The lights of Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., may glitter brightly, but they won't outshine DistribuTECH 2003, scheduled to be held Feb. 4-6, 2003, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Now in its 13^th year, DistribuTECH's conference and exhibition continue to attract leading industry professionals. With an anticipated attendance of 4000, this event gives participants the opportunity to make dozens of quality contacts in one location.

DistribuTECH 2003 kicks off with an evening reception on Tuesday, February 4. Here, attendees can enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres while networking with industry peers and viewing the exhibits of more than 200 companies.

CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION

Today's economy presents utility businesses with a variety of challenges, meaning that the industry must develop and embrace new technologies. Each year, DistribuTECH's advisory committee selects the hottest topics of discussion and then locates the experts to present their findings. DistribuTECH's conference provides up-to-date, comprehensive information on the current trends and ideas shaping the industry. Whatever their interest, attendees will find an informative session to fit their needs.

This year's sessions covering the hottest areas of discussion include:

• Substation Automation
• Distribution Operations Management
• Demand Response
• Distribution Automation
• Distributed Generation
• Enterprise Application Integration
• Metering, AMR and Data Management
• Mobile Computing.

The DistribuTECH exhibition, held in conjunction with the conference, will feature more than 200 companies on the cutting-edge of technology and innovation, representing 53 product groups and 22 services. DistribuTECH hosts companies specializing in:

• Distribution Automation Products
• Information Technology
• Advanced Metering Technology
• SCADA
• Systems and Data Integration
• AM/FM/GIS
• Communications Technology
• Mobile Computing.

UTILITY UNIVERSITY

As in the past, Utility University courses and workshops will be held February 2-3, two days prior to the conference and exhibition. Classes take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center and include courses such as DNP3 Protocol Overview, Substation Automation — Approaches and Best Practices, AMR Full Scale Deployments, and Communication for Utility for Utility Automation, to name a few. For more information on dates, times, class overviews, instructors and who should attend, visit DistribuTECH's Web site at www.distributech.com.

KEYNOTE SESSIONS

This year's conference and exhibition will feature two prominent keynote speakers, Walter M. Higgins III and Wanda Reder.

Higgins was named Sierra Pacific Resources chairman of the board, president and CEO in August 2000. He was previously the chairman, president and CEO for AGL Resources Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Prior to AGL, Higgins had been with Sierra Pacific, which he joined in 1993 and served through January 1998 as the company's chairman, president and CEO. He was president and COO of Louisville Gas and Electric Co. (LG&E), the principal subsidiary of LG&E Energy, a Louisville, Kentucky-based utility holding company, from 1991 to 1993. Prior to that, he spent 14 years at Portland General Electric (PGE), where his last position was that of senior vice president, generation and transmission.

Reder, as vice president of engineering and planning, oversees distribution operations at ComEd, which provides for the delivery of electric service for approximately 3.4 million customers throughout northern Illinois. Her areas of responsibility include reliability and power quality, distribution engineering, capacity planning, and mapping and records.

Reder joined ComEd in August 2001. Prior to joining the company, she served as vice president for Davies Consulting, located in Maryland. Before the ComEd position, Reder founded and was president and CEO of Ultra Power Technologies Inc., an unregulated subsidiary of Northern States Power Co. Ultra Power Technologies was one of the first companies to offer predictive diagnostic testing for underground distribution cable. Reder started this company and was instrumental in introducing reliability-centered maintenance to utilities and encouraging it as a general practice for underground distribution systems.

IT'S WHO YOU KNOW

Networking is an important part of every DistribuTECH conference. Designed with attendees in mind, DistribuTECH offers a variety of ways to meet people, share ideas and discuss challenges. Conference participants can join their industry peers at the annual Power Breakfasts. Held Wednesday, February 5 and Thursday, February 6 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., these dynamic roundtable discussions are conducted in an informal, give-and-take format. Moderated by a DistribuTECH committee member, each table addresses a different topic. Specific topics will be announced.

