Electric Perspectives

Consumers Energy announced that in 2023, nearly 90 percent of customers who lost power had it restored in less than 24 hours. This progress is thanks in part to the company’s work to enhance its energy grid infrastructure, which includes adding smart technology, clearing tree branches away from power lines, and more. These efforts are part of a strategic plan called the Reliability Roadmap, and it...

On this episode, EEI Senior Director of Electric Transportation Kellen Schefter and Consumers Energy Product Manager of Commercial Electric Vehicles Bethany Tabor discuss how the Michigan-based company is helping to support 11 school districts in its service territory to deploy and operate electric school buses and how the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program is helping to su...

When we think of the acceleration of electric transportation, the spike in light-duty vehicle sales comes to mind, but it’s not just passenger vehicles that are scaling up. Medium- to heavy-duty vehicles, including school buses, are increasingly becoming electrified, much to the benefit of the communities they operate in.    This episode takes a deep dive into electric school buses and how electri...

Dan Brouillette joined EEI as president and CEO-elect in October 2023, and became EEI’s president and CEO at the start of this year. Before joining EEI, Brouillette served as president of Sempra Infrastructure, a leading global energy transition company. He previously served as the 15th U.S. Secretary of Energy and before that as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, the chief operating officer of the...

On this episode, Sandi Safro, EEI associate general counsel of energy and technology regulation, and Patrick Arness, EEI senior director of government relations, discuss a few recent Department of Energy program announcements funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the Grid Innovation and Resilience Partnerships (GRIP) Program and the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program, which will...

At the end of the year, after serving America’s electric companies and their customers for more than 30 years, EEI President and CEO Tom Kuhn will step down from his current role. Kuhn has effectively worked with America’s electric companies to navigate major policy issues in Congress, throughout the federal agencies, and at the state and local levels. He also has led the development of strong-ind...

In late September, the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations held a hearing on the role of electric infrastructure in the wildfire that occurred in Lahaina on Maui on August 8. Hawaiian Electric President and CEO Shelee Kimura, along with Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Chair Leo Asuncion, and Hawai’i State Energy Office Chief Energy Officer Mark...

November 15 is Utility Scam Awareness Day, and we’re raising awareness of tactics being used by utility impostor scammers that target customers of electric, gas, and water companies. Customers of all ages and backgrounds should be vigilant because anyone can be a target of this type of scam, but scammers especially target low-income or elderly customers. On this episode, Monica Martinez, executive...

EEI is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, and on this episode, we have a special guest to help us recognize this cultural observance. EEI Chair Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, joins Courtney Peterson, EEI vice president, chief diversity officer, and chief human resources officer, to discuss what it means to be EEI’s first Hispanic board chair, how he stays connected...

This episode is part of our EEI 2023 highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about topics including Inflation Reduction Act customer tax incentives and rebates, the future of natural gas, new approaches to financing transmission, and keeping the clean energy transition equitable and affordable. The speakers are: Dan Hahn, Partner at Guidehouse, Dr. Michael Webber, Chief Tec...

The Inflation Reduction Act established the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program under the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Loan Programs Office and appropriated $5 billion to help fund certain clean energy and carbon reduction projects through fiscal year 2026. In June, the Loan Programs Office released new guidance for the Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program, which includes the EIR...

This episode is part of our EEI 2023 highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about topics including clean energy policy and implementation, workforce development, and grid resilience featuring: Breakthrough Energy Senior Director, U.S. Policy and Advocacy, Robin Millican, Carolyn Amon, Research Leader, Power, Utilities & Renewables at the Deloitte Research Center for En...

EEI 2023 featured a lineup of exceptional keynote speakers. On this episode, you'll hear the full-length EEI 2023 keynote conversation between renowned technologist Elon Musk and EEI Chair Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International. The discussion spans topics such as electrification across the economy, the future of electric transportation, Tesla’s decision to open up its Superch...

Lineworkers maintain and enhance the energy grid and play a critical role in delivering America’s resilient clean energy future. They also work around the clock and in dangerous conditions following extreme weather events to ensure that the customers and the communities they serve have access to safe and reliable electricity. On July 10, EEI will join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Wo...

On May 11, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act, which targets carbon pollution standards for fossil-fuel based plants. Over the past several months, EEI has engaged constructively with EPA and outlined several important priorities for these regulations that are consistent with the ongoing clean energy transition that EEI's membe...

EEI's member companies make significant investments to enhance the energy grid every year. One of many grid modernization and improvement projects that is underway to ensure reliable and resilient clean energy can be delivered to customers now and in the years to come is Georgia Power's Grid Improvement Plan. On this episode, Georgia Power Vice President of Strategy and Support Cleve Fann and Pike...

America's electric companies are working together to identify opportunities to enhance mitigation, detection, and response capabilities as part of our wildfire mitigation strategy. The electric power industry has built trusted relationships with partners across the federal government who have key roles to play in our collective wildfire mitigation efforts. On this episode, U.S. Forest Service Chie...

Island environments face unique challenges as we transition our energy systems. What are the ways island providers are preparing for the transition? What role does employee experience play in ensuring successful business operations? How can we attract more women to the energy workforce? Ruth Forbes, President and CEO of FortisTCI, joins this episode of Global Circuit to discuss the company’s opera...

Our path toward a resilient clean energy future depends on new and developing carbon-free technologies. The Institute for the Energy Transition (IET) was launched earlier this year to advance the commercialization of breakthrough technologies, which will allow electric companies to reach net-zero emission goals while keeping customer reliability and affordability front and center. The IET will bui...

Studies have shown that transmission infrastructure in the U.S. will have to double – maybe even triple – in order to reach a net-zero economy by 2050 and to support widespread electrification. But one persistent challenge to expanding the transmission system and deploying more clean energy is the inefficient siting and permitting process for critical infrastructure such as transmission lines. EEI...

EEI's member companies are committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their own workforces and to creating new economic opportunities in the communities that they serve. As we aim to deliver a resilient clean energy future to customers, we know that our success depends on us creating new pathways for diverse candidates to enter the energy workforce. On this episode, Calvin Bu...

March is Women’s History Month, and EEI honors and recognizes the achievements and contributions of women throughout the electric power industry. As our member companies make progress on their diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments, it’s important to create career pathways for employees that can lead to leadership opportunities. In this episode, EEI Executive Vice President of Clean Energy a...

In late February, executives from the Edison Electric Institute briefed Wall Street analysts, bankers, investors, and other industry stakeholders on the state of the U.S. electric power industry at the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City. Today's episode will feature a recap of the briefing. EEI’s leadership team covered several high-priority topics, including ESG; the role of new and developing ca...

America’s electric companies prepare year-round for extreme weather events, and they make investments and upgrades to help prevent power outages and to speed up restoration when they do occur. In the Sunshine State, Florida Power and Light (FPL) has made significant investments to help withstand hurricane-force winds across its service territory. On this episode, FPL Executive Director of Emergenc...

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) marks one of the greatest investments in clean energy in U.S. history. As part of the $369 billion investment to promote domestic energy production and manufacturing, the IRA established the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program under the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office and appropriated $5 billion to help fund certain clean energy and carbon...