We meet Sangram Bhosale, Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Xcel Energy to see how procurement is changing the way the energy giant operates through a progressive, value-unlocking change in its role…
As the world wrestles with the ongoing energy crisis, energy companies delivering the power we rely on are dramatically shifting their operations and focusing on meeting the challenges of a new tomorrow.
The rising cost of fuel to customers and the impact of fossil fuels on the environment, plus increased demand due to electrification, means that energy companies need to create new, more innovative ways to keep our cities and homes powered. Simultaneously, customers expect more energy affordability with innovative metering capabilities as the digitization of homes accelerates. Therefore, energy companies are not only making that switch to renewables but also reconfiguring their internal business strategies to make them more resilient and agile in an ever-changing landscape of geo-political and supply uncertainty. The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) is at the forefront of this purposeful and sagacious transition.
Sangram Bhosale is a highly experienced CPO with an impressive track record of delivering procurement excellence within the energy sector for some of its biggest names. When the former TransAlta and Husky Energy CPO joined Xcel Energy as Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) in 2020, he wasted no time devising a procurement transformation plan to advance the function to the top quartile. One that would capacitate the rest of the organization to meet and overcome the many technical and tactical challenges to meet current and future needs
Mr. Bhosale leads a diverse and geographically dispersed team across Xcel’s footprint that is split evenly across Procurement, Warehousing, and Fleet management. His team is responsible for the procurement of $8 billion in direct and indirect spend, and the operation of 70 warehouse and distribution centers, storing everything from capital spares to the consumables needed to keep the power plants humming and gas flowing. In addition, his team manages the life cycle of Xcel’s 7,500 fleet vehicles, including sedans, light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks, and specialty equipment.
Xcel Energy Inc. is an American utility founded in 1909 and based in Minneapolis, serving more than 3.7 million electric and 2.1 million natural gas customers in eight western and midwestern states. In December 2018, Xcel Energy announced it would deliver 100% clean, carbon-free electricity by 2050, with an 80% carbon reduction by 2035 (from 2005 levels). Xcel Energy was the first major US utility to set such a goal.
What attracted Bhosale to Xcel Energy was its visionary leadership team and an opportunity to catalyze the profound shift in how energy is generated and consumed. “One of the things that I love, and a big part of why I joined Xcel Energy, is that we are a purpose-driven organization with a bold vision of being an industry leader in clean energy. The fast-evolving and innovation-driven utility industry also attracted me,” he tells us from his Denver office. “Today, utilities are no longer the stodgy beast of yesteryears where not much had changed for decades. New technology is being explored and adopted, with billions invested in grid expansion and strengthening to meet reliable, cleaner, and increased energy demand. To be at the forefront of and lead that clean energy transition aligns closely with my values and beliefs and makes my role at Xcel Energy very exciting.”
