About 50 percent of energy generated in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States comes from hydroelectric power. According to Rick Dunn, general manager of Benton PUD, that puts the region in an unbelievably unique position. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead talks with Rick about the impact hydro has on reliability and rates, the politi…

It might seem like a stretch to talk about the healthcare system on a podcast about electric power. However, more than three million Americans report to energy sector jobs every day, and we all depend on these folks for the steady flow of electricity in our homes, businesses, hospitals, and data centers. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with S…

In this episode, host Dave Whitehead chats with SEL Engineers Lyssa Blood and Cameron Blegen. Both in the third year of their careers, Lyssa and Cameron talk about their experience in the SEL Engineer Rotation Program which allowed them to explore different jobs before settling into their full-time roles. They offer advice to those just starting en…

In this episode, guest host Diane Maceri, supply chain director at SEL, talks with Tyler Gould, senior electronic sales engineer at Phoenix Contact and Tom Schrader, president of Interconnect Sales, about why good partnerships are key to a more secure supply chain and moving manufacturing to the U.S.…

In this episode, author, filmmaker and podcaster Robert Bryce talks about his new docuseries Juice: Power, Politics & The Grid with guest host David Costello, SEL chief sales & customer service officer.By Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

The shift to renewables and growing demand for electricity are driving utilities to problem-solve like never before. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead talks with Philip VanSant, manager of T&D Services, System Protection at Dominion Energy, about how the utility has come up with an innovative method to construct and commission new digital substa…

Rini Paiva, executive vice president of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, joins Dave to discuss the common traits inventors share, the importance of honoring their work, and how they're inspiring future innovators.By Schweitzer Engineering Laboraties

In this episode, guest host Nicholas Seeley talks with cybersecurity expert and author Andrew Ginter about the challenges of protecting operational technology used in industrial environments and critical infrastructure, like the power grid, from growing cyber threats.By Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

One of the most significant limiting factors of renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, is intermittency. When the wind isn’t blowing or sun shining, there’s no generation. This is why billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Richard Branson are all looking for a way to store energy and are investing heavily in grid-scale battery resear…

The number of STEM related careers has increased by nearly 80 percent in the last thirty years, and it’s a trend that continues. However, based on current statistics, filling these roles in the future is going to be a challenge. In this episode, Dave talks with Laura Harris and Caden Perry, two recent high school graduates who are already on the pa…

Hydroelectric power is reliable and renewable, but it’s not without its challenges. That’s changing with innovative companies like Natel Energy. In this episode, Gia Schneider, Natel CEO, discusses the fish-safe turbine the company has developed and how they are reinventing the future of hydroelectric power.…

If you’ve ever tried out a new technology and thought “Wow, that was easy!”—chances are a user experience (UX) designer played a part in your delight. Join Dave Whitehead as he talks with UX expert Bryan Foutch about the origins of UX and the hard work that goes into making products that are easy to use.…

In this episode, Dr. Jacob Leachman breaks down why hydrogen might be the coolest fuel in the universe. The Washington State University Associate Professor joins host Dave Whitehead to discuss the benefits and challenges of hydrogen as a fuel source, ways it’s already being used and the innovation happening at WSU’s cryogenic hydrogen research lab.…

One quarter of the energy homeowners use is electric, and that’s predicted to double by 2050. Larry Bekkedahl, senior vice president of Portland General Electric, joins host Dave Whitehead to discuss how the push toward electrifying everything, from appliances to vehicles, combined with the rapid adoption of intermittent energy sources is challengi…

Only 30% of women who earn bachelor's degrees in engineering are still working in the field 20 years later. Burns & McDonnell Engineering Director and Society of Women Engineers Board Member Kerrie Greenfelder joins host Dave Whitehead to discuss ways to help decrease that statistic and increase inclusivity in the field.…

Of the 1.3 billion people on the planet without access to reliable electricity, 600 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dedicated to solving this problem are organizations like Power Africa, a U.S. government-led partnership that advances inclusive, low-carbon economic growth. Power Africa Coordinator Mark Carrato joins host Dave Whitehead to discus…

