Electric Perspectives

034 Global Circuit: Utilizing Social Networks to Create Lasting Change

The path to address climate change and further the energy transition is full of new information, ideas, and innovation. Processing this information and implementing these ideas requires collaborative effort and a shift in beliefs and behaviors. What can social network theory tell us to ensure successful spread of innovation? How can we drive behavioral change to keep pace with new ideas? And what does it mean to consider the width of a bridge in collaboration? Damon Centola, Author of Change: How to Make Big Things Happen, Professor of Communication, Sociology and Engineering, and Director of the Network Dynamics Group at the University of Pennsylvania joins this episode of Electric Perspectives Global Circuit.

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 www.eei.org/international

033 Electric Perspectives: Advancing DEI at Electric Companies

EEI’s member companies are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, in their companies and in the communities they are proud to serve. In late 2020, EEI launched an industry-wide DEI initiative to build on programs that were already underway at electric companies across the country.

 

In this episode, we are joined by EEI Chief Human Resources Officer Courtney Peterson and EEI Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Transformation Todd Manuel to discuss our industry-wide DEI commitment, DEI programs at electric companies, how electric companies can promote more equitable practices, and more.

032 Electric Perspectives: Electric Power Industry Outlook 2022

In early 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 in New York City. Today's episode will feature a recap of the briefing, which featured presentations from Brian Wolff, EEI's Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President of Public Policy and External Affairs; Emily Fisher, EEI's General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Senior Vice President of Clean Energy; Phil Moeller, EEI's Executive Vice President of Business Operations Group and Regulatory Affairs; and Richard McMahon, EEI's Senior Vice President of Energy Supply and Finance.

These leaders covered several high-priority topics, including clean energy and the clean energy tax policies that EEI supports; electric transportation; carbon-free technologies; energy grid security and resilience; and electric companies' adaptation, hardening, and resilience investments.  

You can watch the full presentation and read the prepared remarks on EEI’s website.

031 Global Circuit: Harnessing Today’s Technology to Reach Tomorrow’s Energy Future

In the race to net zero, electric companies are placing importance on diversifying fuel sources without compromising reliability. How can existing technologies today bring us closer to this goal? What is the future and viability of new fuel sources like hydrogen? And how can companies pursue new ideas while balancing current customer needs? Toshifumi Watanabe, President and CEO of J-POWER, joins this episode of Global Circuit.

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 www.eei.org/international

030 Electric Perspectives: Unlocking Hydrogen’s Potential

America’s electric companies are leading a clean energy transformation. They understand that we can’t just rely on any one clean energy technology; we will need every tool in the toolbox to achieve our clean energy goals. Hydrogen, in particular, will be a crucial clean energy resource of the carbon-free energy future. This episode focuses on the potential for hydrogen, and we are joined by Sandi Safro, EEI associate general counsel for energy and technology regulation, who dives into some of the hydrogen pilot projects underway with Matt Valle, vice president of development at Florida Power and Light, and Don Chahbazpour, director of regulatory strategy at National Grid. 

029 Electric Perspectives: Investing in a Resilient, Hardened Energy Grid

The reliability and resilience of the nation's energy grid are top priorities for the electric power industry. As the frequency and intensity of storms, wildfires, and other extreme weather events continue to increase, and as cyber-attacks become more sophisticated, increasing capital investment in adaptation, hardening, and resilience is vital.

On today's episode, we'll hear from Richard McMahon, EEI’s senior vice president of Energy Supply and Finance, who will open the conversation by highlighting the types of investments EEI’s member companies are making in adaptation, hardening, and resilience. Then, we'll hear from Jim Schaefer, senior managing director at Guggenheim Partners; Maria Rigatti, executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer at Edison International; and Drew Marsh, executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer at Entergy Corporation, who all joined us this past fall for this conversation.

028 Electric Perspectives: Working Together to Bridge the Digital Divide

 The sudden shift to working and learning from home during the pandemic highlighted the value of electricity, as well as the importance of affordable, reliable broadband. Millions of Americans are living in a “digital divide,” with limited or no access to reliable internet. Electric companies are well-positioned to help address the challenge of broadband inequity and are working to identify opportunities to leverage their fiber investments to provide middle-mile broadband infrastructure, in partnership with telecommunications companies and last-mile internet providers. This is a win for all stakeholders, particularly customers and communities in underserved and unserved areas.

 

On this episode of Electric Perspectives, we are joined by Alan Bradshaw, vice president of strategic partnerships for Dominion Energy, who will discuss Dominion Energy’s projects and partnerships to expand broadband access to customers. Then, Mississippi Public Service Commission Commissioner Brandon Presley, who recently also served a term as president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, joins Brad Viator, EEI’s vice president of external affairs, to discuss broadband policy and national efforts to bridge the digital divide.

027 Global Circuit: Keeping Customers and Employees at the Heart of the Transition

In 2018, Xcel Energy became the first electric company in the United States to announce a vision to be carbon-free by 2050, including a goal of reducing emissions by 80% by 2030. How has the company supported its workforce through this clean energy transition, including workers from retired coal plants? What is Xcel Energy doing to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion within its workforce? And how is the company keeping customer needs and expectations at the heart of its strategy? Ben Fowke, Executive Chairman of Xcel Energy and former EEI Chairman, joins this episode of the Electric Perspectives Global Circuit, recorded in October 2021.

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 www.eei.org/international 

026 Electric Perspectives: Electric Companies Form the National Electric Highway Coalition

The National Electric Highway Coalition (NEHC) is a collaboration among electric companies that are committed to providing electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations that will allow the public to drive EVs with confidence along major U.S. travel corridors by the end of 2023. The NEHC is the largest such alliance of electric companies that have organized around the common goal of deploying EV fast charging infrastructure to support the growing number of EVs and to help ensure that the transition to EVs is seamless for drivers.

In this episode, Kellen Schefter, EEI’s director of electric transportation, joins Matt Forck, vice president of federal legislative affairs, Ameren, and Phil Dion, vice president and chief customer officer, American Electric Power, to discuss how the NEHC will work to achieve its goal of filling infrastructure gaps along major U.S. transportation corridors, the need to support the growth of EVs across the country, and more. Forck and Dion are two of the industry leaders who helped to spearhead the development and merger of the initial regional coalitions. Learn more about the NEHC at: http://www.electrichighwaycoalition.org/

025 Electric Perspectives: COP26: Demonstrating Clean Energy Leadership

World leaders convened in Glasgow, Scotland, earlier this month to kick off the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP26, six years after the Paris Agreement established a global framework to tackle climate change.

 

EEI Executive Vice President Brian Wolff and executives from EEI member companies joined the U.S. delegation and environmental leaders to highlight the leadership of U.S. electric companies in reducing carbon emissions and the vital role that reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient clean energy plays in achieving net-zero emissions across the U.S. economy.

 

In this episode, EEI Managing Director of Clean Energy and Environmental Policy Eric Holdsworth, who was in Glasgow, joins us to provide a recap on COP26, including EEI member companies’ participation at the conference events. For more information, read EEI's Energy Talk In Depth COP26 issue.