Energy Central

The EC Network

Welcome to the Energy Central Podcast Network—your ultimate resource for the biggest ideas, boldest perspectives, and best insights from across the electric power industry.

We publish…

Power Perspectives. From CEOs of major utilities to founders of energy tech startups pushing the envelope, Power Perspectives curates the news, thought leaders, and big picture conversations most important to modern power professionals—every week on Tuesdays.

The Watt & Why. Dive deep into utility business strategies, straight from the minds of the leaders deciding what comes next. Host Mike Smith leverages his own decades of power utility industry experience and leadership to get to the bottom of what inspires, drives, and challenges utility decision makers.

Piloting the Future. Hosts Kim Gergen and Lee Krevat go deep with the leaders, innovators, and forward thinkers responsible for not just imagining where our power future is headed…but building it day by day.

The GISt. This action-packed limited series demystifies the rapidly evolving world of Geographic Information Systems through focused, expert-led deep dives into the most future-defining GIS topics.

And there’s even more to come.

Energy Central is a community where 250K electric power professionals share, learn, and connect in a collaborative environment. Want to join in? Visit www.EnergyCentral.com to register for free.

Episodes

Mentioned books

Jan 30, 2023 • 30min

111: 'The Future of Energy' with Lincoln Bleveans, Executive Director of Sustainability at Stanford

The pace of the power sector evolution seems to unthinkably be speeding, and staying on top of the latest and greatest can be a full-time job. On the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast we strive to stay on top of the conversations to keep our listeners informed, and today's guest is a returning one who helps join us in a grab bag of exciting developments across the energy sector. After being the second-ever guest on the podcast, we welcome back Lincoln Bleveans. Back in 2019 when Lincoln first joined us in the podcast booth, he was guiding Burbank Water and Power, but in the time since then he's joined Stanford University as the Executive Director of Sustainability & Management. Sitting in such a critical seat at an institution known to be at the cutting edge, Lincoln and podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester bounce between the must-hit topics of the utility sector today: well-planned decarbonization, the recent breakthroughs with fusion energy, the need to physically protect the grid from attack, and the type of leadership and de-risking approach that's the power industry needs. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-111-future-energy-utilities-lincoln-bleveans-executive-director Lincoln Blevean's Energy Central Profile: https://www.energycentral.com/member/profile/107163/about Lincoln's First Appearance on the Podcast: https://energycentral.com/c/um/energy-central-insights%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-2-%E2%80%98waterskiing-churchill%E2%80%99-lessons Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': https://blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Jan 22, 2023 • 21min

110. 'Pursuing Renewable Energy & Grid Reliability' with Geof Syphers, CEO of Sonoma Clean Power

Utility leaders are being pulled in many different directions from all of their critical stakeholders these days. From bringing down power costs to increasing the use of smart technology and more, decisions must incorporate consideration of many numerous factors. In particular, the push for a decarbonized energy system has been one of the loudest and most critical endeavors for modern utilities. That said, calls for a new paradigm in grid reliability is reaching fever pitch, which some position as counter to the push for more renewables. However, the true innovators and leaders in the power sector don't see clean energy and a more reliable grid as being in conflict. In contrast, they see creative solutions that elevate both of these goals to the greater than the sum of their parts. One such leader in this space is Sonoma Clean Power, enacting the vision and leadership from its CEO Geof Syphers. On this week's episode, Geof joins podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester to highlight the best ways to pursue these equally critical goals in tandem to ensure the stability and stewardship possible from the modern power provider. Key Links Energy Central Post with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-110-pursuing-parallel-goals-renewable-energy-and-grid-reliability-geof Geof Syphers's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/geof-syphers How to Tackle California’s Grid Reliability Today: https://energycentral.com/c/pip/how-tackle-california%E2%80%99s-grid-reliability-today Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Jan 16, 2023 • 23min

109: 'Intentional Inclusion for a Cleaner Energy Future' with Claire Harris & Chief Emily Whetung

