Oct. 6--Chief executives of six Western Pennsylvania-based, energy-related companies formed a group called the U.S Center for Energy Leadership to address policy, investment and technological issues facing the energy industry.

The overall mission for the new group is to establish a stable energy environment for the country, which include energy independence, stable energy pricing and a portfolio approach to meeting energy needs, according to Andy Hannah, CEO of printed solar and lighting electronics maker Plextronics Inc.

"The concept behind the U.S. Center for Energy Leadership was really about the fact that the energy issues facing the nation have never been more important, and here we are in Pittsburgh, with all of the leadership, technological innovation and experience you could ask for to collectively tackle the problems," said Hannah in a statement.

Other member CEOs of the group include Aris Candris, of nuclear reactor maker Westinghouse Electric Co. Paul Evanson, of electric utility Allegheny Energy Inc., Murry Gerber, of natural gas company EQT Corp., J. Brett Harvey, of coal and natural gas producer Consol Energy Corp., and Keith Schaefer, of smart grid technology company BPL Global Ltd.

"The center for energy leadership is ideally suited to create and utilize technology and innovation in a manner that will help our nation and the world address the energy and environmental challenges we now are facing," Westinghouse's Candris said, in a statement.

Rick Stouffer can be reached via e-mail or at 412-320-7853.

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