The VIP Lounge provides attendees another chance to network. The VIP Lounge offers a relaxed atmosphere for visiting with other delegates, returning phone calls, checking e-mail, preparing for a meeting or grabbing a beverage. Two computers with Internet access, as well as telephone lines for laptop modem hookup, are available to access e-mail messages or print documents. A fax machine will also be available.

DISTRIBUTECH

February 4, 5 & 6, 2003 Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada U.S.A.

DISTRIBUTECH EXHIBITOR LIST

ABB Inc.
Advanced Control Systems
AECI Specialty Transformer
Alligator Communications
Alstom
AMCO Automated Systems
AMRA
Amrel Systems LLC
AMS
Applied Metering Technologies Inc.
Applied Systems Engineering Inc.
Arbiter System
Axiom Corp. (Mobility)
Austin International Inc.
Automation Technologies & Services LLC
BARCO Control Rooms
Beckwith Electric Co.
BLP Components
Bow Networks Inc.
Cannon Technologies Inc.
Caprock Mfg. Inc.
CES International
Christie Digital Systems
Citel
Clarity Visual Systems
Cleaveland/Price Inc.
Cognicase-M3i
Comverge Technologies
Cooper Power Systems
CX2 Technologies
Cybectec/Gentec
Cyme
DAQ Electronics Inc.
Data Comm for Business
Data-Link Group
Datamatic.com Ltd.
Dataradio Corp.
Dataremote Inc.
DNP Users Group
Draper Inc.
Dymec Inc.
E.O. Schweitzer Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Eaton Cutler-Hammer
Ekstrom Industries Inc.
Electric Energy Publications
Electric Light & Power magazine
Electro Industries/GaugeTech
Electrosonic Systems Inc.
Elster Electricity LLC
Energration
Energy Central
Energy Markets magazine
Envenergy
EnvoyWorldWide Inc.
EPOS Corp.
ERICO Inc.
ETAP-Operation Technology Inc.
Exeltech
FKI Switchgear & Transformers
FreeWave Technologies Inc.
G & W Electric
Gamber-Johnson
GE Power Systems
Geoforce
GeoSpatial Innovations Inc.
Global Enterprise Managers Inc.
Hubbell Power Systems Inc.
Hunt Technologies Inc.
ICMI-Inductive Components Mfg. Inc.
Incon
Intergraph Utilities
Internet-Metering.net (a division of AES-Intellinet)
Invensys
Itron
Itronix Corp.
JCMB Technology Inc.
Joslyn Hi-Voltage/Fisher Pierce
Jupiter Systems
Kema Consulting
Landis+Gyr Inc.
LASCOM Solutions Inc.
LeT Systems
Lindsey Manufacturing Co.
LiveData
Locus Inc.
Logica
MapFrame Corp.
Marwell Corp.
Mauell Corp.
MDSI Mobile Data Solutions
Mentor Engineering Inc.
Meteorlogix
Meter Smart L.P.
Metering Technology Corp.
Meter-Treater Inc.
Metretek Inc.
Metso Automation
MicroSlate Inc.
Microsol
Microwave Data Systems
Milsoft
MiniMax Software Corp.
Mitsubishi Digital Electronics
Mobile Mounting Solutions Inc.
Motorola
Nertec Inc.
Northrop Grumman Information
Technology
NovaTech
NRECA
NxtPhase Corp.
Omicron Electronics
Open Systems International
Oracle Corp.
Orbit One Communications
Osaki Meter Sales Inc.
OSI Software Inc.
Osmose Inc.
Outerlink Corp.
Panasonic Computer Solutions Inc.
PCS Utilidata
Peak Load Management Alliance
Porche Systems Inc.
Positron Inc.
Powel Group Inc.
Power Delivery Products Inc.
Power Measurement
Power Technologies Inc.
Public Utilities Reports
Pulsar Technologies Inc.
QEI Inc.
Qualitrol Corp.
Radio IP Software
Radio Satellite Integrators
Radius Radio Network Technology
Rainbow/Mykotronx
RAMAR
RCCS
Regency Technologies Inc.
Reliatronics Inc.
Remote Site & Equipment magazine
RFL Electronics Inc.
RioTronics Corp.
S&C Electric Co.
Satec Inc.
SchlumbergerSema
Schneider Electric
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
SCT
SensorLink Corp.
Severn Trent Systems
Severon Corp.
Siemens
Silicon Energy
Silver Spring Network
Skytel Telemetry Services
Statlinc
Stone & Webster Consultants
SUBNET Solutions Inc.
Survalent Technology Corp.
Synelec USA Inc.
TC Communications
Telemetric
Telemetrix Inc.
Transdata
Transmission & Distribution World magazine
Triangle Microworks
TVD Inc.
TWACS by DCSI
Utility Associates Inc.
Utility Automation Integrators Inc.
Utility Automation magazine
VA TECH CNI
Vytek Wireless
WalkAbout Computers
Water World magazine
Weather Services International
WeatherTAP.com
Weston Technology
World Wireless Communications Inc.
Zebra Technologies International LLC

DISTRIBUTECH CONFERENCE SESSIONS

DISTRIBUTION AUTOMATION

Real Projects — Do They Work?

• Generation Divestiture Drives an Innovative VAr Management Program at Duquesne Light

• Practical Issues to Consider When Determining if Feeder Automation is Right for You

• Using Automatic Transfer Controls to Improve System Reliability

Moving DA Communications Forward — “Can You Hear Me Now?”

• The Evolution of Communications Protocols for DA and SCADA

• Optimizing Communication Networks for Distribution SCADA and Advanced Applications

• Using DNP3 and TCP/IP to Build a Fault-Tolerant Distribution WAN

The DNP3 Experience

DNP3 is now the popular protocol in use by global electric utilities. This panel session, organized by the DNP User's Group, is designed to provide DNP3 users with insight into the recent developments with the protocol and to highlight recent innovative electric-utility projects using DNP3. This panel will discuss recent advances of the protocol, networking and routing, CDPD solutions of ISO to IPP and network security initiatives.

Real Power Projects — How Automation Works

• Putting Automation to Work in the Distribution Environment: A Practical Perspective

• A Standardized Approach to the Application of Line Reclosers

• Accurate Real-Time Distribution Power Flow

Utility Web Applets & Your Web-Challenged Friends

• Web-Based Monitoring, Control and Configuration of Medium-Voltage Feeder Applications

• Using Client-Side Technologies to Develop Web-Based Applications for Power System Analysis

• Security and Your Network: Solutions for a Wireless World

DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Securing Your Assets by Securing Your Access

• Information Security Concerns in Electric Power
• Securing Wireless, Point-to-Point SCADA Links
• Standardizing Utility Communication Security

Sweat the Assets — Safely

• Improved Load Forecasting at PacifiCorp

• Web-Enabled Tools for Asset Management

• Technology and Work Force Management: The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) That Count

Utility Experiences in Implementing Energy Delivery IT Strategies

“Vision without the ability to execute is hallucination!” said AOL's Steve Case. This elite panel of utility strategists will discuss their experiences and lessons learned in planning and implementing their respective IT strategies to deliver bottom-line business results.

Experiences and Trends in Restoration and Outage Management

Automated Energy Notification, Current Practices and the Future

Asset Performance Cost Benefit and Actual Experiences

• A Cost/Benefit Comparison of Reliability Improvement Strategies
• Distribution Network Reliability Improvement Program
• Outsourced Monitoring and Reliability of Critical Assets

SUBSTATION INTEGRATION AND AUTOMATION

Here Come the Standards, Are You Ready?

