A group of local clean energy advocates and electricity industry stakeholders will meet in Hutchinson next week to discuss how the state can benefit from building out its transmission grid.

The event – titled Expanding and Modernizing the Electrical Grid: Essential Infrastructure for the Heartland’s Clean Energy Future will take place here in Hutchinson August 15-17 and will feature addresses by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Marc Spitzer.

The forum will also feature other national and regional experts on renewable energy and electricity transmission who will address key issues, such as how to build and pay for the transmission infrastructure necessary to unleash renewable power in Kansas and the rest of the nation’s Heartland.

Officials say these transmission updates are integral to lowering electricity prices for American businesses and consumers, creating new jobs in the wind energy industry, and unleashing domestic renewable energy resources.

Experts will also discuss current events central to the national energy debate, including FERC’s new rule, “order 1000,” that bolsters regional cost allocation and planning proposals from regions throughout the U.S.

Participants will include representatives from a broad range of organizations including electric utilities, environmental organizations, businesses, agriculture groups, landowners, and labor organizations.

The event will be hosted by Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, a project of the Energy Future Coalition, and the Climate + Energy Project based in Lawrence, KS. Event sponsors include the Heartland Alliance for Regional Transmission, the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce, Hutchinson Community College, Siemens, ITC Great Plains, Westar Energy, and Clean Line Energy Partners.

The event will be held at the Stringer Fine Arts Center Recital Hall on the Hutchinson Community College campus at 600 East 11th.