Energy Central

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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