Electric Perspectives

In early May, EEI and several energy industry partners, along with organizations that represent firefighters, scientists, tech innovators, and other stakeholders, joined together to form the Partners in Wildfire Prevention coalition. The goal is to advance actionable, evidence-based policy solutions that will make communities and the nation more prepared to handle the growing wildfire threat.  On this episode, EEI Managing Director of Public Affairs Jeff Ostermayer is joined by Partners in Wildfire Prevention Communications Director Chet Wade to discuss the new coalition, federal policy that can support efforts to prevent wildfires, and how we can work together to mitigate wildfire risks and protect vulnerable communities.  Visit the Partners in Wildfire Prevention coalition website to learn more and sign up for updates: https://preventwildfires.org/. This episode also is available on The Current, a podcast produced by EEI's We Stand for Energy platform: https://westandforenergy.com/.

Grid resilience remains a top priority for investor-owned electric companies as extreme weather events become more frequent and electricity demand continues to rise. On this episode, Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May and ScottMadden Partner Marc Miller discuss efforts underway to strengthen grid infrastructure. They also highlight how customers benefit from resilience investments and share insights on how to keep electricity costs for customers as low as possible.  This episode is sponsored by ScottMadden, which provides consulting services ranging from strategic planning through implementation across industries. With more than four decades of expertise in transmission and distribution, ScottMadden brings a deep perspective of how electric company functions are evolving to integrate grid edge technologies. Learn more here. 

EEI interim President and CEO Pat Vincent-Collawn, who also serves as chairman and CEO of TXNM Energy, has been a leader in the electric power industry for more than 30 years. As one of the longest-serving directors on the EEI board, she has helped to shape EEI's strategy for more than a decade.  On this episode, Vincent-Collawn discusses some of today's most pressing industry issues, including rising demand for electricity, the efforts underway to enhance grid resilience, and our sector's role in strengthening America's energy security. She also discusses how our sector works with new presidential administrations and handles the flurry of executive orders and cabinet appointments that follow inauguration day.  This episode is sponsored by Sense, a company that embeds its software in next-generation smart meters, unlocking real-time insight into the home and grid. Learn more here.

Electric companies are adopting advanced data analysis tools that provide more accurate predictions before a weather event to help optimize preparation efforts and support a faster response if outages occur.    On this episode, Pacific Gas and Electric Vice President of Emergency Preparedness and Response Angie Gibson; Southern Company Enterprise Data Analytics Director Shane Powell; and E Source Data Science Director Kyle Decker  discuss their experiences with storm response analytics. They share valuable lessons learned while developing and deploying data-driven forecasting and restoration models.   This episode is sponsored by E Source, a utility-focused solution partner; learn more about their research, consulting, and data science offerings here.

The energy grid is undergoing a major transformation, driven by AI, advanced technology, and strategic investments to meet growing demand and enhance resilience.  On this episode, Ameren Illinois Chairman and President Lenny Singh and Bidgely Co-Founder and CEO Abhay Gupta discuss the critical role of grid investments and AI-powered solutions in modern energy planning. They also explore how data-driven insights are transforming reliability, customer engagement, and infrastructure planning, ensuring the grid is ready to meet the fastest pace of electricity demand growth in decades. This episode is sponsored by Bidgely, learn more about Bidgely's behind-the-meter load disaggregation technology here.

In the face of challenges including extreme weather and catastrophic wildfires, electric companies increasingly are turning to cutting-edge technology solutions that help optimize mitigation strategies, enhance situational awareness and response efforts, and support customers during large-scale power restoration events. On this episode,  Arizona Public Service Director of Forestry and Fire Mitigation Scott Bordenkircher; KloudGin Co-Founder and CEO Vikram Takru; and Edison Electric Institute Senior Vice President of Security and Preparedness Scott Aaronson discuss wildfire mitigation plans, how electric companies and technology companies are partnering to support emergency response efforts, and more. This episode is sponsored by KloudGin; learn more about its cloud-based field service and asset management system here. 

