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AEIC Leadership
CEO Corner
A Message from Our 2025 President
AEIC Storm Team Whitepaper
Committee Updates
Upcoming Committee Meetings
New Committee Leaders
The Center for Operational Excellence
2025 Forums Overview
Upcoming Workshops
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Member Engagement Opportunities
AEIC Achievement Awards
AEIC’s 141st Annual Meeting
Member Spotlight Webinar
Grid Mod Pod
The Edison Congress 2025
Moments in Grid History
Mark Your Calendars!
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CEO Corner
Last fall the theme of our 140th Annual Meeting was “Champions for Change”. Little did we know how much more change was ahead of us with the broad redefinition of “public good” and the role of the federal government in both funding and permitting critical infrastructure projects. In this ever-changing environment, it’s important for us to focus AEIC on our core mission of driving “operational excellence”. With this in mind, I’m pleased to announce that our theme for this year’s 141st Annual Meeting is “Elevating Excellence”. Please mark your calendars to join us in Charleston, SC on November 4-6 this year. We are already working with our member companies and industry partners to make this year’s event bigger and better than ever. Santee Cooper will be our host utility and has promised to provide plenty of southern hospitality. You won’t want to miss it!
Dr. Elizabeth Cook and I have already attended two Ops Center workshops this year plus several of our committee meetings. We continue to be impressed with the amazing work being done across our industry and with our members in particular. AEIC certainly represents “the best of the best” in our industry and those of you who have participated in our recent events have demonstrated this fact by sharing your expertise and insight with your peers. We have several more workshops and committee meetings this spring and we encourage those of you who have not attended recently (or ever) to join us (link to page or story below).
Many of you remember the emphasis in the 90’s on TQM (total quality management), ISO 9000, Malcom Baldrige and Six Sigma (some of you were no doubt black belts). These and others like them pushed us toward excellence (even perfection) with no room for inefficiencies, errors or defects. While these programs are less prominent today than they were 30 years ago, they very much underlie our current practices of “operational excellence”. AEIC’s members work together to drive these practices even deeper and more broadly throughout our utility operations; often using new technologies and better data to identify opportunities for improvements. The work of our Storm Team is indicative of these efforts (see article below) and AEIC will continue to work with our committees and our members to make these “best practices” available to all of us.
And, speaking of excellence and best practices, we are now accepting submissions for AEIC’s Annual Achievement Awards. The AEIC Achievement Awards is one of the industry’s most prestigious recognition programs for innovation and achievement in all aspects of electric utility operations. I encourage all of our members to submit at least one company project or initiative for nomination. Winners will be recognized and invited to present at this year’s annual meeting. To learn more and to submit by the July 15th deadline, click here.
Steve
| | A Message from Our 2025 President | |
Robert Sanchez
President of Shared Services
Con Edison
| | AEIC Storm Team Whitepaper | | |
AEIC Storm Team Publishes Whitepaper on Best Practices for Storm Preparation and Response
Over the past 15 years, AEIC’s Storm Team has provided a forum for power delivery professionals to exchange new ideas, information, and lessons learned from restoration Events.
In 2024, when responding to Hurricane Helene – one of the most destructive weather events to ever hit the Mid- and South Atlantic regions of the US – AEIC members, Duke Energy and Georgia Power, utilized many of the best practices originally developed by the Storm Team in the wake of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. These best practices have been continually improved over time based on lessons learned from each new storm event. The scope and scale of the preparation and response needed to address the unprecedented impacts of Hurricane Helene provided new learning opportunities that can benefit all electric utilities as they plan for the next significant weather event.
