Flux Capacitor

Recorded on Zoom in early December 2021, episode 50 features a conversation with Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro Ottawa, the local distribution company in Canada’s capital, and a number of other lines of business, including as a cross-border electricity generator. Bryce and I talk about Hydro’s sustainability practices, its recent designation as a Sustainable Electrici...

Recorded on Zoom in early December 2021, episode 49 features a conversation with Dan Balaban, President and Executive Chair of Greengate, an Alberta-based company in the centre of the energy transformation. Greengate has been developing renewable energy projects at scale, and boasts the largest wind, and soon the largest solar project in Canada. In our discussion, we talk about some of Greengate’s...

Recorded in person late November 2021, episode 48 features a conversation with President and CEO of SaskPower Mike Marsh. On the eve of Mike’s retirement from SaskPower, we talk about the pandemic, how its changing work and the workplace. We also discuss the challenges of GHG reductions, and the role new technologies will play to help meet climate change targets. Mike talks about his journey to hi...

Recorded on Zoom in late October 2021, episode 47 is the ninth in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, Meredith Adler, the Executive Director of Student Energy joins me to talk about the next generation of energy leaders and net-zero GHG ambitions. Student Energy is a global youth-led organization empowering young people to accelera...

Recorded on Zoom in early October 2021, episode 46 is the eighth in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, Peter Gregg, President and CEO of Nova Scotia Power and I talk about the challenges of meeting GHG reduction targets, and Nova Scotia Power’s plans to decarbonize their electricity system, taking into consideration customer affor...

Recorded from a webinar two days following the 2021 Canadian Federal election with Michael Powell, CEA’s VP of Government Relations, and Julia Muggeridge, VP of Communications and Marketing, Michael provides a general overview of the campaign, results, and key campaign commitments, followed by a three-way conversation on implications and next steps. We also take questions sent in by the live webin...

Recorded on Zoom in late-August 2021, in the second week since the launch of the Federal election, episode 44 is a deep dive into the views of the electorate and the salience of energy and environmental issues in the campaign. For this episode, Greg Lyle, founder and President of Innovative Research Group, discusses the drivers in the election campaign relevant to the electricity sector (environme...

Recorded on Zoom in mid-August 2021, episode 43 is the seventh in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, Tonja Leach, Executive Director of QUEST, discusses the importance of community level engagement, potential net zero barriers due to regulatory constructs and policy environments, and the importance of spurring investment at the co...

Recorded on Zoom in late July 2021, episode 41 is the sixth in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, Wayne O’Connor, President and CEO of ENMAX, discusses his company’s Net Zero 2050 target, in the context of their ESG commitments, and what this means for their regulated T&D business, and their generation fleet. We also talk abou...

Recorded on Zoom in late July 2021, episode 41 is the fifth in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, John Kousinioris, President and CEO of TransAlta, discusses the transition off coal and other actions intended deliver carbon neutrality for TransAlta by 2050. We talk GHG reduction targets, existing and emerging technologies, from CC...

Recorded on Zoom in early July 2021, episode 40 focuses on the big picture issues facing the electric power sector. The featured discussion is with Dan Hahn, Partner, Energy, Sustainability and Infrastructure, and Craig Sabine, Director, Canada Utilities Lead, with Guidehouse. In my conversation with Dan and Craig, we discuss the sixth edition of the report by their firm, “2021 State and Future of...

Recorded on Zoom in early July 2021, episode 39 shines a light on Newfoundland Power, the tenth enterprise to be designated a Sustainable Electricity™ company. The featured discussion is with Gary Murray, President & Chief Executive Officer at Newfoundland Power. In my conversation with Gary, we discuss the company’s sustainability journey to their designation, the unique challenges of operati...

Recorded on Zoom in late June 2021, episode 38 focuses on customer expectations and differences between the various generations. The featured discussion is with Alison Copeland, Senior Director of Marketing at Kubra, a company that provides customer experience management solutions to some of the largest utility, insurance, and government entities across North America. In my conversation with Aliso...

