PBºN Episode - 11

Written By Live Digital Box

Summary

Pam Rauch, Vice President of External Affairs and Economic Development for Florida Power & Light (FPL), discusses her personal and professional journey, including her early life as a "Florida girl," her career path from law to FPL, and her significant contributions to FPL's community engagement and economic development initiatives. She highlights FPL's commitment to clean energy, hurricane preparedness, and the adoption of electric vehicles, emphasizing the company's role as a national leader in energy innovation and community partnership.

Key topics

  • Pam Rauch's Background:

    • Born and raised in South Florida.

    • Developed a competitive spirit through playing tennis, becoming captain at the University of North Carolina.

    • Parents instilled a strong work ethic, valuing hard work and opportunity.

    • Father was a gastroenterologist; family moved to Florida in the late 1960s.

    • Loves holidays and making them special for her family, including her two sons.

    • Describes herself as optimistic, energetic, and balanced.

    • Relaxes by being outdoors (golf, swimming, cycling, walking) and occasionally "Netflix binging."

  • Career Path to FPL:

    • Attended FSU Law School, drawn to Tallahassee's governmental environment.

    • Started her legal career at Gunster in Palm Beach County, then moved to Jones and Foster, focusing on local government law.

    • Worked with towns like Palm Beach, Tequesta, and Lighthouse Point.

    • Took a sabbatical to travel and bike through Colorado and Alaska, realizing her passion for law, but in a different context.

    • Joined the City of West Palm Beach as a lawyer under Mayor Nancy Graham, playing a key role in the transformation of downtown, including the Rosemary Square (formerly CityPlace) project.

    • The experience taught her the importance of teamwork and finding solutions ("how to get to yes").

  • Role at FPL (25 years and counting):

    • Joined FPL in 1999 in the Law Department, initially working on real estate matters for wind and solar development.

    • Observed FPL's cultural shift towards cost-effectiveness, reliability, and clean energy.

    • Became Vice President of External Affairs and Economic Development in 2008, being the first woman in the role.

  • Community Engagement and "Power to Care" Program:

    • Oversees a team that acts as a point of contact for local stakeholders and officials.

    • Launched the "Power to Care" program to leverage employee volunteerism, creating events with Community Partners.

    • Employees wear green shirts (visible at community events).

    • "Dollars for Doers" program incentivizes volunteering by donating to employees' chosen charities.

    • Annual "iPledge" campaign raises over $4 million for charities statewide.

    • Manatee Lagoon in Palm Beach County is a key showcase, offering free public access and educating visitors on manatees and FPL's environmental coexistence.

  • Economic Development Initiatives:

    • Created FPL's economic development team in 2011 during the Great Recession.

    • Implemented electric bill discounts for businesses moving to or expanding in Florida, creating jobs or using significant power.

    • Developed online tools for site selectors, providing data on demographics, property costs, and schools across Florida.

    • Contributed to over 27,000 direct net new jobs and 280+ companies in Florida, with billions in economic impact.

    • Acts as a community partner, with FPL's CEO advocating for Florida and assisting companies with relocation needs.

  • Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery:

    • FPL considers itself "First Responders" during hurricanes.

    • Utilizes an "incident command system" (military-like structure) with top-to-bottom employee involvement.

    • Conducts annual dry runs and operates a Cat 5 Command Center for logistics and communication.

    • A team of 100+ employees occupies Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) across impacted counties 24/7.

    • Focuses on efficient crew positioning for rapid restoration after storms.

    • Implemented "Storm Secure Plan" with aggressive vegetation management and pole inspections.

    • Replaced old wooden poles with higher wind-rated steel concrete poles; transmission grid is now all concrete.

    • Undergrounding lateral lines in neighborhoods to improve reliability (a methodical, PSC-approved plan).

    • Undergrounding doesn't solve all problems (e.g., storm surge impact on transformers) but significantly improves reliability.

    • Sets up "staging sites" (mini-cities) for thousands of crews, where FPL employees assist with logistics and support.

  • Clean Energy Initiatives (Solar, Batteries, Hydrogen):

    • Solar power is the most cost-effective generation for FPL, hedging against volatile fuel costs.

    • In 2022, solar saved customers $375 million.

    • "30 by 30" goal: Installing 30 million solar panels by 2030, now projected to be achieved by the end of 2025.

    • Currently has 66 operational solar projects (75 MW each, 330,000 panels on 300-400 acres).

    • "Real Zero" commitment: Aiming for no emissions, not just offsetting.

    • Batteries: Essential for optimizing solar (generating power at night). FPL built the world's largest battery in Manatee County (40 acres, equivalent to 100 million C-cell phone batteries) and is piloting various battery sizes.

    • Hydrogen: Piloting a hydrogen project at the Okeechobee Clean Energy Center (natural gas plant) to reduce emissions by feeding hydrogen into the plant.

  • Electric Vehicle (EV) Adoption:

    • Florida is the second-largest user of EVs, with almost 230,000 in the state.

    • Expects 50% of vehicles in Florida to be electric by 2030.

    • FPL's strategy:

      • FPL Evolution Public Charging Program: Installing public fast chargers statewide, compatible with all EV models, with a companion app.

      • FPL Evolution Home Program: Installs free home chargers, with a low monthly flat fee covering free nighttime and off-peak charging.

      • FPL Evolution Fleet: Advising companies on converting their fleets to electric, leveraging FPL's own commitment to 50% electric fleet by 2030.

  • Personal Legacy and Future:

    • Wants her legacy to be a good mom and wife.

    • Professionally, hopes to be remembered for contributing to a collaborative culture at NextEra Energy.

    • Proud of her involvement in the growth and development of Palm Beach County.

    • Looking forward to being an empty nester, adjusting to new freedom, traveling, and improving her golf handicap.

Live Digital Box
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PBºN Episode - 12
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PBºN Episode - 10