Topic Summary: Dr. Estomin will discuss the proposed amendment initiative to restructure Florida’s electric utility industry to provide retail customer choice, describe the potential benefits and risks of the initiative, summarize the experience in other states, and address the implications for renewable energy development in Florida.

Bio: Steven Estomin received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Maryland with specialties in Industrial Organization, Environmental Economics, and Econometrics. For the bulk of his career, he was a Senior Economist and principal at Exeter Associates, Inc., an economics consulting firm specializing in energy issues. He has authored over 100 major reports and has provided expert testimony on over 50 occasions before state regulatory commissions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, state legislatures, and U.S. District Court. His clients have included the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, state offices of attorney general, state offices of consumer advocate, the U.S. Air Force, public utility commission staffs, and others. As part of his work for the federal government agencies, he has developed electricity supply plans for numerous installations that have included Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories, Lawrence Berkeley and Lawrence Livermore National Labs, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Joint Base Andrews, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Edwards Air Force Base, and the National Institutes of Health. He has been extensively involved in electric utility industry restructuring and a wide range of issues related to renewable energy policy and development.