Public Power Underground
102 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 36 ratingsPublic Power Underground is more than a discussion about public ownership of electric infrastructure, the infotaining episodes cover the energy enthusiast trifecta of electrification, markets, and people. The hosts interview industry experts on a broad range of energy industry and energy-industry-adjacent topics at the nexus of electric utilities and the energy transition. The podcast doesn’t take itself too seriously and frequently plays energy inspired games like “energy enthusiasm distilled,” “draw an analogy,” and “say something nice about electric utilities."
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Episodes
BONUS: Eras of the Electric Sector (Taylor's Version)
April 19, 2024 16:24 - 42 minutes - 98.1 MBKatherine Blunt, author of California Burning, joins Crystal Ball and Paul Dockery to discuss the eras of the electric sector (Taylor's Version). To celebrate Taylor Swift’s April 19th release of The Tortured Poets Department (and Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology), Katherine Blunt, Crystal Ball, and Paul Dockery recorded a special, bonus, episode dedicated to the Eras of the Electric Sector. Katherine Blunt is the author of California Burning; The Fall of Pacific Gas and E...
Distribution Hardware
April 01, 2024 11:00 - 1 hour - 196 MBexploration of approaches to distribution systems from microcontrollers and software to MOAR HARDWARE Distribution infrastructure, microcontrollers in everything, hardware vs software solutions, and prices-to-devices get covered in a distribution systems episode with Ahlmahz Negash, Conleigh Byers, Farhad Billimoria, and Paul Dockery featuring an interview with the enthusiastic Francis Sammy! A discussion that manages to navigate the nuances of MOAR HARDWARE as an actionable energy...
The Transmission Expansion Era w/ John Hairston
March 13, 2024 13:48 - 1 hour - 187 MBJohn Hairston returns to discuss what BPA is doing to navigate an era of transmission expansion for the grid. John Hairston, the CEO and Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration, shares his enthusiasm for transmission and people in an interview with Paul Dockery and Crystal Ball. The interview is wrapped in informative discussion on energy industry news, research, and reflection by Ahlmahz Negash, Conleigh Byers, Farhad Billimoria, and Paul Dockery. You can find the p...
Grand Analogies of the Energy System
March 01, 2024 19:18 - 1 hour - 181 MBConleigh, Farhad, Ahlmahz, and Paul start season six with a discussion of ways to understand the energy system and analogies that can be used to explore its complications Conleigh Byers, Farhad Billimoria, Ahlmahz Negash, and Paul Dockery discuss various ways of understanding the energy system in the Season 6 Premiere of Public Power Underground. The episode starts with “Short-to-Ground,” a TL;DR segment where the hosts run through summaries of topical news from around the world an...
Season 6 Preview & Sisterhood Merch!
February 12, 2024 18:45 - 3 minutes - 3.62 MBThe next season of Public Power Underground is coming soon with a new format and new regular hosts. Subscribe to make sure you don't miss the season premiere! After a short break, Public Power Underground is coming back for its sixth season of energy enthusiasm! This season Paul Dockery and Ahlmahz Negash will be joined by world-renowned energy researchers Conleigh Byers and Farhad Billimoria to investigate energy industry and energy-industry-adjacent topics by bringing together ex...
Office Hours w/ Professor Jacob Mays
November 15, 2023 15:09 - 1 hour - 78.9 MB“This paper argues for the centrality of real-time markets, which are cleared sequentially with a single binding interval.” Prof. Dr. Jacob Mays and Paul Dockery have an in-depth discussion in Hollister Hall at Cornell University about Prof. Mays recently released working paper on Sequential Pricing of Electricity. The discussion is only available as a podcast and is published uninterrupted and unedited. Mays, J. (2023). Sequential Pricing of Electricity. Working Paper, School of C...
