Energy Central

As electricity demand surges and customer bills come under increasing pressure, utilities are being challenged to balance affordability, reliability, and economic growth. But can bringing more data centers and large industrial customers onto the grid actually help lower costs for everyone else? In this episode of Power Perspectives, Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Christine Martin, President of PPL Electric Utilities, to discuss why electricity prices are rising, how utilities can protect residential customers while supporting massive new loads, and why transparent communication has become just as important as grid infrastructure. Christine explains how PPL is preparing for unprecedented demand growth, why "growth should pay for growth," and what utilities can do to build trust with the communities they serve. Whether you're interested in grid modernization, utility regulation, data centers, or the future of electricity affordability, this conversation offers an inside look at one of the industry's biggest challenges.

As electricity demand surges, utilities are being forced to rethink how they build the transmission grid. In this episode of Power Perspectives, Burns & McDonnell's Brandon Goodwin and Zach Brinker explain why a decades-old debate—lattice towers versus steel poles—is becoming relevant again. They break down the engineering, cost, construction, and reliability tradeoffs behind each approach, and explain how factors like terrain, outage constraints, supply chains, and project scale all influence the right choice. If the grid is going to keep pace with unprecedented demand growth, utilities will need to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions for building the transmission infrastructure of the future. Thank you to Burns & McDonnell for sponsoring this episode. Discover more about Burns & McDonnell: https://hubs.li/Q04qzfSp0

The North American grid remains one of the most reliable in the world—but is that changing? As electricity demand surges from AI data centers, electrification, and new manufacturing, utilities are racing to keep pace while balancing an increasingly complex mix of resources. So how reliable is the grid today? Where are the biggest risks emerging? And what needs to happen to keep the lights on over the next decade? In this episode of Power Perspectives, Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with John Moura, Director of Reliability Assessment and System Analysis at NERC, to unpack the organization's latest long-term reliability assessment. They discuss why some regions face greater reliability risks than others, how the rapid growth of wind, solar, batteries, and data centers is reshaping grid planning, and why data centers may actually strengthen reliability if integrated thoughtfully. Moura also explains why traditional planning metrics are becoming outdated—and what utilities, regulators, and policymakers should do now to build a more reliable grid for the future. Whether you're planning for the next wave of load growth or navigating the evolving generation mix, this conversation offers a timely look at the challenges—and opportunities—ahead for North America's power system.

Wildfire risk is changing—and so is the way utilities respond. In this episode of Power Perspectives, we take an inside look at Arizona Public Service's first-ever Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) and the high-stakes decision-making behind intentionally turning off power to prevent catastrophic wildfires. Host Matt Chester is joined by Wade Ward, Manager of Wildfire Mitigation and Fire Science at Arizona Public Service, and Steve Vanderburgh, Vice President of Weather & Risk Solutions at Technosylva. Together, they explain how advanced weather modeling, wildfire analytics, and operational planning helped guide one of the utility's most difficult decisions. They also discuss how utilities can balance reliability with public safety, why today's wildfire threat extends far beyond California, and what lessons every utility can apply before the next extreme weather event. Whether you're working in utility operations, emergency management, or simply interested in how critical infrastructure adapts to growing climate risks, this conversation offers practical insights into one of the industry's most important challenges. Thank you Technosylva for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about Technosylva here: https://hubs.la/Q04psJRr0

As electricity demand grows and the grid becomes more complex, utilities are looking for smarter ways to deliver reliable, affordable power. I n this episode of Power Perspectives, Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Mike Wilding, Vice President of Energy Supply Management at PacifiCorp, to explore the Extended Day Ahead Market (EDAM) and how it could reshape electricity markets across the western United States. Mike explains how EDAM builds on the success of the Western Energy Imbalance Market by enabling utilities to optimize power generation and transmission a full day in advance rather than only in real time. The conversation covers how better forecasting and regional coordination can lower costs for customers, improve reliability during extreme weather, and make more efficient use of renewable energy resources. Mike also shares the years of collaboration, technology upgrades, and regulatory work required to launch EDAM, along with lessons for utilities considering similar market models. If you're interested in the future of grid operations, regional electricity markets, and utility innovation, this episode offers an accessible look at one of the industry's most significant developments.

In January 2025, the LA wildfires became one of the most destructive weather events in American history—and LADWP, the largest municipally-owned utility in the United States, had to respond in real time…while simultaneously planning for the World Cup, the Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympics. This is how they did it. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Zoraya Oliver-Griffin, LADWP's Chief Resiliency and Emergency Officer, to talk about what it actually takes to build a utility that can withstand anything. From standing up a state-of-the-art emergency ops center to stress-testing infrastructure through back-to-back global events, Zoraya breaks down how LADWP is turning hard-won lessons into a long-term resilience strategy—and why she thinks every major utility needs a role like hers.

Over 80% of installed DER capacity isn't enrolled in a virtual power plant. The technology is ready. The economics are increasingly compelling. What's missing is the regulatory alignment and system-wide planning to bring it all together. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Audrey Zibelman—former CEO of the Australian Energy Market Operator, former Chair of the New York Public Service Commission, and former executive at Alphabet's X moonshot factory—to talk about what it will actually take to get distributed energy resources from promising concept to essential grid tool. From the S-curve of solar adoption in Australia to rethinking how utilities make money, this is a blueprint for what a smarter, more flexible grid can look like. Check out the Pew report Audrey mentions throughout the episode here: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2026/04/distributed-energy-can-unleash-the-resilient-affordable-grid-of-the-future

Utilities have more data than ever before—AMI readings, drone footage, transformer sensors, SCADA signals. The question is no longer whether to collect it. It's how to actually turn it into decisions that keep the lights on. In this roundtable, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Christina Park of Skydio, Mark Gabriel of United Power, Trevor Stiles of ATC, and Sean Vanslyke of SEMO Electric to explore how utilities are evolving their approach to asset management in real time—moving from gut-call prioritization to condition-based maintenance, getting their teams on board with new technology, and building toward a future where failures get caught before they happen. This episode is brought to you by Skydio. Skydio helps utilities move beyond outdated time based maintenance to smarter, safer and more scalable condition-based maintenance. Powered by autonomous remote operated drones, over 280 utilities trust Skydio. Because with real time aerial data and remote inspection, utilities can spot issues early, reduce forced outages and make confident, efficient, cost effective decisions. Learn more about Skydio here: https://www.skydio.com/solutions/utilities

Renewables are now the cheapest source of electricity in history—cheaper than gas, cheaper than coal, and with prices still dropping fast. So why are utilities still planning like the economics haven't changed? In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker speaks with Ramez Naam, climate tech investor and one of the most rigorous trackers of clean energy cost curves, about how solar and batteries won on price, what it will take to rewire utility incentives to reflect that reality, and why hyperscale data centers should be looking at renewables (not behind-the-meter gas) to solve their speed-to-power problem.

