Energy secretary, IEEE-member industry leader to deliver keynote addresses during GridWeek 2008

WASHINGTON (21 August 2008)-- U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Enrique Santacana, president and CEO of ABB Inc., will be the keynote speakers during GridWeek 2008 in Washington.

The event, 22-25 September at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, is an annual gathering of smart grid stakeholders and thought leaders. IEEE-USA is a major partner of GridWeek 2008.

Bodman and Santacana will deliver their addresses on Wednesday 24 September from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

The smart grid employs modern communications and computing power to upgrade the electric power system, making it more reliable, efficient and capable of delivering additional services to consumers. It is expected to save customers money and reduce carbon emissions.

Bodman, who earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Cornell and a doctor of science degree from MIT, was an associate professor of chemical engineering at MIT from 1965-71. He was sworn in as energy secretary in February 2005 and leads a department with a budget of more than $23 billion and over 100,000 federal and contract employees.

Santacana, an IEEE member and licensed professional engineer in North Carolina and Puerto Rico, is also region manager of ABB North America. ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance and reduce environmental impact. Its world headquarters are in Zurich, Switzerland.

Santacana was appointed to the Energy Department's newly established Electricity Advisory Committee in April. The group was formed to help the department meet the requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, sections of which IEEE-USA supported.

According to the GridWeek 2008 Web site (http://www.gridweek.com/2008/default.asp#), "A realization is emerging that a new view of energy, beyond oil, coal and other fossil-based fuels, will result in decentralized components of the electricity grid, a far cry from the central generation and structured system of the past."

GridWeek 2008 will also feature the first International Smart Grid Summit to discuss smart grid developments around the world. To register for GridWeek 2008, go to http://www.gridweek.com/2008/default.asp#register.

IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 215,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society with 375,000 members in 160 countries. See http://www.ieeeusa.org.