Season Finale: Hot Takes on Transmission
November 06, 2023 21:14 - 55 minutes - 127 MBInspired by the YouTube series *Hot Ones*, Whitney Muse (Senior Policy Advisor in the White House Office of Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation), Mark Lauby (Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer at North American Electric Reliability Corporation), and Jordan White (Executive Director, Development at GridLiance) join co-hosts Paul and Crystal to discuss increasingly controversial topics while eating a series of increasingly spicy wings. The conversation triangulates hot to...
Electrification is Happening w/ Steve Pantano and Danielle Walker
October 06, 2023 18:57 - 1 hour - 175 MBSteve Pantano from Rewiring America and Danielle Walker from the Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs join Ahlmahz Negash, PhD and Paul Dockery for a discussion of electrification. The crews discuss the Inflation Reduction Act’s Home Energy Rebates, Rewiring America’s IRA Savings Calculator, best practices in building electrification, and the newly announced American Climate Corp! You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you ge...
*buzzed history* with Mark Ohrenschall, Shauna McReynolds and Crystal Ball
September 21, 2023 16:52 - 1 hour - 194 MBthree energy historians join public power underground for an infotaining and slightly irreverent discussion of the major milestones for the electric industry in the northwest -------------------- Mark Ohrenschall, Shauna McReynolds and Crystal Ball join and Paul Dockery to discuss the history of the electric industry in the Northwest from acronyms to statutes and a myriad of institutions along the way. There were three primary texts used for the conversation. NewsData’s list of W...
Lorenzo Kristov and Josh Keeling on Maximizing DER Deployment
September 08, 2023 15:13 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBLorenzo Kristov and Josh Keeling join Ahlmahz and Paul to talk about maximizing the deployment of distributed energy resources but first we make them say something nice about electric utilities Lorenzo Kristov and Josh Keeling join Ahlmahz Negash, PhD and Paul Dockery for a discussion of FERC 2222, maximizing the distribution-level customer value of distributed energy resources, international examples of unbundling the functions of distribution utilities, and 80/20 advice on how to...
Best Practices in Power Planning w/ Ric O'Connell and Anna Sommer
August 17, 2023 20:09 - 1 hour - 169 MBRic O’Connell and Anna Sommers join Ahlmahz Negash, PhD and Paul Dockery for a deep dive into power planning best practices including planning for extremes, open source models, and best in class computational techniques. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like us! 09:41 - how to explain power planning to a five year old 19:00 - best practices in power planning 58:10 - Ah...
BONUS: 3Ps of transmission in the West
August 07, 2023 21:23 - 1 hour - 172 MBTransmission experts talk about horror stories from permitting Idaho Power's Boardman to Hemmingway transmission line and react to a regional planning organization scorecard -------------------- Adam Richins, Christina Hayes, and Pam Sporborg join Paul Dockery at Paddy’s Bar & Grill for an after-hour conversation about transmission in the West. The recording starts with another edition of Energy Enthusiasm, Distilled where the experts distill complicated topics in infotaining ways...
Utility Maximization, Community Input, and Solarpunk Stories with Prof. Dr. Destenie Nock
July 20, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 205 MBProf. Dr. Destenie Nock joins Dr. Ahlmahz Negash and Paul Dockery for a conversation about what the grid of the future *should* look like. The discussion dives deep into (1) the energy equity gap, (2) a methodology for finding the optimal expansion of a power system under the objective of maximizing social benefit, (3) the Gini coefficient, and (4) how to use the Strategic Objective Hierarchy combined with the expertise of social scientists to translate community input into rigorous...
Debra Smith hosts Randy Hardy, Bill Drummond and Steve Wright
July 06, 2023 21:46 - 1 hour - 155 MBDebra Smith, Randy Hardy, Bill Drummond, and Steve Wright recorded an info-taining conversation live on-stage at NWPPA’s 83rd Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. Debra hosts the three former Administrators of the Bonneville Power Administration who continue to engage in energy policy. The discussion ranges from greatest regrets to reasons for optimism, and proudest moments. At the end Paul Dockery joins to facilitate an energy inspired game called Energy E...