Ohio’s House Bill 6 scandal has become one of the most consequential utility corruption cases in US history, and its fallout is still shaping politics, regulation, and public trust in the energy sector. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker speaks with investigative journalist Kathiann Kowalski about how a bill that was designed to support nuclear plants became the center of a $60 million bribery scheme, the conviction and 20-year sentence of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, and the broader web of utility, lobbying, and regulatory influence that followed.

Vegetation management is often treated like routine maintenance, but for utilities it is really about keeping the grid safe under real operating conditions. And on the modern grid, clearance planning has become more complex than ever, while utilities can no longer rely on “blue sky” assumptions when assessing vegetation risk. To dive deeper into the topic, host Kinsey Grant Baker is joined by Otto Lynch of Bentley Systems to discuss how myriad factors impact the engineering realities of keeping the grid constantly operational. Including considerations like conductor sag, high operating temperatures, wind blowout, ice, and structure deflection all change the real distance between a line and nearby vegetation. Too often, utilities underestimate risk and simply clearing an entire right-of-way is not always the smartest or safest answer. Instead, Otto makes the case for more selective, engineering-driven vegetation management that balances reliability, cost, and public trust. The episode also takes a close look at compliance and standards, including what can go wrong when utilities ignore the finer details of wire movement, altitude, or “determined by designer” language in the rules. For utility leaders looking to reduce wildfire risk, improve reliability, and avoid unnecessary maintenance spend, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for building a more mature vegetation-management program over the next five years. Thanks to Bentley Systems for making this episode possible. Bentley Systems is the infrastructure engineering software company delivering innovative solutions that advance and sustain the world's infrastructure. Trusted globally, Bentley's energy portfolio, including Power Line Systems, SPIDA, OpenUtilities, and EasyPower, empowers energy professionals to design, build, and operate smarter, more resilient systems. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

California has long been the proving ground for America’s energy transition, and it’s also where the politics, culture, and storytelling around that transition are being tested in real time. Messaging comes from all corners of the public landscape, including movies, sports, and video games, in addition to the institutions like utilities. Where is there potential to do more with that storytelling? In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Sammy Roth, former climate columnist at the Los Angeles Times and voice behind the Climate-Colored Goggles substack, to explore how renewable industries are selling their story in a fraught political moment, why affordability and reliability are increasingly central to the climate conversation, and how rising demand is reshaping the debate around clean energy. Sammy argues that the energy transition is not just about economics, technology, and regulation, it’s also about culture. The conversation digs into how utilities, policymakers, and clean energy advocates talk about tradeoffs, where messaging often falls short, and what successful storytelling looks like when the public is skeptical. From climate framing to the role of movies, sports, and media, the episode examines why clean energy progress may depend as much on narrative as on infrastructure. The discussion also looks at California as a case study for broader national politics. With energy and climate increasingly shaping elections and policy debates, Sammy shares what the state’s governor’s race reveals about voter priorities, how data centers are changing the conversation, and what lessons utilities and candidates should take into 2026. Register for Energy Central’s live happy hour in DC on June 23: https://luma.com/hw57eoea Climate-Colored Goggles: https://www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/ The obvious choice for California governor: https://www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/california-governor-climate Vattenfall commercial with Samuel L. Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uEpdIKzspA Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Data centers are arriving faster than the grid can be built to serve them, creating real risk for developers, utilities, and customers alike. This won’t surprise anyone who’s been paying attention, but one potential solution that isn’t making the headlines is worth a deeper dive: bridge power. In this episode, Kinsey Grant Baker chats with Jim Smith, President of PowerSecure, to explore how bridge power helps data centers come online while they wait for utility service and larger infrastructure buildouts to catch up. Jim explains why bridge power represents a timely market response,and how natural gas microgrids can provide continuous prime power for several years before transitioning into long-term resiliency and flexibility assets. The conversation also digs into why this model is different from traditional backup generation, where battery integration fits in, and how these systems can help manage load ramps and grid congestion during the interconnection process. Jim shares what good coordination looks like between utilities, developers, and providers, what mistakes bridge power can help avoid, and why the post-bridge value of these assets matters. For utility leaders and data center developers alike, this episode offers a practical look at how to keep projects moving without waiting years for the grid to catch up. Thanks to PowerSecure for making this episode possible. PowerSecure is the nation's leading provider of microgrids and energy solutions. With over 25 years of experience, PowerSecure has developed, installed, and managed more than 3 Gigawatts of microgrid capacity and saved companies over $1 billion in energy efficiency upgrades. To learn more about PowerSecure and bridge power solutions, visit PowerSecure.com. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

A new Pew survey suggests the public is drawing some sharp conclusions about why electricity bills are rising, and not all of them are flattering to utilities. But does public perception match reality, and how much does it actually matter when trust is broken either way? To dive into that survey and a subsequent poll of the Energy Central audience, this episode brings together the Energy Central team of Kinsey Grant Baker, Molly Glick, and Matt Chester to unpack the survey results, including the eye-opening finding that 64% of Americans say utility companies raising profits is the main reason their bills are going up. The conversation digs into what is actually driving rising bills, how utilities are responding, and why the public trust gap may be bigger than many leaders realize. The team also breaks down the reactions from Energy Central readers and how utilities are balancing the need for massive capital investment with the challenge of serving both hyperscalers and everyday customers. This context naturally leads to a discussion on communication, strategy, and regulation. What does good messaging look like when utilities are trying to explain why they are spending more? Is this simply a communications problem, or something deeper in the structure of the business? Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Central Hudson Gas & Electric is in the middle of a major five-year transformation aimed at becoming what CEO Stephanie Raymond calls a “premium utility” — one that leads on performance, reliability, trust, customer focus, and innovation. But what exactly does that mean? In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker chats with Stephanie Raymond of Central Hudson and Josh Eife, Managing Director at Greencastle, to unpack how Central Hudson 2.0 came together, what sparked the need for a sweeping reevaluation, and what happens when a utility decides the status quo is no longer enough. Stephanie walks us through the six pillars shaping the transformation: Growth, Organizational Effectiveness and Optimization, Workforce Engagement, Customer Excellence, Grid Resilience and Reliability, and Work Transformation. The conversation also gets into the practical reality of leading change while keeping day-to-day operations running. Now about a year into execution, the conversation covers what has changed, what surprised leadership, and what lessons emerged early in the process. For utility leaders navigating their own change journeys, this episode offers a grounded look at what it takes to build a “premium utility” in practice, and what that future might mean for both customers and employees. Thanks to Greencastle Consulting for making this episode possible. For nearly 30 years, Greencastle has implemented critical initiatives in highly regulated, high-stakes environments—like utilities—turning strategy into real, measurable results. 100% veteran-owned and operated and headquartered in Pennsylvania, Greencastle specializes in strategy execution: aligning leadership, strengthening governance, and ensuring critical initiatives actually deliver. Whether you’re navigating enterprise-level transformations, grid modernization, or other complex technology programs and regulatory demands, Greencastle embeds with your team to drive clarity, accountability, and real outcomes. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