As the utility sector continues to work towards meeting future goals and needs, an equally important consideration remains looking back on the impact that the power industry has had on communities and land and ensuring that any injustices or inequities that have resulted can be addressed. Specifically, lands that have been returned to indigenous populations and communities must be protected as new energy infrastructure grows, and including those peoples in the conversation early in the process is a key aspect in doing so. To highlight what true equity and inclusion looks like from the ground up, today's guests share firsthand experiences on that process as they've taken place in Canada. Specifically, the work that New Brunswick Power is doing to bring small modular reactors and other nuclear technologies to the region has been built on a foundation of engaging and consulting with the Curve Lake Nation. Joining the episode this week, Claire Harris, Senior Advisor of the Advanced Reactor Technology Team at NB Power, and Chief Emily Whetung of the Curve Lake Nation discuss specific examples of why such inclusion has been critical to them and how it can be achieved seamlessly and successfully. They join host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester to share their lessons learned with other utilities and communities that may be facing the same challenges. Key Links Energy Central Post with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-109-intentional-inclusion-cleaner-energy-future-claire-harris-nb-power Claire Harris's Energy Central profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/claire-harris Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': https://blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Jan 8, 2023 • 20min

108. 'Unmatched Possibilities of Nuclear & Microgrid Pairing' with INL’s Jhansi Kandasamy,Kurt Myers

When looking to the goal of a net zero future, the power sector has seen an impressive variety and range of technologies seen as the lynchpin innovation. But the reality is that to truly solve our global emissions crisis and to decarbonize the utility industry, we'll need to adopt as many of these solutions as we can in the optimal environment, sector, and region. That said, some of the key technologies will uncover themselves to be natural complements to each other and enable them to achieve more than the sum of their parts. In today's episode of the podcast, we discuss one of the most exciting such pairings: nuclear energy and advanced microgrids. Specifically, the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast is joined by two experts from Idaho National Laboratory who are making waves in this space. Podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester chat with Jhansi Kandasamy, INL's Net-Zero Program Director, and Kurt Myers, INL's Project Manager and Staff Engineer specializing in microgrids. Listen in to this episode to understand better the opportunities these two clean energy technologies have to support one another and our country's clean energy future. Key Links Energy Central Post with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-108-unmatched-possibilities-nuclear-and-microgrid-pairing-jhansi Transforming the World Into a New Nuclear Energy Future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYD-Cz_T8cc Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Dec 26, 2022 • 31min

107. '2022 Year in Review Highlighting the Top Episodes, Guests, and Moments of the Year'

Dec 18, 2022 • 36min

106. 'Infusing Innovation Across The Utility Sector' With Alan MacAnespie, Baltimore Gas & Electric

Innovation is a state of ongoing action for any company, including utilities. That is to say, innovation is not about achieving some hypothetical level or process, but it's about continuous improvement and working towards the next possibility driven by innovative culture and ways of thinking. In today's utility sector which is undoubtedly changing more than ever before, the importance of understanding what it is to embrace innovation and everything it means cannot be overstated. That said, too many organizations will still position innovation as a checkbox to be marked by the Board of Directors or in annual reviews rather than focusing on what it really means and how it's evolving constantly. As a creative and driven force at Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE), no one may better embody that spirit of innovation than Alan MacAnespie, BGE's Principal Innovation Specialist. In this episode of the podcast, host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester eagerly dive back into the fundamental who, what, why, and-- most importantly-- how of innovation at BGE with Alan as the tour guide. Key Links Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-106-infusing-innovation-across-utility-sector-alan-macanespie-baltimore Alan MacAnespie's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/alan-macanespie Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Dec 11, 2022 • 29min

105. 'Leadership & Evolution From The Utility C-Suite' with Garrick Rochow, CEO of Consumers Energy

As utilities grow in profile in the eyes of customers and in urgency in the eyes of politicians, the leaders who are steering these major companies and community pillars are being recognized for the critical role they play in society. Tough decisions have to be made, forward-looking views have to be considered, and any missteps of wrong decisions are subject to scrutiny and criticism in the media, in townhalls, and even in Congress. Given that high-pressure situation, utility professionals would be forgiven for being hesitant to step into the C-Suite, but certain leaders have been unequivocally rising to the occasion in recent years to guide utilities into the energy industry of tomorrow. Last year, Garrick Rochow joined the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast when he was still freshly minted as the President and CEO of Consumer Energy, but at the time of recording this follow up episode with him he had just crossed the two year mark as the head of the Michigan power company. Garrick and Consumers Energy were kind enough to invite podcast host Jason Price to visit the Consumers Energy campus in person for this special episode to discuss what Garrick has learned in his time as CEO and what the future looks like for Consumers Energy. Key Links Full Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-105-leadership-evolution-utility-c-suite-garrick-rochow-president-and-ceo Garrick Rochow's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/garrick-rochow/about Garrick's first appearance on the podcast: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-29-rising-moment-creating Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': https://blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Dec 5, 2022 • 30min

