“We can market electric utilites better.”
PUF's Steve Mitnick: What are some developments in the electric industry you're particularly proud of?
Pat Vincent-Collawn: I always say that the thing I'm proudest of is what we have been doing all along in our industry - producing and delivering reliable, affordable, and increasingly cleaner electricity. However, given recent events I'd like to add to that answer.
I am extremely proud of how our industry has responded to the devastation and disruption along the Texas Gulf Coast caused by Hurricane Harvey.
The storm hit especially close to home for our company because our Texas transmission and distribution utility, TNMP, serves parts of the areas slammed by the storm. The homes of more than a dozen TNMP employees were damaged or destroyed by Harvey. Not only did our crews work tirelessly to restore power to their communities, they also had to take care of their families. Our employees are amazing. And that story was repeated across the many companies that serve the devastated areas.
Our industry stepped up in a big way. Mutual assistance crews from 21 states have been helping, with more than 10,000 personnel working to restore power to the affected communities. Companies opened their checkbooks, collectively giving millions of dollars to support relief efforts and leading drives to collect badly needed supplies to help the victims.