China’s energy buildout has become one of the defining stories of the global energy transition. And the impacts aren’t constrained just to what happens in China, but the impacts are felt globally and are critical for U.S. utilities and policymakers to understand. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Henry Sanderson, journalist, author, and founder of the Volt Insight newsletter, to explore how China became the world’s largest energy infrastructure builder and what that means for everything from renewables to AI to global competitiveness. Henry explains how China’s power system differs from those in the U.S. and Europe, why the country has been able to scale clean energy technologies so quickly, and how its state-directed investment model has enabled massive buildout in generation, transmission, batteries, and grid modernization. Henry also zooms out to the global implications, discussing China’s dominance in supply chains for solar, batteries, and other clean energy technologies, how that gives the country economic and geopolitical leverage, and whether the U.S. can still compete in an energy system increasingly shaped by electrification and AI. For utility leaders trying to understand where the future of energy power, manufacturing, and grid investment is heading, this conversation offers a clear and sobering look at the scale of China’s advantage. Volt Insight: https://voltrush.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Hydroelectric utilities face a different kind of risk than most other power operators: when a dam is involved, the consequences of failure are not just operational, but they are deeply tied to emergency planning, evacuation, and public safety. That means planning is even more important, and the statistical methods behind that planning must be regularly examined. To get into this critical topic, Kinsey Grant Baker speaks with Chris Goodell of Kleinschmidt Associates, along with Priya Jain and Eric Toth of East Bay Municipal Utility District, about how a pioneering probabilistic approach to dam-breach inundation mapping is changing the way utilities think about uncertainty, response, and communication. Their conversation walks through how inundation maps are used by planners, first responders, and downstream communities when every minute matters. The episode also explores how the team managed tens of thousands of scenarios, how outputs were translated into actionable information, and why this approach can give emergency managers and utility teams a much more complete picture of risk. By diving into a real world case study, these experts highlight what the probabilistic work can reveal, and how it reshapes next steps for the project team. For utility decisionmakers, this timely discussion shows how embracing uncertainty — rather than simplifying it away — can lead to stronger planning, clearer communication, and better outcomes when infrastructure risk is on the line. Thanks to this episode’s sponsor, Kleinschmidt Associates. Kleinschmidt Associates provides engineering, regulatory, and environmental consulting to energy companies and government agencies across North America. For over half a century, we have delivered innovative, practical solutions to complex challenges and sensitive issues. Working at the intersection of science, policy, and engineering, we provide practical solutions for complex renewable energy, water, and environmental projects. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