Risk perspectives; from strategy to execution with Kevin Nordt and Paul Dietz
June 20, 2023 18:33 - 1 hour - 205 MBWe discuss how utility risk management is a lot like dungeons and dragons: creatively managing risk by leveraging strengths to maximize the likelihood of beneficial outcomes when solving problems. Kevin Nordt, Paul Dietz, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery talk about managing market risk from utility risk managers perspectives. Including (1) putting uncertainty in perspective, (2) organizational and customer risk tolerance, (3) translating risk tolerance strategies for risk mana...
BONUS: Windowless Conference Room Edition
June 01, 2023 16:05 - 1 hour - 145 MBBen Serrurier, Lea Fisher, Matt Schroettnig, and Paul Dockery share some energy themed maybe-good-maybe-bad-brainstorming ideas during a special windowless conference room in-person recording. Ben Serrurier, Lea Fisher, Matthew Schroettnig, and Paul Dockery were all in Anchorage, Alaska for NWPPA’s 83rd Annual Conference and Membership Meeting so they decided to borrow a windowless conference room for an informal brainstorming session about energy and energy-adjacent ideas. The for...
Debriefing from a Markets+ Leadership Forum
May 18, 2023 15:34 - 1 hour - 145 MBPam Sporborg, Spencer Gray, Joe Taylor and Paul Dockery debrief and synthesize the discussion from an SPP Markets+ Leadership Forum hosted by Tacoma Power, NV Energy, and the Bonneville Power Administration on May 12th, 2023. 05:04 - Benefits, Opportunities and Barriers to Market Expansion 18:18 - Long-run resource portfolios adapted to market design 30:00 - Seams 41:49 - The toughest outstanding issues for market expansion in the west 56:13 - Final Predictions You can find th...
Market Design, Slinkies, and Synchronous Condensers with Farhad Billimoria and Conleigh Byers, PhD
May 08, 2023 19:30 - 1 hour - 221 MBlearning lessons about deeply decarbonized electricity markets from around the world including optimal prices in non-convex markets, reliability insurance, and system security Farhad Billimoria, Conleigh Byers, PhD, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery discuss adaptation of market design for the energy transition including fat tails and increased exposure to extremes; batteries and price responsive demand; natural gas fragility and marginal pricing; and inverter-driven resources a...
A conversation about a just mid-transition w/ Dr. Emily Grubert and Dr. Frank Incropera
April 27, 2023 15:31 - 1 hour - 192 MBEmily Grubert, PhD, Frank Incropera, PhD, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery discuss natural gas distribution system obsolescence, energy security during the transition away from fossil fuels, the magic of heat pumps, increased reliance on electric utility reliability, and the wickedness of the problem of a just energy transition. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are electric utility enthusiasts, like ...
BONUS EPISODE: Power Contracts in Transition
April 14, 2023 13:23 - 1 hour - 122 MBLaura Trolese, Tyler Wolford, Matt Johnson, and Paul Dockery recorded an episode at a spas about how power contracts could change during a transition from bilateral to centrally dispatched markets. In a special, bonus episode recorded at the One Ocean Resort & Spas in Atlantic Beach, Florida during The Energy Authority’s 2023 Energy Symposium, Laura Trolese, Tyler Wolford, Matt Johnson, and Paul Dockery discuss the impact of transitioning from bilateral markets to centrally dispatc...
A conversation about transmission w/ Rob Gramlich and Kathleen Staks
April 04, 2023 18:47 - 1 hour - 179 MBRob, Kathleen, Ahlmahz, and Paul discuss the transmission expansion: it's importance, it's barriers, and it's path forward. Rob Gramlich, Kathleen Staks, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery discuss transmission policy, planning, and funding in light of the increased need for an interconnected grid due to electrification of end-uses, new generator interconnections, and increasing footprint of extreme weather events. 07:34 - Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office release of...