Inverter-based resources put a new spin on power generation, replacing the large rotating masses that have been the mainstay of power generation for the past 100+ years. Join host Dave Whitehead and Dr. Normann Fischer, SEL vice president of Research & Development, as they discuss the challenges of bringing resources that don’t abide the laws of ph…

Between 2013-2021, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs jumped 350 percent. Join Dave Whitehead as he talks with Dr. Jim Alves-Foss, director of the University of Idaho Center for Secure and Dependable Systems, about how UI is preparing students to fill those roles and solve the world’s toughest cybersecurity challenges.…

Power system telecommunication networks have very different needs than those driving internet and broadband technology. Can you imagine a utility having to wait to learn about a fault while their network buffered? In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with communications experts Ken Fodero and Paul Robertson about the history of power system commun…

Revered basketball coach John Wooden once said, “A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” In this episode, guest host David Costello talks with human performance expert and coach James Merlo about how human factors engineering can help utilities, organizations, and individuals to not only improve efficiency and reliability,…

Oscillations on the electric power system are normal, but sometimes they get out of sync and can wreak havoc, potentially causing a blackout. In this episode, Dave Whitehead sits down with power system expert and professor Dr. Mani Venkatasubramanian to talk about how we can monitor and manage oscillations to keep power flowing—even across borders.…

Industrial control systems (ICSs) across industries have experienced increased security risk in the last decade, and those within the electric power system are no exception. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with ICS cybersecurity expert Dale Peterson about today’s threat landscape and where ICS asset owners should focus their efforts to addres…

It’s an exciting time to work in the electric power industry. The rapid pace of innovation is creating both opportunities and challenges. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Dr. Hector Altuve, a 40+ year industry veteran who has worked across continents in both academia and business, about the role the industry plays in filling the gap betwe…

The electric power grid is the largest man-made machine ever created. It’s vast, complex, and essential to modern life. And, as it continues to serve more people and industries and accommodate new challenges, it will require a steady pipeline of smart, well-educated people to invent, design, build, operate, and secure the power systems of the futur…

The electric power industry is changing and so are the skills and expertise needed to keep the power flowing around the world. At the same time, we’re hearing about worker shortages in many fields. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with human resources expert Stacey Doty about the challenges and opportunities of recruiting and hiring for techni…

As communities grow, the distribution systems bringing power into neighborhoods are becoming more complex. Utilities are increasingly focused on efficiently managing this complexity while solving new challenges—like the addition of distributed energy sources, including microgrids, rooftop solar, and battery storage. In this episode, Dave Whitehead …

The concept of zero trust has been gaining momentum. In fact, the Biden Administration recently released a new strategy for federal agencies that will move the government toward a "zero trust" security model in the next two years. In this episode, Dave Whitehead explores the idea of trust, particularly as it applies to industrial control system cyb…

The electric power grid has been called the largest machine in the world. Communication systems provide additional visibility and control of large electric networks but also introduce cybersecurity challenges. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with network communications expert Rhett Smith about a new approach that enables engineers to write th…

The products and technologies used in electric power systems need to be highly reliable. These devices must withstand high voltages, severe weather, extreme temperatures, and more to keep the power flowing to hospitals, factories, schools, and businesses—24/7. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with manufacturing and product service expert Gurvi…

We’ve all heard terms like “contractor-grade” or “medical-grade,” which convey information about the quality of a product. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with quality expert Adrian Genz about what it takes for a product to earn the designation of “utility-grade” and why it’s important to reliability.…

Electric utilities have a challenging job. No matter what’s happening—extreme weather events, the emergence of new sources of generation and the phasing out of others, changing government mandates and regulations, etc.—we expect our utilities to provide continuous service to our homes and businesses at an affordable price. Join Dave Whitehead as he…

With the ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and around the globe, it’s a good time to reconsider the role nuclear power plays in the energy mix. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Bob Schuetz, CEO of Energy Northwest, about this zero-emission energy source that currently provides about 1/5 of the nati…

In the latest episode, host Dave Whitehead sits in the chair normally reserved for guests on Schweitzer Drive. Join Stephanie Schweitzer, who leads SEL Marketing & Communications, as she talks with Dave about how he got interested in engineering, his path to CEO, thoughts on the future of electric power, and what he’s excited about.…