How does a major utility plan for an energy future that is growing more complex by the day? From data centers to an aging grid to an affordability crisis and more, utility leaders are staring down challenges that are more intertwined and urgent than ever, and managing them all is no small feat. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker chats with Gil Quiniones, CEO of ComEd, to unpack the utility’s latest four-year plan and how it addresses some of the biggest pressures reshaping the grid: explosive data center demand, aging infrastructure, affordability concerns, and reliability expectations that keep rising every year. Gil walks us through what makes northern Illinois such a magnet for hyperscale growth, how ComEd is planning for concentrated load without overbuilding or shifting costs to other customers, and what it means to operate a transmission-and-distribution utility without owning generation. Listen in to get the inside scoop about how ComEd is thinking about affordability, equity, and near-term energy efficiency solutions while still making the long-term investments needed to strengthen the grid. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Utilities depend on accurate field data to keep maps current, manage vegetation, and respond quickly when the grid is under stress, but that gets much harder when the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) isn’t reliable, access is restricted, or conditions make it unsafe for crews to get close. In this episode of Power Perspectives, host Kinsey Grant Baker chats with Laser Tech’s Derrick Reish, Steve Colburn, and Joe Cronn to explore how utilities collect critical measurements in urban, forested, and GNSS-denied environments without sacrificing speed, safety, or data quality. The conversation digs into the real-world consequences of measurement gaps across utility workflows, from planning and compliance to emergency response and outage recovery. To explore how laser rangefinders can help fill those gaps in the field, Derrick, Steve, and Joe walk through how the tools work, when utilities realize they need them, what a pilot or deployment typically looks like, and what best practices help teams get the most value from them. For utility leaders looking to maintain reliable data in difficult conditions, this episodes offers a practical look at how to measure what matters when the usual tools fall short. Thanks to Laser Tech for sponsoring this episode. Collect accurate asset positions in GNSS-impaired environments with LaserGIS. Using offset laser measurement methods, field crews can maximize productivity while working more efficiently in the field. When crews can collect GIS data faster, staying under budget becomes much more likely. And with laser offset workflows, teams can save time while still capturing critical measurement data—all from safe locations. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Energy has become one of the most politically charged topics in the country, but is the red-vs-blue framing actually helping us understand what is happening in the power sector? Or is it a shorthand that creates assumptions that don’t hold up to scrutiny? In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Energy Central’s Community Manager Matt Chester to dig into a recent piece he published to explore just those questions. This conversation explores why energy so often gets treated like a political litmus test, and what that perspective misses about how utilities actually make decisions. They dig into the data behind coal retirements, nuclear adoption, and other hot topics in the world of energy policy to show that the real picture is far more complicated than oversimplified partisan talking points suggest. At its core, this episode asks a simple but important question: what happens when the industry stops assuming every energy issue is purely political and starts looking at the actual economics, infrastructure, and customer realities underneath? Energy Isn’t Red vs. Blue. So Why Do We Keep Pretending It Is? ****https://energycentral.substack.com/p/energy-isnt-red-vs-blue-so-why-do Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Superstorm Sandy was a turning point for utilities in New Jersey. And for PSE&G, it became the catalyst for one of the most ambitious resilience and hardening efforts in the country. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Paul Toscarelli, VP of Electric Operations at PSE&G to revisit the storm’s impact, the operational realities of recovery, and how the company turned that experience into a long-term modernization and emergency preparedness playbook. Paul walks through what Sandy looked like on the ground, how the utility’s response priorities were shaped in the moment, and what immediate lessons changed the utility’s approach to business continuity, resilience planning, and system hardening. Now a decade from that moment, this conversation explores the scale of the investments that followed, including the elevation of dozens of substations and installation of thousands of smart switching devices. How did those investments hold up? How does today’s landscape of electrification, distributed energy, and AI-driven load growth all change that playbook? Paul answers these questions and more on what other utilities can learn from New Jersey’s experience when it comes to preparing for the storms ahead. PSE&G being Jersey Ready: https://vimeo.com/1080299589/3f652b5220?share=copy&fl=cl&fe=ci Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Utilities everywhere are experimenting with what AI can do in one-off tools and pilot programs, but very few are actually scaling it across the enterprise. But when it comes to truly looking at the big picture of how AI can be a force multiplier, Southern Company is leading the way. To learn how and why the utility is taking a more comprehensive approach, host Kinsey Grant Baker chats with Southern Company’s Joyce Solomon, AMI Analytics and Data Science Manager, along with the utility’s partner in CGI’s Doug Leal, VP Consulting, Data & Analytics. Their conversation looks at how Southern Company, working with CGI, moved beyond proofs-of-concept to build the platform, governance, and culture needed for AI to actually take hold in the business. The story here is not just about technology, it’s about how innovation starts in one place and then begins to “pop” across the organization. From exploring the platform-first approach to how to frame AI as a tool that augments workers rather than replacing them, this episode highlights the key lessons learned to ensure that utilities successfully move from cautious interest to enterprise-wide momentum. Thanks to CGI for sponsoring this episode. CGI is among the largest IT and business consulting services firms in the world. CGI is insights-driven and outcomes-based to help accelerate returns on your investments. Learn more about CGI here: https://www.cgi.com/us/en-us/artificial-intelligence Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Wildfires are no longer a once-in-a-while risk for utilities. These days, they are a growing operational, financial, and human crisis. And power companies can’t wait and react anymore, they need to be proactive. In this episode, podcast host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Skye Perry, VP of Utilities at Fire Neural Network (FNN), to discuss how the scale of wildfire damage has surged, why utilities are under increasing pressure to show a tangible “standard of care,” and how the legal and reputational stakes have changed the way utilities think about risk. From the new tools in lightning detection, AI modeling, and geospatial data to the effectiveness of public safety power shutoffs, utility communications, and why education remains one of the biggest bottlenecks to broader adoption of wildfire technology, Skye shares an unmistakable playbook for utilities moving forward. FountaiNN: https://www.fireneuralnetwork.com/fountainn Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Geothermal has been part of the energy conversation for decades, but it is still too often stymied by a reputation of being too niche or small-scale to make a grid-wide difference. That perception, however, is beginning to change. As utilities face growing pressure to deliver firm, clean, and affordable power, geothermal is getting fresh attention as a resource that could play a much bigger role in the grid than many have assumed. To learn more about what the federal government’s perspective on geothermal energy is, host Kinsey Grant Baker welcomed Kyle Haustveit, the Assistant Secretary of Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. Their conversation explores why 2026 just may be a pivotal year for geothermal and dispels what people still might be overlooking about the technology. The discussion also explains how DOE’s newly structured Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office is thinking about the present opportunities and what they means for deployment, R&D, demonstrations, and partnerships. So for stakeholders looking towards the future of the grid, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at where geothermal fits in the resource mix, what signals suggest real momentum, and what the first practical step should be for utilities that want to take the technology seriously. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

What happens when you fire military-grade weapons at substation infrastructure? We don’t have to ask in theory, because today’s guest has put that question to the test. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Brent Warzocha of 3B Protection following a live-fire demonstration outside Las Vegas where Brent and his team tested ballistic substation walls against everything from World War I-era weapons to .50 caliber rifles. The event brought utility leaders face-to-face with the physical security risks facing modern grid infrastructure and made it real, both in terms of risks and what they should be doing about it. Brent provides a recap of what attendees saw, the reactions from utility professionals, and the “aha moments” that come from witnessing real ballistic testing instead of reviewing theoretical standards. This crucial conversation digs into why Underwriters Laboratories baseline testing often doesn’t reflect real-world threats, and how RLS testing is helping utilities better understand the difference between minimum compliance and true resilience. The live-fire demos showed not just dramatic visuals (be sure to watch the video version of this conversation to get a peek), but the operational reality: how hardened infrastructure can prevent catastrophic outages, reduce repair timelines, and protect critical grid assets. Thanks to 3B Protection, our sponsor for this episode. 3B Protection is in the business of helping organizations protect their people, property and critical assets. The last ten years or so has seen significant ballistic activity in and around electrical substations that are part of the United States’ critical infrastructure and 3B offers a line of product to help protect those substations from malicious attacks. 3B has tested their products to the extreme in a way that far exceeds UL minimums. And not just for ballistics – our walls are thoroughly tested against forced entry, vehicle crashes and blast as well. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

The nuclear conversation is back in a big way, but the question is whether the excitement is outrunning reality. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with author and energy commentator Robert Bryce to separate the news from the noise around what many are calling a nuclear renaissance. From bipartisan support in Washington to executive orders, plant restarts, and a wave of new interest from major tech companies, Bryce makes the case that nuclear is clearly back in the conversation—but not necessarily back at scale yet. Bryce walks through why he remains firmly pro-nuclear while still taking a sober view of the sector’s challenges. For utility leaders, his message is clear: be patient, be realistic, and be optimistic, but understand that nuclear’s comeback will be measured in decades, not quarters. Robert Bryce on Substack: robertbryce.substack.com Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