Debriefing from a Regional Expansion Summit
March 27, 2023 20:45 - 1 hour - 73.5 MBWith quotes from the hit comedy “Shrinking”, Paul navigates the vibes after a Regional Expansion Summit hosted by Seattle City Light, Portland General Electric, and the Bonneville Power Administration Jan Smutny-Jones, Mary Wiencke, Jim Shetler, and Chris Robinson join Paul Dockery to debrief and synthesize the participants shared understanding after a California/Northwest Regional Expansion Summit hosted by Seattle City Light, Portland General Electric, and the Bonneville Power Ad...
A Conversation About Representative Workforce w/ Jackie Flowers and Humaira Falkenberg
March 20, 2023 13:54 - 1 hour - 196 MBJackie Flowers, PE, Humaira Falkenberg, Karen Heim, and Ahlmahz Negash, PhD discuss pathways to workforces that are representative of our communities in an all-female-cast episode of Public Power Underground. 05:07 - Introduction of Diverse Workforce of the Future article by Jackie Flowers, PE, in NWPPA’s Monthly Bulletin 24:14 - Lessons learned from Tacoma’s experience with the Math-Engineering-Science-Achievement (MESA) program that could apply to open positions at peer utilitie...
Market Disruptors - LIVE from the Main Stage
March 14, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 57.3 MBLIVE! from the main stage at The Energy Authority's 2023 Energy Symposium, Paul and Laura moderate a panel on market disruptors with energy executives and leaders Paul Dockery and Laura Trolese moderate a panel on disruptors to resource adequacy, day-ahead, and real-time markets at The Energy Authority’s 2023 Energy Symposium with Melie Vincent, Richard Dillon, and Jamie Mahne. After a serious discussion of disruptors, they tackle less serious energy analogies in a game called “Dis...
Sarah Edmonds on Grid Integration Services
February 02, 2023 14:00 - 1 hour - 179 MBSarah Edmonds, Crystal Ball, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery discuss a how resource adequacy design theory applies to resource adequacy program design, why FERC asked questions about market based rate authority, what it means for a program to be interoperable, and where inter-regional transmission is coming from. 06:08 - Reminder for friends and fans of Therese Hampton to RSVP for her Celebration of Life and information about the Therese Hampton Endowed Scholarship for Econo...
Prof. Jacob Mays on Electric Markets & Resource Adequacy
January 27, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 194 MBJacob Mays, PhD, Matt Schroettnig, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery discuss a paper Prof. Mays co-authored on contractual form in electricity reliability obligations, how it applies to the program getting developed in the Northwest, and what perspective he has on electric market development in the Northwest. 06:52 - discuss recently published article by Professor Mays and Han Shu Shu, Han, and Jacob Mays. "Beyond capacity: contractual form in electricity reliability obligatio...
Distribution Systems w/ Prof. Kyri Baker
January 12, 2023 17:42 - 1 hour - 141 MBKyri Baker, PhD, Karen Heim, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery address topical energy issues and share stories in the latest episode of Public Power Underground. 06:36 - hot takes and lessons to be learned from Winter Storm Elliott oral history of the winter storm elliott takes on #energytwitter compiled by Brian Bartholomew TVA and Duke Energy notices of level 3 Energy Emergency Alerts PJM, MISO, and SPP energy emergency alerts paper co-authored by Prof Baker on the Texas ...
LIVE from the Lounge!!
December 22, 2022 10:00 - 56 minutes - 129 MBLIVE from the Lounge at NWPPA’s Power Supply Conference hosts Paul Dockery, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Dan Catchpole play an energy-themed analogy game; Arne Olson and Laura Trolese make sports analogies to electric markets in a continuation of Season 4’s Electric Market Enthusiasm Series; and Debra Smith joins to rant about energy and energy-adjacent topics in a rant wheel segment inspired by Lovett or Leave It. 03:22 - the Underground vs OpenAI: a game of energy-adjacent analogies ...