AI continues to drive transformation in the electric power industry. On this episode, Arizona Public Service Chairman and CEO Jeff Guldner and BrightNight CEO Martin Hermann discuss how AI is helping accelerate the deployment of clean energy, the ways in which electric companies are integrating AI into their operations, the efforts underway to lead a cultural shift on AI adoption in the workplace, and more. This episode is sponsored by BrightNight; learn more about its PowerAlpha AI-powered technology here.

Protecting the nation's energy grid is a top priority for America's electric companies, and the electric power industry leads several initiatives to safeguard the grid from any potential threats and hazards. This episode explores Edison Electric Institute's (EEI's) Culture of Security initiative, which is comprised of a few different programs to help electric companies collaborate and share best practices, including a peer review to assess security culture.  On this episode, EEI Managing Director of Cyber and Infrastructure Security David Batz and EEI Senior Director of Cyber and Infrastructure Security Kaitlin Brennan discuss the Culture of Security initiative and others led by our industry, as well as our partnerships with federal agencies to enhance sector-wide resilience to both cyber and physical security threats. 

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is empowering customers to take an active role in managing their energy use while integrating distributed resources. On this episode, Aaron August, senior vice president and chief customer and transformation officer for PSE, will dive into how the company is leveraging cutting-edge technology, balancing growing demand, and working toward clean energy goals while placing customers at the heart of the company's energy vision.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in late September as a Category 4 hurricane and impacted nearly 6 million customers in 10 states. An army of more than 50,000 workers from at least 41 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada was dedicated to the Helene response—one of the largest and most complex industry restoration efforts in U.S. history. Less than two weeks later, a second mutual assistance mobilization got underway as Hurricane Milton approached Florida. That storm was a Category 3 hurricane and caused dozens of tornadoes as it raked across the Florida peninsula.   On this episode, we are joined by Stan Connally, executive vice president of operations at Southern Company, and Chair, President, and CEO of Southern Company Services, to discuss Georgia Power's restoration efforts after Hurricane Helene and its massive mutual assistance response, our industry's partnership with federal government to protect critical infrastructure, how resilience investments are increasing grid reliability, and more. 

Enhancing grid resilience is a priority for America's electric companies, which are making significant investments each year to harden the grid and to demonstrate and deploy grid-enhancing technologies that optimize grid operations, help prevent power outages, and enhance reliability.  On this episode, EEI Managing Director of Climate Programs and Executive Director of the Institute for the Energy Transition Eric Holdsworth; Dave Quier, PPL Electric's vice president and chief operating officer; and Margie Sweezer-Fischer, vice president of operations for NextEra Energy Transmission, discuss grid-enhancing technologies, the role they play in enhancing resilience, how electric companies work with regulators to help define the customer benefits of adopting these technologies, and more.

Electric companies partner with technology companies to find solutions that help them deliver reliable and resilient clean energy to customers. On today's episode, we hear about WEC Energy Group and Wärtsilä partnership to test a Wärtsilä engine that is designed to run on a hydrogen fuel blend at one of WEC Energy's power plants in Michigan. Dan Krueger, Executive Vice President of Infrastructure and Generation Planning at WEC Energy Group; Todd Duffield, Market Strategist at WEC Energy Group; and Jon Rodriguez, Energy Business Director of Engine Power Plants at Wärtsilä, discuss the companies' hydrogen blending test and how engine power plants can help the energy sector reduce carbon emissions. This episode is sponsored by Wärtsilä; learn more about their engine power plant solutions here.  

During EEI 2024, Adam Grant, director of electrification and energy services, Nevada, at NV Energy, and Maria Kretzing, vice president and general manager of electric vehicles and analytics at Bidgely, discussed AI-driven solutions and the importance of taking a holistic approach to transportation electrification programs. On this episode, Grant and Kretzing joins us again for a deeper dive into Bidgely's AI-powered technology that supports electric transportation programs, how electric companies like NV Energy partner with technology companies to find solutions for customers, the type of information NV Energy was able to harness about customer charging habits through the AI-powered technology, and more. This episode is sponsored by Bidgely; learn more about their data analytics tool here.

