Future-Proofing Our Energy System
In the face of extreme weather and cyber threats, how do we build resilience, sustainability, and equity into future energy systems?
About This Event
Electrical grids are the lifeblood of modern societies, but the recent large-scale loss of power in Texas during a winter storm, the SolarWinds hack, and Darkside ransomware incident highlighted the vulnerability of these complex systems. As extreme weather events become more frequent and malicious actors probe weak spots in cyber defenses, how do we protect critical infrastructure? And, while we navigate a rapidly changing climate, can we also ensure our systems promote environmental sustainability and benefit all communities? A panel of experts considers the future of energy and what a more resilient system might look like.
About the Speakers
Senior Fellow, Energy and the Environment, CFR
Alice Hill is the David M. Rubenstein senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations, focusing on the risks, consequences, and responses associated with climate change. Formerly, she served as special assistant to President Obama and senior director for resilience policy on the National Security Council.
Rich Negrin
Vice President, External Affairs, ComEd
With over 25 years of experience working in the public, private and non-profit sectors, Richard Negrin is the vice president of External Affairs at ComEd, the electric utility for Northern Illinois. Formerly, he served as ComEd’s Vice President of Regulatory Policy and Strategy, as partner at the Obermayer law firm, and as city manager and deputy mayor for the city of Philadelphia.
Energy Security and Climate Change Program, CSIS
Nikos Tsafos is interim director and senior fellow with the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, leading the program’s work on managing the geopolitics of energy and climate change, advancing industrial policies for clean energy, ensuring a just transition for workers and communities, and equipping US foreign policy and to deal with climate change and the energy transition.
Partner, Jenner & Block
A former federal prosecutor, Shoba Pillay is a partner at Jenner & Block where she leverages her technical skills and depth of understanding on global issues and risk to provide guidance to clients across a range of sizes and sectors.
Program Lead, Argonne National Laboratory
Thomas Wall is Program Lead for Engineering & Applied Resilience in Argonne National Laboratory’s Decision and Infrastructure Sciences Division, and also co-leads Argonne's climate action initiative. This effort combines capabilities in climate modeling, infrastructure risk analysis, and decision science to provide actionable climate impact information to industry, engineering and planning communities, and state and local governments.