Original contributions are encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas: generation of electric power; nuclear power issues; energy planning (planning for generation capacity expansions, hydropower planning, network and transmission planning, reliability); energy policy and economics (financial and customer markets, regulatory and financial issues); energy development (solar power, renewable energy, waste-to-energy systems); energy systems operation (thermal and hydropower operation and optimization, scheduling, load forecasting, demand-side management); energy efficiency, reducing consumption of or conservation of energy; energy sustainability as related to energy and power production, distribution, and usage; waste management and environmental issues; and energy infrastructure issues (power plant safety, security of infrastructure network).