There are no shortages of threats to our critical infrastructure, including cyber-attacks, increasingly frequent extreme weather events, and physical attacks on energy infrastructure. Electric companies and their federal partners work around the clock to prepare for these scenarios and to enhance our response capabilities. On this episode, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, the nation's top emergency response official, discusses how federal agencies and electric companies collaborate to prepare for and respond to emergencies; the top threats to America's critical energy infrastructure; the importance of building emergency response capacity at the state and local levels; and more.

As grid operators plan for the future, they are focused on meeting rising demand for electricity and enhancing grid reliability in the face of increasingly frequent and severe weather. On this episode, EEI Executive Vice President of the Business Operations Group and Regulatory Affairs Phil Moeller and Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) President and CEO Pablo Vegas discuss how ERCOT plans to meet the increasing demand for electricity, the lessons learned from Winter Storm Uri that could help other grid operators and electric companies, the importance of investing in resilient infrastructure, and more.

EEI 2024 featured a lineup of exceptional keynote speakers. On this episode, you'll hear the full-length EEI 2024 keynote conversation between NVIDIA Founder and CEO Jensen Huang and former EEI Chair Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International. They discussed how NVIDIA's pioneering work to advance AI and quantum computing has, in part, driven a significant growth in electricity demand, and how electric companies are partnering with companies like NVIDIA to meet that growing demand. You also can watch the keynote on EEI's YouTube channel.

This episode is part of our EEI 2024 highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about topics including building North America's hydrogen backbone, developing the next-generation workforce, and cybersecurity in supply chains. Plus, you'll hear from EEI President and CEO Dan Brouillette about his experience at the conference. The speakers are: Guidehouse Partner and Solutions Lead Michelle Fay and Guidehouse Partner and Energy Providers Segment Lead Dan Hahn, Quanta President and CEO Duke Austin, and Susan Herman, Industrial Cybersecurity Strategic Development Lead, Black and Veatch You can also visit EEI's website to read EEI 2024 recap newsletters, see photos from our annual thought leadership forum, and watch videos from some of the keynotes.

This week, EEI's Electric Perspectives Podcast and The Current are partnering for an episode to discuss the impacts of Hurricane Beryl and the tremendous restoration efforts that are underway. On this episode, you'll hear from StormGeo Meteorologist Justin Petrutsas — who is based in the Houston area— and Scott Aaronson, EEI Senior Vice President of Security and Preparedness, about the intensity of this hurricane as well the complex work that is underway to safely restore power to impacted customers.

This episode is part of our EEI 2024 highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about topics including clean energy technologies, opportunities for collaboration created by AI, building system resilience, distribution transformation, and more. The speakers are: Hans Kobler, Founder and Managing Partner, Energy Impact Partners, Creighton Oyler, Oracle Senior Vice President and General Manager  Paul Enoda, Founder and Chief Policy and Global Affairs Officer, ENODA, and Martin Stansbury, Deloitte US Power, Utilities & Renewables Risk & Financial Advisory Leader  You can also visit EEI's website to read EEI 2024 recap newsletters and see photos from our annual thought leadership forum.

Energy companies are working with their technology partners to gain insights and leverage data to make their operations more efficient and to enhance customer programs through AI. On this episode, Maria Kretzing, vice president and general manager of electric vehicles and analytics at Bidgely, and Andrew Barrington, products and services manager at Avista, discuss some of the fascinating ways Avista is working with Bidgely to optimize and streamline its operations. This episode is sponsored by Bidgely, the company that provides AI platforms that revolutionize grid management and customer engagement for energy companies. Want to hear more about AI use in our industry? Be sure to register for EEI 2024, which takes place June 18-20 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas!

