Schweitzer Drive
Episodes
Insights on the Current Energy Landscape with Robert Bryce
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Robert Bryce returns to Schweitzer Drive for an in person conversation recorded during a break at the University of Idaho Energy Symp...
Circuit Breakers: The First Responders of the Grid
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Ask Dave Anything, Part 2: Listener Questions on Innovation, Power Reliability, the Podcast, and More
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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‑submi...
Ask Dave Anything: Listener Questions on Power, Innovation, and Leadership
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, tak...
Fueling the Energy Future: Unlocking the Hidden Power of Aluminum
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Godart, co-founder of Found Energy, visits Schweitzer Drive to discuss a novel approach to energy: using aluminum as a high-density, carbon-fre...
Timing Is Everything: How Grid Technology Is Transforming Emergency Communications
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What do electric power and emergency response have in common? More than you might expect. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead talks with radio engine...
AI Meets the Grid: Driving Innovation at Avista
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, host Dave Whitehead sits down with Wayne Manuel, Chief Information and Security Officer at Avista, to explore how artificial intellig...
New Nuclear: A Candid Conversation with Robert Bryce
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author and journalist Robert Bryce returns to Schweitzer Drive for a candid conversation with host Dave Whitehead about the president's bold plan to e...
Safety, Reliability, and Innovation: PG&E's Wildfire Mitigation Strategy
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Protecting People, Property, and Power: Avista's Wildfire Mitigation Strategy
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the wildfire threat has grown across the western U.S., utilities have stepped up to protect communities and critical infrastructure. In this epi...
Fortifying the Power Grid: The Role of IEC 62443 and Cybersecurity Standards
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Harril...
The Resilient U.S. Power Grid: One Hundred Forty-Five Years and Going Strong
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 wh...
New Nuclear: Thinking Big with Westinghouse
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 Stat...
The Data Center Challenge: Build Faster, Be Efficient, and Keep the Data Flowing
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Data centers face big challenges, from processing trillions of search queries and storing billions of emails and photos to serving countless hours of ...
Transforming Substation Architecture: The Power of Centralized Protection and Control
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1980s, power system protective relays underwent a revolution from electromechanical to digital. Now, new innovations are shifting the focus fro...
New Nuclear: Flexible, Scalable, and Safe
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Historically, nuclear power plants have been easy to identify by the massive water-cooling towers that have been the hallmark of these generation site...
New Nuclear: Smaller, Safer, Cheaper
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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—...
Keeping the Lights On: Microgrids and the Benefits of Localized Power
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Even a very short power outage can have dire consequences for a hospital, transportation system, or large campus. This is where microgrids can add rea...
Hydroelectricity: The Carbon-Free Powerhouse of the Pacific Northwest Energy Mix
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
About 50 percent of energy generated in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States comes from hydroelectric power. According to Rick Dunn, gene...
Health Is Power: The Value of Affordable, Transparent, Quality Healthcare
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It might seem like a stretch to talk about the healthcare system on a podcast about electric power. However, more than three million Americans repor...
Finding the Right Fit: Early-Career Rotations for Long-Term Success
24 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 Came...
Shortening the Supply Chain: Strong Partnerships Bring Us Closer
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, guest host Diane Maceri, supply chain director at SEL, talks with Tyler Gould, senior electronic sales engineer at Phoenix Contact a...
Politics, Climate, Class: Changing the Power Grid Conversation
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, author, filmmaker and podcaster Robert Bryce talks about his new docuseries Juice: Power, Politics & The Grid with guest host David C...
Building a Better Substation
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The shift to renewables and growing demand for electricity are driving utilities to problem-solve like never before. In this episode, host Dave Whiteh...
Celebrating Innovation: Insights From the National Inventors Hall of Fame
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rini Paiva, executive vice president of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, joins Dave to discuss the common traits inventors share, the importance o...
OT Cybersecurity: Understanding the Threat, Determining How Much Protection is Enough
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, guest host Nicholas Seeley talks with cybersecurity expert and author Andrew Ginter about the challenges of protecting operational te...
Pumped Storage: One of the Best Batteries There Is
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most significant limiting factors of renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, is intermittency. When the wind isn't blowing or sun sh...
Powering the Future: Generating Excitement About STEM Careers
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The number of STEM related careers has increased by nearly 80 percent in the last thirty years, and it's a trend that continues. However, based on cu...
Reinventing Hydropower: Balancing Generation, Reliability, and the Environment
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hydroelectric power is reliable and renewable, but it's not without its challenges. That's changing with innovative companies like Natel Energy. In th...
Making Things Easy is Hard: The Power of UX
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever tried out a new technology and thought "Wow, that was easy!"—chances are a user experience (UX) designer played a part in your deligh...
