Integrating Smart Innovations Across the Grid: Interview with Dr. Elizabeth Cook, Director of Grid Modernization at Duquesne Light Company [Recognizing 2023 Energy Central Innovation Champions]
Earlier this year, Energy Central dispatched our annual call for nominations for power professionals leading the way in Innovation, and we're proud to announce the 5 winners and 4 honorable mentions, which you can read about here. This week, we'll be spotlighting each of those winners after conducting interviews to learn more about their great work.
Please help us celebrate Elizabeth’s and the other champions' successes by reading some of the insights garnered from these exclusive Innovation Champion Interviews.
It’s a common refrain in the power sector to describe the power grid as the most complicated and also the most important ‘machine’ that humans have ever built. This sentiment rang true in previous decades, but even more so in today’s landscape where digitalization, modernization, expansion, and so many more evolutions to the grid are taking place. Tracking the opportunities that present day innovations create in the world of optimizing and making more effective the grid is no small feat, given the pool of stakeholders continues to grow, technologies constantly advance, and many utilities are simply trying to keep up with it all. But, of course, the power sector does have leaders in the space who aren’t waiting for innovation to come to them but are spearheading the next generation. Duquesne Light Company (DLC) is one such company, and they are led in those efforts by Elizabeth Cook, Director of Advanced Systems and the Grid Modernization Program.
In this featured interview for the 2023 Innovation Special Issue, Energy Central recognizes Elizabeth as a Champion of Innovation. Elizabeth was nominated by an industry peer for her litany of accomplishments, including the development of the Smart Electric Energy District (SEED) concept, implementation of Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR), electrification research, and industry collaboration to conceptualize a Smart Grid Chip (SGC).
With this award of an Innovation Champion comes the following spotlight interview, where we had a chance to discuss what goes into this spirit of innovation and what future opportunities still lay ahead.
Matt Chester: Congratulations on being selected as one of our Champions of Innovation for 2023! Can you tell us a bit about your role in the utility sector and how you got started in this space?
Elizabeth Cook: I'm currently in my 19th year in the electric utility industry. I started my journey after obtaining a degree in electrical engineering, joining Mitsubishi Electric Power Products as a power system engineering consultant. It was an exciting opportunity right out of the gate, as my primary role involved collaborating with various utilities to conduct studies that would assist them in optimizing their operations.
In the initial phase of my career, spanning six years, my focus was on pre-specification and equipment sizing. This entailed building models and running studies to analyze transients, determine ratings and capabilities, and establish optimal equipment connections. Most of my work during this time revolved around transmission systems.
However, my path eventually led me to delve into large system studies, particularly in power flow solutions and load and generation connections. One of the notable projects I worked on involved analyzing cluster generation queues in California when wind farms were being introduced. It was an eye-opening experience as our studies played a crucial role in assessing the feasibility of these initiatives. These endeavors also turned me into a 'road warrior,' constantly traveling and working with utilities across the United States. While I thoroughly enjoyed my job, I realized it was taking a toll on my family, as my children began to inquire about my whereabouts.
At this juncture, an exciting opportunity presented itself at Duquesne Light Company, my local utility in Pittsburgh. I joined as a senior manager of transmission planning, essentially assuming a role I had been supporting for the past six years. While we did have a transmission system in place, it had originally been designed to cater to the now-defunct steel industry. As a result, my expertise and studies proved invaluable in terms of assessing and improving our transmission infrastructure, aligning it with modern requirements and regulations.
However, my curiosity soon led me to explore the realm of distribution grids. I started asking questions and realized there was a significant need for data and models within our distribution system. This realization fueled my drive to become heavily involved in building the technical infrastructure necessary to gather data, construct models, and run studies. By doing so, we aimed to unlock insights that were previously unattainable.
This quest for knowledge and data became my mantra. Recognizing the power of information in making quantifiable decisions regarding complex systems, I became passionate about utilizing this capability to drive transformation and enhance our understanding of the distribution grid. Simultaneously, I pursued further education, completing my master's degree in 2011 and subsequently enrolling in a doctoral program. In 2020, I successfully defended my dissertation, which focused on data analytics and machine learning algorithms. Specifically, I leveraged the data collected from the smart meter technology we fully implemented in 2018 to study voltage correlations and identify system topology. The journey was truly enlightening, as I discovered that machine learning, data analytics, and data science are essentially elegant expressions of the language of mathematics. It involved taking mathematical concepts to their highest level and utilizing powerful computational systems to execute simulations and gain insights.
The identification of system topology through my research was a significant turning point. I championed this concept within the organization, emphasizing the newfound possibilities and igniting a shift in mindset. By showcasing what we had achieved, I encouraged others to dream about the multitude of potential applications that lay before us. This mindset shift has laid the foundation for many of the projects we are currently undertaking.