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Utility Resilience: Lessons from Puerto Rico and Local Preparation

  • UMass Club - 32nd Floor 1 Beacon St Boston, MA, 02108 USA (map)
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Adapting utilities to be resilient to climate impacts, from extreme storm events to heatwaves, poses significant challenges and opportunities for providers and communities. Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 and resulted in the longest blackout in U.S. History. The Forum welcomes Malu Blázquez Arsuaga, the Executive Director of the Resilient Puerto Rico Advisory Commission, and speakers from Resilient Power Puerto Rico to discuss lessons learned from Hurricane Maria and rebuilding resilient utility infrastructure.

We will then turn our focus to local climate impacts and hear what steps are being taken for regional utility resilience. Local utility providers and communities will discuss on-going projects and challenges for climate adaptation in New England.


Forum Co-Chairs

Julie Eaton, Lead Resiliency Engineer - Weston & Sampson

Alex Papali, Green Justice Organizer - Clean Water Action

Keynote Speakers

Malu Blázquez Arsuaga, Executive Director - Resilient Puerto Rico Advisory Commission

Jonathan J. Marvel, FAIA, President - Resilient Power Puerto Rico

Speaker Agenda

Panelists:

  • Yanel de Angel, Associate Principal, Perkins & Will

  • G. Paul Anundson, P.E., Principal Engineer, Electric Standards, National Grid

  • María Belén Power, Associate Executive Director, Chelsea GreenRoots

  • Stacey Kokaram, Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness, Boston Public Health Commission

  • Sam Woolard, Director – Distributing Engineering, Eversource Energy


Registration Information

EBC Member: $35
EBC Membership is corporate – all staff from our member companies can register as an EBC Member.
Not sure if you’re a member? Visit our online Member Directory.

Non-members: $45

Government/Nonprofit: $15
This rate is available for those employed by Government, Municipal, or Nonprofit organizations.

University of Massachusetts – If you are affiliated with the University of Massachusetts, please get in touch with Rebecca Herst, Director of the Sustainable Solutions Lab at UMass Boston, for registration information. All others affiliated with universities or colleges – please use the above Nonprofit rate for registration.

Fine Print: Cancellations must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 23 for a refund. No-shows will be charged.