Retail Energy Supply Association Announces Formation of Federal Monitoring Group

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA), a leading trade association of retail energy suppliers committed to the advocacy of vibrant and sustainable competitive retail energy markets, announced today the formation of a federal monitoring group to expand its regulatory advocacy and monitoring activities to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  RESA currently monitors retail electric competition activities in 13 states and retail gas competition activities in 4 states.

RESA's new federal monitoring group will be chaired by Melissa Lauderdale, who is Director of Government & Regulatory Affairs for Integrys Energy Services, Inc. and RESA's Second Vice President. Elizabeth Whittle, a partner at the Washington, DC office of the law firm of Nixon Peabody, will serve as the group's counsel.

"Over the past year, the Obama Administration and particularly the FERC has taken on a leadership role over policies designed to provide more and more end-use customers with the benefits of increased innovation, demand response, renewable energy and smart grid development," said Jay Kooper, President of RESA.  "As the competitive retail energy industry is rapidly expanding its product offerings in renewable energy, demand response, energy efficiency and carbon reduction, it seems a natural fit for RESA to expand its regulatory advocacy activities to the FERC. I am particularly happy that Melissa, who has a long and distinguished career in FERC advocacy, has volunteered to lead RESA's efforts in this new arena."

"It is with great pleasure that I have volunteered to serve as RESA's first federal chair," said Ms. Lauderdale. "It is particularly important for RESA to have taken this step because FERC, through its jurisdiction over wholesale markets, impacts the operation of retail markets on a daily basis and FERC can make the best decisions when it hears from all segments of the market.  I look forward to leading RESA's efforts in this new arena and working with federal policymakers to ensure that the Obama Administration's ambitious goals for an expanded green energy economy – goals that are furthered by support for and expansion of retail competition – are met."

About RESA

RESA's members include ConEdison Solutions; Direct Energy Services, LLC; Exelon Energy Company; GDF SUEZ Energy Resources NA, Inc.; Gexa Energy; Green Mountain Energy Company; Hess Corporation; Integrys Energy Services, Inc.; Just Energy; Liberty Power; Sempra Energy Solutions LLC.  For more information, contact RESA Executive Director Tracy McCormick at (717) 566-5405 or go to www.RESAUSA.org.

SOURCE Retail Energy Supply Association