As each of you know the 2020 Paris Session has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues affecting the world.  In lieu of the 2020 Paris Session, CIGRE’s Administrative Council will hold an e-Session in 2020 and the Paris Centennial Session will be held in Paris in the last half of August, 2021.  This will be a tremendous time for the Paris Session since 2021 will the 100th Anniversary of the founding of CIGRE in 1921 – so we can expect a tremendous Centennial Session! The exact dates for the 2021 session in Paris will be finalized over the coming days and we will forward these dates to you as soon as it is available.  To provide flexibility to our members and to ensure that we provide maximum value to you during these uncertain times, we have the following options available to you if you have already registered for the 2020 Paris Session or would like to register for the 2020 e-Session and the 2021 Paris Centennial Session at a significantly reduced rate in 2020.

The following options are available for you to consider.

1. The payment of registration fees until December 31st 2020, will allow for delegates : BEST OPTION IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND 2021 PARIS CENTENNIAL SESSION AND 2020 e-Session

a. to attend the virtual session in 2020 if paid before the e-session;

b. to have access to the Session papers;

c. to access all the audio and video records of the virtual session;

d. to attend the Centennial Session in 2021; at the early bird rates proposed for the initial 2020 Session ($1300 for members, $1550 for non-members, and $225 for companions).

2. Those who have already paid their registration for 2020 and wish to obtain a refund will receive a refund without penalty. (Notify Sharon Loe at s-loe@tamu.edu)

3. Those who want only to attend the e-session in 2020, which also includes the access to the papers and to the audio and video records of the virtual session, will have to pay a fixed fee, not refundable and not recoverable on 2021 registration. This fee is 100 € for members and 200 € for non-members. This fee will be collected directly by the Central Office, not by National Committees. (Details will be available on the Paris CIGRE website in the coming weeks and we will provide a link on the CIGRE USNC website for members that elect to take this option).

4. Registration fees for the Centennial Session paid in 2021 will be higher than the current Session fees, and the Administrative Council will decide their values in August 2020 within the 2021 budget. It will be possible to register at an early bird rate from January 1st to May 15th, and at a standard rate from May 16th to August 8th 2021.

5. As usual, in 2021 all cancelled registration fees are refundable after the 2021 Paris Centennial Session with a 240 € deduction, except in special cases (health or visa issues).

We know there are many changes affecting each of us with the on-going pandemic. We hope that these options provide you flexibility in your planning and allow you to maintain your engagement with this industry through CIGRE. If you have already paid for the 2020 Paris Session, it is hoped that you will consider Option 1 above to assist Paris with their cash flow during this period since they will not have the 2020 Paris Session attendance to support their operations.