What does the pathway look like from shiny new toy to core operational tool? That’s the trajectory drones have seemingly taken in many utility operations, highlighting that the hype was real and the future is now. On this episode of Power Perspectives, host Matt Chester goes behind the scenes with three members of Skydio's utility team to show why drones have graduated from novelty to mission-critical infrastructure. In this conversation, Christina Park (Senior Director, Energy Strategy), Suchet Bargoti (Director of Inspection and Mapping), and Cooper Linn (Senior Product Manager) walk through real-world utility deployments, the field-driven product choices that mattered, and how autonomy is changing inspection workflows. Skydio’s case studies highlight how drone deployments have moved from proving concepts to operational scale: the shift to “drones as infrastructure,” the importance of engineers riding along on field missions, and the evolution from broad 3D semantic scans to efficient, asset-based inspection workflows that actually save crews time and prevent outages. Thanks to Skydio for sponsoring this episode. Skydio helps utilities move beyond outdated time based maintenance to smarter, safer and more scalable condition-based maintenance. Powered by autonomous remote operated drones, over 280 utilities trust Skydio. Because with real time aerial data and remote inspection, utilities can spot issues early, reduce forced outages and make confident, efficient, cost effective decisions. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Coal has been making headlines recently, highlighting everything from plant closure delays to retirements extended and the political rhetoric suggesting a coal comeback. But are the headlines telling the real story? In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with experts from Energy Innovation Technology & Policy, Silvio Marcacci (Senior Director of Communications) and Michelle Soloman (Manager of the Electricity Program) to unpack what’s actually happening behind the noise. Together, they break down why coal keeps resurfacing in the public conversation, what the Trump Administration can and cannot do to prop it up, and how to separate political signaling from real market and grid impacts. The discussion explores the risks of forcing aging plants to stay online, the difference between shuttered units and plants with future retirement dates, and what the latest data says about coal’s role over the next five to ten years. We explore the questions behind the headlines: Is coal actually the safe fallback it’s made out to be, or are there real operational and economic downsides to extending plant life too long? Silvio and Michelle bring a policy-focused perspective on what utilities should be watching, what the numbers really show, and what a more reliable and affordable power mix looks like in practice. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Electricity prices are rising faster than wages, and everyday customers are demanding answers. What’s causing it? What has worked to moderate prices? And where is the messaging behind power decisions and rates confused? On this episode of Power Perspectives, host Kinsey Grant Baker is joined by two veteran energy modelers, Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling of Always On Energy Research and authors of the Energy Bad Boys substack, to cut through the heat-map politics and answer the question utility leaders hate to be asked: which policies are actually driving bills up, and which are convenient political cover? Isaac and Mitch walk through the data and models behind regional price moves, explain why costs show up in generation, capacity, and interconnection differently across markets (including lessons from MISO and SPP), and explain their position that the often-ignored implementation choices turn ambitious clean-energy goals into expensive real-world outcomes. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

As the future of energy accelerates towards a cleaner, more automated system, the talking points tend to focus on the technologies themselves: AI, EVs, batteries, renewables, and the T&D meant to connect them all. But behind every new technology deployed is an entire workforce to design, manufacture, install, and maintain it. As these technologies expand and new ones come into the fold, a critical question arises: will the industry have enough skilled workers to build the electric future being envisioned? To get to the bottom of this, host Kinsey Grant Baker is joined by Patrick Hughes, Senior Vice President at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), to discuss the workforce challenges and opportunities emerging across the electrical manufacturing and grid infrastructure ecosystem. The conversation explores how the grid is evolving—from rapid electrification and digitalization to new infrastructure demands—and what those shifts mean for the people responsible for building and maintaining the system. Hughes dives into how industry and policymakers are working together to close the workforce gap, including efforts such as the Veterans Energy Transition Act and a focus on how emerging technologies like AI and robotics are reshaping the skills needed in tomorrow’s grid workforce. Listen in to get a forward-looking view of how the industry can attract, train, and retain the talent needed to power the next generation of energy innovation. Links Mentioned in the Conversation: NEMA's 2025 "Grid Reliability Study" (https://www.makeitelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/grid-reliability-study-nema-deck.pdf) NEMA's 2026 Electroindustry Policy Agenda (https://www.makeitelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/Documents/Site_Pages/nema2026-policy-agenda.pdf) Powering Domestic Manufacturing (https://www.makeitelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/Documents/News_Blogs/electroindustry-investment-mapping-infographics.pdf) NEMA Applauds Introduction of Legislation to Build a Future-Ready Workforce (https://www.makeitelectric.org/newsroom/news/statement-nema-applauds-introduction-of-legislation-to-build-a-future-ready-workforce/) Siemens Educates America (https://www.siemens.com/en-us/content/siemens-educates-america/) Southwire Welcomes First Class to Maintenance Apprenticeship Program (https://www.ewweb.com/news/bulletin-board/article/20923002/southwire-welcomes-first-class-to-maintenance-apprenticeship-program) Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

A major shift in U.S. energy and climate policy has reignited debate across the utility industry. When the Trump administration’s EPA moved to roll back the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the scientific determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health, it set off a wave of reactions throughout the energy sector. But how do utility professionals themselves actually view the move? To start to answer that question, Energy Central posed a simple question in our daily newsletter: How does the endangerment finding rollback land with you? We got hundreds of responses, and to parse through the feedback we knew we had to pull in the whole team. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker is joined by Community Manager Matt Chester and Energy Central’s new Editor, Molly Glick to unpack the results of that poll that highlighted an industry divided. From concerns about regulatory whiplash and long-term planning uncertainty to arguments about overregulation and global competitiveness, the feedback surfaces the real debates happening inside the power sector. Kinsey, Molly, and Matt then also look ahead to what happens next. Through the voices of industry professionals and community members, this episode explores what the Endangerment Finding means not just for climate policy, but for the future of utility planning, investment, and the energy transition itself. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

For years, EVs were treated as a looming grid problem that would lead to an epidemic of transformer overloads, unpredictable peaks, and expensive distribution upgrades. But what if EVs aren’t a liability but instead an asset to building a more flexible, resilient grid? In this episode of Power Perspectives, host Kinsey Grant Baker speaks with John Taggart, Co-Founder and President of WeaveGrid, to learn why utilities are shifting from asking whether EVs will disrupt the grid to how they can turn EV adoption into a strategic advantage. John helps to reframe EVs as a distribution-level opportunity rather than a system-wide headache. While unmanaged charging can strain local feeders and transformers, coordinated charging can flatten peaks, defer infrastructure upgrades, and integrate seamlessly with broader grid planning. Beyond that, what does it take to turn this vision into reality and orchestrate charging across automakers, utilities, and charging providers? John shares real-world use cases, discusses how EVs interact with stationary batteries and broader grid flexibility programs, and explains why internal utility alignment across planning, operations, IT, and customer teams is critical. If EVs are “batteries on wheels,” this conversation makes clear they may be one of the most powerful flexibility tools utilities have — if they treat them that way. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Reliability has become one of the most urgent topics in the utility sector today. As aging infrastructure meets rising electricity demand and more frequent extreme weather, utilities are facing growing pressure to keep the lights on while modernizing the grid. From vegetation management to conductor fatigue and storm resilience, the question isn’t whether upgrades are needed, but how utilities can make the smartest investments to strengthen the grid quickly, effectively, and affordably. To get the answers to those questions, Energy Central’s Community Manager Matt Chester was joined live at DTECH 2026 in San Diego by Southwire’s Emily Witcher (Manager of Overhead Transmission) and Drew Pearson (Transmission Engineer), and the resultant conversation explored how utilities are tackling reliability challenges in overhead transmission systems. From conductor selection to structural design to accurate engineering models, decisions made for all grid upgrades will dramatically affect ultimate system performance under stress. This episode highlights practical solutions utilities are deploying today, including reconductoring projects that increase capacity without rebuilding entire lines and digital tools that improve engineering analysis and field decisions. With lessons drawn from real-world projects and conversations happening across the DTECH floor, this discussion offers a grounded look at how utilities can strengthen grid resilience now while preparing for the reliability challenges still ahead. Thanks to Southwire for sponsoring this episode. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

