From Fort Peck, Montana to Tijuana, Mexico, the alternating current transmission network in the West oscillates in the narrow band of narrow band 59.97 and 60.02 cycles per second. On Frequency Band, the California ISO will host industry experts to talk about how the physics, economics, and governance of the grid come together to to keep the system in sync.
Frequency Band - S1 E7: Grid Talk: Engaging Conversations in Energy
Hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson interview Julia Selker and Spencer Gray about the evolving electric grid, exploring challenges and opportunities for its future.
22 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
Frequency Band - S1 E6: Winter outlook. Are we ready?
Hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson interview Mary Wiencke and Kevin Nordt about preparing power systems for winter reliability challenges and projected capacity shortfalls.
25 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT
Frequency Band - S1 E5: EDAM by the Numbers
Hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson interview Grid Status's Connor Waldoch and CAISO's Mark Rothleder about EDAM's early performance and emerging operational trends.
21 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
Frequency Band - S1 E4: Wisdom and wonkiness of the Market Surveillance Committee
How will electricity prices evolve as power systems become more complex, renewable generation grows, and new technologies reshape grid operations? In this episode of Frequency Band, hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson are joined by Jacob Mays and Erik Ela to explore the future of price formation in electricity markets.
Jacob and Erik are two leading experts in power system economics and market design. Jacob Mays is an Assistant Professor at Cornell University, new member of the California ISO Market Surveillance Committee, and electricity market design researcher. Erik Ela is a technical expert who advises organizations around the world, including EPRI and ESIG, on grid operators and power system engineering and economics. They bring valuable insights into ongoing debates around wholesale electricity prices and the market signals that guide investment and operations.
24 Jun 2026
Frequency Band - S1 E3 - Part 2: Wisdom and wonkiness of the Market Surveillance Committee
Net load uncertainty, growing markets, opportunity-cost-based resources, and agent-based simulation of electricity market design changes are the four topics at the forefront of electricity market design. In this episode of Frequency Band, hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson discuss topics that two of the field’s most respected experts on market design find most interesting.
Prof. Benjamin Hobbs and Dr. Scott Harvey are two long standing members of the ISO’s Market Surveillance Committee (MSC). In this two-part series, they share wisdom drawn from decades of experience across North American markets on the “wonkier” side of challenges facing electricity markets.
Creators & Guests
Benjamin Hobbs - Guest
Dr. Scott Harvey - Guest
Becky Robinson - Host
Paul Dockery - Host
Click here to view the episode transcript. (https://share.transistor.fm/s/a38f9da8/transcript)
16 Jun 2026
Frequency Band - S1 E2 - Part 1: Wisdom and wonkiness of the Market Surveillance Committee
Net load uncertainty, growing markets, opportunity-cost-based resources, and agent-based simulation of electricity market design changes are the four topics at the forefront of electricity market design. In this episode of Frequency Band, hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson discuss topics that two of the field’s most respected experts on market design find most interesting.
Prof. Benjamin Hobbs and Dr. Scott Harvey are two long standing members of the ISO’s Market Surveillance Committee (MSC). In this two-part series, they share wisdom drawn from decades of experience across North American markets on the “wonkier” side of challenges facing electricity markets.
Creators & Guests
Benjamin Hobbs - Guest
Dr. Scott Harvey - Guest
20 May 2026
Frequency Band - S1 E2: Decoding Ancillary Services with Grid Experts
Ancillary services help keep our power grid stable. How they work can get technical, complicated, and confusing. In this episode of Frequency Band, hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson break down this vital topic with two leading industry experts.
Emma Nicholson, Energy Economist and former Senior Economic Advisor at FERC, joins Robin Hytowitz, Program Lead at EPRI, to share their deep knowledge of energy markets. Using analogies, they unpack how these essential services maintain grid reliability and balance the constant push and pull of electricity supply and demand.
From frequency response to ramping reserves, we explore the mechanisms that keep the lights on when grid conditions change fast. This episode offers lighthearted, thought-provoking insights into the systems stabilizing our energy future.
21 Apr 2026
Frequency Band - S1 E1: Getting the most from transmission
Episode 1: Getting the Most from Transmission
Transmission is the backbone of the energy grid, and in this inaugural episode of Frequency Band, hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson explore this critical topic with two leading experts. Rob Gramlich, President of GridStrategies, and Kyri Baker, Research Scientist at Google DeepMind and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, share their unique perspectives.
From optimizing power flows to planning and deploying new infrastructure, this episode dives into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of transmission. With engaging discussions and thought-provoking insights, it’s the perfect starting point for a podcast series tackling the big questions in energy.
Click here to view the episode transcript. (https://share.transistor.fm/s/6a7b0f84/transcript)
24 Mar 2026
S1 Trailer: About Frequency Band
Frequency Band hosts Paul Dockery and Becky Robinson will sit down with industry leaders, innovators, and policy experts to bring you fresh perspectives on grid reliability, the clean energy transition, and technological innovation. In the premier episode, out April 21, Grid Strategies President & Founder Rob Gramlich and University of Colorado Boulder’s Kyri Baker dive into the conversation about grid transformation.
Inside a recent episode
Frequency Band - S1 E7: Grid Talk: Engaging Conversations in Energy
Published 3 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] So we're very happy about some of the advancements in the last decade or more on competitive transmission options. I will say, though, to connect it back to the first topic that I raised, the more options that infill and squeeze out more of existing infrastructure and other sectors, that's sort of brownfield development. […]
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