104. 'Conditional Monitoring & Generator Maintenance Without Downtime' with Steven Turner at APS

A main focus on note in the utility industry that's been gaining headlines more and more has been grid reliability and ensuring that no matter where and when energy is needed that the power sector is able to provide it. While some of the challenges in this arena come from unexpected events like extreme weather or equipment failure, another source that must not be overlooked is from planned maintenance. Equipment needs to be powered down regularly to perform fixes and upgrades, but taking those assets off the grid needs to be carefully timed so the aggregate flow of power can continue humming in the direction it's needed. Managing such planned outages is critical not just for the customer to get their power but also so utilities aren't losing too much money in the meantime. These needs combine to make the topic of this week's episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast so exciting, and that is via conditional monitoring of assets and performance of necessary generator maintenance without needing to plan for wider outages. Steven Turner, a Senior Engineer at Arizona Public Service, has been advancing new techniques and technologies to advance this field, a topic he recently addressed at the IEEE Annual Conference. For those who were not able to attend live, Steven joins podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester to share the crucial message and speculate on how these advancements can improve the utility sector in the coming years. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-104-conditional-monitoring-generator-maintenance-without-downtime-steven Steven Turner's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/steven-turner-1 Generator Restoration Following a Protection Operation:https://energycentral.com/c/gn/generator-restoration-following-protection-operation Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Nov 21, 2022 • 32min

103. 'Unleashing The Power Of Integrated Data' With Damian Sciano And Leon Bukhman, Con Edison

Recent advancements and modernizations in the utility industry have hinged on the availability of data. Data from across the grid can come in massive quantities, in real time, and require immense plans and assets necessary to analyze and make the best use of it. But those efforts are undoubtedly worthwhile, as they bring about new operational efficiencies, improve options to boost reliability, and more. However, just because the world of utility data is valuable does not mean it is easy. Entire departments of the utility industry need to be reworked to think about what data can do for them and how to best utilize the data coming in. Even policymakers and regulators are getting involved in the process, such as the landmark New York statewide energy data integration project. To understand exactly what this entails and how it's preparing New York utilities for the future, this week's episode features two key utility professionals at the frontline of these efforts: Damian Sciano, Director of Distributed Resource Integration, and Leon Bukhman, Project Manager, both from Con Edison. Listen in as Damian and Leon walk podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester step by step through this process. Key Tracks Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-103-unleashing-power-integrated-data-damian-sciano-and-leon-bukhman-con Damian Sciano's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/damian-sciano Leon Bukhman's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/leon-bukhman Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Oct 31, 2022 • 32min

102. 'The Big One Is Coming' With Shamus Gamache, Central Lincoln PUD, & Leon Kempner, BPA

These days, utilities seem to have more potential threats to worry about than ever before: cyber attacks to equipment failure to big storms knocking down portions of the grid. But certain power companies, particularly those on the West Coast, must stay ever vigilant to a less common but higher priority potential disaster: earthquakes. Ensuring the grid infrastructure is prepared to handle the 'big one' that may always be a day away, as well as that the utility companies are ready to respond at a moment's notice after the fact, is a job for every day even if the earthquakes themselves are less frequent. Learning from how utilities and their equipment have fared in different earthquakes across the globe is the best way to prepare for the future. Assessing the results and the response from power companies all over the world is one of the key jobs of Dr. Leon Kempner, Principal Civil Engineer for Bonneville Power Administration and the industry-leading expert on preparing the power sector for major events like earthquakes. And one of the utilities that has regularly retained the unparalleled insights of Dr. Kempner is Central Lincoln PUD. Specifically, Shamus Gamache, the utility's Director of Engineering, has worked regularly with Dr. Kempner to prepare the Oregon utility to be prepared for the persistent threat of earthquakes and tsunamis off the U.S. West Coast. Both of these experts join podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester to provide their keen perspectives on what it means to prepare for once-in-a-generation events. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-102-%E2%80%9Cbig-one%E2%80%9D-coming%E2%80%94-your-utility-ready-shamus-gamache-central-lincoln Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

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