Paul Hinnenkamp, chief operating officer for host utility Entergy Corp., will be one of Tuesday’s keynote speakers at .

Hinnenkamp has spent 18 years with Entergy, starting out in operations support and working on various facets from environmental programs to capital projects. He was named COO in 2015.

He talked to us about Entergy, of course, his experience in nuclear power and how much technology is driving change not only within the company but industry-wide. The Day One DistribuTECH keynote begins 9 a.m. CT in New Orleans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

1. This is DistribuTECH’s first trip to New Orleans. Aside from the usual things we know about the city’s attractions, what is a best-kept secret fun thing that you like about it?

“Welcome to New Orleans! I think what you’ll find most interesting, more so than anything else, are the people of New Orleans. We’re a diverse city with an incredibly kind and passionate group of locals that make up the fabric of this city. It’s truly a patchwork of unique individuals who will go out of their way to ensure you have a good experience while you’re here. I would say do as the locals do. Take a stroll and talk to people and, I think, you will pull more from those conversations than anything else the city can offer. The food’s not too bad either. And of course you are visiting during Carnival!”

2. Tell us a little about the Entergy generation mix and what you’re doing in terms of distributed energy interaction?

“Like most utilities, we are doing everything we can to ensure our power is coming from the most reliable sources possible. And like most, we’re working diligently to make sure that happens as efficiently as possible and in an environmentally-responsible way. Over the next few years, our business model includes more and more renewable sources of power and that’s something that’s important for us to achieve.”

3. You worked in the nuclear energy early on at Entergy. That is something many utilities are moving away from. But do you see a role for it and any thoughts on its future value to the generation mix?

“We continue to make calculated and responsible investments in our nuclear fleet. Investing in the long-term sustainability of Entergy’s nuclear facilities enables us to preserve the positive benefits associated with a diversified energy portfolio, such as clean power, minimal environmental footprint and stable cost benefits for our customers. Our nuclear plants are also necessary to ensure the continued reliability of our electric grid. The investment in the company’s nuclear plants aligns with our commitment to operate a leading energy business and achieve our goal of operational excellence.”

4. Data and control technologies more and more seem to be dominating how the smart grid is evolving. Where does Entergy see the greatest value in capital investment from transmission substation to the meter?

“You’re absolutely right. Technology is really what’s driving not just Entergy, but the entire industry right now. It really is the ‘what’s next’ for all of us. Grid modernization is a major part of what we’re focusing our efforts on in the next few years and the part I’m most excited about is the data we’ll learn. More than ever before, we will have real, hard proof points of how our customers are using our product. When we leverage that data properly, truly understand the outcomes that our customers are seeking and deliver those outcomes, then we will delight the customer like we never have before.”

5. You are one of DistribuTECH’s Day One Keynote speakers. Give us a little sneak preview on what you’ll be talking at the keynote?

“The utility industry is currently undergoing rapid change. I’ll be talking about Entergy and the broader utility industry. Both are being reimagined, if you will. I will share a bit of the journey we are on and where we need to be in the next few years to ensure we’re serving our customers and communities with new products and services. That’s how We Power Life!”

This article was originally published on and is republished here with permission.��

For a recap of Hinnenkamp’s remarks at DistribuTECH 2019, including a link to accompanying slides, click here.

Modern society is using tech in ways we never have before. What can’t you do with your smart phone? What outcomes does technology deliver to you?

Because of that mindset and those patterns of consumer behavior, the utility industry must shift focus. We have to move from providing customers with an input to providing the products and services customers want to power their lives. We must focus on and deliver the new outcomes customers want.

Doing so means moving from a supplier to a partner. Shifting from a ratepayer mentality to a customer-driven mentality. We must solve problems with and for our customers.

Our world moves quickly, and it’s getting faster. Our stakeholders’ expectations of us are changing. Customer service has been and continues to be redefined and reimagined. Long-term success will be dependent on our ability to provide products and services that meet and exceed expectations.

Netflix went from a start-up DVD mail rental service to winning Academy Awards in the space of 20 years. The grid is more than 100 years old. It’s still a marvel today, but it’s past time to ask ourselves: What will utilities look like in 20 years?

The level of tech interest in the utility sector is pretty high these days. Utilities are exploring ways to deploy tech that improves the lives of customers:

• Grid modernization efforts will continue as customers enjoy the benefits of advanced meters, distribution automation, electric vehicles, smart thermostats, wireless charging systems and more.
• Better information about how customers use our product will provide clearer insight than ever on what customers want and need. What new products and services will be informed by today’s investments in data analytics?

At Entergy, we’re deploying technologies now that offer a wide range of benefits. We’ll use that technology to help deliver world class service. We’re making investments in generation, transmission and distribution to build a brighter future. A few examples:

• Generation: We’re expanding green energy options. We’ve got almost 5 GW of new generation in various phases of development and construction, comprised of gas, acquisitions and renewables. We’re also pursuing 1000 MW of renewable generation. That number is expected to grow as the economics, performance and reliability of these resources continues to improve.

  (It’s worth noting that exceeding environmental requirements is nothing new for Entergy.��In 2001, we were the first U.S. utility to voluntarily commit to stabilizing CO2 emissions. We’ve extended that commitment twice. Most recently, we made a voluntary pledge to maintain our CO2 emissions at 20 percent below year 2000 levels through 2020.)

• Transmission: In 2018, we placed more than $1 billion of new transmission facilities into service, including 67 major projects, 205 miles of new lines and 10 new substations. In addition, 96 miles of existing line and 100 substations were upgraded.

• Distribution: Our grid modernization projects include the installation of 3 million automated meters. This effort will enhance reliability and allow for more accurate detection of problems and faster response times. These meters will also provide our customers with new, transparent energy management tools and enable us to offer new energy-saving programs.

��And we’re doing all of this while providing power at some of the lowest rates in the country.

What the utility of the future looks like may be very uncertain. But we know that to get there, we have to execute on what is in front of us extremely well, radically improve the customer experience, and create a high-performing, flexible organization.

At Entergy, our vision is simple but strong – We Power Life. We power homes, hospitals, schools and industry. And we’re preparing for a future in which we remain at the core of our customers’ lives, continuing to power the communities we serve.

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These remarks were originally presented during a keynote address at the DistribuTECH Conference, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in February 2019. To download related slides, click here.