Historically, electric utilities independently determined their generation portfolio based on customer demand, local resources, available technologies, agreements with neighboring utilities, etc. Increasingly, government mandates related to decarbonization goals are limiting the options. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with energy policy expe…

We often talk about the tools and technology that help prevent cybersecurity attacks. These are important. However, attackers are often able to gain access by someone who is just going about their daily activities, answering email or phone calls. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with cybersecurity expert Frank Harrill about the importance of c…

There are many things that go into creating a successful business. You need a good strategy, a strong team, and a great product or service to sell. But these alone don’t ensure success. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with business leaders David Costello and Tony Lee about an essential ingredient that fortifies all the others and can take the…

Electric power grids are designed to withstand a wide variety of destructive forces. Whether lightning is striking or hurricane winds are blowing, people depend on the grid to continuously deliver electricity to their homes and businesses. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Travis Mooney, an electronics design and testing expert, about high…

With every major automaker working to give Tesla a run for its money, and the government’s push for half of all vehicles sold to have plugs by 2030—the age of the electric vehicle has arrived. And with it comes a number of interesting challenges and opportunities. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Purdue’s Dr. Steve Pekarek about advanceme…

The number of electric vehicles on U.S. roads and highways is projected to grow 36 percent annually, according to the IEA, reaching 245 million vehicles by 2030. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with University of Idaho’s Dr. Brian Johnson about the additional infrastructure and generation needed to power these mobile loads.…

When Dr. Ed Schweitzer introduced the first microprocessor-based protective relay in 1982, an invention that revolutionized power system protection, he built in several cybersecurity features, including layered passwords. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with the inventor about this early emphasis on cybersecurity and how he and the team at SE…

Large generation facilities turning coal, gas, and water into electricity have been the mainstay of the electric power system for decades. They produced a steady flow of power—24/7. But as more, smaller intermittent generators, like wind turbines, and solar panels are added to the system, that predictability diminishes. In this episode, Purdue Univ…

At the current growth rate, global energy demand will double in 18 years. Meanwhile, governments are instituting mandates and offering subsidies to speed the move to an all renewable energy future. Nineteen U.S. states have released goals for achieving 100 percent renewable power in the next 20–50 years. While the promise of “clean energy” is appea…

Ransomware attacks, like the one that temporarily shut down the Colonial Pipeline on May 6, causing fuel shortages in the eastern part of the U.S., are becoming big business. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with cybersecurity expert Samantha Madrid about what energy providers, companies, hospitals and others can do to keep ahead of the bad gu…

While it’s true that more women are going into STEM fields, their numbers are still lagging—especially in fields like electrical and mechanical engineering. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Washington State University’s Dr. Noel Schulz about the numbers, the reasons behind them, and things we can do to improve opportunities for woman—and …

It would be difficult to overstate the positive impact of electric power on humanity—from creating and storing food to producing clean water and medicine to manufacturing things that make our lives easier, and the list goes on. Many parts of the world enjoy abundant access to electricity and often take it for granted. However, more than a billion p…

In this episode, inventor and entrepreneur Dr. Ed Schweitzer shares his thoughts on where creativity comes from, how it fuels innovation, and how both benefit from the goal of simplicity. (This episode was recorded on 04/22/20)By Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Conversations about when and where to vertically integrate so often focus on the expense. While cost is an important factor, in this episode Dave Whitehead and Jessi Hall, senior director of Vertical Integration at SEL, explore how the many benefits of building things in-house stack up for companies and customers.…

Electric power is critical to people’s lives. We need look no further for an example of this than what happened in Texas in February. Because reliability and security are essential to the power grid, the communication systems—or operational technology (OT)—that connect the control devices that manage electric power systems have historically remaine…

Safe, reliable, and economical electric power is essential to our daily lives. The recent events in Texas are a reminder of just how important these adjectives are when it comes to providing power for homes, daycares, schools, businesses, hospitals—and the power generation facilities themselves. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with SEL presid…

In our increasingly technology dependent world, cybersecurity threats have become an unfortunate feature of our daily lives. So many of us have been victims of identity theft or data breeches. But what happens when the target is an industrial control system like those that control large campuses, industrial operations, or the power grid? In this ep…