Electric Perspectives Podcast

August is LIHEAP Action Month, an opportunity to highlight the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides financial support to vulnerable households and families to cover heating and cooling and other energy related costs. Electric companies and state LIHEAP administrators partner to help families access this critical funding, and they are working together to streamline the process of identifying income eligible households. 

In this episode, EEI Vice President of Customer Solutions Lisa Wood sits down with Tamara Johnson, DTE Energy customer service director, to discuss DTE Energy's successful collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and their efforts to significantly streamline the process of getting LIHEAP funds to households in need.

This episode is the second part of our three-part series featuring the highlights of EEI 2022, our annual thought leadership forum. In this episode, you will hear conversations about topics including electric transportation, ESG, and cybersecurity featuring Michael Webber, Chief Technology Officer, Energy Impact Partners, and Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources at the University of Texas at Austin; EEI Director of Electric Transportation Kellen Schefter; Dan Hahn, Partner – Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure at Guidehouse; Deloitte's Specialist Lead – EV Strategy and Planning Adrian Rouse and Vice Chair of U.S. Power, Utilities & Renewables Leader Jim Thompson; and Kim Zetter, journalist and author of Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World’s First Digital Weapon.

Also featured are virtual remarks by Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and highlights from a keynote featuring Duke Energy Chair, President, and CEO Lynn Good and Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Jen Easterly.

During EEI 2022, EEI’s annual thought leadership forum, we were honored to be joined by U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. This episode includes the EEI 2022 keynote discussion between Secretary Granholm and EEI Chair Warner Baxter, executive chairman of Ameren Corporation, during which they covered the path to a clean energy future, the technologies needed to meet our goals, today’s geopolitical and supply chain challenges, the importance of industry-government partnerships, and more. Read all about the discussions at EEI 2022 here.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the West Virginia v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) case limited the authority of the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing stationary sources, like power plants. 

During this episode, EEI Deputy General Counsel of Clean Energy and Climate Alex Bond will lead a discussion with Emily Fisher, EEI general counsel and senior vice president of clean energy, and Maggie Peloso, partner at Vinson & Elkins, about how this case landed in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, what the decision means for both electric companies and the EPA, and whether it will affect ongoing efforts to deliver a resilient clean energy future to customers. 

Electric companies are on the path to achieving a sustainable energy future by formulating goals into actions plans on reliability, diversification, risk management, and more. Where does reliability intersect with sustainability? How can stakeholders inform the path for a sustainable energy future? How can a company embrace a culture of continuous improvement and recognize workforce passion? Warner Baxter, Executive Chairman of Ameren Corporation and Vice Chairman of EEI 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 https://www.eei.org/about-eei/international-members

EEI is proud to support the United for Infrastructure: Lead with Infrastructure campaign. Electric transmission infrastructure is the backbone of the nation’s energy grid and it will play an important role in facilitating the continued transition to clean energy. 

In this episode, Phil Moeller, EEI executive vice president of the business operations group and regulatory affairs, and Larry Gasteiger, executive director of WIRES, join us to discuss the challenges of building new transmission infrastructure. They also discuss the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's recent notice of proposed rulemaking on transmission and how the funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will be used to support transmission development. Listen to this episode to hear Phil and Larry address these issues and more.

Effective leadership and good communication are key to approaching resilience and the energy transition as electric companies navigate changes  Companies are undertaking actions to meet employee expectations on flexibility and customer expectations on reliability, affordability, and risks. What approaches are necessary to communicate with customers? How has the pandemic evolved the way companies are conducting business? And how are electric companies leading on resilience? Bob Rowe, CEO of NorthWestern Energy joins this episode of Electric Perspectives Global Circuit recorded in March 2022.

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

Hurricane season is approaching fast and there already are severe and extreme drought conditions throughout the West that are raising the risk of wildfires. Electric companies undergo power restoration and business continuity planning year-round to prepare for emergencies, and now is the time for all of us to prepare for natural disasters and other emergencies that could cause power outages.  

In this episode, StormGeo Meteorologist Justin Petrutsas provides the forecast for this year’s hurricane and wildfire season and how it will differ from past seasons. Then, EEI Senior Vice President of Security and Preparedness Scott Aaronson explains how electric companies partner with government agencies to prepare for and respond to emergencies and the steps customers can take now so that they are prepared should a major disaster strike.

EEI will join many around the world in celebrating Earth Day on April 22. In reality, every day is Earth Day for EEI’s member companies, and we are working to get the energy we provide as clean as we can as fast as we can, while maintaining the reliability and affordability that our customers value.  

In this episode, EEI Chairman and DTE Executive Chairman Gerry Anderson and Eric Grey, EEI’s vice president of government relations, discuss our support for the clean energy tax package pending in Congress and why these policies are good for our customers. They also talk about new carbon-free technologies, electrification of the transportation sector, and more. Visit EEI’s website to learn about our clean energy progress and see how we are #Committed2Clean.® 

Want to learn more about our work to deliver resilient clean energy? Register now for EEI 2022. This reimagined thought leadership forum will focus on the technologies, pathways, tools, and partnerships needed to continue reducing carbon emissions in the electric power sector and across the economy. EEI 2022 will take place June 20-22 at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes. Register now at: https://bit.ly/3DgsaPE