Energy Central

With electricity demand in the U.S. surging—driven by data centers, electrification, manufacturing, and population growth—utilities are under pressure to deliver clean, reliable power at scale. In this episode of Power Perspectives, we explore how Duke Energy, which operates the largest regulated nuclear fleet in the nation, is answering that call. Joining for the conversation is Rounette Nader, Vice President of New Nuclear Generation and License Renewal at Duke Energy. Rounette walks listeners through the company’s multi-faceted strategy to meet rising demand through power uprates, long-term relicensing efforts, and laying the groundwork for deploying advanced nuclear tech like small modular reactors (SMRs). Beyond the technical needs, we also dive into strategies related to community perceptions of nuclear, the ever-evolving regulatory landscape, and what the next few years are expected to look like for Duke Energy’s nuclear fleet. This episode is essential listening for utility leaders, policymakers, and clean energy advocates looking to understand how nuclear fits into the future of the grid. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/duke-energys-nuclear-renaissance Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LMEQJKJGQsM Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

The leaders at Portland General Electric knew they had a choice: Embrace innovative ideas…or get left behind. They chose the former—and now, PGE is charting a new path for scaled utilities to embrace technology, welcome innovation, and ask hard questions to ensure their customers get energy that’s reliable, efficient, and clean, day in and day out. Today on Piloting the Future, hosts Kim Getgen and Lee Krevat get the full rundown on PGE’s recent Innovation Impact Report from Larry Bekkedahl, Senior VP of Advanced Energy Delivery at PGE, and Allegra Hodges, Head of Strategic Innovation at PGE. Larry and Allegra explain PGE’s efforts to build a stronger grid, how strong process can empower innovation, the best strategies for finding consensus in a crowded tech ecosystem…and, of course, where AI fits into all this. PGE completed the first long-distance transmission of electricity in the US in 1889—and they haven’t stopped innovating since. Give this episode a listen to understand how embracing the future became part of a major utility’s culture. Want to check out PGE’s Innovation Impact Report? Find it here: https://portlandgeneral.com/about/who-we-are/innovative-energy Interested in Larry’s recommendation of Collective Genius by Prof. Linda Hill? Learn more here: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=47530 See you next time.

The microgrid moment has arrived. Are utilities ready? Microgrids have long been billed as a "future solution"—ideal for resilience, sustainability, and distributed generation, but too costly or complex for widespread use. But in 2025, that future is starting to look like the present. As electricity demand is exploding, driven by the growth of data centers, electrification of everything from buildings to transportation, and a surge of economic activity, utilities are struggling to keep up. To highlight how microgrids can fill in this gap, this episode of Power Perspectives features Michael Stadler, Co-Founder and CTO of Xendee—a pioneer in DER and microgrid modeling. How the business case has shifted, thanks to new cost dynamics and technologies? Are we entering a new era of true grid defection? And is this microgrid boom a threat or opportunity for utility leaders? Hear these questions and more answered as we dive in with Michael. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/microgrid-boom-explained Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yB2tXV4ACCI Michael Stadler on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/michael-stadler Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

Welcome to The GISt, a new limited series from Energy Central. For our first episode, we’ve got a fantastic primer on all things GIS for utilities with Jazzmen Wilson, host of The GIS Chat podcast. What’s on tap? A closer look at what kinds of utilities are leveraging GIS to its fullest capacity. An exploration of AI as a catalyst for global tech adoption. And the real rundown on the key players to know in GIS. Don’t miss this episode—and hit subscribe to hear every other insight-packed interview we’ve got on deck for this series.

A new presidency always shakes up the energy world — but what happens when it’s not new at all? With the return of Donald Trump to the White House, energy leaders continue to brace for impact. But unlike a traditional administration transition, this one is informed by a prior term — and yet may bring surprises all its own. In this episode of Power Perspectives, we examine what Trump 2.0 really means for the power sector. What has the administration signaled so far? Which executive orders are more smoke than fire? And how might the next few years shape utilities, grid operators, and clean energy stakeholders? To help us cut through the noise and get to the policy signals that matter, we’re joined by Andrea Clabough, Associate at Goldwyn Global Strategies and Nonresident Fellow at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center. With Andrea’s background advising energy companies on U.S. policy, energy security, and geopolitical risk, she’s the perfect guest to address questions like: What should energy companies really take away from the first 100 days? How will the tug of war between federal and state policy play out in energy governance? And what surprises might still lie ahead in the Trump playbook? Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/tariffs-rollbacks-and-drill-baby-drill-unpacking-trump-20-energy-leaders Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8qBGaQGolvg Andrea Clabough on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/andrea-clabough Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

