Ben 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 format for the...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 4 min
Pam 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 the podcast on Apple ...
May 18, 2023•1 hr 3 min
learning 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 and system secu...
May 08, 2023•1 hr 37 min
Emily 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 us! 07:03 - Di...
Apr 27, 2023•1 hr 24 min
Laura 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 dispatched day...
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Rob, 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 a draft Nat...
Apr 04, 2023•1 hr 18 min
With 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 Administratio...
Mar 27, 2023•1 hr 20 min
Jackie 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 utilities today An ...
Mar 20, 2023•1 hr 25 min
LIVE! 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 “Disruptors or ...
Mar 14, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Sarah 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 Economics and Bus...
Feb 02, 2023•1 hr 18 min
Jacob 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 obligations." arXiv p...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 25 min
Kyri 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 freeze of Febru...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 1 min
LIVE 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 with contest...
Dec 22, 2022•56 min
Nicole 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 siting reform...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 11 min
Goodbyes 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 because they ...
Dec 05, 2022•15 min
Lea 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 Pacific Northwe...
Dec 01, 2022•1 hr 11 min
Travis 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 from the National ...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Kieran 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) 18:42 - how does ...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 14 min
In 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 in a fun, ...
Aug 18, 2022•1 hr 25 min
Richard 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 - Discuss e...
Aug 11, 2022•41 min
Paul 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 how we think ...
Aug 05, 2022•1 hr 34 min
Bear 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 of the city...
Jul 21, 2022•12 min
Crystal 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 is a not-for-...
Jul 19, 2022•9 min
Marc 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 ways to cope...
Jul 13, 2022•8 min
Sarah 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 Portland, Oreg...
Jul 06, 2022•11 min
Kurt 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 Washington Gov. Jay...
Jul 01, 2022•1 hr 18 min
Scott 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 . Electric Util...
Jun 29, 2022•15 min
Sarah 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 municipalities acros...
Jun 21, 2022•10 min
Professor 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. " Environmental an...
Jun 16, 2022•58 min
Mark 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 Utility Recruiti...
Jun 14, 2022•7 min
