Electric Perspectives Edison Electric Institute

Energy companies are working with their technology partners to gain insights and leverage data to make their operations more efficient and to enhance customer programs through AI.
On this episode, Maria Kretzing, vice president and general manager of electric vehicles and analytics at Bidgely, and Andrew Barrington, products and services manager at Avista, discuss some of the fascinating ways Avista is working with Bidgely to optimize and streamline its operations.
This episode is sponsored by Bidgely, the company that provides AI platforms that revolutionize grid management and customer engagement for energy companies.
Want to hear more about AI use in our industry? Be sure to register for EEI 2024, which takes place June 18-20 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas!

In April, EEI hosted its Spring Transmission, Distribution, Metering, and Mutual Assistance Conference. The conference's keynote panel focused on AI, datacenters, and how electric companies are meeting the explosive growth for electricity demand to power these innovative, industry-transforming technologies.
EEI Senior Vice President of Security and Preparedness Scott Aaronson moderated the panel, which featured Alan Bradshaw, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Dominion Energy; Ariel Horowitz, Deputy Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy; and Chris Crosby, CEO, Compass Datacenters.
Want to hear more about AI and datacenters from an industry perspective? You won't want to miss EEI 2024, which takes place June 18-20 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Visit eei.org/2024 for more information and to register.

EEI will host the 40th Annual Business Diversity Conference in mid-May. For more on the history of the conference and diverse supplier partnerships, listen to our April episode, "Leading the Charge on Business Diversity," to hear from Charlotte Blount-Lewis, a former EEI employee who helped lead efforts to establish business diversity programs during her tenure from 1982 to 1997. She was in conversation with EEI Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief Human Resources Officer Courtney Peterson.
 
On this episode, Georgia Power Distribution Manager Michelle Fuqua, Young Management President and CEO Brandon Young, and Pierce Powerline CEO Michele Pierce discuss the vital partnerships between electric companies and diverse suppliers that power the communities they proudly serve, and how our industry can better support diverse suppliers. Brandon and Michele also share their advice for fellow diverse business owners and discuss how they are supporting electric companies and their key priorities, like enhancing grid resilience.

In mid-April, EEI International Programs hosted the Global Electrification Forum (GEF), which brings together EEI’s domestic and international member companies, industry experts, and thought leaders from around the world. This conference is dedicated to addressing the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the electrification of our society.
This year’s event featured a line-up of distinguished speakers, and on this episode, you’ll hear from a few. Dr. Lawrence Jones, EEI senior vice president of international programs, gives an overview of the GEF. Then, we hear from Nigel Barbour, CEO of Orion Group (New Zealand); Peter O'Shea, Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at ESB (Ireland); and Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy (England), about innovation, powering economies, electric transportation, and more.
Want to see the sessions for yourself? All the GEF programming recordings are available now through the conference registration portal.

Charlotte Blount-Lewis worked at EEI from 1982 and 1997 and helped lead the charge to develop industry business diversity programs and helped organize the first Business Diversity Conference, which continues to bring together electric companies and diverse suppliers, in 1984. Today, electric companies spend billions of dollars per year on diverse suppliers, including businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans. We celebrate these partnerships and the important roles these suppliers play in helping electric companies safely operate 24/7, 365 days a year.
 
On this episode, EEI Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief Human Resources Officer Courtney Peterson leads a conversation with Charlotte, who reflects on the origins of the business diversity programs, the key partnerships that contributed to these important efforts, the lessons that that today's suppliers can learn from the experiences of those pioneering efforts of the 1980s, and more. 

It takes a highly skilled workforce to provide reliable electricity service to customers, who depend on it more and more every day to power their lives. As electricity demand grows and our industry continues to deliver increasingly cleaner energy, the next generation of energy workers must be prepared to build, maintain, and operate energy infrastructure and equipment, including for new and emerging clean energy technologies. And, they must continue to work in the necessary positions to keep the lights on.
On this episode, EEI Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Chief Human Resources Officer Courtney Peterson and Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) Executive Director Missy Henriksen discuss trends in workforce development, how companies are preparing the next-generation workforce, resources that CEWD offers to help companies with workforce development, and more!