Snowtel w/ Nicole Hughes
December 09, 2022 16:29 - 1 hour - 163 MBNicole Hughes, Karen Heim, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, and Paul Dockery address topical energy issues and share stories in the latest episode of Public Power Underground. 06:43 - debrief from The NY Times article on the opportunities awaiting electric utilities How utilities can maximize IIJA and IRA benefits a new way to reference the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (aka the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) 24:34 - another run at transmission...
BONUS EPISODE: Original Cast, Nostalgia Pod
December 05, 2022 17:42 - 15 minutes - 28.5 MBGoodbyes are hard and tend to be cringeworthy. WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SPECIAL EPISODE!!! The original cast of Public Power Underground gets together for a nostalgic recording with a throwback script to celebrate Ian Bledsoe's promotion to Senior Power Analyst, and acknowledge Paul Dockery's last day at Clatskanie PUD. 3:48 - Celebration of Ian Bledsoe's promotion to Senior Power Analyst! 8:06 - Conveyance of Anadromous Championship smelt belts for best friends of the underground...
Programs and Markets w/ Lea Fisher
December 01, 2022 15:57 - 1 hour - 162 MBLea Fisher, Ahlmahz Negash, PhD, Dan Catchpole, and Paul Dockery cover electric utility and electric-utility-adjacent news in Season 5, Episode 3. 06:32 - introduce Ahlmahz Negash, PhD as new co-host for Public Power Underground Ahlmahz has been a recurring guest on Public Power Underground and even accepted the designation of a Special Correspondent during earlier seasons. She has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington, was recently the Chair of the Pac...
Politics and Policy w/ Travis Kavulla
November 21, 2022 20:42 - 1 hour - 160 MBTravis Kavulla, Abigail Sawyer, Dan Catchpole, and Paul Dockery cover electric utility and electric-utility-adjacent news in Season 5, Episode 2. 05:51 - energy angles to election coverage Abigail Sawyer coverage of elections in the Southwest in California Energy Markets Anne Ernst coverage of California elections in California Energy Markets Dan Catchpole’s coverage of NW election results in Clearing Up 21:15 - Travis Kavulla acts as the Underground’s Special Correspondent fro...
Clean Dispatchable Resource Enthusiasm w/ Kieran Connolly
November 11, 2022 16:14 - 1 hour - 170 MBKieran Connolly, Dan Catchpole, Abigail Sawyer, and Paul Dockery kick off the Season 5 premier of Public Power Underground. 06:11 - what evolution into a centrally dispatched market means for a hydro-centric region SPP Sees Markets+ as Potential Path to Full RTO in the West Carrie Simpson to serve as Southwest Power Pool’s director of western services development California Independent System Operator released its draft final proposal for the Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM) 18...
Electric Market Enthusiasm, pt. 5: an Expert Panel on where Sports! and Markets! combine.
August 18, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 78.1 MBIn the fifth installment of Public Power Underground’s Electric Market Enthusiasm series, an expert panel including Laura Trolese (Senior Market Design & Policy Analyst, The Energy Authority), Carrie Simpson (Director - Western Markets, Xcel Energy), and Jeff Spires (Director - Power, PowerEx) discuss different choices made in market paradigms and how it all makes sense. Specifically the discussion is framed as a compare and contract episode of different market design choices, but...
FERC Chair Richard Glick! featured in part 4 of our Electric Market Enthusiasm series
August 11, 2022 11:00 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MBRichard Glick, the Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), joined Crystal Ball, Matt Schroettnig, and Paul Dockery for the fourth installation of our Electric Market Enthusiasm series. We try to keep it light while discussing transmission, batteries, price formation, the incremental approach to market expansion, governance, and FERC’s recently published five year strategic plan. To close it out we played an outro game called "Which FERC is the best FERC?". 06:02 -...
Season 4 Finale: Listener Mailbag
August 05, 2022 10:07 - 1 hour - 85.6 MBPaul Dockery, Jason Fordney, Abigail Sawyer, and Dan Catchpole field listener submitted questions from all types of energy enthusiasts. Plus, we have a Bluey Inspired intermission game with the Honorable Katie Mapes, Matt Schroettnig, and Jon Hart. 03:12 - Dan Campbell wonders about the DER value proposition for Public Power 13:24 - Dr. Kyri Baker pitches an airline idea for electric utilities 27:13 - Travis Kavulla has a contracting question 34:46 - Mary Wienke wants to know ho...
