A recording of this talk is available.
The talk will be held virtually via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono.
- Virtual attendance: Complete the registration form for Zoom connection information
Speakers: Karina Graeter and James Rather, Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission
Power outages from inclement weather are a significant hazard in Maine, where outages are among the most frequent in the country, and are likely to become more frequent in Maine’s changing climate. While upgrading the electrical grid infrastructure is the responsibility of the electric utilities, there are many actions that Maine’s regions, state and local government(s), and community-based organizations can take to build upon and coordinate with utilities’ efforts to increase resilience. Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC), York and southern Oxford County’s Council of Governments, recently completed a plan that includes an array of interventions designed to increase resilience to power outages in southern Maine. Join this session to learn about how power outages are affecting southern Maine communities and the actions the region will take to improve energy resilience in the face of a stormier future.
Karina Graeter serves as the Sustainability Division Director for Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC), leading efforts to assist communities in local and regional response to climate change. Prior to joining SMPDC, Karina served as the Sustainability Coordinator for the University of Maine.
James Rather serves as SMPDC’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, overseeing many projects in economic development and long-range planning. James comes to SMPDC from the planning departments at the City of Portland, City of New York, and several firms within the private and nonprofit sectors.
