The Electric Wire

Earlier this year we celebrated some of our top episodes of the Electric Wire podcast in person by inviting previous podcast guests to Madison to speak at our annual Power Breakfast.

Thanks to WisconsinEye, we are able to bring Power Breakfast audio and video to our listeners. Please visit wiseye.org to check out more live and archived footage from WisconsinEye and consider making a donation to this free service!

This podcast episode follows the Power Breakfast agenda for speaker order:

- Opening Remarks by Commissioner Marcus Hawkins, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin

- Laurel Peltier, Journalist and Energy Advocate

- Brent Ridge, President and CEO, Dairyland Power Cooperative

- Wisconsin's Energy Providers Panel

- Rep. Lisa Subek, Ranking Member, Assembly Energy &

Thanks for listening!

Justin Chasco of Fredrikson & Byron joins the podcast to discuss CFC's upcoming Power Breakfast event, which will celebrate the 50th episode of the Electric Wire podcast.

Jon Baker, Project Manager of the proposed Vista Sands Solar Project in Central Wisconsin, joins the Electric Wire to discuss the process, opportunities, and challenges that come with siting a large solar project. Read Jon’s recent opinion column highlighting the project, here: https://captimes.com/opinion/guest-columns/opinion-solar-project-furthers-conservation-clean-energy-goals/article_b0e07dba-0ef5-11ef-9435-dba12b87857a.html

On Episode 47 of the Electric Wire, we discuss the steps Powering Wisconsin is taking to help include utility-scale renewable energy in Wisconsin’s generation portfolio and the process it takes to get more renewable energy sited here in Wisconsin. Special guests include Peder Mewis, Clean Grid Alliance, and Mike Kuglitsch, Michael Best Strategies LLC, representing Powering Wisconsin. Matthew Spencer, Madison Gas & Electric, co-hosts. Read Peder’s recent Op-Ed on Wisconsin’s energy policies, here: https://captimes.com/opinion/guest-columns/opinion-lawmakers-taking-right-approach-to-renewable-energy/article_668ac7f6-03ed-11ef-8533-7b7ef69acb83.html

Don't forget to register for CFC's Power Breakfast on August 15, 2024, here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-power-breakfast-the-best-of-the-electric-wire-tickets-923933468877

Tom Content, Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board of Wisconsin, joins host Kristin Gilkes to recap the recent NASUCA Conference in Madison, WI, and the issues discussed at the conference, such as data centers, transmission, EV buildout, innovative rate designs, and more.

CFC's Power Breakfast on August 15 will highlight key speakers from the Electric Wire podcast as we celebrate our 50th episode. Register here:

4:00 – NASUCA Conference: Discussion of Consumer

5:57 – Issues related to data centers

8:10 – Considerations of direct selling baseload power to

9:30 – Microsoft data center in WI

10:15 – cost allocation for data centers

11:06 – transmission issues discussed at conference

16:22 – EPRI Electric Vehicles Buildout Tool for Utilities

18:45 – Consumer issues on the horizon

19:50 – Increasing demand/affordability tipping point

20:50 – Bringing down costs

23:15 – Tom’s “All the Power” moment

25:12 – Appropriate levels of spending on energy efficiency

27:00 – Upcoming CFC Power Breakfast on August 15

Registration Link:

2024

31:20 – Upcoming CCIF report on innovative rate designs and time of use rates

Wisconsin is taking action to access federal funding through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program which will help install EV fast charging stations along the state's major highway corridors. Our special guests for this episode include: Emma Heins of the Electrification Coalition and Kaleb Vander Wiele of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation – Electrification

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/projects/multimodal/electrification.aspx

Interactive Map of Potential Charging Station Locations

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8405604ccc034f7c8c4e95e6776951a7#data_s=id%3AdataSource_7-189ad031f53-layer-11%3A17

Electrification Coalition

https://electrificationcoalition.org/

Key Moments

1:40 - Interview with Emma Heins begins

4:40 - WI legislation

8:00 - Additional aspects of legislation

11:15 - Why federal incentives for EVs?

13:00 - How will EV charging in WI change over the next year?

14:30 - Other policy actions needed on EVs?

17:40 - Emma's "All the Power" moment

19:57 - Interview with Kaleb Vander Wiele begins

25:00 - Changes in EV policies since 2017

28:10 - NEVI

30:30 - Charging Station Map (See map online: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8405604ccc034f7c8c4e95e6776951a7#data_s=id%3AdataSource_7-189ad031f53-layer-11%3A17)

38:22 - Where do we go from here?

