The Grid is Not a Lab: How Avista Drives Innovation Across the Utility

The Grid is Not a Lab: How Avista Drives Innovation Across the Utility

From GridPulse, a Grid Forward podcast by gridforward

April 21, 2026 · 30 min · Episode 77

About this episode

Avista CEO Heather Rosentrater discusses how her team is embedding innovation across the organization to navigate operational risks in the utility industry.

As the energy landscape grows more complex, utilities see new technologies as critical to making electricity more clean, affordable and reliable. Yet how can they nurture innovation in a historically conservative industry? In this episode, Avista CEO Heather Rosentrater shares the ways her team is embedding innovation across the organization, not just within a single team, to navigating rising operational risks. Avista is empowering employees to rethink how work gets done, optimize business operations, and communicate with communities. If you're looking for inspiration for how to make innovation integral to your organization, listen to Heather's experience at Avista.

People in this episode

Guest: Heather Rosentrater

Topics covered

  • innovation
  • utilities
  • energy
  • technology

Keywords

  • clean energy
  • affordable electricity
  • rethink work
  • optimize operations

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