Edison Electric Institute announces finalists for 2019 Edison Award

The Edison Electric Institute recently announced the finalists for the 2019 Edison Award, which recognizes electric companies for their leadership and innovation.

The award nominees include five U.S. and two international electric companies, who were chosen by an independent panel of reviewers.

The AES Corporation, Arizona Public Service Company (APS), Edison International/Southern California Edison (SCE), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Xcel Energy are finalists for this year’s U.S. Edison Award. Australia-based Jemena Electricity Network and Great Britain’s UK Power Networks are finalists for the International Edison Award.

“This year’s Edison Award finalists are leading the clean energy transformation and delivering innovative energy solutions in a rapidly changing world,” EEI President Tom Kuhn said.

Specifically, EEI said that AES made history last year by bringing the world’s largest operational solar-plus-storage system online, creating a new model for stabilizing large-scale renewable energy. The project was designed for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.

APS invested in a battery system rather than traditional line upgrades to address load growth in a rural area of Northeast Arizona.

SCE transformed its smart meter operations into a digitized Reliability Operations Center, enabling the company to continuously monitor for equipment failures. The initiative led to a significant reduction in outage times and safety risks.

TVA developed a new safety dashboard that allows its workforce to monitor safety statistics, as well as quickly identify and correct negative safety trends in real-time.

Xcel Energy has embraced using drones to assess storm damage and efficiently and cost-effectively inspect transmission lines in order to provide better service for its customers.

“EEI’s member companies are making significant progress in reducing carbon emissions and integrating renewables into the energy grid while providing reliable, affordable, secure, and increasingly clean energy that their customers need and expect,” Kuhn said.

A panel of former electric company chief executives will choose the winners. The 91st annual Edison Award will be presented on June 10 at the EEI Annual Convention in Philadelphia.