2020 Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West: Western Interstate Energy Board
State- and city-level efforts are essential in our fight against climate change, especially in the field of energy. Stanford University is committed to helping by integrating its best students into the local energy and climate ecosystem through Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West (SEICW), an energy-related summer internship program. This position is funded. You will be one of two Stanford students placed at WIEB in Denver, Colorado.
The program runs from Monday, June 22, 2020 to Friday, August 28, 2020.
Western Interstate Energy Board
The Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB) is an organization of eleven western states and two western Canadian provinces. The governor of each state and the premier of each province appoint a member to the Board. WIEB’s purpose is to “provide the instruments and framework for cooperative state efforts to enhance the economy of the West and contribute to the well-being of the region's people." WIEB works to achieve this purpose through cooperative efforts among member states and provinces and the federal government.
WIEB’s sister organization, the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB) focuses on electric grid reliability. It was created by Western Governors under Section 215(j) of the Federal Power Act to provide advice to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on reliability matters in the Western Interconnection. WIRAB is composed of utility regulators and energy office officials from eleven western states and two western Canadian provinces.
For more information on WIEB and WIRAB, please visit WIEB’s homepage: westernenergyboard.org/wieb. WIEB and WIRAB share office space in downtown Denver, Colorado.
WIEB Mentors
Holly Taylor, Attorney and Policy Analyst for WIEB, will act as a student co-mentor for this project. Ms. Taylor works with western regulators and policymakers to identify current and emerging energy issues and to promote energy policy that is developed cooperatively by the western states and provinces. She also works with WIEB’s partner organization, the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB) to advise the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), and the Regional Entity for the Western Interconnection (i.e., WECC) on matters pertaining to electric grid reliability. Previously, Holly worked at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as a legal and regulatory analyst, analyzing federal and state requirements governing the development and licensing of renewable energy projects. Ms. Taylor holds a J.D. and LL.M. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from the University of Denver.
Maury Galbraith, Executive Director of WIEB, will act as the student co-mentor for this project. Mr. Galbraith manages the efforts of WIEB to facilitate cooperation among western states and Canadian provinces on energy policy. He guides the efforts of the Committee on Regional Electric Power Cooperation (CREPC)—a joint committee of WIEB and the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners—to improve the efficiency of the western electric power system. He also manages the work of the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (WIRAB)—which provides advice to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)—to improve the reliability of the western grid.
Prior to joining WIEB, Mr. Galbraith was the Administrator of the Energy Division at the Oregon Public Utility Commission and a Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. Previously, he worked as a Resource Analyst with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Mr. Galbraith holds a M.A. in economics from Washington State University and a B.S. in economics from the University of Oregon.
Internship Project
The goal of this project is to explore the conceptual development of a wildfire public safety power shutoff data system for the Western Interconnection. The data system would collect detailed information about individual wildfire-related power shutoff events. When analyzed at the regional level the data may provide insights to improve the resilience and reliability of the electrical system.
Over the last several years, wildfire incidents have become more frequent and more severe across the West. Many electric utilities are working to strengthen their wildfire prevention, preparedness, and mitigation plans. Electric utilities are also working collaboratively with state and federal agencies to assess the risk of wildfires caused by the electric system, to harden electric system infrastructure to better withstand wildfires, and to develop emergency plans to respond to catastrophic wildfires. A wildfire public safety power shutoff data system could help to improve the public understanding of the frequency, duration, causes, and other aspects of events.
This position is one of two students (one graduate student and one undergraduate) that will be selected to work on this project. The students selected for this project will lead WIEB’s effort to develop a conceptual model for a wildfire public safety power shutoff data system. The students will:
- Research other similar data systems, including the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Transmission Availability Data System (TADS) and Generating Availability Data System (GADS).
- Research the System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) commonly used by electric utilities.
- Act as lead researchers on the project, with guidance from WIEB advisors
- Develop a presentation to convey the information to policy makers.
This project will provide students with substantive policy work experience, clear direction and guidance on how to complete the work, and the autonomy to be creative and to conduct independent research. The students will create a written issue brief documenting the conceptual development of a wildfire public safety power shutoff data system for the Western Interconnection. The students will have the opportunity to present their work to WIEB Staff as well as state and provincial policymakers and regulators. At the conclusion of a successful project, the students will feel that they are a part of the WIEB team and have made a significant contribution to enhancing regional electricity policy in the West.
The ideal student candidates will have the following skills and knowledge:
SKILLS:
- Good research and analytic skills.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Ability to work independently and as a member of a research team.
- Ability to work with large data files.
- Ability to use data analysis software (e.g. Excel, SAS, SPSS, etc.).
KNOWLEDGE:
- Coursework in statistics or mathematics.
- Coursework related to energy or environmental policy.
- Interest in public policy, law, economics, engineering, or related fields.
- Interest in working on electric reilability policy issues.
- Interest in working with utility regulators and energy office offiicials.
All SEICW students must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their SEICW internship. Absolutely no exceptions are made to this rule.
All SEICW students must take a one-unit workshop spring course, 'Energy Policy in California and the West' taught by Bruce Cain and Sally Benson that will provide an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies, the Western Interstate Energy Board, and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures. Course number is CEE 263G / POLISCI 73 / PUBLPOL 73. This course must be taken in person.
Please note that this opportunity is for graduate students. Interested undergraduates can apply via SIG.