The workshop is scheduled for Mar. 14 and 15, 2001 at Skamania Lodge, located in the Columbia River Gorge. The day after that, Mar. 16, representatives from the Northwest energy industry will to discuss what actions can be taken now, given likely future scenarios, to ensure that electricity is used as efficiently as possible through 2015.

Invited participants represent a range of industries, from energy to economics, marketing to manufacturing, policy-making to psychology, architecture to education. Former Senator Mark Hatfield, in announcing the conference and hopefully piquing the interest of attendees, says the increasing need for electricity supply has infiltrated virtually every aspect of human life, from the workplace to home entertainment, and that the alliance is bringing together leading thinkers to consider how the demand for electric energy will grow and change.

"Given the volatility and increasing prices of the current energy market, we need to consider what we can do today to immediately curtail electricity consumption," addsMargaret Gardner, executive director of the Alliance. "This workshop is an opportunity for us also to plan for tomorrow.