0:08 We created the center for operational
0:11 excellence as part of the AEIC family um 2024
0:13 2024
0:16 because we saw an increase in the
0:19 opportunity for us to reach others in
0:22 the industry with the work that we're
0:26 doing. The goal of the op center is to
0:27 listen to our members throughout their
0:29 committee and subcommittee engagements
0:31 and understand what are the
0:34 transformational issues that all of the
0:36 member companies are effectively dealing
0:38 with in near real time.
0:40 >> Why now? Because our country faces
0:43 unprecedented demand for energy and we
0:45 the utility sector need to step up to
0:48 that need. AEIC provides the platform
0:50 where utilities come together, provide
0:53 best practices, lessons learned and
0:55 share ideas to serve that demand. The
0:57 center of excellence is unique in
0:59 providing that platform for
1:02 collaboration where we bring utilities
1:04 together. We talk about the challenges,
1:06 we talk about the innovative solutions
1:08 and to meet a demand that we've never
1:09 seen before.
1:11 The value of being a part of the AIC
1:13 center for operational excellence is for
1:16 the utilities that are actively
1:18 participating in these critical action
1:21 forums can come together and listen to
1:23 those that have gone before and those
1:25 that are just starting. Now it's really
1:29 important for us to come together and
1:31 unify all the knowledge that we have and
1:33 put that to a greater purpose to create
1:35 something new that is going to be
1:37 relevant for our industry. The last few
1:41 years have seemed quite similar um quite
1:43 similar to uh to what we've been talking
1:45 about today. But now it's really the
1:48 time for action, the time to really
1:51 start taking the ideas and uh
1:53 collectively focus them towards
1:55 deliverables and making things happen.
1:58 >> What's our biggest gap? People. So where
2:00 should we put our investments? Let's get
2:02 together, invest in an operation of
2:04 excellence that's going to help us scale
2:07 up the our our people, not just on the
2:09 electrical side, which is a big boss
2:10 word right now, but it's everywhere. I
2:12 mean, we we need to scale up our our
2:14 teams, and the only way to do it is
2:16 collaborating. So, getting together to
2:18 make sure we address technologies, we
2:21 address skill sets, we address policies,
2:23 um it's going to be critical for all of
2:26 us to be able to succeed. We're in a
2:28 incredible place right now in our
2:30 industry. I've been working for a long
2:33 time. I've never experienced anything
2:35 like we're seeing today in terms of
2:38 investments. We have to work together
2:40 today. This is the most important time
2:42 in our history as an industry to work
