In this episode of the Energy Futures Podcast, Dr. Aidan Rhodes discusses the critical importance of resilience in the energy sector with Bronwyn Bullen, Organisational Resilience Manager at UK Power Networks. Together, they explore the evolving definition of resilience, strategies to adapt energy infrastructure, and how organisational resilience contributes to maintaining a reliable energy grid.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Energy Futures Podcast
00:31 - Episode overview: Resilience in energy
01:39 - Welcome and introduction of Bronwyn Bullen
02:13 - Bronwyn's role and the importance of organisational resilience
03:33 - Lessons from the 2013 storms and the concept of resilience
06:00 - Resilience as a strategic priority at UK Power Networks
08:52 - Bronwyn’s background and path to organisational resilience
10:35 - Difference between reliability and resilience
12:13 - Phases of resilience: preparation, impact, and learning
13:36 - Preparing for extreme weather events
16:00 - How UK Power Networks handles storm response and customer communication
19:50 - Cross-functional roles during storms and fostering unity
23:15 - Cultural evolution of resilience since 2013
27:17 - Horizon scanning and responding to emerging threats
30:00 - Lessons learned from COVID-19 and agility in the organisation
32:24 - Societal resilience and the role of individuals, businesses, and government
36:00 - Black start scenarios and electricity system restoration
41:00 - Challenges of restoring the grid after major disruptions
42:40 - The importance of cross-sector collaboration for resilience
44:56 - Case studies and learning from crises in other industries
46:00 - Final thoughts and resources for listeners
Bronwyn’s Links
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwyn-bullen-64973a345/?originalSubdomain=uk
UK Power Networks resources: https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk
Priority Services Register: https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/power-cut/priority-services-register
Additional links
The 2022 UK Government Resilience Framework
https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/about-this-website-and-uk-resilience/#:~:text=with%20devolution%20agreements.-,UK%20Government,is%20responsible%20for%20crisis%20response.
The business Continuity Institute
https://www.thebci.org/
Titan submersible
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_submersible_implosion
Produced by Jonny Prest
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnyprest/
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