Presenting: The 2025 Energy Central Innovation Awards, a moment to celebrate forward-thinkers, risk-takers, and the big ideas kind of people who are building the future of the energy industry. We’re in a moment of unprecedented change, but one constant remains: smart people who think about where we are *and* where we’re going are giving us a shot at a better future. And this year’s winners—chosen from a record number of Energy Central community nominations for our annual Innovation Awards—are exactly those kind of people. Hear from… Yuval Lubowich, CTO and co-founder of HData (HData.com) Stephanie Gossman, Manager of Grid Transformation for Georgia Power (https://www.southerncompany.com/innovation.html) Pranav Gupta, Manager of Data Science at ICF David Sypnieski, CEO and Founder of Athena Intelligence And get ready to think big. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy.

Our latest episode leaves the grid behind—literally—to head into orbit. As the number of satellites and spacecraft in space grows, one fundamental limitation persists: power. These systems are smaller, smarter, and more capable than ever—but they’re energy-starved. That’s where today’s guest, Andrew Rush, steps in. Andrew is the Co-Founder and CEO of Star Catcher, a cutting-edge startup developing the first power grid for space, in space. Instead of sending energy from orbit to Earth like traditional space-based solar concepts, Star Catcher’s revolutionary tech beams energy between spacecraft, enabling new capabilities and unlocking a new era of in-space infrastructure. Whether you're an energy engineer, a space-tech nerd, or a grid operator wondering what lessons in orbit can teach us about Earth’s energy transition, this conversation offers a fascinating peek into the future of power. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: TBD Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IwOnM583itI Andrew Rush on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/andrew-rush Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

What does a change in U.S. presidential administrations have to do with stalled solar farms in Sub-Saharan Africa or wind projects in Southeast Asia? As it turns out, quite a lot. On this episode of Power Perspectives, we explore how U.S. policy shifts are sending ripples through the global financial system—impacting everything from renewable investments in developing countries to grid upgrades on Main Street USA. We’re joined by Gautam Jain, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and Adjunct Professor at SIPA, to dig into the high-stakes intersection of climate finance, currency risk, and energy geopolitics. Gautam walks us through why the international green finance system is under pressure as the U.S. government scales back funding commitments under the Trump administration. With global investors growing increasingly wary of geopolitical instability, what’s next for the energy transition? And how should utility leaders, policymakers, and financial stakeholders respond? Note: The news in this space is moving fast, so to set context this conversation was recorded on April 4. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/real-impacts-trump-20-energy-finance Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/I2VqXraG2Ps Gautam Jain on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/gautam-jain Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

The U.S. nuclear industry is entering a new era—one that demands cutting-edge research, advanced reactor technologies, and stronger collaboration across the energy ecosystem. And now, that future has a new launchpad: the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL) at the Idaho National Laboratory. As the first hot cell facility built by the U.S. Department of Energy in nearly half a century, the SPL is designed to push the boundaries of nuclear materials science. From its autonomous robotic systems to its modular infrastructure, this lab promises to accelerate the pace of discovery while opening doors to collaboration among utilities, researchers, and policymakers. Listen in as Power Perspectives sits down with Colin Judge, Division Director for Nuclear Materials Performance at INL and a key leader behind this groundbreaking initiative, as he shares how this new lab will serve as a critical tool for understanding how materials perform in extreme environments—an essential piece of the puzzle as the energy industry looks to next-generation nuclear technologies. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/inside-doe-nuclear-research-facility-50-years-making Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0cRJR4xKR0o Idaho National Lab on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/o/idaho-national-labs Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

In a unique edition of Power Perspectives this week, we take you inside the electric utility industry’s season-defining event: DistributeTECH 2025 through the lens of the Energy Central team that was there on the ground. Join Kinsey Grant Baker, Head of Content at Energy Central, and Matt Chester, Community Manager, as they unpack key themes and insights from the conference floor. From the convergence of utilities and technology to the rising influence of AI, the conversation explores how the sector is adapting to transformative challenges. How are utilities evolving into technology companies? What does the future hold for customer-focused planning, workforce innovation, and distributed grid orchestration? Kinsey and Matt break it down with fresh perspectives and real-world examples. Whether you’re curious about the cutting-edge ideas reshaping the industry or you have FOMO because you weren't at DistribuTECH yourself, this episode delivers the takeaways you need. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/power-perspectives-dtech-debrief-are-utilities-becoming-tech-companies Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lWnqe0tJ8YU Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast