Annual Meeting Offers Detailed Industry Updates

We work extremely hard to put together a program of meetings and activities that make the MEAG Power Annual Meeting a worthwhile event for our Participants. It is a unique once-a-year opportunity to gather a broad spectrum of Participant elected officials and staff to discuss in-depth the most important areas of our business and the industry, of legislation and the political policy environment that could affect our Participant communities, of industry changes, trends and challenges – and of strategies for meeting them.

There was no shortage of important topics to discuss this year. The world seems to be in a state of flux. From the dramatic increases from historically low natural gas prices to the recent volatility in cryptocurrency markets to supply chain issues and related shortages, to the continued rise of the solar and EV industries and of electrification, in general – today’s economy and the markets in which we operate are more challenging than ever.

Our program focused on many of these important issues. Garrett Fitzgerald, Ph.D., senior director, electrification, at the Smart Electric Power Alliance, presented on electrification and EV integration into the industry and economy. Geoff Bennett, PBS Newshour chief Washington correspondent and weekend anchor, delivered an in-depth briefing on important political news and the federal legislative landscape.

Steve Wright, the retired general manager of the Chelan Public Utility District & former CEO of the Bonneville Power Administration, joined MEAG Power Chief Operating Officer Steve Jackson and General Counsel Pete Degnan on a panel to discuss the fluid load dynamics at play in the volatile cryptocurrency industry.

And Michele Jackson, director of Power Generation, joined The Energy Authority’s Michael Gehring, portfolio manager, east, and Mark Anderson, client services manager, on a panel dissecting the power supply challenges at hand in wholesale energy and solar markets related to the current economic, supply and supply chain issues.

MEAG Power President & CEO Jim Fuller opened the general session with his annual business review, highlighting MEAG Power’s successes and challenges over the 12 months since the last annual meeting. Jim also introduced our new Chief Financial Officer Reiko Kerr (click to view press release).

Jim and Steve Jackson later introduced this year’s President’s Award winners, Ben Boucher, manager of bulk transmission planning services, and Lisa Meeks, principal accountant — recognized for their service and dedication to MEAG Power and our Participant communities.