Cool Fuel: A Future for Green Hydrogen in the Pacific Northwest
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Jacob Leachman breaks down why hydrogen might be the coolest fuel in the universe. The Washington State University Associate Prof...
Meeting the Clean Energy Challenge: Ensuring Reliability Amid the Electrification of Everything
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
One quarter of the energy homeowners use is electric, and that's predicted to double by 2050. Larry Bekkedahl, senior vice president of Portland Gene...
Breaking Biases: Empowering Women in Engineering
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Only 30% of women who earn bachelor's degrees in engineering are still working in the field 20 years later. Burns & McDonnell Engineering Director an...
Powering Africa: Unleashing Potential Through Electrification
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Of the 1.3 billion people on the planet without access to reliable electricity, 600 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dedicated to solving this probl...
Powering Africa: Unleashing Potential Through Electrification
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Of the 1.3 billion people on the planet without access to reliable electricity, 600 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dedicated to solving this probl...
The Challenges of Inverter-Based Resources: Integrating the New with the Old
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Inverter-based resources put a new spin on power generation, replacing the large rotating masses that have been the mainstay of power generation for t...
A Firewall for the Future: Educating the Next Generation of Cyber Professionals
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Between 2013-2021, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs jumped 350 percent. Join Dave Whitehead as he talks with Dr. Jim Alves-Foss, director of ...
Can You Hear Me Now? Why "Best Effort" Isn't Good Enough for Mission-Critical Telecommunications
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Power system telecommunication networks have very different needs than those driving internet and broadband technology. Can you imagine a utility havi...
Human Factors Engineering: Improving Power System Safety and Reliability
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Revered basketball coach John Wooden once said, "A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life." In this episode, guest host David C...
Power System Oscillations: Maintaining Balance and Keeping the Lights On
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Oscillations on the electric power system are normal, but sometimes they get out of sync and can wreak havoc, potentially causing a blackout. In this ...
Securing Industrial Control Systems Amid Increased Risk
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Industrial control systems (ICSs) across industries have experienced increased security risk in the last decade, and those within the electric power s...
Powering the Future: Delivering Specialized Training at the Speed of Innovation
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's an exciting time to work in the electric power industry. The rapid pace of innovation is creating both opportunities and challenges. In this epis...
Powering the Future: Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The electric power grid is the largest man-made machine ever created. It's vast, complex, and essential to modern life. And, as it continues to serve ...
Powering the Future: Recruiting for STEM Careers in a Demanding Job Market
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The electric power industry is changing and so are the skills and expertise needed to keep the power flowing around the world. At the same time, we're...
Solving Recloser High-Density Coordination Challenges: Innovation That Keeps the Power On
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As communities grow, the distribution systems bringing power into neighborhoods are becoming more complex. Utilities are increasingly focused on effi...
Zero Trust: A Look at Information Security and the Role Trust Plays
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The concept of zero trust has been gaining momentum. In fact, the Biden Administration recently released a new strategy for federal agencies that will...
Better, Faster, Simpler, Safer: A New Approach to OT Network Communications
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The electric power grid has been called the largest machine in the world. Communication systems provide additional visibility and control of large el...
Getting to Root Cause: The Importance of Being Able to Turn a Problem On and Off
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The products and technologies used in electric power systems need to be highly reliable. These devices must withstand high voltages, severe weather, e...
Built to Last: What Does "Utility Grade" Really Mean?
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've all heard terms like "contractor-grade" or "medical-grade," which convey information about the quality of a product. In this episode, Dave White...
The Clean Energy Transition: Balancing Reliability, Innovation, Cost, and the Environment
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Electric utilities have a challenging job. No matter what's happening—extreme weather events, the emergence of new sources of generation and the pha...
Safe, Reliable, Clean and Cost-Effective: A Timely Look at Nuclear Power
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the ambitious goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and around the globe, it's a good time to reconsider the role nucl...
An Interview with the Host
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode, host Dave Whitehead sits in the chair normally reserved for guests on Schweitzer Drive. Join Stephanie Schweitzer, who leads SE...
Decarbonization, Government Mandates, and the Future of Electric Power
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Historically, electric utilities independently determined their generation portfolio based on customer demand, local resources, available technologies...
People: The First and Last Line of Defense
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We often talk about the tools and technology that help prevent cybersecurity attacks. These are important. However, attackers are often able to gain a...
Culture: An Essential Ingredient for Creating an Exceptional Company
22 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are many things that go into creating a successful business. You need a good strategy, a strong team, and a great product or service to sell. Bu...
Protecting the Grid: What Are Electromagnetic Pulses, and How Do They Affect the Power System?
08 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Electric power grids are designed to withstand a wide variety of destructive forces. Whether lightning is striking or hurricane winds are blowing, peo...
