Rudolph Wynter’s Post

As I prepare to leave the company where I have spent the last 36 years of my career, I wanted to share my immense gratitude and pride. In my time, National Grid has grown and changed with the energy industry. However, what hasn’t changed is the commitment the company brings to our work every day. The energy industry is complex, essential, and exciting, which makes the work so important. Time and time again, I’ve seen this team go above and beyond to do what’s right and what’s needed – even when it was incredibly difficult. National Grid isn’t just an energy company. Even as we explored new technology and made significant strides in advancing the clean energy transition, I am proud that we never compromised our commitment to our customers and our communities. This team’s skills, resilience, and shared sense of purpose will continue to deliver results no matter what comes. While I’m finished leading National Grid NY, I am not finished playing a leading role in the energy transition. Recently, US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm appointed me to the inaugural board of the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation.   This brand-new organization, affiliated with the Department of Energy, is tasked with commercializing energy technology. I look forward to leaning in, as I always do, with that organization as well as finding even more ways to contribute to the industry going forward. I’m so proud of the time I spent at National Grid. I’m thankful for my colleagues for everything that they do for our customers, and for each other, every day and making this such a special place to work.

This month, National Grid signed the first six recipients into our Electric Worker Scholarship program in Albany. This marks an exciting step towards building the skilled workforce that will be able to carry out New York’s clean energy transition. The scholarship, which provides tuition funding and covers education-related expenses, allows students from diverse backgrounds to earn their two-year Electrical Construction Maintenance (AOS) Degree or Overhead Electric Line Worker Certificate from Hudson Valley Community College, unburdened by financial challenges. As we continue to carry out the Upstate Upgrade—National Grid’s $4 billion investment in transmission upgrade projects—we know that our workers are the lifeforce of the operation. This project is making essential transmission improvements to support and strengthen our grid capacity. While National Grid’s investments in infrastructure are critically important to maintaining safety and reliability, our grid system is only as strong as the skilled workers that maintain it. National Grid is dedicated to developing a strong and capable workforce, bringing new people into the industry while making sure these opportunities are accessible to all New Yorkers. We are working to build a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy grid, and committed to building a diverse workforce to get the job done.

If you’ve been keeping up with our clean energy upgrades, you would know that National Grid has been working hard to roll out our Upstate Upgrade. This is National Grid’s $4 billion investment package of 70 transmission upgrade projects that will increase grid capacity and improve resilience to extreme weather. Since we first announced the project earlier this year, our team has been working tirelessly to bring it to life: https://lnkd.in/dxH_B9cB Head to https://lnkd.in/d6FpREfM to see how we’re on our way to building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy grid—and setting the stage for New York’s clean energy transition. 

Long summer days are a reminder of the promise of solar energy, but we need to make sure solar is accessible to all New Yorkers. One way National Grid is doing this is by interconnecting community solar projects, which allow renters and low-income New Yorkers to access affordable solar energy. Read my article to learn more about the important role community solar will play in New York’s energy transition, and how National Grid is enabling more New Yorkers to connect to these projects. #affordability #communitysolar #solar

As we incorporate more renewable energy into New York's energy mix, we also much upgrade our grid to accommodate larger electricity loads. One way we're doing this is by installing Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) technology. DLR enables us to deliver more clean energy with greater efficiency by providing real-time data that our operators can use to maximize line capacity and safely move power to where it is needed most, especially during extreme weather. We recently deployed Line Vision’s DLR on four 115kV transmission lines in Western New York. This is the largest operationalization of an innovative line rating technology in the United States and the first in New York. As utilities think about increased electric demand as part of the clean energy transition, DLR is a gamechanger for ensuring that supply is moving where it is needed as efficiently as possible. National Grid is proud to work with companies that share our dedication to accelerating a stronger, smarter, and cleaner energy system. This project is an exciting step forward, and we look forward to building on this progress to develop the infrastructure necessary for a sustainable future.