AEIC’s Storm Team has compiled these best practices and case study data and
experiences into a newly published Whitepaper, Best Practices for Storm Preparation and Response.
| | AEIC committees bring together leadership across the member utilities to address key challenges and opportunities in generation, transmission, distribution, storage, safety, and customer service. Our focus is on operational excellence—sharing best practices, technical advances, and collaborative solutions that create a secure energy future for all. AEIC’s Committees will undergo exciting changes in 2025, featuring restructuring and leadership updates. | | |
Upcoming Committee Meetings
If you’re interested in contributing to industry-leading discussions and projects, our committees are always eager to welcome fresh perspectives from engaged members. To attend any of the upcoming committee meetings, contact us at aeic@aeic.org, and we'll connect you with the committee leadership.
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Distributed System Operations
April 29-30, 2025
San Diego, CA
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Customer Service
May 7, 2025
Phoenix, AZ
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Storm Team
May 13, 2025
Fort Worth, TX
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Cable Engineering
May 22-23, 2025
Nashville, TN
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Load Research & Analytics
Advanced Applications Course – Virtual
June 11-12, 17-18
| | AEIC Announces New Committee Leaders for 2025 | | |
Customer Service
Jared Lawrence, 1st Vice Chair
SVP of Customer Operations and Digital Strategy, Chief Customer Officer
Eversource Energy
Distribution System Operations
Sylvia White, Vice Chair
Design Supervisor
Dominion Energy
Vito Martino, Secretary
Vice President Operations
ComEd
Load Research and Analytics
Nathan Mathis, Chair Emeritus
Manager, Load Forecasting
Tennessee Valley Authority
Josh Mondragon, 1st Vice Chair
San Diego Gas & Electric Co.
Peggy Maurhoff, Secretary
Coordinator/Analyst
Oncor
Power Delivery
R. Scott Moore, Chair
SVP, Power Delivery
Alabama Power
Tony Tewelis, 1st Vice Chair
SVP, Transmission &
Distribution Operations
Arizona Public Service
Mike Jarro, 2nd Vice Chair
VP, Distribution Operations
Florida Power & Light
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Power Delivery
Project Management Subcommittee
W. Blake Chalson, Chair
Senior Manager, Project Management
Southern California Edison
Alicia De Marco, 1st Vice Chair
Section Manager
Con Edison
Kelly Blindnauer, Member Outreach
Supervisor of Operations
Budget & Analytics
Minnesota Power
Brandon Davis, Secretary
Project Governance &
Training Strategist
CLECO
Teresa Thao-Tran, Treasurer
Manager, Capital Projects
DTE Energy
Power Delivery Safety Subcommittee
Cliff Williams, 1st Vice Chair
Director, Electric Operations (CT)
Eversource Energy
Vinnie Massey, 2nd Vice Chair
Manager of T&D Safety
Arizona Public Service
| | AEIC’s Center for Operational Excellence | | |
To learn more about the Ops Center, visit https://aeicopscenter.org/.
2025 Forums Overview
This year, the Center is building on the momentum of previous workshops by hosting a total of five Critical Issues Forums. These events are designed to address key aspects of grid modernization, operational excellence, and future-focused planning.
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Asset Health & Substation Modernization Workshop
April 22-23, 2025
Chicago, IL
Modernizing Substations for the Future Grid
Aging grid infrastructure poses challenges for utilities, making substation modernization and asset health critical for future-proofing the electrical system. This workshop will focus on best practices for asset management, predictive maintenance strategies, and aligning substation upgrades with broader grid modernization efforts.
Key Highlights:
- Modernization techniques for substations.
- Predictive maintenance strategies for asset health.
- Aligning substation upgrades with grid modernization goals.
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Fleet Electrification Workshop
June 3-4, 2025
Denver, CO
Electrifying Fleets for a Sustainable Future
Fleet electrification is a key priority for utilities and organizations as transportation shifts toward a zero-emissions future. This workshop will explore the infrastructure and strategic planning needed to support fleet electrification efforts while ensuring grid reliability.
Key Highlights:
- Understanding infrastructure needs for large-scale fleet electrification.
- Aligning fleet electrification projects with grid modernization goals.
- Challenges and solutions for accelerating fleet electrification timelines.
