LISTEN IN to DOE's Gene Rodrigues as He Discusses the Office of Electricity's Role in the Grid of Tomorrow on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast

As utility leaders and professionals grapple with the ever-present challenges of grid reliability and resilience, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plays a critical role to oversee and support stakeholders across the power sector. Bridging the federal energy policy space with on-the-ground utility insights is key to meeting these goals, and this episode of the podcast features a deep dive into that perspective from Gene Rodrigues, the Assistant Secretary of DOE’s Office of Electricity (OE).

With a career spanning both sectors, Gene’s insights provide a deep understanding of the current grid challenges, especially in light of recent natural disasters and changing energy demands. Listen in as Gene shares OE's viewpoint on grid reliability amid these evolving challenges. Gene delves deep into the symbiotic relationship between the DOE and utilities, discussing grid edge resources, the strategy behind boosting generation and transmission capacity, and the undeniable impacts of deferred maintenance and supply chain strains post-pandemic. As Gene notes:

"Reliability and resilience are the foundation, or in lawyer speak, the condition precedent for anything and everything else that you might want to accomplish. Every region, every state, every local government is going to have its own policy priorities for energy, for economic development, for climate, for equity, for you name it, anything, anything and everything that's out there. But none of these things, no matter how important they are, none of these things can be addressed if our energy deliveries infrastructure and system isn't reliable and isn't resilient. If we don't have reliable energy service, then there's no oxygen left in the room for anything else to be taken up. If we can't keep the lights on, if we can't keep reliability up to the levels expected, then nothing else matters."

This entry into the podcasts, like all of the series episodes, can be found on all major podcast outlets, including iTunes and Spotify, or it can be listened to directly on the Energy Central platform (where we also feature a written transcription if you'd prefer to read). Give it a listen and share your reaction in the comments.

Episode #140: 'DOE's Role in Guiding Reliable and Resilient Grid Planning' with Gene Rodrigues, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]

About Energy Central Podcast Series:

The 'Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast' Series features conversations with thought leaders in the utility sector. At least twice monthly, we'll connect with a Power Industry Leader to discuss compelling topics that impact utility professionals. Some podcasts may be a continuation of thought-provoking posts or discussions started in the community by an Energy Central Community Member. Others may be with an industry leader interested in sharing their expertise and doing a deeper dive into hot topics or issues relevant to the industry.

If you want to be a guest on a future episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast, let us know! We'll be pulling guests from our community members who submit engaging content that gets our community talking, and perhaps that next guest will be you! Likewise, if you see an article submitted by a fellow Energy Central community member that you'd like to hear about in more detail, feel free to send us a note to nominate them. To contact us, email community@energycentral.com. Podcast interviews are free for Expert Members and professionals who work for a utility. We have package offers available for solution providers and vendors.

About Energy Central:

Energy Central is a community platform for electric power industry professionals to share, learn and connect in a collaborative environment. Supported by leading industry organizations, our mission is to help industry professionals connect and advance knowledge sharing for the benefit of the industry. We help the industry work better. Join the Energy Central Community today and be part of a growing community of over 200,000 registered members.

Contact:

Energy Central

303-782-5510

service@energycentral.com