I am honored to share that I have been appointed to serve as an inaugural board member of the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI). FESI is the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s first ever agency-related Foundation. A key pillar of our mission is accelerating the nation’s clean energy transition through innovation, research, and investments in groundbreaking technologies. The Foundation will bring together the private sector and philanthropic community to accelerate the commercialization of new energy technologies by providing resources, tools, and expertise to partners across the country. As the leader of one of the largest combined utilities in the Northeast and an engineer by training, I’m thrilled that the Department’s first ever agency-related Foundation will focus on a topic I care deeply about – developing transformative technological solutions to the greatest challenges of our time. I’m proud to play a role in this important work and look forward to working with partners in New York and across the country to support new innovations that will enable us to achieve our clean energy goals. Learn more about FESI here:

I was honored to receive the United Way of New York City's Community Quarterback Award. National Grid’s relationship with UWNYC is special. We are proud to serve on its Board, which I did for a number of years and Lorraine Lynch does now. Additionally, members of the National Grid team have served as loaned executives in support of UWNYC's corporate development work. We have members on United Way Boards across the state, working with the teams to provide educational opportunities, workforce development, and emergency food and heating assistance to New Yorkers in need. Through Project C, National Grid’s commitment to supporting neighborhoods across New York, we’ve worked with UWNYC on a variety of initiatives, including the Campaign for Equality which provided essential support for Black and Brown communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We also proudly support UWNYC’s signature programming like Women United, which brings women together to respond to critical community needs across the city, and Read NYC, an initiative aimed at ensuring low-income New Yorkers have access to books at home and in school. National Grid is not just an energy company, we are a power company that empowers the communities we serve. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done with UWNYC, and I’m honored to accept the award on behalf of all the National Grid employees who have devoted their time and effort to supporting UWNYC’s community programs. #NGProjectC #StandForC #Gridirongala

At National Grid, making a positive impact on the communities we serve is central to who we are. From Buffalo to Long Island and in all the vibrant neighborhoods in between, New York is not just an area we serve – it’s home. This past week was #NationalVolunteerWeek and I’m proud to share an update on the work we’re doing through our Project C commitment to the community. Project C was launched in 2021 to provide focused attention with community partners, giving back even more to the communities we serve in a way that goes beyond the work we do to provide reliable energy service. Since the launch of Project C, National Grid has supported more than 183,000 local businesses, launched more than 1,000 community partnerships, and volunteered more than 55,000 hours. Some of our recent community initiatives include assisting library staff with spring cleaning and gardening, supporting our Veterans and their families through Long Island Cares, teaching students at University of Buffalo about local careers in STEM, and distributing 100 bicycles to children in Brooklyn. It's the citizens and communities across New York that makes this state special. They’re front and center of everything we do at National Grid and inspire our commitment to giving back. These amazing examples just scratch the surface of the impact National Grid volunteers have had statewide. Learn more about our Project C commitment here: https://lnkd.in/e49_HC97 #NGProjectC

Today, as we recognize #EarthDay, I’ve been reflecting on the progress we’ve made towards reaching the initial CLCPA benchmarks and the work we still must do to ensure a clean energy future for our kids, neighbors, and fellow citizens. #NGProjectC

To make sure the opportunities that will be available in the clean energy economy are accessible to everyone, National Grid works with partners across the state to provide educational and training opportunities for youth and young adults that cultivate a love of science and give the next generation the tools they need to succeed. This weekend, members of the National Grid team led an event for middle and high school students in the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) KeyBank Future Innovators program, which provides BIPOC students skill-based science learning opportunities. Students discussed how their interests and talents could transfer into a career at National Grid, and then participated in a hands-on demonstration of new Fault Location, Isolation and Service Restoration (FLISR), a new technology we’re installing on our transmission lines to increase resiliency. Building a stronger, smarter, cleaner energy future doesn’t just mean investing in new infrastructure and installing new technology. We also have to cultivate the next generation of energy leaders. I’m proud that National Grid prioritizes collaborations with partners like MOST that prepare young New Yorkers for the opportunities that the clean energy transition will create.