In April, EEI hosted its Spring Transmission, Distribution, Metering, and Mutual Assistance Conference. The conference's keynote panel focused on AI, datacenters, and how electric companies are meeting the explosive growth for electricity demand to power these innovative, industry-transforming technologies. EEI Senior Vice President of Security and Preparedness Scott Aaronson moderated the panel, which featured Alan Bradshaw, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Dominion Energy; Ariel Horowitz, Deputy Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy; and Chris Crosby, CEO, Compass Datacenters. Want to hear more about AI and datacenters from an industry perspective? You won't want to miss EEI 2024, which takes place June 18-20 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Visit eei.org/2024 for more information and to register.

EEI will host the 40th Annual Business Diversity Conference in mid-May. For more on the history of the conference and diverse supplier partnerships, listen to our April episode, "Leading the Charge on Business Diversity," to hear from Charlotte Blount-Lewis, a former EEI employee who helped lead efforts to establish business diversity programs during her tenure from 1982 to 1997. She was in conversation with EEI Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief Human Resources Officer Courtney Peterson.   On this episode, Georgia Power Distribution Manager Michelle Fuqua, Young Management President and CEO Brandon Young, and Pierce Powerline CEO Michele Pierce highlight how industry partnerships with diverse suppliers are evolving and thriving and the impact of these partnerships in their companies and in the communities they serve. Brandon and Michele also share their advice for fellow diverse business owners and discuss how they are supporting electric companies and their key priorities, like enhancing grid resilience and bolstering clean energy deployment.

In mid-April, EEI International Programs hosted the Global Electrification Forum (GEF), which brings together EEI's domestic and international member companies, industry experts, and thought leaders from around the world. This conference is dedicated to addressing the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the electrification of our society. This year's event featured a line-up of distinguished speakers, and on this episode, you'll hear from a few. Dr. Lawrence Jones, EEI senior vice president of international programs, will talk more about the GEF. Then, we'll hear from Nigel Barbour, CEO of Orion Group (New Zealand); Peter O' Shea, Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at ESB (Ireland); and Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy (England), about innovation, powering economies, electric transportation, and more. Want to see the sessions for yourself? All the GEF programming recordings are available now through the conference registration portal.

Charlotte Blount-Lewis worked at EEI from 1982 and 1997 and helped lead the charge to develop industry business diversity programs and helped organize the first Business Diversity Conference, which continues to bring together electric companies and diverse suppliers, in 1984. Today, electric companies spend billions of dollars per year on diverse suppliers, including businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans. We celebrate these partnerships and the important roles these suppliers play in helping electric companies safely operate 24/7, 365 days a year.   On this episode, EEI Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief Human Resources Officer Courtney Peterson leads a conversation with Charlotte, who reflects on the origins of the business diversity programs, the key partnerships that contributed to these important efforts, the lessons that that today's suppliers can learn from the experiences of those pioneering efforts of the 1980s, and more. 

It takes a highly skilled workforce to provide reliable electricity service to customers, who depend on it more and more every day to power their lives. As electricity demand grows and our industry continues to deliver increasingly cleaner energy, the next generation of energy workers must be prepared to build, maintain, and operate energy infrastructure and equipment, including for new and emerging clean energy technologies. And, they must continue to work in the necessary positions to keep the lights on. On this episode, EEI Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief Human Resources Officer Courtney Peterson and Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) Executive Director Missy Henriksen discuss trends in workforce development, how companies are preparing the next-generation workforce, resources that CEWD offers to help companies with workforce development, and more!

Consumers Energy announced that in 2023, nearly 90 percent of customers who lost power had it restored in less than 24 hours. This progress is thanks in part to the company's work to enhance its energy grid infrastructure, which includes adding smart technology, clearing tree branches away from power lines, and more. These efforts are part of a strategic plan called the Reliability Roadmap, and it's an essential piece of Consumers Energy's vision to limit the scope and length of power outages in the near future. On this episode, Tonya Berry, Consumers Energy's senior vice president of transformation and engineering, joins us to discuss the goals of the Reliability Roadmap, how Consumers Energy is enhancing grid reliability in Michigan, its efforts to prepare the next generation workforce as part of the plan, and more.