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Work Prioritization & Performance Processes Workshop
September 16-17, 2025
Location: TBD
Prioritization and Performance in Grid Operations
As grid operations grow more complex, effective work prioritization and performance monitoring are essential. This workshop will focus on strategies to optimize workflows, enhance operational efficiency, and track performance metrics that align with grid modernization goals.
Key Highlights:
- Prioritization methods for grid modernization projects.
- Measuring performance and defining KPIs for grid operations.
- Tools and processes to streamline workflows and improve utility efficiency.
Stay tuned for the registration link!
| | Member Engagement Opportunities | | |
Now Accepting Nominations for 2025 Achievement Awards
AEIC is pleased to announce that we are now accepting nominations for our 2025 AEIC Achievement Awards. The AEIC Annual Achievement Awards recognize teams and/or individuals from member companies, AEIC committees, subcommittees, and councils who have made significant contributions to advancing operational excellence and leading grid transformation initiatives in the electric utility industry.
To learn more, visit aeic.org/achievement-awards/
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Save the Date
Registration and hotel booking will open on May 15th — more details to come!
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Member Spotlight Webinar
Showcase your achievements in a Member Spotlight virtual presentation on Microsoft Teams. Held biweekly on Friday at 2:00 pm ET, this platform allows you to share successful projects and insights with fellow AEIC members. You choose the topic and the presenters for your 45-minute presentation. We’ll promote the event to all AEIC member companies and track pre-registered attendance. With your approval, we’ll record your presentation and post the video and slides on the AEIC member portal for continued visibility.
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Grid Mod Pod Episode
Join The Grid Mod Pod, AEIC’s podcast series, as an interview guest to share your insights. Hosted by Dr. Elizabeth Cook, VP of Technical Strategy, this opportunity allows for a 20-minute interview, scheduled at your convenience. Following the interview, the edited version is posted on AEIC’s YouTube channel and promoted across platforms, enhancing your presence in the grid modernization discourse.
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The Edison Congress 2025
AEIC has partnered with Public Utilities Fortnightly again this year to co-host The Edison Congress. This event will take place May 12-14 at the Hotel Washington in Washington, DC. AEIC will be well-represented at the event with more than 30 member companies in attendance including 12 members of our Board of Directors and several committee leaders who will participate as panelists. In addition, AEIC’s CEO, Steve Hauser, and Dr. Elizabeth Cook, V.P. of Technical Strategy, will serve as session moderators.
To learn more, visit edisoncongress.com.
Interested in sharing your insights through one of our member opportunities?
Click here to let us know you are interested.
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Coming Soon: Moments in Grid History
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Illuminating the Past to Power the Future
In a world racing toward modernization, it’s easy to overlook the rich legacy that brought us here. Starting next quarter, we’ll be sharing a new series of historical reflections – brief, story-rich excerpts drawn from the annual meeting minutes of AEIC, dating back to 1885. These quarterly blogs will offer a glimpse into the challenges, debates, and breakthroughs that defined each era of the electric utility industry.
From early stories of fuses catching fire and lighting circuits jury-rigged through back alleys, to wartime decisions about conserving power, to the rise of national standards and digital metering, the AEIC minutes reveal a vivid, often unexpected human side of our industry’s history. These entries won’t just document what happened – they’ll reflect on why it matters today. Each post will connect past utility decisions, language, and leadership philosophies to the choices and tensions we continue to face in modern energy systems.
Let the current carry us back.
Dr. Elizabeth Cook, Grid Historian
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April
4/22 - Asset Health & Substation Modernization Workshop
4/29 - Distributed System Operations
May
5/7 - Customer Service
5/12 - Edison Congress
5/13 - Storm Team
5/22 - Cable Engineering
June
6/3 - Fleet Electrification Workshop
6/11 - LR&A Advanced Applications Course Week 1 - Virtual
6/17 - LR&A Advanced Applications Course Week 2 - Virtual
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