The McDonnell Group

Patty Durand will join a panel on consumer engagement at Grid ComForum East 2011 at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, June 2

ATLANTA – May 31, 2011 – Executive Director Patty Durand of the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC), an independent non-profit group working to promote consumer understanding of the benefits and impacts of modernized U.S. electric systems, will join a discussion on the challenges of “The Consumer Side of the Smart Grid.”  The panel takes place at 3:45 p.m., Thursday June 2 at the 2011 Grid ComForum East, sponsored by Southern Company and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Durand, who worked for the Georgia Institute of Technology Smart Grid Research Institute before taking the reins at the SGCC January 2011, joins a diverse panel, representing industry, regulatory, and consumer perspectives.  Panelists include:

•    Moderator John McDonald, Director, Technical Strategy & Policy Development, GE Energy
•    Paul Centolella, Commissioner, Ohio Public Utilities Commission
•    Susan Story, President & CEO, Southern Company Services
•    Catherine Thompson, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ontario, Canada.

“The smart grid transformation is empowering consumers to manage their energy choices as never before, yet some find it confusing,” said Durand.  “Electricity providers and technology companies are starting to work together to learn new ways of engaging consumers in this new era.  This panel will provide multiple stakeholder insights into the challenges, opportunities, and concerns of consumer engagement.”

Grid ComForum East 2011, June 1-3, 2011, includes a Southern Company programming day and two days of industry discussion and learning on the future of electric power in America. 

About the Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative (SGCC)
The SGCC is a consumer focused non-profit organization aiming to promote the understanding and benefits of modernized electrical systems among all stakeholders in the United States.  Membership is open to all consumer and environmental advocates, technology vendors, research scientists, and electric utilities for sharing in research, best practices, and collaborative efforts of the group.  Join @ www.smartgridcc.org.