The utility industry is entering a construction boom unlike anything seen in decades. From electrification and load growth to wildfire mitigation and resilience investments, utilities across the country are racing to build and upgrade transmission and distribution infrastructure. But scaling up construction isn’t just about building faster, it’s also about rethinking the entire construction lifecycle, from planning and design to data capture and project closeout. Recorded live on site at DTECH 2026 in San Diego, Energy Central Community Manager Matt Chester sits down with Danny Petrecca of Locusview to explore how utilities are modernizing the way they build the grid. The conversation dives into how digital construction platforms are helping utilities manage massive increases in T&D projects while maintaining data quality, safety, and capital efficiency. From improving the quality of field data to ensuring ADMS and GIS systems stay accurate over time, the episode highlights how digital workflows are becoming essential infrastructure in their own right. The discussion also explores the growing role of digital tools in wildfire mitigation, workforce transformation, and the financial realities of scaling grid investment. And with Itron’s recent acquisition of Locusview adding new momentum to the space, the conversation offers a look at how utilities can modernize construction workflows today to build a safer, more resilient, and more efficient grid for tomorrow. And thanks to our partner, Locusview, for making this episode possible.  Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Urban grids are running out of room , especially in dense cities where rooftop solar is limited, EV charging is complicated, and peak demand keeps climbing. Modernizing and growing utilities thus need new, novel ways to unlock flexibility without massive infrastructure overhauls. In this episode, Andrew Wang of Every Electric shares with host Kinsey Grant Baker his team’s unique approach to “dropshipping” grid flexibility directly into multi-family residential buildings, deploying free home batteries that allow residents to earn money while providing short bursts of load relief during peak periods. From space constraints to split incentives between landlords and renters, Andrew highlights the challenges that urban power companies face. And while distributed energy resources have long been viewed as an answer to the city landscape, he explains that ultimately many DER strategies miss the renters and multi-family buildings that make up the backbone of major cities. Instead of expensive building-wide retrofits, he’s targeting individual apartments to prioritize speed, scalability, and customer participation. The result? New York City’s largest residential battery fleet, deployed ahead of summer heat waves in partnership with Con Edison. Listen in to hear why grid flexibility must become a core planning resource rather than a pilot program, where this model could scale nationally, and what utility leaders should prioritize if they want flexibility to be a reliable, bankable part of the grid of the future. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

The grid is aging fast, and demand is rising even faster. But while much of the conversation fixates on physical infrastructure, there's a critical, often overlooked piece of the puzzle: modeling. How utilities plan for the future—what tools they use, what data they trust, and how they stress-test their assumptions—can mean the difference between billions spent wisely and billions wasted. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Alice Yake, Head of Grid Modeling at Breakthrough Energy, to unpack why getting the grid model wrong doesn't just delay progress—it costs communities, ratepayers, and the planet dearly. Alice brings a rare mix of experience: from coding at Enron to intervening in utility rate cases to leading integrated resource planning at Xcel Energy. Now, she's helping build open-source modeling tools designed to work not just for eight U.S. states, but for the world. Alice explains why open-source modeling matters for trust, accessibility, and speed—especially in low- and middle-income countries that can't afford commercial tools but desperately need reliable planning frameworks. She also digs into the data problem: how inconsistent, inaccessible, or outdated data undermines even the best models, and what breakthrough is doing to create a global data store that reduces friction and increases transparency. From distribution system design to fusion and geothermal integration, this conversation explores how modeling helps utilities answer the hardest question of all: What does the grid need to look like in 2050, and how do we start building it today? For utility leaders navigating unprecedented load growth, regulatory pressure, and technological uncertainty, this episode offers a grounded roadmap for making smarter, faster, more equitable infrastructure decisions. And for innovators and startups, Alice shares direct advice on how to get new technologies into planning models—and why that step is make-or-break for adoption. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Distributech is the electric utility industry’s biggest annual event, and this episode of Power Perspectives breaks down what actually mattered on the ground. Host Kinsey Grant Baker is joined by Energy Central Community Manager Matt Chester to recap the most important conversations, trends, and takeaways from this year’s conference. From affordability and data centers to AI and distributed energy resources, this discussion goes beyond buzzwords to focus on how utilities are defining and redefining problems and (finally) turning those into tangible action. Rather than chasing one-size-fits-all solutions, the industry is grappling with scale, coordination, and real-world constraints that affect customers, regulators, and operators alike. Kinsey and Matt unpack how affordability emerged as a central theme across panels, demos, and side conversations, and why data quality, storytelling, and collaboration are becoming just as important as technology itself. They also explore how AI and DERs are being reframed—not just as challenges, but as tools that can help utilities plan, forecast, and respond more effectively. If you missed the chance to be in San Diego with the movers and shakers of the power sector at DTech 2026, consider this conversation the antidote to your FOMO. Learnings posted by Energy Central during DTech— Keynotes are great, key relationships are better. Let’s really connect at DTech this year! https://energycentral.substack.com/p/keynotes-are-great-key-relationships Standing Room Only at DTech 2026: Day 1 Set the Tone: https://energycentral.substack.com/p/standing-room-only-at-dtech-2026 Bagels, Brainpower, and Big Questions: Kicking Off DTECH the Right Way: https://energycentral.substack.com/p/bagels-brainpower-and-big-questions AI Didn’t Steal the Show at DTech 2026 — It Powered It (Day 2 Recap): https://energycentral.substack.com/p/ai-didnt-steal-the-show-at-dtech When the Industry Starts to Jam: A Day 3 DistribuTECH Recap: https://energycentral.substack.com/p/when-the-industry-starts-to-jam-a Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

