Hold Me to Them
Steve Mitnick has authored five books on the economics, history, and people of the utilities industries. While in the consulting practice leadership of McKinsey & Co. and Marsh & McLennan, he advised utility leaders. He led a transmission development company and was a New York Governor’s chief energy advisor. Mitnick was an expert witness appearing before utility regulatory commissions of six states, D.C., FERC, and in Canada, and taught microeconomics, macroeconomics, and statistics at Georgetown University.
Have you made your resolutions yet for the new year? I have. Here they are, for all of you to see, hoping you’ll help me hold to them:
I resolve in 2025 to lessen use of the phrase “energy transition” in my writing and public speaking except when referring to the enormous changes underway in the energy industries.
I resolve in 2025 to lessen my Internet searches and refrain from AI-assisted searches to decrease the demand for new data centers and their burden on the grid.
Speaking of data centers, in 2025, I resolve to offer my backyard to a data center developer and then ask my local electric utility to help me put up rooftop solar panels to power it.
I resolve in 2025 to continue to support the efforts of industry organizations to hire a broad mix of people while maintaining that DEI means solely what Public Utilities Fortnightly publishes, Debates on Energy Issues.
I resolve in 2025 to do my part as electric utilities across the country are substantially increasing their capital investment in grid resilience by voluntarily paying my utility double the amount due in its monthly bill.