In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria return with a special collaboration on cybersecurity! The hosts kick things off by touching on the unprecedented cold weather we experienced in January. For the main topic, the team explores how IT and cybersecurity have become essential pillars in the electric utility industry—so essential that they’ve brought in three experts to shed light on it all!

Check out Off The Wire:

https://offthewirepodcast.com/

Available on Spotify and iTunes!

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria discuss the hot topic of the moment: nuclear energy. The hosts open the episode by reflecting on their respective Thanksgiving holiday experiences. The team reviews news articles covering topics such as sci-fi billionaires' climate change efforts, underground battery storage, and renewable energy legislation related to hog waste. The main article focuses on nuclear energy and why it's now in such high demand. For the main topic, the hosts have to call in an expert! Dan Walsh, Senior Power Supply and Generation Director at NRECA calls in to educate the hosts on what’s on the horizon with hydrogen energy.

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria have a live studio audience! Live from the Youngsville Boardroom, Changing Energy welcomes the RAMblings Podcast Club from Franklinton High School. Don discusses an interesting article concerning researchers harnessing the power of lightning to help stop erosion on the California coastline. Special guest Jim House from FMI Consulting, shares his expertise in making human-built infrastructure more energy efficient. To round out the episode, the hosts invite questions from their studio audience.

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria focus on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina and the monumental recovery efforts that followed. The hosts discussed the power of cooperative mutual aid as Wake Electric sent linemen to assist one of our sister co-ops in the mountains. Special guest Joe Everett, Wake Electric’s Right-of-Way Supervisor and Journeyman Lineman, shares firsthand stories from the front lines as part of the first crew dispatched for relief. Together, they explore the hurricane’s impact on the region, the challenges the crews faced, and the strength of community when disaster strikes.

In this episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn talk about how they miss Maria as she vacations in Europe and plans to see Taylor Swift in concert. This sparks further discussions about the sustainability of rock concerts before diving into an article about the current challenges of the grid. Maria rejoins the group as we introduce our summer data science intern, Manuella Kwawu. Manuella talks about her experience moving from Ghana to New York City and summering in Wake Forest, North Carolina. She shares insights from her project analyzing residential bills, revealing fascinating findings about peak usage times and cost-saving opportunities for members.

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria are ready for the 4th of July. The impact of the Tesla Cybertruck continues! Don banters about his experience driving it around town and people’s reactions to it. Kirk and Maria talk about hosting an EV Truck event in June as well as an employee appreciation event. Shawn talks about how busy dispatch has been with wildlife incidents. The hosts discuss multiple articles regarding tech companies and AI data centers as the energy sector continues to focus on this hot topic. They also get into an article regarding policy changes that could impact utilities regarding energy plans. For the main topic, Don talks about the hot summer weather despite the otherwise mild days we’ve experienced this year. Don explains the unit ‘degree days’ and how that helps determine how much heating and cooling can be expected in home usage. The gang dives into a listener's question about experiencing high voltage noise under transmission power lines.

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria are thrilled to be back after a long break! The hosts banter about their busy schedules during the unintended hiatus, sharing stories from attending various conferences and being busy at the co-op. They also discuss the arrival of the new Tesla Cybertruck and the splash that the electric vehicle is making. Don talks about his drive out west and how that inspired him to explore what makes the state of Oklahoma an interesting case study in energy. The hosts discuss an article highlighting the states with the lowest and highest electric rates in the US. They also explore an article detailing the AI industry's insatiable demand for new data centers. Finally, they answer a listener's question about electric vehicle charging infrastructure, providing insights and updates on this rapidly evolving topic.

Story Links:

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria celebrate the upcoming eclipse! Everyone banters about the Annual Meeting that just occurred and talk about new safety procedures for dispatchers, as well as a conference where Don talks (again) about microgrids. Don, with assistance from Shawn, goes through a list of 10 Interesting Eclipse Facts to get everyone excited about the eclipse on April 8th! The group welcomes special guest Peter Muhoro, Chief Strategy, Technology, and Innovation Officer from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, to talk about data analytics. The group discusses the growth of data analytics within the utility industry and what the future of data analytics looks like for electric cooperatives.

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria begin by explaining their long absence. The hosts have been busy wrangling Cybertrucks, hosting MAC meetings, attending cool technology conferences, and gearing up for their annual meeting. Don and Kirk discuss TechAdvantage and the interesting panels they attended, covering generational differences in the workforce, drones, EVs, data analytics, and AI. For the main topic, the gang delves into the "AI Revolution" and explores what the future holds when working with this tool in the electric utility industry. They discuss its potential effects on everything from dispatch to member communication. The hosts draw insights from recent news headlines, providing examples of AI applications in other industries, including companies like Wendy’s and Ticketmaster.