On this episode, EEI Senior Director of Electric Transportation Kellen Schefter and Consumers Energy Product Manager of Commercial Electric Vehicles Bethany Tabor discuss how the Michigan-based company is helping to support 11 school districts in its service territory to deploy and operate electric school buses and how the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program is helping to support these kinds of efforts. Be sure to also listen to part one of this series, in which Schefter discussed a new white paper titled “Electric School Buses: Accelerating Equitable Deployment through Understanding Grid Impacts and Policy Solutions” with three co-authors of the report: Exelon Director of Clean Energy Initiatives Chris Budzynski; CALSTART Lead Project Manager, Northeast School Buses Ian Fried; and Sue Gander, World Resources Institute Director of the Electric School Bus Initiative.  

When we think of the acceleration of electric transportation, the spike in light-duty vehicle sales comes to mind, but it's not just passenger vehicles that are scaling up. Medium- to heavy-duty vehicles, including school buses, are increasingly becoming electrified, much to the benefit of the communities they operate in.    This episode takes a deep dive into electric school buses and how electric companies and other stakeholders are working together to ensure a smooth and equitable transition. EEI Senior Director of Electric Transportation Kellen Schefter discusses a new white paper titled “Electric School Buses: Accelerating Equitable Deployment through Understanding Grid Impacts and Policy Solutions” with three co-authors of the report: Exelon Director of Clean Energy Initiatives Chris Budzynski; CALSTART Lead Project Manager, Northeast School Buses Ian Fried; and Sue Gander, World Resources Institute Director of the Electric School Bus Initiative.   Be sure to tune in to our next episode for more on electric school buses! Schefter will join Consumers Energy Product Manager of Commercial Electric Vehicles Bethany Tabor to discuss how the Michigan-based company is helping to support 11 school districts in its service territory to deploy and operate electric school buses. 

Dan Brouillette joined EEI as president and CEO-elect in October 2023, and became EEI's president and CEO at the start of this year. Before joining EEI, Brouillette served as president of Sempra Infrastructure, a leading global energy transition company. He previously served as the 15th U.S. Secretary of Energy and before that as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, the chief operating officer of the department. Brouillette is the only person ever to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve in both roles. In the private sector, Brouillette has held leadership positions at USAA, where he served as a senior vice president and corporate officer, and at Ford Motor Company, where he was a vice president and served on its North American Operating Committee.  On this episode, Brouillette discusses policy priorities for the electric power industry in 2024, how the industry will balance the growing demand for clean energy with reliability expectations, opportunities and challenges facing the industry, and more! 

On this episode, Sandi Safro, EEI associate general counsel of energy and technology regulation, and Patrick Arness, EEI senior director of government relations, discuss a few recent Department of Energy program announcements funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the Grid Innovation and Resilience Partnerships (GRIP) Program and the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program, which will help enhance energy grid reliability and resilience, advance the use of hydrogen as a clean energy source, and improve broadband access for unserved and underserved communities.   

At the end of the year, after serving America's electric companies and their customers for more than 30 years, EEI President and CEO Tom Kuhn will step down from his current role. Kuhn has effectively worked with America's electric companies to navigate major policy issues in Congress, throughout the federal agencies, and at the state and local levels. He also has led the development of strong-industry government partnerships, and has been extremely engaged in international dialogues that aim to advance the shared vision for an affordable and resilient clean energy future for all customers.  On this episode, Kuhn discusses his decades of service, his sources of pride and inspiration, and his expectations for EEI's member companies and the industry moving forward.

