In which we ask Illinois Commerce Commission Chair Carrie Zalewski to summarize Illinois’ new Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), and it still takes more than an hour — though, in fairness, we do also shoot a lot of hardball Illinois-related Rapid Fire questions at her. Listen for discussions on grid reliability, performance-based rates, integration plans for the state’s electricity-distribution utilities, lessons learned from the reliability issues in Texas and much more!
In which we dig into the causes of the Texas power outages in February 2021 and their potential consequences by sitting down with perhaps the one person in the world best equipped to discuss the situation: Pat Wood, who’s served as the top utility regulator both at FERC and the one state FERC doesn’t oversee, Texas. If you’re wondering what the likelihood is that Texas gets a capacity market, FERC oversight, a change in the pace of its power-generation transition or additional direct-current (DC) ties to neighboring grids, Pat’s got an answer.
But it’s also the one-year anniversary of the global pandemic, St. Patrick’s Day, Oscar’s nominees were announced – and don’t forget the return of March Madness! All receive their due attention, not to mention discussion of final requests, Cuban cigars, the famous Gruene Hall, BBQ, Mother Nature and the heartiness of azaleas.
There’s so much here, that (for the first time ever) we couldn’t keep it all to a single hour… Apparently everything is bigger in Texas – even podcasts!
PROGRAM NOTE:
The Business Insider podcast discussed during the episode can be found here: https://www.businessinsider.com/brought-to-you-by-podcast-btyb-enron-mail.
In which we pressure Cheryl LaFleur, the former-FERC commissioner and current distinguished visiting fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, for hot takes on her fields of expertise – specifically the ones where her beloved New England Patriots are playing. Hustling as efficiently as a Tom Brady two-minute drill, we also go deep into the nuances of carbon pricing, how annoying fellow former-FERC Commissioner Rob Powelson was, the importance of not imputing bad intent from colleagues, maintaining FERC/state relationships, ensuring someone is responsible for and authorized to maintain reliability (we’re looking at you, California…), the ongoing transition to the grid of the future, being put in “the odd position of trying to explain climate skepticism” and the idyllic atmosphere for a dirty vodka martini. Don’t miss a minute!
In which we go toe to toe with the man himself, FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee. Actually, it’s quite cordial because, as the Chairman makes clear from the jump, he likes his reputation as a “people person” and works very hard to maintain it. Also: What it was like behind the scenes during the tumultuous beginning of his tenure, if he takes any of the criticism and accusations of politicizing the office personally, why he doesn’t consider it work, when the University of Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team will win the NCAA National Championship again, who Bryce Harper is and where he goes to listen to the GT Power Hour.