The Drive Toward Electric Vehicles: Powering Mobile Loads, Part 2
17 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With every major automaker working to give Tesla a run for its money, and the government's push for half of all vehicles sold to have plugs by 2030—...
The Drive Toward Electric Vehicles: Powering Mobile Loads, Part 1
03 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The number of electric vehicles on U.S. roads and highways is projected to grow 36 percent annually, according to the IEA, reaching 245 million vehicl...
Protecting the Grid: Creating Cyber Solutions That Are Inherently Secure
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When Dr. Ed Schweitzer introduced the first microprocessor-based protective relay in 1982, an invention that revolutionized power system protection, h...
Predictive Power System Control in an Unpredictable Environment
30 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Large generation facilities turning coal, gas, and water into electricity have been the mainstay of the electric power system for decades. They produc...
People, Power Density, Cost, and Scale: The Challenges of Renewable Energy
16 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At the current growth rate, global energy demand will double in 18 years. Meanwhile, governments are instituting mandates and offering subsidies to sp...
Protecting Critical Cyber Systems: Building a Threat-Aware Network
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ransomware attacks, like the one that temporarily shut down the Colonial Pipeline on May 6, causing fuel shortages in the eastern part of the U.S., ar...
Unleashing the Power of Women in STEM
05 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While it's true that more women are going into STEM fields, their numbers are still lagging—especially in fields like electrical and mechanical engi...
Electricity—Empowering People
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It would be difficult to overstate the positive impact of electric power on humanity—from creating and storing food to producing clean water and med...
Can It Be That Simple? How Creativity and Simplicity Combine to Create Innovative Solutions
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, inventor and entrepreneur Dr. Ed Schweitzer shares his thoughts on where creativity comes from, how it fuels innovation, and how both...
Vertical Integration: Supplying Customers with Products and Services Faster, Better, and Cheaper
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Conversations about when and where to vertically integrate so often focus on the expense. While cost is an important factor, in this episode Dave Whit...
IT-OT Convergence: When One + One = Three
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Electric power is critical to people's lives. We need look no further for an example of this than what happened in Texas in February. Because reliabil...
Texas Blackout: Why the Lights Went Out and How to Keep Them On
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Safe, reliable, and economical electric power is essential to our daily lives. The recent events in Texas are a reminder of just how important these a...
Safeguarding Civilization: A Few Thoughts on Cybersecurity
26 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In our increasingly technology dependent world, cybersecurity threats have become an unfortunate feature of our daily lives. So many of us have been v...
"How May I Help You?"—The Customer Service Playbook
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most important concepts for a business to understand is that a customer is never under any obligation to buy its product or service again...
Product Developers: Better to have skills a mile deep or a mile wide?
22 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When innovation is key to your company's success, building the right team is critical. But what does that mean? Do you need more specialists—people ...
Employee Ownership: Owning a Career Vs. Renting a Job
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of the best ways to attract and retain great employees is to offer great benefits. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Joey Nestegard, SEL ...
Application Engineers: When You Really Need to Phone a Friend
05 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We've all experienced the frustration of having to wade through layers of automated phone prompts trying to get through to a customer service rep or ...
Creating Value for Customers
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's been said that teaching is selling. In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks about the art of teaching and selling with Laura Stento, Senior Sales M...
Free Enterprise: America's Innovation Engine
06 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Whether in engineering or business, Dr. Ed Schweitzer, a prolific inventor and founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, always encourages going...
FLISR, VVO, and DERMS, Oh My! Putting Distribution Automation to Work
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that the power system can reconfigure itself when a fault occurs, and that it can automatically adjust line voltage so that the energy de...
Turning the Lights Back on After a Blackout
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Often in the wake of a blackout, the focus is on what caused the power to go out, but we seldom hear how utilities get the power back on. In this epis...
Supply Chain Management: Getting Parts to Make Parts
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, SEL Supply Chain Director Diane Donnermeyer talks with Dave Whitehead about how to keep the links of a supply chain connected and str...
The Need for Speed and the Future of Power System Protection
10 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks to Dr. Ed Schweitzer about power system protection, why speed is so important, and what the future might look li...
The Eyes and Ears of the Electric Power System
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dave Whitehead and Greg Zweigle for an in-depth conversation about synchrophasors—the eyes and ears of the electric power system. Greg serves a...
Starting a Company, Building SEL, Part 2
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Schweitzer Drive! In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks to Edmund O. Schweitzer III, the founder, president and chief technology officer of...
Starting a Company, Building SEL, Part 1
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Schweitzer Drive! In this episode, Dave Whitehead talks with Edmund O. Schweitzer III, the founder, president and chief technology officer ...
Welcome to Schweitzer Drive
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Schweitzer Drive is for anyone interested in what goes on between the generation of electric power and the light switch. The podcast explores a broad ...