• IEEE-1588 Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems and Applications to the Power Industry

• A New IEEE Standard - P1613 - Environmental Requirements for Communication Networking Devices in Electrical Power Substations

• The Future of Relay Testing

UCA — Implementation and Options

• Using Ethernet as a Stepping Stone to UCA

• UCA2 Integration: The Yellow Dirt Project

• Object Models for Power Quality Monitoring in UCA 2.0 and IEC 61850

Is There Enough “Bang for the Buck” for Your Project to be Approved?

• An Electric Utility's Business Case for Implementing SCADA and Substation Automation Systems

• A Business Case Approach for the Installation of an Internet-Based Substation Monitoring System at Kansas City Power & Light Co.

• The Cost of a UCA Substation

Successful Programs and Lessons Learned

• Alabama Power Substation Networking Project Justification and Implementation

• AltaLink: A Decade of Experiences and Benefits of the Substation Workstation

• Mass Producing Substation Automation

Web Technologies in the Substation

• Future of RTU and Substation Data Integration

• Web-Enabled System for Power-Quality Monitoring and Disturbance Recording in Distribution Substations

• Using Relational Database Technology to Consolidate Systemwide Fault Information

MOBILE WORK FORCE MANAGEMENT

Scheduling for Success: Breaking Down Barriers When Managing Field Resources

• Universal Resource Scheduling for Utility Distribution Field Operations: Achievable Target or Impossible Dream?

• Automating and Interfacing Resource Scheduling into the Enterprise Information Architecture for Field Operations

• Optimizing Field Service Delivery: Combining Leading Practices and Technology to Improve Performance by 15% to 30%

How Good is Good Enough? Managing a Scheduling Culture Change

Implementation of scheduling systems often faces employee resistance. See examples of how a utility's experiences with project initiatives, workshops and exercises led to its own record-time implementation for all distribution, transmission and substation work.

A Birds Eye View — How AVL Technology Can Improve Your Operations

• Using Mobile Dispatch and AVL for Electric Trouble

• Take Customer Service, Outage Management, Fleet Efficiency and Safety to the Next Level — The Value of Real-Time Satellite Location Data With OMS/GIS Systems

• Using AVL Technology to Improve Distribution Operations Management

What's New? Embracing New Technologies

• No Trouble Here: BC Hydro Takes Mobile Work Force Management to the Next Level

• Embracing Compliance: Building a Solution to Meet DOT Regulatory Requirements

• Sifting Through Emerging Technologies to Strike Gold for Your Wireless Work Force

Mobile GIS: Bringing the Field to the Field

• How GPS Works — A General Education on the Global Positioning System

• Mobile GIS — Extending the Enterprise

• Getting the Data to the Field…What it Takes to Make it Work

ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION

Enterprise Asset Management

• Asset Management in Ontario's New Regulatory Environment — The Hydro One Experience

• Strategic Asset Management Using Common Information Model

• Bonneville Power Administration Case Study… Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) Implementation

Enterprise Integration Experiences

• LG&E Energy GEMINI Project — Moving Two Energy Companies in One Direction

• Improve Company Performance by Finding Hidden Value in Data Application Integration to Achieve Flexibility

Enterprise Integration Standards

• Web-Services: A New Integration Platform for Distribution Operations Toward Plug and Play Integration of Utilities

• System Integration Using MQ Series: Trends, Technical Details and Lessons Learned

Model-Driven EAI Projects at Two Utilities

This panel will explore how two utilities are using a model-driven integration (MDI) process to achieve information exchange among various systems, including outage management, SCADA, AM/FM/GIS, work management, customer information and others. MDI leverages EAI and XML technologies, but information is organized based on the utility industry's Common Information Model (CIM). Following a brief overview of MDI, these utilities will share their lessons learned and discuss future plans.

Building the Geospatial Data Infrastructure for Asset and Resource Management

• Experiences with Developing an Enterprise GIS Direction

• From GIS to CIM to DMS Operational Model and UI

• Effectively Implementing GIS for Electric, Water, Wastewater and Gas

METERING, AMR AND DATA MANAGEMENT

Case Studies in Metering

• From Business Case to Business Results: Network Meter Reading at United Illuminating Co.