46:37 - Kaleb's "All the Power" moment

Chairperson Rebecca Valcq joins us to reflect on her five years leading the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin as she prepares for her final day at the agency on February 2, 2024. We discuss her proudest moments, biggest challenges, memorable cases, and much more. Lori Sakk, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute, joins to co-host

Chairperson Valcq discusses the following during our

Links from Episode:

Wisconsin  Public

https://wpui.wisc.edu/

Upcoming Educational Programs from WPUI:

https://wpui.wisc.edu/programs/

Electric Wire, Episode 3 (Apple)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/energy-innovation-with-wisconsin-energy-leaders/id1497322756?i=1000468353689

Electric Wire, Episode 3 (Spotify)

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gpyBr1DZAFbYOq2rIc6Ja

The year-in-review roundtable is back with both new and

Our special guests include:

·      Kara Pennoyer, Chief of Staff to Public Service

·      Matthew Spencer, Director of Government Relations,

·      Carrie Templeton, Regulatory Relations and

·      Andy Bochman, Senior Grid Strategist, Idaho

Key Moments

03:25 - Top Energy Stories of the Year

07:10 – Top Sustainable Energy Developments of the Year

12:50 – Most Promising Energy Idea of the Year

18:30 – “Shock” of the Year

25:00 – Favorite Episode of the Electric Wire This Year

32:45 – Predictions (Reflecting Back & Looking Forward)

42:30 – “All the Power” Moments

2023 Reflection Clips

49:15 –Episode 37: Brent Ridge, CEO of Dairyland Power Cooperative,

52:05 –Episode 38: Cindy Smith, Chief Legal Counsel at

55:40 –Episode 33: Sen. Julian Bradley discusses an “all of

Links to Previous, Highlighted Episodes

Electric Wire, Episode 40: Tours at MGE EV Fast Charging

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tours-at-mge-ev-fast-charging-hub-and-obrien-solar-fields/id1497322756?i=1000630813364

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVK0103DDaE&t=1114s

Electric Wire, Episode 41 - MEUW Celebrates with Public

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meuw-celebrates-with-public-power-on-parade-at-the/id1497322756?i=1000633242021

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIL9Qi_Z4FY

Electric Wire, Episode 38 - Cindy Smith discusses

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cindy-smith-discusses-public-participation-and/id1497322756?i=1000622954015

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS6PQZLEpOQ

Electric Wire, Ep. 39 - Marcus Hawkins discusses his role

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marcus-hawkins-discusses-his-role-leading-the/id1497322756?i=1000626358105

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqYCUp7_dTM&t=468s

Electric Wire, Episode 27 - The Reality of Retail Choice

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-reality-of-retail-choice-with-laurel-peltier/id1497322756?i=1000578685568

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6fD7EMD_BY&t=164s

Electric Wire, Episode 25 - Nuclear Power, Reliability

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nuclear-power-reliability-global-weirding-with-andy/id1497322756?i=1000567542737

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpcEMypyy8o&t=32s

For more detailed analysis of PSCW rate proceedings this

Wisconsin’s state-wide energy efficiency program, Focus on Energy, helps electric customers achieve cost-savings through

Key Moments

4:43 – What is the Focus on Energy

5:50 – When, how, and why was Focus on

7:15 – More on the roles of the program’s

9:55 – How is Focus on Energy funded and

14:35 – What does Focus on Energy do for

17:30 – How does the program reach out to

18:48 – How are decisions made about what

22:50 – What are the costs and benefits

23:40 – More on the benefits of the

29:10 – What are the top performing

39:00 – Related federal funding from the Inflation

43:50 – The Quadrennial Planning Process

48:30 – Renewable energy funding

50:29 – Issues that arose during COVID-19

Links from Episode

Focus on Energy
https://focusonenergy.com/

Focus on Energy Success Stories

https://focusonenergy.com/success-stories-1

Online Home Assessment Tool Walkthrough
https://focusonenergy.com/home-assessment

Focus on Energy Annual Reports
https://focusonenergy.com/evaluation-reports/categories/annual-reports

Public Service Commission of Wisconsin

APTIM (Focus on Energy Program Administrator)

As the Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin, or MEUW, celebrated its 95th birthday on October 18, 2023, the organization brought municipal utility leaders from across the state to the State Capitol to share the benefits of public power in their communities. The celebration culminated with a parade around the Capitol Square, with 81 utility bucket trucks showing their public power pride.