Itron Utility Week, Created for and Sustained by Utility Industry Leaders, Kicks off Sunday with Focus on Being Resourceful

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Itron Utility Week brings together nearly 1,000 industry experts from some of the largest utility companies in the U.S. to talk about trends and challenges, as well as share best practices.

Rapidly growing populations, aging infrastructure, government mandates, new alternative energy sources and a new breed of engaged consumers are changing the way energy and water will be managed for generations to come.

This year’s theme is Be Resourceful. The event will focus on innovative technology and holistic strategies that are paving the way for a more resourceful world. As providers of energy and water, utilities will play heavily in these efforts.

What Is Itron Utility Week?
Itron Utility Week 2013 is Itron’s annual customer event where gas, water and electric utility customers from across the country meet to discuss emerging trends and share best practices. The 2013 conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency (formerly Peabody) Orlando.

• Itron invites media and industry analysts to attend Itron Utility Week 2013. To register as a member of the media, please contact Alison Mallahan.
• Media unable to attend the event in person are invited to watch a webcast media briefing on Monday, October 7 at 10 a.m. EDT, featuring Itron executives who will unveil the latest company news and developments along with updates from our customers and partners. To register for the webcast, visit this website (password is Itron2013wc).

When Is The Event?
Itron Utility Week runs from October 4 -11, 2013. The Knowledge Conference including main conference sessions will be held October 6-8, with pre-conference training October 4-6 and post-conference training October 9-11.

Who Is Presenting?
Keynote speakers at Itron Utility Week include:

• Michael Even Webber, PhD., Associate Director of the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas, Austin. Webber will share insights on the convergence of energy and water, providing an overview of global energy, water and information trends to describe how they interact, what conflicts are looming and how they can work together.
• Mike Tinskey, Director, Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure at Ford Motor Company. Tinskey will share insights on Ford’s efforts to develop and implement new products, business models and partnerships in sustainability and the advancement of electric and alternative fuel vehicles.

Itron will also host a series of panel discussions throughout the conference. Please see a selection below. A full list of panel sessions is available here.

• Big Brother, Hackers and the Smart Grid: Are smart meters secure? What do utilities do with all that data? And what assurances do consumers have that their data will be kept private? This session will explore smart meter security, data privacy policies, and how to address consumer concerns that data is safe.
• Engaging Consumers with Gamification, Social Media and Behavioral Science: Engaging consumers is both an art and a science. This session will explore how utilities can leverage "big data" along with behavioral science techniques and "gameification" to engage customers in energy efficiency programs through social media and other channels.
• Cyber Security 101: Ensuring Privacy and Preventing Attacks: This session provides an overview of cyber security and what it means for utilities. It will explore policies, procedures and operational impacts of security, as well as certificate management, policy authentication, encryption and administrative controls.
• Smart Grid: The Foundation of Smart Cities: This session features discussion around the relevance of the smart grid for smart cities and how the convergence of energy and water with advanced communication technology serves as one of its most critical components. Itron, IBM and Microsoft, members of Smart Cities Council, will share how the smart grid industry is impacting urban sustainability.

Where Is The event?
Hyatt Regency (formerly Peabody) Orlando, 9801 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819