• AMR at Salt River Project: Business Case, Strategy and Implementation

• New Approaches and Solutions for Metering and Residential Energy Management

Pivotal Technologies Forming New Products

• Metering Strategy: Long-Term Choices in Uncertain Times

• Internet-Based Metering at Oncor for ERCOT Power Plant Application

• Lifting the Veil: A Spotlight on Powerful New Metering and AMR Technologies

Real-Time Metering for Efficient Decision Making and Billing

• Meeting Multiple Requirements: Madison Gas and Electric's AMR Business Case, Strategy and Implementation

• AMR at Sharyland Utilities: The Latest and Greatest

• Real-Time Energy Metering at Southern California Edison

Reaping Financial Benefits Using C/I AMR

• AMR Data: The Practical Method for Load Forecasting

• LCRA's Approach to Providing Value-Added Services to its Wholesale Customers

• Automatic Submeter Reading Systems: Benefits and Opportunities Across a Spectrum of Applications

New Directions in AMR and Public RF Networks

The evolution of AMR technology and public network communications is creating opportunities to achieve new levels of scalability and flexibility, along with a new frontier of applications and value-added services. This panel discussion will examine the latest trends in public RF communications networks and the implications for AMR systems and related applications.

DISTRIBUTED GENERATION

The Nuts and Bolts of DG

• Protective Relaying When Distributed Generation is Added to Your Circuit

• How to Nuisance-Trip Distributed Generation

• Using the Internet for Dispatch of Aggregated Backup Generation to Address Power-System Constraints

Connecting DG to the Grid

• Power-System Automation and the IEEE Standard on Distributed Resource Interconnections with Electric Power Systems

• An Innovative Approach to Meeting Interconnection Requirements for Distributed Generation

• Update on the Current Status of DG Interconnection Protection

DEMAND RESPONSE

Setting the Table for Viable Demand Response

Organized by the Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA), this session will present up-to-date information on the current status of demand response in this country. The panelists will also address program design principles; creating market liquidity and transparency; public-policy issues and improving the viability of electricity markets by the use of demand response.

Real-Time Pricing in the Real World

This session features presentations from utilities currently providing real-time pricing to their largest, most important customers. They will review the service they provide and the reaction of their customers, who now can view and store energy-usage data, base load and pricing information, and generally have much more control over their own energy costs.

Demand Response for the Mass Market

• Event-Driven vs. Price-Driven Demand Response in Today's Marketplace

• Price-Responsive Demand and Multi-Family Dwellings

• A Case Study of a Utility's Success with Mass Market Peak Load Management

CLASS OF ITS OWN

Web Technologies for Customer Care

• Using the Internet to Strengthen Customer Relationships

• Power, Progress, and Customer Centricity: The Use of Web-Based Technology as a Vehicle For Heightened Customer Care

• Web Services for Utility Customers: What Are They and How Can You Use Them to Make Money?

Maximize Your Benefits: Include Change Management in Your Technology Projects

• Change Management is Just Training and Communication — Right? Wrong?

• The Missing Ingredient: Make New Systems and Technologies More Successful — Theory ZYX of Successful Change Management

• Field Service Centers: To Open or Close?

Cost vs. Customer Service: Can You Do Both?

• Utilizing Technology to Deliver Superior Customer Service

• Next-Generation Utility Field Service: Driving Value With a Single View of All Work

• Reducing Costs by 15% to 30% While Improving Customer Service

Off the Beaten Path — Dealing with Change

• Mergers — Can't Live With Them, Can't Live Without Them

• Disruptive Technologies — Poised to Change the Energy and Utilities Business

• Metrology as a Business Strategy for Utilities

DISTRIBUTECH SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2003

11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Exhibit Floor
1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Conference Sessions

Wednesday, February 5, 2003

9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Conference Sessions
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Exhibit Floor
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Conference Sessions

CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.