Public Power Underground was celebrated at the Bonneville Power Administration’s Administrator’s Excellence Award ceremony! Administrator Hairston presented me with an award for Exceptional Public Service for my contributions over its 4-year run.

The recognition is especially meaningful because the nomination was submitted by Doug Marker with contributions from Northwest electric service celebrities. I appreciate the kind words in support of the nomination from Joel Scruggs, BPA Chief of Communications; Rachel Dibble, BPA Vice President for Generation Asset Management; Crystal Ball, Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee; Megan Capper, Energy Resources Manager at the Eugene Water & Electric Board; Humaria Falkenberg, Power Manager at Pacific PUD; Debra Smith, former General Manager & CEO of Seattle City Light; and Matt Schroettnig, Vice President for Policy and Legal Affairs at Northwest Requirements Utilities.

I’m humbled to be included in the group of 31 staff-nominated individuals and two teams that were recognized in the ceremony on September 17, 2025. The stories and speeches from the recipients were an inspiration for the good work being done to provide reliable and affordable electric service for the region. It was a wonderful day celebrating BPA’s mission, public service, and work that benefits communities throughout the region.

Public Power Underground has always been a group project. Even though I was the one recognized, it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of family, collaborators, co-workers, colleagues, leaders, and friends. In true Public Power Underground fashion, we used the opportunity to collaborate on the acceptance speech with a montage of co-hosts, celebrities, guests, and contributors.

Below is the lightly edited acceptance speech from the video montage.

Public Power Underground was always about community and magic. Its magic was capturing moments in conversations when a question, a thought, or an expression unlocked vulnerability and enthusiasm.

Turns out, finding enthusiasm and vulnerability in colleagues is a way to build community. Especially in challenging times.

As we face challenges, disruptions, and problems, remember to look for opportunities in all of this. Believe in enthusiasm and vulnerability even when surrounded by skepticism and cynicism. And remember that we aren’t doing it alone. Ain’t no one in northwest public power alone.

Thank you for this chance to celebrate Public Power Underground. The magic it brought is a reflection of the magic of the wonderful community of public power and the outstanding public servants at the Bonneville Power Administration.

Keep believing in community and looking for opportunities to strengthen our community.

I hope you feel seen, heard, valued, and appreciated.

Roll on, enthusiasts. Roll on.

A celebration of Public Power Underground is a celebration of the community it was a part of. Thank you for your contributions along the way and thank you for being part of the community of electric service enthusiasts.

Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts. Public Power Underground, IT’S WORK TO WATCH!

In a much anticipated episode recorded on September 10, 2024, Dr. Tony Reames and Dr. Salma Elmallah join Paul Dockery and Dr. Ahlmahz Negash to discuss their paper on frontlining energy justice.

Elmallah, S., Reames, T.G. and Spurlock, C.A., 2022. Frontlining energy justice: Visioning principles for energy transitions from community-based organizations in the United States. Energy Research & Social Science, 94, p.102855.

The episode includes a conversation about the 6 principles of energy justice that emerged from the research:

1. Being place-based,

2. Addressing the root causes and legacies of inequality,

3. Shifting the balance of power in existing forms of energy governance,

4. Creating new, cooperative, and participatory systems of energy governance and ownership,

5. Adopting a rights-based approach, and

6. Rejecting false solutions

The episode is audio-only and un-edited available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. It’s a special “afterparty” edition, since it was recorded after the party of special significance commemorating the season and series finale. Thanks for staying subscribed. There’s at least one more of the after-party episodes.

Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch!

Friends-of-the-Underground participated in a special, in-person recording of the eleventy-first and final episode of Public Power Underground celebrating our community of electric utility enthusiasts. The episode includes a live performance of Roll On, Enthusiasts with special musical guest Daryl Wayne Dasher joining Arin Guillory and Ian Bledsoe. It also closes the Season 6 Energy System Analogy World Cup with celebrity judges Debra Smith and Daniel Kirschen picking winners in an 8-analogy, single elimination Championship Tournament. And, just like Bilbo Baggins ended his eleventy-first birthday celebration giving a speech on a stump, the season ends with open-mic stump speeches from electric utility enthusiasts.

You can find the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Share with friends that are energy enthusiasts, like us!

06:51 - Short-to-Ground, Analogy Edition

• Top 8 seeds for Energy System Analogy World Cup Championship Tournament

• All 20 Grand Analogies of the Energy System from Season 6

15:40 - Energy System Analogy World Cup Championship Tournament

36:55 - Kurt Miller Stump Speech

40:15 - Crystal Ball Stump Speech

42:50 - Debra Smith Stump Speech

44:10 - Pamela Sporborg Stump Speech

45:58 - Robb Davis Stump Speech

49:02 - Sarah Edmonds Stump Speech

50:43 - Megan Capper Stump Speech

52:32 - Scott Corwin Stump Speech

53:40 - Farhad Billimoria Stump Speech

55:11 - Eric Hiaasen Stump Speech

58:40 - Matt Schroettnig Stump Speech

1:01:18 - Kieran Connelly Stump Speech

1:02:50 - Mary Wiencke Stump Speech

1:05:12 - Doug Marker Stump Speech

1:08:19 - Nicole Hughes Stump Speech

1:09:32 - Conleigh Byers Stump Speech

1:10:57 - Chris Roden Stump Speech

1:13:58 - Ryan Neale Stump Speech

1:15:44 - Humaira Falkenberg Stump Speech

1:19:40 - Closing thoughts from Ian Bledsoe, Arin Guillory, and Ahlmahz Negash

1:22:55 - Closing thoughts from Paul Dockery

If you stay subscribed to Public Power Underground, you may find interesting items in your feed from time to time. Thank you for being a friend of the underground. I hope you have enjoyed the content and feel valued and appreciated.

Public Power Underground, for electric utility enthusiasts! Public Power Underground, it’s work to watch!