Electric Utility Recruiting, pt. 8: Bear Prairie
July 21, 2022 15:01 - 12 minutes - 28.1 MBBear Prairie, the General Manager of Idaho Falls Power, is the last interview in our Electric Utility Recruiting series! In this 8th and final episode Bear reminds Humaira, Brian, and Paul that public power is a movement, and encourages all of us to spread the message throughout or communities. Idaho Falls Power is a municipal electric utility that has served the city of Idaho Falls, Idaho since 1900. The utility owns and operates five hydropower plants that deliver about one-third...
Electric Utility Recruiting, pt. 7: Crystal Ball
July 19, 2022 19:22 - 8 minutes - 19.8 MBCrystal Ball is bringing the power of good ideas to Public Power Underground with her appearance in our Electric Utility Recruiting series. The entertaining conversation with Crystal Ball, Humaira Falkenberg, Brian Fawcett, and Paul Dockery includes Crystal’s recruiting pitch that “Electric utilities are sexy again.” Public Power Underground is an origin story for the Humaira Falkenberg → Crystal Ball friendship and the duo talk about the way community brought them together. PNUCC ...
Electric Utility Recruiting, pt. 6: Marc Farmer
July 13, 2022 13:52 - 7 minutes - 7.04 MBMarc Farmer, Clatskanie PUD’s General Manager, joins Humaira Falkenberg, Brian Fawcett, and Paul Dockery on Public Power Underground to participate in our Electric Utility Recruiting video series. Marc also gives a great pitch for joining Clatskanie PUD. Clatskanie PUD is an Oregon electric utility serving the communities and surrounding areas of Clatskanie, Rainier, and Westport. With Marc’s support, Clatskanie PUD’s Power Department started Public Power Underground while finding ...
Electric Utility Recruiting, pt. 5: Sarah Edmonds
July 06, 2022 15:23 - 11 minutes - 25.3 MBSarah Edmonds, the Western Power Pool’s President and Chief Executive Officer, join Humaira Falkenberg, Brian Fawcett, and Paul Dockery on Public Power Underground to participate in our Electric Utility Recruiting video series. Before kicking off the interview she encouraged us to broaden our approach to include all electric utilities in our target audience. We capture some of that conversation as well. The NWPP Corporation, doing business as the Western Power Pool, is based in Por...
Empathy and Nuance
July 01, 2022 16:29 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBKurt Miller, Dan Catchpole, KC Mehaffey, and Paul Dockery get together for a regularly formatted episode to talk about electric utility and electric-utility-adjacent news from a Power Department’s perspective. The crew covers the Murray-Inslee draft report, Australia’s electric market getting suspended, natural gas price slump after a fire, transfer of management of a fish hatchery to the Nez Perce Tribe, and Falconry at the Dalles Dam. 19:10 - A draft report developed for Washingt...
Electric Utility Recruiting pt. 4: Four Scotts of Public Power
June 29, 2022 17:56 - 14 minutes - 33.3 MBScott Corwin, Scott Simms, Scott Rhees and Scott Coe joined Humaira Falkenberg, Brian Fawcett, and Paul Dockery on Public Power Underground to participate in our Electric Utility Recruiting video series. Scott Corwin is the Executive Director of NWPPA. Scott Simms is the Executive Director of Public Power Council. Scott Rhees is the General Manager and CEO for Franklin Public Utility District. Scott Coe received a lifetime achievement award at the 2022 NWPPA Annual Meeting. Ele...