For decades, energy policy lived mostly in the background of American politics—important, but rarely decisive at the ballot box. After the 2025 election season, we have evidence of how that’s no longer the case. Rising electricity bills frustrating voters, visible grid strain they want to point to data centers as the culprit, and an overall competing narratives around affordability and climate policy have pushed energy squarely into the center of electoral politics. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker welcomes back a guest who was featured on one of 2025 hottest episodes of Power Perspectives: Andrea Clabough, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center. In this conversation, Clabough unpacks what the most recent state-level elections reveal about how voters are thinking about energy—and what those lessons signal for the 2026 midterm elections that are already coming into focus. Clabough reflects on the 2025 gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, where energy affordability, grid readiness, and future investment strategies emerged as unexpectedly salient themes, as well as how the first year under Trump 2.0 played out compared with her previous predictions. For anyone who already has November 3, 2026, circled on their calendars, this conversation will serve as your primer for which races to watch, what external factors could influence outcomes, and what the dominant energy narrative may be once the electoral dust settles. AI across AC (AIxAC) initiative: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/issue/artificial-intelligence/ Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

What’s the most notable constraint on the energy transition? It’s not generation or technology, but the biggest slowdown is coming from the grid side and the ability to plan, operate, and scale power systems fast enough to meet demand. That’s according to Sabine Erlinghagen, CEO of Siemens Grid Software, and guest on this episode of Power Perspectives. Erlinghagen joins host Kinsey Grant Baker to explore why the grid has become the new bottleneck and how digitalization is working to turn it into a backbone for electrification, AI-driven load growth, and a net-zero future. Erlingher highlights how advanced grid software, digital twins, and staged automation are changing the way utilities operate. She also digs into what “autonomous grids” really mean in practice, why trust and transparency are critical as automation increases, and how utilities can move step-by-step from operator support to closed-loop control without compromising reliability. For utility leaders navigating unprecedented load growth and complexity, this conversation offers a grounded, practical roadmap for scaling the grid to not just be bigger but also smarter. And thanks to our partner, Siemens Grid Software, for making this episode possible. Siemens Grid Software enables power utilities to accelerate and secure the energy transition. Its unique software and service portfolio empowers transmission and distribution grid operators to plan and operate the grid of tomorrow – today.   Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

As the electric grid faces accelerating pressure from electrification, data center growth, and extreme weather, much of the public conversation fixates on generation shortfalls and capacity additions. But beneath those headlines, some of the most consequential work is happening where customers actually experience the grid: on the wires. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker chats with Kevin Walker, President and CEO of Duquesne Light Holdings, to explore how a T&D–focused utility is redefining what leadership and innovation look like in today’s ever-evolving power sector. And while Duquesne Light may be smaller than many U.S. utilities, under Walker’s leadership they are punching above their weight and demonstrating that reliability, affordability, and resilience are earned through delivery, not scale. Walker shares how DLC thinks about resource adequacy without owning generation assets, how the utility is positioning itself to withstand the twin pressures of decarbonization and electrification, and how their unique flexibility enables smarter risk-taking. Decisionmakers across the power sector can learn a lot from Walker’s approach to leadership and perspective on navigating the urgent and competing priorities across the industry in 2026 and beyond. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

For decades, load forecasting was one of the more stable disciplines in utility planning. Growth was incremental, assumptions were well understood, and long-term investments could be made with reasonable confidence. That era is over. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker sits down with Darrin Kinney, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Integral Analytics, to unpack why uncertainty—not growth itself—has become the defining challenge for grid planners. With the explosive rise of data centers and AI-driven demand introducing new load profiles and a heightened level of handwringing from planners, we’re seeing previously unseen load profiles: lumpy, opaque, fast-moving, and often speculative. During the conversation, Kinney explains why traditional single-scenario forecasting is no longer sufficient in this environment and shares examples where forecast errors are already showing up across the United States and what those missteps reveal about current planning frameworks. But all is not lost, as advanced analytics and AI tools are already being used to stress-test assumptions, model competing futures, and guide capital investment decisions. Listen in to learn how we can re-instill long-term confidence for utilities navigating an increasingly complex energy system. And thanks to our partner, Integral Analytics, for making this episode possible. Integral Analytics provides utilities with advanced load forecasting and scenario-based planning tools designed to address growing uncertainty from data centers, electrification, and emerging technologies. Their work supports more informed grid planning and long-term system resilience. For more information, or to check out their latest white paper on Data Centers and how to bubble-proof your load forecasting, visit them at https://integralanalytics.com Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe Planning for the Unknown: Data Centers, Agentic AI, and the End of One-Scenario Forecasting: https://integralanalytics.com/data-center/

