Electric Power Research Institute

Estimating Benefits of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Social Cost of Carbon

In Paris at the end of 2015, the world’s governments decided to be more ambitious than ever on climate change. They set their sights on a goal of limiting the increase in average global temperature to well below two degrees Celsius. Countries committed to constrain their greenhouse gas emissions over the next 10 to 15 years.

The Consumer-Centric Utility

Empowering Consumers while Managing Risk and Optimizing Assets

Electric utilities do not simply sell a commodity. They sell safe, affordable, reliable and clean electric service. The “Consumer-Centric Utility” business model provides a viable framework for utilities while enabling new products and services that meet growing consumer expectations.

Ti: The Transmission Line Inspection Robot

Managing Overhead Transmission Lines

EPRI developed Ti, a robot capable of crawling over conductor shield wires and harvesting power from ambient energy sources to support autonomous, high-fidelity condition assessment.

People (November 2015)

Steven D. Davis was elected to succeed Jessie J. Knight, Jr. as executive v.p. of external affairs and corporate strategy for Sempra Energy. Georgia Power named Dr. Mark Berry as v.p. of environmental affairs. FirstEnergy made management changes in customer service and utility operations areas of the company. GE appointed Stephan Reimelt as president and CEO of GE's power conversion business. Atlantic Power named Joseph E. Cofelice as executive v.p. of commercial development. The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) named Bradley C. Jones as president and CEO. Entergy elected Philip L. Frederickson to its board of directors. And others...

NYPA and mprest Receive Grant to Study Prevention of Power Transformer Outages

The New York Power Authority and mPrest, an Israeli software development firm, were awarded a $900,000 grant from the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation to develop a system that can rapidly detect malfunctioning power transformers before they cause larger problems on the electric grid. NYPA and mPrest will develop software for deployment on the NYPA transmission system, and plan to engage the Electric Power Research Institute for research assistance.

People (June 2015)

Andrew L. Ott will be PJM Interconnection’s president and CEO later this year; American Transmission Co. named Mike Rowe the company’s future president and CEO; DTE Energy named Paula Silver as v.p. for corporate communications; Georgia Power named Craig Barrs executive v.p. of the company’s customer service and operations organization; ITC Holdings promoted Christine Mason Soneral to senior v.p.; E.ON Energy Services named Keith Day president; Gil C. Quini­ones was elected chair of EPRI; Jane Palmieri was elected industry co-chair at the Alliance to Save Energy; Rich Meyer was named president of the nation’s Energy Bar Association; and others.

Digest (February 2015)

Europe’s largest battery-storage project was officially opened in England; CODA Energy announced operation of the largest behind the meter lithium-ion energy storage system in the Los Angeles basin; FERC approved construction of Constitution Pipeline’s natural gas pipeline to New York and New England markets; FERC approved a facilities construction agreement for Minnesota Power’s Great Northern Transmission Line; General Electric received an order from the Tennessee Valley Authority for two high-efficiency 7HA.02 gas-fired turbine generators; A Renewable Energy Southern Company subsidiary plans to develop a 131- MW PV solar project in Georgia; GE Global Research and others partnered on a research project to improve reliability and resiliency of electricity delivery in northern New York; Duke Energy Renewables acquired the Halifax Solar Power Project from Geenex and ET Solar Energy;  Dominion Resources agreed to purchase Carolina Gas Transmission from SCANA Corp.; and others...

Integrated Energy

Distributed energy + distributed controls = distributed benefits.

Utility business models are at risk in a world of distributed energy resources and local intelligent controls, such as microgrids. But the real revolution may lie in customer expectations, where third parties threaten to take ownership.