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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