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© Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories 2022
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Schweitzer Drive explores what goes on between the generation of electricity and the light switch. Join Dave Whitehead as he interviews the entrepreneurs, innovators, and experts who are inventing the future of electric power.
81 Episodes
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Power systems quietly and reliably move enormous amounts of energy every day. But when things go wrong—when there is too much current or a fault on the line, something has to act fast. That job belongs to the circuit breaker. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead and guest Kylan Robinson, engineering director at SEL, discuss how circuit breakers sense trouble, interrupt currents as powerful as a lightning bolt, work with protective relays to keep the grid safe, and are evolving to meet new demands.
In this follow-up to our "Ask Dave Anything" episode, SEL President Dave Whitehead is back in the hot seat to tackle another round of listener‑submitted questions. Guest host Nic Seeley, senior vice president of Engineering Services at SEL, guides the conversation asking about everything from the challenges facing the electric power industry to how SEL is approaching innovation today—and how leaders can stay grounded while navigating rapid change. Dave also shares personal insights, lessons learned over his career, and a few stories that didn't make it into the first episode. If you enjoyed the candid, wide‑ranging discussion in Part 1, we think you will appreciate this deeper dive into the ideas shaping Dave's thinking and the future of our industry.
In this episode, we turn the tables on host Dave Whitehead and put him in the hot seat. Guest host Bryan Fazzari, SEL vice president of marketing, takes over the mic to ask Dave questions submitted by listeners. They wanted to know everything—from the future of electric power and emerging technologies to Dave's thoughts on leadership and innovation. If you've ever wondered what shapes his perspective on the industry and where technology is headed, this is your chance to find out.
Peter Godart, co-founder of Found Energy, visits Schweitzer Drive to discuss a novel approach to energy: using aluminum as a high-density, carbon-free fuel. Learn how this technology works, why it's 40x more energy dense than batteries, and how it could transform everything from long-duration storage to container ships and coal plant retrofits.
What do electric power and emergency response have in common? More than you might expect. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead talks with radio engineer Jordan Coreson and communications and cybersecurity expert Ryan Bradetich about how precision timing—originally developed for the electric grid—is now helping solve big challenges in 911 systems.
In this episode, host Dave Whitehead sits down with Wayne Manuel, Chief Information and Security Officer at Avista, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the utility industry. From predictive maintenance to customer service enhancements, Wayne shares how Avista is leveraging AI and machine learning to optimize operations across its Pacific Northwest service area.
Author and journalist Robert Bryce returns to Schweitzer Drive for a candid conversation with host Dave Whitehead about the president's bold plan to expand nuclear power in the United States. Drawing on decades of energy research, Bryce explains why the goal of quadrupling nuclear capacity by 2050 is unlikely, but offers a realistic view of the challenges ahead and how we can make meaningful progress.
In this episode, we continue our exploration of how utilities are working to mitigate the threat of wildfires with a look at how PG&E is transforming its grid to reduce ignition risk throughout its 70,000-square-mile service area. Host Dave Whitehead is joined by James Tuccillo, manager of distribution and asset planning, to discuss PG&E's multi-pronged strategy, which includes an ambitious plan to underground 10,000 miles of power lines. James also shares insights into how advanced, staged-fault testing and high-impedance fault detection technology are reshaping how utilities detect and respond to downed conductors—before they spark a fire.
As the wildfire threat has grown across the western U.S., utilities have stepped up to protect communities and critical infrastructure. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead talks with Josh DiLuciano, vice president of Energy Delivery at Avista, about how the utility is tackling wildfire risk head-on. From grid hardening and vegetation management to advanced technologies and community partnerships, Josh shares how Avista's Wildfire Resiliency Plan is designed to safeguard people, property, and the power that keeps the region running.
As our reliance on electric power continues to grow, so does the need to protect the grid from cyber threats. In this episode, guest host Frank Harrill, VP of Security at SEL, talks with cybersecurity expert Andre Ristaino about how industry standards, specifically IEC 62443, are shaping the future of industrial cybersecurity, including their impact on the electric power grid.
In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with power systems experts Gerardo Urrea and Bryan Fazzari about the U.S. power grid and some of the reasons why it enjoys an impressive 99.95% reliability, despite often being described as an old, cobbled together system. They also discuss the new technologies they are most excited about.
As the demand for clean energy and the push for decarbonization intensify, there's a renewed focus on large-scale nuclear reactors in the United States. In this episode, host Dave Whithead sits down with Dr. Luca Oriani, President of Long-Term Operations at Westinghouse, a company that has been leading nuclear power innovation for over a century. Dr. Oriani shares insights into the latest advancements in nuclear technology, the challenges and successes of the AP1000 reactors, and the future of nuclear power in the United States, globally, and potentially beyond.
Data centers face big challenges, from processing trillions of search queries and storing billions of emails and photos to serving countless hours of video every day, while at the same time developing ways of decreasing their energy usage and carbon footprints and increasing data security. In this episode, Angad Sandhu, director of data center infrastructure at Google, talks with Dave Whitehead about how the company continues to keep the internet humming 24/7 while building, maintaining, and powering its fleet of data centers around the world.
In the 1980s, power system protective relays underwent a revolution from electromechanical to digital. Now, new innovations are shifting the focus from individual devices to a centralized, software-based approach. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with SEL Chief Technology Officer Greg Zweigle about the history of electric power system protection and the future improvements in simplicity, safety, reliability, flexibility, and cost.
Historically, nuclear power plants have been easy to identify by the massive water-cooling towers that have been the hallmark of these generation sites for decades. However, that's changing. In this episode, guest host Nicholas Seeley talks with Brian Gitt from Oklo, a company developing next-generation nuclear technology, including a smaller nuclear reactor that's housed in what looks more like a vacation retreat than industrial site.
Nuclear power is the largest source of low-carbon energy in the United States and Europe. Its potential to provide a clean, steady—and increasing—baseload is currently unmatched. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Eric Williams, senior vice president and design authority at TerraPower, the Bill Gates-founded company building the only advanced, non-light-water reactor in the Western Hemisphere.
Even a very short power outage can have dire consequences for a hospital, transportation system, or large campus. This is where microgrids can add real value. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with microgrid expert Dr. Mahmoud Kabalan about these small, stand-alone power systems that can keep electricity flowing regardless of what's happening on the bulk power grid.
About 50 percent of energy generated in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States comes from hydroelectric power. According to Rick Dunn, general manager of Benton PUD, that puts the region in an unbelievably unique position. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead talks with Rick about the impact hydro has on reliability and rates, the politicization of the resource, and why he became an author.
It might seem like a stretch to talk about the healthcare system on a podcast about electric power. However, more than three million Americans report to energy sector jobs every day, and we all depend on these folks for the steady flow of electricity in our homes, businesses, hospitals, and data centers. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with SEL Senior Director of Health & Wellbeing Michele Beehler about what can be done to help ensure these employees (and others) have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare.
In this episode, host Dave Whitehead chats with SEL Engineers Lyssa Blood and Cameron Blegen. Both in the third year of their careers, Lyssa and Cameron talk about their experience in the SEL Engineer Rotation Program which allowed them to explore different jobs before settling into their full-time roles. They offer advice to those just starting engineering careers and to employers looking to increase retention.
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Throughout the entire conversation, they were saying IEC64443 incorrectly.
this episode was pretty much garbage... renewables are growing based on favorable economics.