In late September, the House Energy & Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations held a hearing on the role of electric infrastructure in the wildfire that occurred in Lahaina on Maui on August 8. Hawaiian Electric President and CEO Shelee Kimura, along with Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Chair Leo Asuncion, and Hawai'i State Energy Office Chief Energy Officer Mark Glick, provided testimony and answered questions from the committee members, who had launched an investigation into the wildfire and each entities' response. This hearing was a significant step in initiating a broader, national conversation about what needs to be done to make electric companies, and the communities they serve, more resilient against increasing climate risk and extreme weather events. The growing threat created by wildfires is a problem that challenges not only Maui, but the nation and the world. The hearing raised questions about how electric companies, regulators, private property owners, and other stakeholders can take a holistic, collaborative approach to address these increasing risks. The entire hearing ran around two hours, but this episode features key audio segments, including Shelee's responses about Hawaiian Electric's application for a grid hardening project that had been pending with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission since last year, Hawaiian Electric's wildfire protocols, and the obstacles to undergrounding power lines. You can watch the entire hearing on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's YouTube page: https://youtu.be/Jc2SIl6kiY4.

November 15 is Utility Scam Awareness Day, and we're raising awareness of tactics being used by utility impostor scammers that target customers of electric, gas, and water companies. Customers of all ages and backgrounds should be vigilant because anyone can be a target of this type of scam, but scammers especially target low-income or elderly customers. On this episode, Monica Martinez, executive director of Utilities United Against Scams, and Chris Peters, vice president and chief security officer of Entergy, discuss utility impostor scams, new scam tactics that customers should know about, what to do if you suspect you're being scammed, and more. 

EEI is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, and on this episode, we have a special guest to help us recognize this cultural observance. EEI Chair Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, joins Courtney Peterson, EEI vice president, chief diversity officer, and chief human resources officer, to discuss what it means to be EEI's first Hispanic board chair, how he stays connected to his culture, the leadership lessons he has learned as head of one of the largest electric companies in the country, and more!

This episode is part of our EEI 2023 highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about topics including Inflation Reduction Act customer tax incentives and rebates, the future of natural gas, new approaches to financing transmission, and keeping the clean energy transition equitable and affordable. The speakers are: Dan Hahn, Partner at Guidehouse, Dr. Michael Webber, Chief Technology Officer at Energy Impact Partners and Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources, Author, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas, Duke Austin, president and CEO of Quanta, and Mary Sprayregen, Global Head, Regulatory Affairs and Market Development at Oracle/Opower. You can also visit EEI's website to read EEI 2023 recap newsletters, see photos from our annual thought leadership forum, and watch videos of the keynotes.

The Inflation Reduction Act established the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program under the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Loan Programs Office and appropriated $5 billion to help fund certain clean energy and carbon reduction projects through fiscal year 2026. In June, the Loan Programs Office released new guidance for the Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program, which includes the EIR Program. On today's episode, Jigar Shah, director of DOE's Loan Programs Office, joins Alex Bond, EEI deputy general counsel of clean energy and climate, to discuss this guidance and to address some of the most common questions about the program. Listen to our episode “Reinvesting in Energy Infrastructure,” which also featured Jigar, to learn more about the program.

This episode is part of our EEI 2023 highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about topics including clean energy policy and implementation, workforce development, and grid resilience featuring: Breakthrough Energy Senior Director, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Robin Millican, Carolyn Amon, Research Leader, Power, Utilities & Renewables at the Deloitte Research Center for Energy & Industrials and Karen Cunningham, Managing Director of Human Capital Power, Utility & Renewables, and leader of the Global Sustainability, Climate and Equity practice at Deloitte, Arron Lewis, Vice President and Energy Utility West Region Leader at Black and Veatch, and GridX Vice President of Marketing Brad Langley. You can also visit EEI's website to read EEI 2023 recap newsletters, see photos from our annual thought leadership forum, and watch videos of the keynotes.

EEI 2023 featured a lineup of exceptional keynote speakers. On this episode, you'll hear the full-length EEI 2023 keynote conversation between renowned technologist Elon Musk and EEI Chair Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International. The discussion spans topics such as electrification across the economy, the future of electric transportation, Tesla's decision to open up its Supercharger network to other automakers, and much more. You also can watch the keynote on EEI's YouTube channel.

