The Western Utilities Financial Forum, formerly known as the NW Utilities Financial Forum, is a place for senior accounting and finance leaders from around western North America to gather and share best practices related to working in the energy industry. Our leaders play a pivotal role in the strategic direction and growth of their utilities and this forum provides a unique opportunity to come together in an exclusive peer to peer environment to address challenges and explore best practices in all issues related to accounting and financial management.
Member: $399 USD
Regular: $499 USD
Registration provides access to all Western Utilities Financial Forum agenda items and meeting materials. Registration includes a networking reception on Tuesday evening as well as catered breakfast, lunch, light snacks, and beverages at the meeting.
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Join us for a WEI hosted networking reception within walking distance from the Hilton. Enjoy a taco bar, drinks, bowling, and more!
Punch Bowl Social
340 SW Morrison Street
Suite #4305
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 334-0360
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Registration + Networking Breakfast
Arrive early to register and network with peers over continental breakfast.
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Welcome + Industry Address
Facilitator(s): Veronica Wittig, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Bonneville Power Administration
Speaker(s): Joel Cook, Chief Operating Officer, Bonneville Power Administration
The host utility will welcome the group to Portland, followed by an industry address from Joel Cook, Chief Operating Officer at Bonneville Power Administration.
10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Networking Break
10:30 AM - 11:45 AM
Roundtable Breakout Sessions
This time is designated for attendees to get to know their peers through introductions and self-faciliated roundtable discussion. Come prepared to discuss “top of mind” issues and challenges that you and your team are currently experiencing. There will be three breakout sessions to choose from based on your role at your utility:
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Networking Lunch
A hot lunch will be provided onsite.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
GASB/FASB Updates
Speaker(s): Jonathan Steinberg, Director, PwC
This interactive session will give attendees the opportunity to interact with peers and gain deeper insight into current accounting and reporting hot topics in the industry. This session will cover items relevant to companies in the Power & Utilities sector, including the FASBs projects on sustainability linked financing and regulatory credits, investments in tax credit structures and current areas of focus for the SEC, in addition to an overview of upcoming GASB Standards.
1:45 PM - 2:00 PM
Networking Break
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
CFO Panel
Moderator(s): Jeffrey Miller, Principal | Strategy and Transactions, EY
Panelist(s): Marcus Harris, Acting Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Bonneville Power Administration, Kelly Boyd, CFO / CRO, Chelan County PUD, Brian Buckham, Chief Financial Officer, Idaho Power Company
Hear from a dynamic panel of CFOs on the current challenges and opportunities in finance and the energy industry.
3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Networking Break
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Multi-Year Rate Plans
Speaker(s): Kyle McNamara, Director Advisory, Finance Transformation, KPMG LLP, Ken Wiegand, Director, Infrastructure & Projects Advisory, KPMG LLP
As utilities increasingly look to fund large investments in grid modernization, renewables integration, and responses to catastrophic events, more and more states are looking at adopting forward-looking, multi-year rate plans (MYRP). Regulators see forward-looking MYRP test years as an efficient way to set rates and avoid a continuous stream of rate cases to fund these initiatives, and the investment community sees them favorably as they reduce regulatory lag. Forward-looking ratemaking demands a higher level of forecasting accuracy and better visibility and insights into portfolio and pipeline management. We will discuss key areas to consider as utilities evolve their planning operating models to meet MYRP requirements in this changing regulatory environment.
Please contact the hotel directly at (503) 226-1611 to reserve your room. Identify yourself as being with Western Energy Institute (WEI) to receive a special rate of $225 USD/night. This rate is guaranteed until August 10, 2022 or until the WEI room block is full.
Effective August 18, 2022, proof of vaccination status or results of a negative COVID-19 test will not be required for admittance into most WEI-hosted programs.
WEI continues to monitor all federal level CDC, Canadian government and public health agency recommendations, as well as local ordinances, as a policy baseline for in-person programs. We encourage all attendees to review the current guidelines related to isolation and precautions prior to traveling to a WEI event, as well as guidance for traveling to and from Canada, which may differ from guidance for traveling to or from the United States.
Some WEI-hosted programs may require proof of vaccination status, if essential for participation, in which case WEI will communicate this requirement in advance of the program start date.
Please refer to WEI’s Safety + Health Code of Conduct for other important considerations.