September 20, 2023
9:00 a.m.-12:50 p.m. Central
Online Program
0.3 CEUs available
DRAFT AGENDA
The electric utility industry is experiencing rapid and significant technological changes which are impacting all aspects of the system. This program will look at technologies which are currently being researched and developed and explore the latest advancements in technology. Electric utility representatives will share some examples of technologies they have already begun to implement. Regulators will discuss the challenges they face with regulating and planning for rapidly-occurring technological changes. And national experts will weigh in on the impacts of recent technological advancements on utility customers.
9:00 Welcome Remarks
Rebecca Cameron Valcq, Chair, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
9:05 – 10:00 The Latest Research – Renowned academics discuss their current research and their current timeline(s) to implementation.
Moderator:
Xiaojin (Jerry) Zhu, Professor, Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Panel:
Kyle Bradbury, Assistant Research Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Energy Data Analytics Lab, Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Duke University
Brendan Englot, Director, Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence; Associate Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology
Jochen Lauterbach, Professor, Chemical Engineering; CoEE Endowed Chair, SmartState Center for Strategic Approaches to the Generation of Electricity, University of South Carolina
10:00 – 10:50 Cyber & Climate: A Tale of Two Maturity Models for Utilities – In 2012 the DOE published the first version of its Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model, C2M2 for short. It has been revised a number of times since then and broadened to assist oil and natural gas and other infrastructure organizations beyond electricity. Now a new model is in development at the Idaho National Lab: the Climate Resilience Maturity Model or CRMM. Inspired by C2M2, CRMM seeks to help utilities and other essential services providers gauge their preparedness vs. climate change-amplified physical forces like floods, fires, freezes, heat waves, droughts, and storms of increased intensity. This session will provide a look at both models to examine their usefulness for utilities in 2023 and beyond, as well as examine inter-related cyber, AI, climate, and kinetic risks to infrastructure and what might be done to slow them down.
Andrew Bochman, Senior Grid Strategist-Defender, Idaho National Laboratory
10:50 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 11:50 Technologies That Utilities Already Are Using or Are Planning to Implement – Examples of utility adoption of new technologies and how the knowledge and experience gained will help guide future new-technology implementations.
Moderator:
Andy Koors, Managing Director, Audit and Assurance Practice, Deloitte
Panel:
Emanuel Bernabeu, Senior Director, Applied Innovation and Analytics, PJM Interconnection
Jeff Levy, Vice President, Infrastructure and Shared Services, Xcel Energy
David Nestler, Engineering Manager, Customer Service and Operations, WEC Energy Group
Karen Tsang, IT Manager, Enterprise Automation, Alliant Energy
Derek Wagner, Manager, Power Quality & Distribution Generation Engineering, Alliant Energy
Zheng Zhou, Senior Manager, Expansion Planning, Midcontinent Independent System Operator
11:50 – 12:00 Break
12:00 – 12:50 What Role Should Regulators Have in Supporting Implementation? Long-term decision‑making and planning for the unknown.
Moderator:
Summer Strand, Commissioner, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Panel:
Riley Allen, Commissioner, Vermont Public Utility Commission
Eric Blank, Chair, Colorado Public Utilities Commission
Ann Rendahl, Commissioner, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Doug Scott, Chair, Illinois Commerce Commission