The Ad Hoc Group

Congratulations to our client Overstory! It’s an honor to work with companies that are doing well while doing good!

Over the past decade, electric utilities have invested billions of dollars in wildfire prevention. That investment has paid off measurably. But it has not changed one stubborn fact: when an ignition happens anyway, someone still has to put it out fast.   Autonomous aerial systems are now reaching a capability threshold that makes rapid, utility-coordinated initial attack feasible in ways it has never been before. Companies like Seneca are building AI-piloted suppression aircraft that can carry meaningful payloads, launch from any terrain, and arrive on scene in under ten minutes. For the first time, utilities have a viable technology option for the early window.   But the hard questions remain: - Who pays for it, and how do regulators decide what's recoverable? - What does coordination with state and local fire agencies look like, and who has authority to dispatch? - How does a utility drone share airspace with a CAL FIRE helicopter? - And if a utility invests in suppression resources that fail to contain a fire, what is the liability exposure? Join us in collaboration with The Ad Hoc Group on August 26 for a free conversation on the evolving role utilities can play in consequence reduction and wildfire response. You'll hear from: Jay Griffin, former Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Chairman + The Ad Hoc Group Senior Advisor Andrew Abranches, PG&E Vice President of Wildfire Mitigation Stuart Landesberg, Seneca CEO + Founder Moderated by The Ad Hoc Group's CEO, Jim Kapsis.   This conversation is a preview of conversations taking place at the 2027 Power Resilience Forum, on February 3-5, 2027, which will also feature conversations on grid hardening, cyber security, and resilience investment.   Can’t attend live? Register to receive a recording of this webinar. Find the registration link in the comments.

Today's the last day to secure current pricing for Latitude Media and Ad Hoc Group’s Flex Summit 2026. Prices increase tomorrow, August 1! Taking place October 14–15 in Austin, the event will bring together leaders from across the flexibility ecosystem to explore distributed capacity, the evolving VPP market, grid utilization, affordability, resilience, and the impact of rapidly growing AI and data center demand. Several members of the Ad Hoc network will be there, and we hope to see many more of you in Austin. Register today: https://lnkd.in/gxQ4k3pp #FlexSummit2026

Can data centers become part of the solution to the grid constraints they're helping create? That's the premise behind Google's latest work on distributed energy resources — from batteries and demand response to energy efficiency. In this month's The Ad Hoc Gist, Ellen Zuckerman chats with Jim Kapsis about why Google is investing in these resources, whether they can meaningfully free up grid capacity, and what regulators need to do to make these models work at scale. Read the latest edition below:

We are seeking an outstanding operations partner to serve as our first-ever Chief of Staff. This individual will be a high-leverage partner to AHG's CEO and Leadership Team. As we scale toward our next phase of growth, the CoS will be the person who ensures the organization operates with clarity, alignment, and momentum so our leadership can stay focused on clients, relationships, and the mission. This is a broad, high-level operational role designed for an ambitious, highly structured professional capable of facilitating strategic executive decision-making. The Chief of Staff will serve as a member of the Operations Team (OT) and will manage the process and workflows for Leadership Team (LT) meetings. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CoS will serve as a deeply trusted partner, ensuring senior leaders stay fully aligned and informed. They will also directly supervise and support the Executive Operations Manager, taking accountability for the timelines and health of the firm's operational workflows. There is a strong preference for candidates based in an AHG hub city—specifically Washington, D.C. or New York City—to ensure they can quickly build trust in person and integrate with senior leaders. Additional details, including salary range, can be found in the job posting. Please pass this posting along if you know anyone who would be a great fit. https://lnkd.in/gsEuWckH

The Ad Hoc Group is growing (stay tuned for announcements about new team members soon) and so are our employees! We couldn't be more proud to announce the promotions of Matt Anderson to Engagement Manager and Max Roland Davidson to Senior Associate. And the phenomenal Anjana Agarwal officially adds Grid Resilience Practice Lead to her role as a Principal. Congratulations to all of them!

Our team works with multiple wildfire tech companies, and spends a lot of time with utility executives discussing current pain points and industry trends. Don't miss Anjana Agarwal, head of our resilience practice, speaking today on this SEPA webinar.

Last week The Ad Hoc Group joined Xcel Energy, Technosylva, and Pano AI at the Wildfire Readiness & Resilience Workshop: Strategies for Utilities Beyond the West in Denver, CO. The workshop reinforced how important it is for utilities, emergency response partners, and industry leaders to share lessons learned, practical strategies, and next steps. Some key takeaways from the workshop included: Wildfire risk is no longer limited to the West. Utilities across the Midwest, Plains, Great Lakes, and other regions are beginning to see how drought, wind, fuel conditions, and changing weather patterns can create wildfire exposure. Risk is dynamic and changes day by day. Static risk maps are helpful for long-term planning, but real-time weather, fuel conditions, wind, humidity, outage risk, and ignition potential are critical for making informed operational decisions. Preparedness requires multiple layers of defense. From meteorology, modeling, weather stations, AI cameras, to vegetation management, system hardening, EPSS, and PSPS, utilities are building layered approaches to reduce risk. Ad Hoc’s Anjana Agarwal participated on a Financial, Insurance, and Regulatory Implications of Wildfire Risk panel and Joshua Grelle moderated a Wildfire Planning: First Steps on Preparing, Preventing, and Responding to Wildfire Risk panel. Many thanks to Xcel Energy and Paul McGregor's team for their hospitality and commitment to mentorship in the wildfire mitigation space.

One week to go! Join Max Tuttman and Joseph Forline alongside utilities, transportation agencies, engineers, contractors, damage prevention professionals, and technology leaders in Brooklyn for a day focused on three outcomes: - Reimagining 811 to drive better alignment, fewer damages, and a safer NY - Modernizing utility operations with AI to drive smarter project delivery - Optimizing infrastructure delivery through partnerships