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Communication

Keeping Employees Engaged

To win hearts and minds, it takes more than a t-shirt and a coffee mug.

Employee engagement can become a company strength that supports utilities through challenging times. Consider employee engagement a strategic investment in coping with disruptive change.
Byline: 

John Egan

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Electrifying Your Customer

Customer Connection: Five steps to better relations with your most important client.

Utility customers are hungry for more information and to interact with their providers. But, first, utilities need to know what problems their customers want to solve.
Byline: 

Jenny Roehm

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The Case for Smart Grid

Funding a new infrastructure in an age of uncertainty.

The world’s electricity supply will need to triple by 2050 to keep up with demand. What follows is a look at where we are, and what may lie ahead, with a focus on the the scope of the problem, regulatory reform initiatives now underway, and how to go about rethinking the business models that might evolve.
Byline: 

Massoud Amin

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Regulatory Roundup

2004 FERC roundup: Path 15 Upgrade; Gas Bypass Pipeline; Power Line Communications; Gen Station Power Needs; ISO Retail Service; Renewable Energy Portfolios; Gas Supply Risk; Fuel Cost Hedging; Utility Supply Solicitations; Provider of Last Resort; Coal Seam Gas; Deceptive Marketing Practices; Renewable Portfolio Standards.
Byline: 

Bruce Radford

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Utility System Hardening

Taking Resiliency One Step Further

An independent system operator for the distribution network could allow utilities to invest in rooftop solar behind the meter and within territory.
Byline: 

Mike Hervey

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Social Intelligence

Harnessing the true power of social media.

Customers expect their utilities to communicate as well as other service providers. This shouldn’t be considered a burden, but an opportunity.
Byline: 

John Kunasek and Rilck Noel

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Customer First

Is the current regulatory compact in anyone’s best interests?

Serving customers’ needs should be a top priority for power companies, irrespective of the regulatory construct and business model. Transformation doesn’t change this basic fact, but how do we break the model without breaking the system?
Byline: 

Charles Dickerson, Darren Brady, and Jamie Wimberly

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Reinventing the Grid

How to find a future that works.

The traditional central-station grid is evolving toward a more distributed architecture, accommodating a variety of resources spread out across the network. An open and thoughtful planning approach will allow an orderly transition to an integrated system – while fostering innovation among a wider range of industry players.
Byline: 

Michael T. Burr

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Tweet, Like, and Follow

Utilities get serious about social media.

Social networks offer substantial communications value, and utilities can no longer ignore them. A successful strategy, however, requires careful management.
Byline: 

Todd Black

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Elevated Risk

In an open letter to directors, IBM’s energy security lead recommends appointing a senior executive with authority to effect cultural change.

Achieving security requires a new office in the C-suite. An open letter to utility directors.

Byline: 

Andy Bochman

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