Electric Utility Recruiting pt. 3: Sarah Giomi
June 21, 2022 14:01 - 9 minutes - 8.81 MBSarah Giomi recruits college students for Energy Northwest’s Public Power Internship program. Thankfully, she agreed to join Humaira Falkenberg, Brian Fawcett, and Paul Dockery on Public Power Underground to participate in our Electric Utility Recruiting video series. Energy Northwest is a joint operating agency formed by the Washington state legislature in 1957, representing the convergence of small and big public power. Their consortium of 27 public utility districts and municipa...
Electric Market Enthusiasm, pt. 3: Professor Frank Wolak on Market Design and an Energy Market Game
June 16, 2022 12:00 - 58 minutes - 53 MBProfessor Frank Wolak, the Holbrook Working Professor of Commodity Price Studies in the Department of Economics at Stanford University who also works as the Director of the Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, joins Paul Dockery for the third installation of our Electric Market Enthusiasm series. 04:13 - my lede for Professor Wolak’s working paper Wolak, Frank A. "Long-term resource adequacy in wholesale electricity markets with significant intermittent renewables." Env...
Electric Utility Recruiting pt. 2: Mark Johnson
June 14, 2022 14:08 - 7 minutes - 16.7 MBMark Johnson, the General Manager of Flathead Electric Cooperative, joins Humaira Falkenberg, Brian Fawcett, and Paul Dockery on Public Power Underground to participate in our Electric Utility Recruiting video series. Flathead Electric Cooperative serves over 56,000 members in and around the area of Kalispell and Libby, Montana. It has grown from 82 miles of line serving 117 farm homes in December of 1938 to what is now the second largest electric utility in Montana. Electric Util...
Electric Utility Recruiting pt. 1: John Hairston
June 09, 2022 13:54 - 18 minutes - 42 MBJohn Hairston, CEO and Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration, joins Humaira Falkenberg, Brian Fawcett, and Paul Dockery on Public Power Underground to participate in our Electric Utility Recruiting video series. Before John’s recruiting pitch, Humaira Falkenberg opens with a message of change, a message of hope, and a message of inclusion in her cold open as the episodes celebrity guest host. Electric Utility Recruiting video series Attracting a new workforce into ...
Electric Market Enthusiasm pt. 2: Elliot Mainzer on Governance, Transmission, and Price Formation
June 02, 2022 16:30 - 1 hour - 65.7 MBElliot Mainzer, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the California Independent System Operator (ISO), joined Crystal Ball, Matt Schroettnig, and Paul Dockery for the second installation of our Electric Market Enthusiasm series. We try to keep it light while discussing governance, transmission, price formation, stakeholder engagement, and CAISO’s new five year strategic plan. To break up the heavy topics we play an intermission game! 05:16 - newly released 5 year Strategic ...
AFTER DARK: Live from the Crown & Thistle
May 24, 2022 20:52 - 1 hour - 68 MBUsing the Zach Lowe podcasting technique, Crystal Ball, Humaira Falkenberg, Matthew Schroettnig, and Paul Dockery review their top-5 most interesting energy news stories from so far in 2022 . . . . at a pub . . . together . . . in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on the eve of NWPPA’s Annual Meeting. The stories they covered are listed in a google sheet they used to talk from. Rather than translate the google sheet into bullet points, we’re just including a hyperlink to the working doc. If yo...
BONUS TRAINING: Professor Jacob Mays on Electric Market Design
May 19, 2022 13:05 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBJacob Mays, Assistant Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, answers Paul’s remedial questions on how electric markets function and what the Pacific Northwest should be considering when approaching market expansion incrementally in a wide ranging and engaging conversation. Since Professor Mays is an academic, it feels fitting to include citations for the materials referenced. Please excuse any errors in citation. Mays et al., Private...
Electric Market Enthusiasm, pt. 1: Professor Jacob Mays on Electric Market Design
May 19, 2022 13:05 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBJacob Mays, Assistant Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, answers Paul’s remedial questions on how electric markets function and what the Pacific Northwest should be considering when approaching market expansion incrementally in a wide ranging and engaging conversation. Since Professor Mays is an academic, it feels fitting to include citations for the materials referenced. Please excuse any errors in citation. Mays et al., Private...