: Dawn Rayborn
121 SW Salmon St, 1WTC 0704
Portland OR 97204
503-464-7917
Reservations:
You must make your hotel reservations by August 16, 2011 to guarantee room
availability and to secure the conference rate of $127 per night. Reservations and can be
made by doing either of the following:
- Online at www.Marriott.com/pdxpc Input the arrival and departure date and then expand the Special Rates & Awards section and input PGEPGEA in the Group code box and click the red 'FIND' button then proceed with making the reservation.
- Toll free at 1-800-606-3717 and ask to use the PGEPGEA group code for the Portland General Electric WLRA conference at the Portland City Center Marriott Courtyard.
Transportation:
In addition to taking a taxi, there are a couple of other options:
- MAX Light Rail System - (http://trimet.org/max/index.htm)The Trip to/from downtown Portland takes about 38 minutes and requires an All-Zone fare of $2.35. You can easily roll your luggage on board. The first train of the day arrives at PDX at 4:44 am, the last train departs at 11:49 pm. MAX station and ticket machines are located near baggage claim on the lower level. To get to the Marriot Courtyard, you would get off at the Pioneer Courthouse Square (6th and Yamhill), you would then walk about 4 blocks to the hotel (4 blocks north on 6th up to Oak St).
- 2) BlueStar Airport Shuttle - (http://www.bluestarbus.com/airport-shuttle.php)The shuttle runs every 30 minutes starting at 7a.m. and runs until 12:30a.m. The fare is $14 one-way or $24 round-trip. A reservation is not needed to take the shuttle from the airport to your hotel, but you will need a reservation for your return trip. To find the shuttle at the airport, step outside bag-gage claim, take the walkway to the left, go to Island #2, go to the Scheduled Buses and Vans pick-up area.
For additional information, please contact
Conference Host:
Dawn Rayborn
503-464-7917
Dawn.Rayborn@pgn.com
WLRA Co-Chairs:
Kristy Patteson
208-388-2982
kpatteson@idahopower.com
Craig Williamson
720-233-1500
cwilliamson@gepllc.com