Plugged In

Extreme heat, coastal storm surge, inland flooding and more violent storms are the most significant climate-driven impacts to Con Edison’s energy delivery systems and its customers through the 21st century, according to a new report. The study coned.com/resiliency, evaluated present-day infrastructure, design specifications, and procedures against expected climate change to better understand its future impact on Con Edison’s energy delivery systems. Hear more from the report’s authors.

In the latest episode of “Plugged In,” noted energy expert Dr. Ted Kury of the Public Utility Research Center at the University of Florida gives his take on the two big issues confronting energy companies in 2020: severe weather and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Con Edison’s 14,000 employees joined with millions of people around the world in reaction to the police killing of George Floyd. But at the energy company, employees embraced each other to create something healing, loving, and honest. “People were looking for a way to talk about what’s going on,” said Catherine Lewis, a director in Emergency Preparedness and president of the employee resource group BU​ILD​. ​

So several employees from BUILD, which stands for Blacks United in Leadership and Development, and the O​ffice of Diversity and Inclusion set up TEA​MS sessions for them to come together.

“It was like floodgates opened,” said Nicole Leon, director of Diversity and Inclusion. “This has hit on a sensitive nerve. People have been holding their true feelings in for years.”

Hear more about this successful approach to employee/corporate communications in this podcast. For more information on BUILD, email [email protected]

The COVID-19 pandemic is transforming the way many of us work. For large, public corporations like Con Edison, that transformation covers a wide scope of departments and subjects, including protecting the health and mental well-being of employees, as well as assisting customers.

Con Edison set up Pandemic Teams even before the virus became an epidemic. In this latest Plugged In podcast, Maureen Kreider, a board-certified nurse practitioner and manager of the company’s Wellness Center; and Lauren O’Connell, a manager of Emergency Preparedness, talk about how the teams have spent months managing these new challenges.

Listen to these easy tips to save energy and money - and help the environment - while working or studying from home this summer. A Con Edison energy efficiency expert outlines ways to save in the kitchen, the bedroom, all-around your home for yourself and the entire family.

We are all guilty of unconscious bias. At one time or another, people attach learned stereotypes, instant judgements, towards others. These hidden biases are unintentional and automatic. They are also harmful, even debilitating. Con Edison is launching training to curb unconscious bias among its employees in order to provide a fairer, more comfortable, more equitable workspace. Learn more about unconscious bias and how to remedy it here.

Con Edison’s Matthew Ketschke, senior vice president of Customer Energy Solutions, discusses key energy trends and what they mean for customers. Listen to Plugged In to hear what Ketschke has to say on:

* Climate change

* Renewable energy

* Artificial intelligence

* Electric vehicles

* Cyber security

* Geothermal heat pumps 


Additional episodes of Plugged In are available here.

Not much is expected out of Washington this new year regarding the power industry. But the New York State legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo in Albany are expected to take action on several key fronts. One would be to appoint a panel to carry out the goals and emission restrictions required of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Hear what else will be uppermost in the new year with our guests Jason Litwak and Christian Malanga with Con Edison's government affairs.

Con Edison engineers discuss the scientific principles in "The Current War," the new Hollywood movie about Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse.

It’s an exciting time for battery storage. Technology is improving and prices are declining. Energy storage - being able to save electricity made from the sun or wind for later use - is an increasingly vital keystone in our nation’s energy future. John Schaaf, managing director of Con Edison Battery Storage, part of Con Edison Inc’s Clean Energy Businesses, explains how solar energy can be saved for a rainy day, and how that improves our world.