EPRI

In the early 1970s, the electric utility industry faced a growing credibility problem. The massive Northeast blackout of 1965 had shaken public confidence, and the industry's research and development efforts were fragmented and insufficient. A new approach was needed to tackle the complex challenges of a modernizing power grid. Out of this necessity, the Electric Power Research Institute, or EPRI, was born in 1972. It wasn't founded by a couple of entrepreneurs in a garage, but by the collective will of the U.S. electric utility industry itself, with Dr. Chauncey Starr serving as the visionary founding president. His mission was to create an independent, non-profit organization that could conduct objective, scientific research for the benefit of the entire sector and the public. EPRI's formation represented a pivotal moment. Instead of individual utilities working in silos, they now had a central body to pool resources and knowledge. This collaborative model allowed them to address systemic issues, from improving the reliability of power plants to ensuring the safety of the grid and exploring cleaner energy sources. EPRI operates as a unique, self-funded entity, with member dues providing the capital for its extensive R&D programs, making its founding and continued operation its most significant ongoing event. Today, EPRI stands as a testament to collaborative innovation. It has never had an IPO or been acquired; its value lies in the objective, foundational research it provides. It's the quiet, essential force working in the background, ensuring that when you flip a switch, the lights turn on safely, reliably, and efficiently.