Recorded on Zoom in late June 2021, episode 37 is the fourth in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, Brian Bentz, President and CEO of Alectra Inc., the largest municipally-owned utility in Canada, discusses Net Zero by 2050 from an electricity distribution company’s perspective. In my conversation with Brian, we discuss the evoluti...

Recorded on Zoom in June 2021, episode 36 is the third in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, Mollie Johnson, NRCan’s Assistant Deputy Minister - Low Carbon Energy Sector, discusses Net Zero by 2050 from a government of Canada perspective. In my conversation with Mollie, we discuss what the Low Carbon Sector is, and the prospects f...

Recorded on Zoom in early June 2021, episode 35 is the second in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this episode, Capital Power’s Senior VP Kate Chisholm discusses the commitments her company has made to carbon intensity reduction by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. In my conversation with Kate, we discuss the accelerated move off coal in 2023, the r...

Recorded on Zoom late April 2021, episode 34 is the first in a series of podcasts seeking to unpack Canada’s Net Zero 2050 greenhouse gas target. For this first episode, Ontario Power Generation’s CEO Ken Hartwick discusses the commitments his company has made to be a Net Zero company by 2040. In my conversation with Ken, we discuss the challenges of GHG reduction targets, including technological,...

Recorded on Zoom for Earth Day 2021, episode 33 shines a light on Maritime Electric, the ninth entity to be designated a Sustainable Electricity™ company. The featured discussion is with Jason Roberts, President & Chief Executive Officer at Maritime Electric in Prince Edward Island. In my conversation with Jason, we discuss the company’s sustainability journey to their designation, challenges...

Recorded on Zoom in mid-March 2021, episode 32 focuses on how contractors work with electricity companies to meet the challenges of building major projects. The featured discussion is with Keith Sones, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Business Development and VP of Ontario operations for Valard. In my conversation with Keith, we discuss project complexity, working with communities and fi...

Recorded on Zoom in February 2021, Joelle Lancaster, Advisor at CEA guest hosts this special International Women’s Day takeover episode with guest Lyla Garzouzi, Chief Safety Officer at Hydro One. Lyla describes her journey and transition into her current role at Hydro One and provides insight into CEA’s Gender Best Practices Report, released on International Women’s Day. The podcast concludes wit...

Recorded on Zoom in February 2021, Daniella Bidin, Communications Officer at CEA guest hosts this special International Women’s Day takeover episode with guests Mackenzie Gillan from Hydro One and Allison Wood from Niagara Peninsula Energy. After originally meeting at a Women in Powerline Technician event, Mackenzie and Allison share their stories on how they grew to love the trades and advice the...

Recorded on Zoom in February of 2021, Asuka Boehm, Senior Reliability Analyst at CEA guest hosts this International Women’s Day takeover episode with special guest Starlene MacDonald, Manager of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at OPG. Starlene discusses the importance of continuous education and awareness building in the workplace and how we can encourage more diversity in the electricity sector....

Recorded on Zoom in mid-January 2021, episode 28 looks at some of the challenges for an association focused on the intersection of telecommunications and utility infrastructure during a period of rapid change and a global pandemic. The featured discussion is with Sheryl Riggs, the president and CEO of the Utilities Technology Council. In my conversation with Sheryl, we discuss UTC’s evolution and...

Recorded on Zoom in early-October 2020, episode 27 is a continuation of a series of conversations on the technologies that will power Canada in the future. The featured discussion is with Robert Hornung, the President and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. In my conversation with Robert, we discuss wind and solar power as well as energy storage, and their place in Canada’s energy se...

Recorded on Zoom in late-September 2020, episode 26 is a deep-dive conversation with Paula Conboy into the similarities and differences between Canada and Australia’s electricity sectors and how they are regulated, the challenges of integrating intermittent renewables in their system, and regulatory innovation. Paula is Senior Counselor in the Energy and Environment Practice with the Sussex Strate...