NASUCA: What You Missed If You Weren't in Minneapolis
NASUCA Mid-Year Meeting
Consumer advocates convened June 24-27, 2018.
Strategy & Planning
Four Thought-Leaders: Jim Laurito
EVP – Business Development, Fortis
“There is investment opportunity as far as the eye can see. We don't buy the theory of the death spiral or the demise of the utility.”
Four Thought-Leaders: Mike Deggendorf
CEO, Grid Assurance
“It's now a world where people ride-share, share Airbnb property, bike-share and car-share. The technology that enabled that to occur on the auto side, can occur on the energy side as well. Sharing of information, asset capacity and load, I think it's going to move in that direction.”
Four Thought-Leaders: Frank Prager
VP – Policy and Strategy, Xcel Energy
“We need to protect the grid, and, as we approach new regulatory paradigms, we want to be sure that the grid remains reliable and modern.”
Four Thought-Leaders: Brian Bird
CFO, NorthWestern Energy
“There was nothing wrong with a combustion engine until we got our electric hybrid. Even though half of the electric vehicles are in California, that’s going to change.”
Four Thought-Leaders: Thoughts on Our Future
Pace of change is causing significant disruption
Electrification of everything, steel for fuel, future of gas, new business and regulation models, innovation, black swans.
Four CEOs on Innovation: Connie Lau
CEO, Hawaiian Electric
“You have to be able to match people’s dreams of a world powered by clean energy with the realities of technology and economics.”
Four CEOs on Innovation: Ben Fowke
CEO, Xcel Energy
Customers are not comparing us to another utility, they’re comparing us to Amazon, FedEx, and Domino’s Pizza.
Four CEOs on Innovation: Scott Prochazka
CEO, Centerpoint Energy
The key question is how to evolve an organization so it’s anticipating and has strategies for major disruptions.
Four CEOs on Innovation: Patti Poppe
CEO, CMS Energy
“We zero in on innovation and solutions closest to the work, by people who have human struggle, to eliminate waste and get our work done right the first time.”