Lineworkers maintain and enhance the energy grid and play a critical role in delivering America's resilient clean energy future. They also work around the clock and in dangerous conditions following extreme weather events to ensure that the customers and the communities they serve have access to safe and reliable electricity. On July 10, EEI will join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association in celebrating National Lineworker Appreciation Day to honor these dedicated workers.   On this episode, we hear from IBEW Local 47 Business Manager Colin Lavin and Southern California Edison (SCE) Senior Vice President of Transmission and Distribution Heather Rivard about why we celebrate National Lineworker Appreciation Day on July 10, how a culture of safety has been ingrained in lineworkers, how lineworkers are modernizing and maintaining SCE's energy grid, and more.

On May 11, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act, which targets carbon pollution standards for fossil-fuel based plants. Over the past several months, EEI has engaged constructively with EPA and outlined several important priorities for these regulations that are consistent with the ongoing clean energy transition that EEI's member companies are leading. On this episode, Emily Fisher, EEI executive vice president of clean energy and general counsel, and Alex Bond, EEI deputy general counsel of clean energy and climate, discuss the proposed rule, the potential implications for electric companies and their customers, and what comes next for this proposal.    Editor's note: This conversation was recorded in late May.

EEI's member companies make significant investments to enhance the energy grid every year. One of many grid modernization and improvement projects that is underway to ensure reliable and resilient clean energy can be delivered to customers now and in the years to come is Georgia Power's Grid Improvement Plan. On this episode, Georgia Power Vice President of Strategy and Support Cleve Fann and Pike Electric President Matt Fisher dive into the details of Georgia Power's Grid Improvement Plan. They discuss specific projects underway as part of the plan and how they are benefitting customers. This episode is sponsored by Pike Electric, the company that is providing engineering and construction services to help make Georgia Power's Grid Improvement Plan a reality.

America's electric companies are working together to identify opportunities to enhance mitigation, detection, and response capabilities as part of our wildfire mitigation strategy. The electric power industry has built trusted relationships with partners across the federal government who have key roles to play in our collective wildfire mitigation efforts. On this episode, U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore and EEI Vice Chair Maria Pope, who is president and CEO of Portland General Electric (PGE) in Oregon and co-chair of EEI's Wildfire CEO Taskforce and the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council's Wildfire Working Group, discuss the industry-government partnership to combat wildfires and how PGE and the U.S. Forest Service are preparing for the peak of wildfire season. Read Chief Moore's column in Electric Perspectives to learn more about industry and government efforts to enhance how we are working to reduce wildfire risk: https://bit.ly/41xcOk0

Island environments face unique challenges as we transition our energy systems. What are the ways island providers are preparing for the transition? What role does employee experience play in ensuring successful business operations? How can we attract more women to the energy workforce? Ruth Forbes, President and CEO of FortisTCI, joins this episode of Global Circuit to discuss the company's operations in the Turks and Caicos Islands, renewable energy, partnerships, workforce, and more.   The Global Circuit is brought to you by EEI International Programs as part of EEI's Electric Perspectives podcast. For more information about EEI International Programs, visit https://www.eei.org/about-eei/international-members

Our path toward a resilient clean energy future depends on new and developing carbon-free technologies. The Institute for the Energy Transition (IET) was launched earlier this year to advance the commercialization of breakthrough technologies, which will allow electric companies to reach net-zero emission goals while keeping customer reliability and affordability front and center. The IET will build off the foundation set by the Carbon-Free Technologies Initiative (CFTI). (You can listen to a previous discussion about CFTI at: https://bit.ly/41EuefK). On this episode, Gerry Anderson, who retired after a distinguished career leading DTE Energy and now chairs the Edison Foundation, and Eric Holdsworth, EEI's managing director of Clean Energy and Environmental Policy, discuss the efforts of EEI and our partners to accelerate the pace for research, development, demonstration, and deployment of new carbon-free technologies; the vision behind IET and the work underway; and more.    

