Schweitzer Drive

Power systems quietly and reliably move enormous amounts of energy every day. But when things go wrong—when there is too much current or a fault on the line, something has to act fast. That job belongs to the circuit breaker. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead and guest Kylan Robinson, engineering director at SEL, discuss how circuit breakers sense trouble, interrupt currents as powerful as a lightning bolt, work with protective relays to keep the grid safe, and are evolving to meet new demands.

In this follow-up to our "Ask Dave Anything" episode, SEL President Dave Whitehead is back in the hot seat to tackle another round of listener‑submitted questions. Guest host Nic Seeley, senior vice president of Engineering Services at SEL, guides the conversation asking about everything from the challenges facing the electric power industry to how SEL is approaching innovation today—and how leaders can stay grounded while navigating rapid change.
Dave also shares personal insights, lessons learned over his career, and a few stories that didn't make it into the first episode.
If you enjoyed the candid, wide‑ranging discussion in Part 1, we think you will appreciate this deeper dive into the ideas shaping Dave's thinking and the future of our industry.

In this episode, we turn the tables on host Dave Whitehead and put him in the hot seat. Guest host Bryan Fazzari, SEL vice president of marketing, takes over the mic to ask Dave questions submitted by listeners.
They wanted to know everything—from the future of electric power and emerging technologies to Dave's thoughts on leadership and innovation. If you've ever wondered what shapes his perspective on the industry and where technology is headed, this is your chance to find out.

Peter Godart, co-founder of Found Energy, visits Schweitzer Drive to discuss a novel approach to energy: using aluminum as a high-density, carbon-free fuel. Learn how this technology works, why it's 40x more energy dense than batteries, and how it could transform everything from long-duration storage to container ships and coal plant retrofits.

What do electric power and emergency response have in common? More than you might expect. In this episode, host Dave Whitehead talks with radio engineer Jordan Coreson and communications and cybersecurity expert Ryan Bradetich about how precision timing—originally developed for the electric grid—is now helping solve big challenges in 911 systems.