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Bates White economist Jonathan A. Lesser keynotes and hosts Ohio Energy Law Seminar
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 12, 2007—Jonathan
A. Lesser, Ph.D., Partner at Bates White LLC, will deliver the keynote address and host the
Ohio Energy Law Seminar “Ohio’s Energy Industry—Today and Tomorrow.” The
seminar will take place October 23, 2007, in Columbus, Ohio. The one-day seminar will address
recent energy-related issues and rulings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Ohio
Public Utilities Commission, the Ohio Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency, and
the Ohio and federal legislatures, providing both a concise summary of where Ohio’s
electric industry is today and insight into where it may be headed.
According to Dr. Lesser, policymakers often establish overly rigid approaches for achieving
their goals, when other, more market-based approaches can achieve those goals at a lower cost.
His address, “Alternative Regulatory Structures and Rate Tariff Mechanisms,” will
discuss practical approaches for creating incentives for regulated firms to reduce their costs
(which translates into better margins for utilities and future lower prices for customers), and
for policymakers to achieve their goals of more environmentally friendly resources.
In conjunction with the seminar, on October 24, 2007, Dr. Lesser will conduct a workshop
“Anatomy of a Rate Case.” While the natural gas and electric industries continue to
change, traditional rate cases continue to be the foundation upon which many of the costs for
utility services are based. This course will provide attorneys and technicians with an overview
of the structure of a rate case, the economic principles that underlie rate regulation, the
mechanics of that regulation, and the broader regulatory issues that affect how rates are set.
Dr. Lesser has more than 20 years experience working for electric utilities, government, and
academia as an economic consultant. He has addressed major economic and regulatory policy issues
affecting electric and natural gas utilities, ranging from market structure and operations to
cost allocation, rate design, capital investment decision strategies and general regulatory
policy. He has testified before numerous state public utility commissions and before the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In addition, he has testified in commercial litigation
cases. Dr. Lesser is the coauthor of Fundamentals
of Energy Regulation, published in 2007 by Public Utilities Reports, Inc.
About Bates White
Bates White is a consulting firm offering services in economics, finance, and business strategy to leading law firms,
Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies. We provide our clients with a unique combination of quantitative and
analytical expertise, and an understanding of business issues across a range of industries. Bates White has offices
in Washington, D.C., and San Diego, Calif.
www.bateswhite.com
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