Studies have shown that transmission infrastructure in the U.S. will have to double – maybe even triple – in order to reach a net-zero economy by 2050 and to support widespread electrification. But one persistent challenge to expanding the transmission system and deploying more clean energy is the inefficient siting and permitting process for critical infrastructure such as transmission lines. EEI advocates for a coordinated, consistent, and efficient siting and permitting regulatory framework to ensure that electricity is reliable and affordable for customers. On this episode, Dominion Energy Vice President of Federal Affairs Ann Loomis and EEI Senior Director of Government Relations Patrick Arness discuss the urgent need for permitting and siting reform, Dominion Energy's experience going through the environmental and regulatory review process for its offshore wind project, new developments on the Hill that might impact permitting and siting reforms, and more. 

EEI's member companies are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their own workforces and to creating new economic opportunities in the communities that they serve. As we aim to deliver a resilient clean energy future to customers, we know that our success depends on us creating new pathways for diverse candidates to enter the energy workforce. On this episode, Calvin Butler, president and CEO of Exelon, and Courtney Peterson, EEI vice president, chief diversity officer, and chief human resources officer, discuss Calvin's career journey, Exelon's DEI programs and initiatives, how Exelon and its companies are ensuring that diverse job candidates have equal access to the energy workforce, and more. 

March is Women's History Month, and EEI honors and recognizes the achievements and contributions of women throughout the electric power industry. As our member companies make progress on their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments, it's important to create career pathways for employees that can lead to leadership opportunities. In this episode, EEI Executive Vice President of Clean Energy and General Counsel Emily Fisher speaks with Puget Sound Energy President and CEO Mary Kipp about how female representation has changed in the workplace, how companies are empowering their female employees, Mary's advice to women who want to advance in their careers, and more.    Editor's Note: This podcast episode was recorded and originally published in March 2022.  

In late February, executives from the Edison Electric Institute briefed Wall Street analysts, bankers, investors, and other industry stakeholders on the state of the U.S. electric power industry at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City. Today's episode will feature a recap of the briefing. EEI's leadership team covered several high-priority topics, including ESG; the role of new and developing carbon-free technologies; electric transportation; energy grid reliability, resilience, and security; federal and state regulations; workforce development and diversity, equity, and inclusion; financial performance; and ongoing efforts to meet customer expectations and to support customers in need.  You can watch the full presentation and read the prepared remarks on EEI's website.

America's electric companies prepare year-round for extreme weather events, and they make investments and upgrades to help prevent power outages and to speed up restoration when they do occur. In the Sunshine State, Florida Power and Light (FPL) has made significant investments to help withstand hurricane-force winds across its service territory. On this episode, FPL Executive Director of Emergency Preparedness Tom Gwaltney discusses how the company prepares for hurricanes, the proactive investments and upgrades the company has made to enhance reliability for customers, the FPLAir One fixed-wing drone that helps assess damage after storms, and more. Editor's note: This conversation was recorded in December 2022.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) marks one of the greatest investments in clean energy in U.S. history. As part of the $369 billion investment to promote domestic energy production and manufacturing, the IRA established the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program under the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office and appropriated $5 billion to help fund certain clean energy and carbon reduction projects through fiscal year 2026. On this episode, Jigar Shah, director of DOE's Loan Programs Office, which oversees the EIR, and Emily Fisher, EEI Executive Vice President of Clean Energy and General Counsel, discuss this program and explain how it can help our industry accelerate its transition to cleaner energy sources while helping to minimize the cost impacts on customers. For more information, visit the DOE's EIR webpage. Interested applicants can request a pre-application consultation by emailing lpo@hq.doe.gov.

Storms and natural disasters are increasing in frequency and severity, and EEI's member companies are working to harden the energy grid against these threats to ensure customers can receive the reliable and resilient energy they need to power their lives. To bring the electric power sector together and strengthen the industry's approach to managing climate risk to the energy grid, EPRI created the Climate Resilience and Adaptation (READi) initiative. On this episode, Morgan Scott, EPRI's director of Climate READi and Sustainability & Ecosystem Stewardship, discusses the initiative and how the initiative's members — including EEI member companies — are working together to help build an informed and consistent approach to adaptation and resilience planning. Visit the Climate READi website for more information.