Electric Perspectives

Why Permitting Reform Matters for America's Energy Future

As electric companies work to build the transmission lines and infrastructure needed for a reliable energy future, they face complex and often lengthy approval processes. 

On this episode, EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney and ITC Holdings Corp. President Krista Tanner discuss why reforming these processes is essential to meeting rising energy demand, supporting economic growth, and keeping costs as low as possible for customers. They also highlight real-world challenges and the growing bipartisan effort in Washington to advance permitting reform.

Scaling AI in the Energy Industry

Artificial intelligence is transforming the energy industry, from customer engagement to grid management and long-term planning. In this episode, Michelle Ferrara, Chief Information Officer at Arizona Public Service (APS), and Karthik Moorthy, Chief Growth Officer at Bidgely, discuss how APS is building the culture and partnerships needed to scale AI at the company and what lessons other electric companies can take from their journey.

 

This episode is sponsored by Bidgely, which provides AI platforms that revolutionize grid management and customer engagement for electric companies. Learn more.

Building America's Energy Workforce

October 20 marks the start of Careers in Energy Week, highlighting a key issue shaping the future of the electric power industry: workforce development. In this episode, EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney is joined by FirstEnergy Pennsylvania President John Hawkins and Center for Energy Workforce Development Executive Director Missy Henriksen to discuss how electric companies and partners such as the Department of Energy are building the skilled workforce needed to power America’s energy future. They also discuss innovative training programs, apprenticeships, and other initiatives creating energy career pathways for the next generation of workers.

 

To learn more about Careers in Energy Week, visit https://cewd.org/ciew/.

Duke Energy CEO Harry Sideris on Resilience and Affordability

Harry Sideris became the president and CEO of Duke Energy Corporation earlier this year after serving in various leadership roles at the organization for nearly three decades. On this episode, Harry discusses his vision for Duke Energy, the company's focus on resilience and affordability, his reflections on the devastating 2024 hurricane season; and more.

Oracle's Safra Catz on Powering Hyperscalers

EEI 2025 featured a strong lineup of keynote speakers. In this episode, we share the full keynote conversation between Safra Catz—Oracle’s CEO at the time of recording and now executive vice chair of the board—and outgoing EEI Chair Maria Pope, president and CEO of Portland General Electric. Their discussion explores how electric companies and hyperscalers are navigating the era of rising energy demand. Visit the Electric Perspectives website for more coverage of this year's thought leadership forum.

Driving Energy Policy Discussions in Washington

Earlier this summer, EEI welcomed our new president and CEO, Drew Maloney. Drew previously served as president and CEO of the American Investment Council, where he built a reputation for effective industry advocacy and strategic leadership. Prior to that, he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Legislative Affairs.  

On this episode, Drew discusses his priorities for EEI, the electric power industry’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable energy for customers nationwide, and how the industry is strengthening America’s energy dominance. 

Meeting Demand With Flexible Generation

As America’s electric companies work to meet growing electricity demand driven by AI, data centers, manufacturing, and electrification, mileage from flexible generation is increasingly playing a critical role in supporting a diversified energy mix.   

 

On this episode, Eric Holdsworth, who leads the Edison Foundation, is joined by Andrew Phillips, business development manager for Wärtsilä, and Dylan Bearce, senior director of energy resources operations for Tucson Electric Power. They explore how electric companies can get more mileage with flexible, reciprocating internal combustion engines, how these engines differ from traditional models, and their role in supporting grid reliability. 

 

This episode is sponsored by Wärtsilä; learn more about maximizing mileage and flexible generation here.

EEI 2025 Highlights: Mission-Critical Networks, Meeting Demand Growth, and AI Innovation

This episode is part of our EEI 2025 Highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about demand growth, mission-critical networks, and the intersection of energy and artificial intelligence. The speakers are:

• Chris Rogers, Partner, Communities, Energy, & Infrastructure, Guidehouse
• Michelle Fay, Global Energy Providers Practice Leader, Guidehouse
• Charlie Sanchez, President, Infrastructure Advisory, Black & Veatch
• Hans Kobler, Founder and Managing Partner, Energy Impact Partners

You can also visit EEI's website to read EEI 2025 recap newsletters, see photos from our annual thought leadership forum, and watch videos from some of the keynotes.

EEI 2025 Highlights: How Advanced Nuclear, Drones, and New Technologies are Strengthening the Grid

This episode is part of our EEI 2025 Highlights series. In this episode, you will hear conversations about keeping costs as low as possible for customers, how drones are enhancing electric company operations, advanced nuclear, and new technologies that are strengthening grid resilience. The speakers are:

• Mary Sprayregen, Global Head of Regulatory Affairs & Market Development, Oracle Utilities
• Tom Keefe, Vice Chair and Power, Utilities & Renewables Sector Leader for Deloitte
• Chris Levesque, President and CEO, TerraPower
• Duke Austin, President and CEO, Quanta 

You can also visit EEI's website to read EEI 2025 recap newsletters, see photos from our annual thought leadership forum, and watch videos from some of the keynotes.

Smart Grid Tech and Connecting Power to First Nations Communities

During EEI 2025, Edison International and Southern California Edison (SCE) were recognized as the winners of this year's Edison Award. Fortis Inc. and Wataynikaneyap Power were recognized as the winners of this year's International Edison Award. We were joined live at EEI 2025 by leaders from each company to learn more about their innovative projects.

On this episode, Edison International President and CEO Pedro J. Pizarro and Southern California Edison Vice President of Transmission, Substations & Operations Vik Trehan discuss the Advanced Waveform Anomaly Recognition system. Then, Fortis Inc. Executive Vice President of Operations and Technology Gary Smith and Wataynikaneyap Power CEO Margaret Kenequanash talk about the Wataynikaneyap Power Transmission System, which connects 17 rural and remote First Nations communities to the Ontario provincial energy grid.