Note: This episode was recorded in late November 2025. To keep up with the (many) updates to EPA policymaking, permitting reform, and more that have happened since this conversation...might we suggest the Energy Central Daily Newsletter? The clean energy transition is running into a critical constraint, and it’s not because of technology, capital, or ambition. Instead the bottleneck comes from how energy projects get approved. Permitting has become one of the most consequential—and contested—issues in U.S. energy policy. Transmission lines, renewable generation, and other major infrastructure projects are facing longer timelines, greater uncertainty, and growing political friction. At the same time, demand for electricity is rising fast, and reliability and affordability are back at the center of public concern. In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker plays moderator for a friendly but critical debate between two of the country’s leading energy law scholars, James Coleman of the University of Minnesota and David Adelman of the University of Texas. While both agree that permitting is a serious bottleneck, they bring distinct perspectives on why the system looks the way it does and how far reform should go. Drawing on years of research and policy engagement, Coleman and Adelman walk through how today’s permitting framework evolved, where the biggest procedural and political bottlenecks lie, and why recent reform efforts have produced mixed results. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Physical security has become one of the grid’s most urgent and most misunderstood challenges. While cybersecurity rightly commands attention, attacks on substations and critical infrastructure are rising in frequency, sophistication, and intent. And unlike cyber threats, physical attacks don’t require advanced tools—just access, time, and opportunity. To dive into this essential area of concern for utility leaders, this episodes sees host Kinsey Grant Baker joined by Brent Warzocha, Vice President of Sales at 3B Protection. Brent helps to unpack what’s really changing in the physical threat landscape and what utilities can realistically do about it. From understanding today’s threat actors to implementing pragmatic “deter, detect, delay, respond” frameworks, this conversation focuses on scalable solutions utilities can deploy now. Brent also dives into the real cost of inaction, the friction utilities face in prioritizing physical security, and how leaders can balance budgets, compliance, and resilience without slowing projects down. And thanks to our partner, 3B Protection, for making this episode possible. 3B Protection is in the business of helping organizations protect their people, property and critical assets. The last ten years or so has seen significant ballistic activity in and around electrical substations that are part of the United States’s critical infrastructure and 3B offers a line of product to help protect those substations from malicious attacks. 3B has tested their products to the extreme in a way that far exceeds UL minimums. And not just for ballistics – our walls are thoroughly tested against forced entry, vehicle crashes and blast as well. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Utility regulation doesn’t usually light up the algorithms on social media, but it’s a topic that quietly determines how much customers pay for electricity, who benefits from new clean energy investments, and whether innovation actually reaches everyday households. In other words, the utility regulation process directly impacts every single household and business and sets the stage for what our energy system of tomorrow will be. So as utilities face rising costs, new large loads from AI and electrification, and growing public scrutiny around affordability, the question isn’t whether regulation matters—it’s whether it’s keeping up. In this episode of Power Perspectives, host Kinsey Grant Baker dives into that question with one of the leaders best poised to give an authoritative answer: Charles Hua, TIME100 Next honoree and Founder of PowerLines. Charles helps us to unpack how modernizing utility regulation can lower bills, build trust, and ensure the clean energy transition works for everyone. From AI-driven load growth to customer equity metrics and performance-based regulation, this conversation offers utility leaders a practical framework for embedding equity and long-term perspectives into decision-making—not as an afterthought, but as a core business strategy. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In the current age of artificial intelligence, the challenge for utilities isn’t just how to power AI-driven data centers, it’s also how AI itself is changing grid operations, security, workforce needs, and the overall utility business model. In this episode of Power Perspectives, host Kinsey Grant Baker welcomes Paul Quinlan, Director of Energy Research at ScottMadden to peel back the curtain on what new areas of focus utility leaders need to be aware of as AI grows. Paul breaks down the national security dimensions of AI and energy, the limits of traditional load forecasting and capital planning approaches, and which markets are emerging as early stress points. But it’s not all bad news, as Paul also explores AI as an internal opportunity with real-world examples of how utilities are using AI for predictive maintenance, outage forecasting, and grid optimization, along with how leaders can think more clearly about measuring ROI on AI investments. Finally, this conversation turns to the workforce: how AI may reshape utility roles, what new skills are in demand, and how utilities can balance automation with workforce development and retention. And thanks to our partner, ScottMadden, for making this episode possible. ScottMadden knows energy from the ground up. Since 1983, they have served as energy consultants for hundreds of utilities, large and small, including all of the top 20. They focus on Transmission & Distribution, the Grid Edge, Generation, Energy Markets, Rates & Regulation, Enterprise Sustainability, and Corporate Services. Their broad, deep utility expertise is not theoretical—it is experience based. They have helped our clients develop and implement strategies, improve critical operations, reorganize departments and entire companies, and implement myriad initiatives. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Setting a zero-carbon target is one thing. Delivering it while keeping power reliable and affordable is something else entirely. In this episode of Power Perspectives, host Kinsey Grant Baker is joined by Rachel Huang, Director of Distributed Energy Solutions at SMUD, one of the first U.S. utilities to commit to a zero-carbon electricity supply by 2030. Rachel sits at the center of that effort, translating long-term climate ambition into practical electrification programs, measurable customer savings, and grid-ready investments. Listen in as Rachel steps through how SMUD defines “zero carbon” in concrete terms, where the utility stands today, and the lessons from this ongoing pursuit. For utility leaders navigating the tension between climate goals, affordability, and public perception, this conversation offers a rare, data-driven look at what it takes to move from aspiration to execution. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

What happens to communities centered on fossil fuels as the clean energy transition accelerates? Because this seismic shift is more than just technical—it'll no doubt bring economic and human impacts to communities that rely on the business of fossil fuels, from coal towns to Texas oil hotspots. With every transition-focused policy, entire regions built around the production of coal and gas must face profound uncertainty about jobs, tax bases, and long-term stability. Today on Power Perspectives, we're exploring what an equitable clean energy future can look like—for both petrostates and electrostates. Host Kinsey Grant Baker is joined by Noah Kaufman, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and former Senior Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Today, Noah leads the Resilient Energy Economies Initiative, which examines how fossil fuel–reliant communities can navigate the transition without being left behind. The conversation explores the real economic risks facing coal, oil, and gas communities, the differences between petrostates and electrostates, and the warning signs policymakers and utilities should be watching for. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Business as usual? Not going to cut it in today’s energy reality. Embracing cutting-edge tech is the bare minimum to keep up with the modern needs of the modern grid. That’s according to Raiford Smith, Global Head of Power & Energy for Cloud at Google, who joins Mike this week to break down the lessons energy can learn from Big Tech—and the lessons Big Tech can learn from energy. Raiford explains Google’s strategy for big energy swings, the playbook for finding your competitive edge in a tech-enabled energy world, the new definition of “all of the above,” and so much more. Because the clean, affordable, reliable energy future isn’t just about figuring out what works. It’s about figuring out how to get tech solutions to scale quickly. And that’s where utilities and Big Tech can make the biggest dent…together.

Every utility leader wants to know: What can we do to protect an increasingly complex grid from security threats, both cyber and physical? This week on Power Perspectives, Adam Lee, Vice President and Chief Security Officer at Dominion Energy, sits down with host Kinsey Grant Baker to dissect the real, scalable strategies for defending the modern grid from today’s growing threats. And Adam is certainly an expert—complete with a distinguished security-focused background that brought him from FBI to the utility providing power to the Pentagon, naval bases, and some of the world’s most energy-intensive data centers. Listen in for a look at how Dominion is approaching cyber and physical security as a unified discipline and why partnerships across government, law enforcement, and the private sector are becoming essential to grid resilience. Signup for the Energy Central Daily Newsletter: https://energycentral.beehiiv.com/subscribe

What goes through an energy CEO’s mind when thinking about the role of the customer, the fuel mix of the future, the affordability crisis, and the workforce changes shaping power? A lot, unsurprisingly. So today on The Watt & Why, host Mike Smith is bringing in Jay Stowe, founder & CEO of Stowe Utility Group, to break down what modern energy success looks like, the challenges dominating boardroom conversations today, and much more. With decades of combined utility experience, Jay and Mike offer an impactful look at meeting customers where they are, placing the right bets, balancing incentives with competition, and the reality of making decisions about large loads. Listen for a rare peek at what today’s top utility leaders are really prioritizing.