Standing in a field surrounded by dozens of 40-foot power poles, hundreds of lineworkers, and thousands of spectators, Eversource Energy linemen Bob Michaud and Jason Henley looked and spoke as if they’d just wrapped another day at the office.

In some sense, they had.

“We did pretty well this year,” said Michaud, underselling his and Henley’s ability to scale power poles to retrieve eggs, place them in their mouths, and descend without cracking them more quickly than any of the roughly 300 teams they competed against in mid-October at the 41st International Linemans’ Rodeo.

The annual gathering in Bonner Springs, Kan., celebrates the lineworking trade and the more than 100,000 brave men and women who build and maintain America’s energy grid as electrical lineworkers. A group of 19 investor-owned electric companies sponsored this year’s event, and they and many others regularly send their best crews.

Teams of lineworkers compete in a series of skills challenges—including the pole climb, or “egg climb,” and the hurtman rescue, in which lineworkers retrieve suspended manikins to simulate assisting an injured crewmember. Contestants also compete in a series of mystery events that aren’t revealed until the night before the rodeo.

“The weather played in our favor. It was a nice warm day, maybe a little too hot,” Michaud said following his and Henley’s first-place finish in the pole climb. “Thank God it didn’t rain. We’ve had that in the past. We’ve had freezing cold weather. That all plays a part.”

Michaud and Henley have 42 years of collective experience between them maintaining energy grid infrastructure and 30 trips down to Kansas for the International Lineman’s Rodeo. They were far from the most senior lineworkers competing for bragging rights and recognition at the annual post-rodeo banquet. But, they were hardly the youngest, either, with apprentice linemen in their 20s also testing their mettle against peers from across the United States and Canada.

“This rodeo is a celebration of a craft that many would never venture into,” Virgil White, a distribution line construction supervisor at Evergy, said to rodeo participants during the opening ceremony. “Life literally is energized by the work provided by each one of you.”

‘We Do This Work Every Single Day’

Adam Beene, a restoration field operations manager with Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), competed in his 12th rodeo over the weekend. He and many other participants attended company-specific or regional rodeos earlier in the year to qualify for the International Lineman’s Rodeo. Interest in competing is high among lineworkers, competition is fierce, and team spots are limited.

Although there’s some practice associated with individual events, Beene stressed that there isn’t much competitors see at the rodeo that they don’t see out on the job.

“What we do every day is great training. We do this work every single day as linemen building and maintaining powerlines,” Beene said.

Beene joined PG&E 24 years ago, describing lineworking as a “great trade that’s been really good for me and my family.”

“My grandpa was a lineman. My dad was a lineman. My brother is a foreman. Combined, we have something like 150 years total service in the field as linemen working for PG&E,” Beene says. “It’s a lifesaving service that we do. We keep society going.”

Those familial ties are common among lineworkers, adding to the sense of pride and tradition associated with the job.

“My father-in-law worked on a line crew. I found it very interesting, because I like working outside and working in the elements,” says Sandy Barnhill, a 37-year lineworking veteran and distribution engineering manager at Duke Energy. “If you love helping people, helping your community, and being an integral part of your community, this is a great career.”

Barnhill and others note that, although the rodeo is meant to be a fun and informative display of skill, the work is not easy, and the risk of injury is ever-present.

“Anybody that gets into this trade, if you have a passion for linework, you’ll excel. But, make sure you have the passion for it. This is a deadly job,” says Eversource Energy’s Michaud.

To drive home the emphasis on safety, judges at the rodeo watch contestants closely and deduct points if they perform maneuvers deemed to be unsafe.

“What makes anyone good at this job is safety. That is the most important thing,” says Chad Guthrie, director of distribution construction operations at OG&E. “There are years of training, and it’s not just training that happens one time early in your career. It happens constantly throughout your career.”

‘Today, We Have Focused on Today’

Barnhill, whose Duke Energy team placed first in the 45-and-up senior division this year, first attended the rodeo in 2001 but hasn’t made it every year. Based out of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., near Raleigh, Barnhill and his colleagues are regularly called when storms strike the East Coast, which isn’t uncommon this time of year.

That was the case in 2024, when Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated portions of Duke Energy’s service territory and the broader East Coast. Instead of traveling to Kansas, Barnhill and his colleagues were focused on recovery and restoration, particularly in western North Carolina, where storm damage was catastrophic.

“We worked all in the mountain zone, around Spruce Pine, Burnsville, Asheville, back towards Black Mountain. The devastation that was there was mind blowing—something like I had never seen,” says Barnhill, who grew up in the Asheville area. “I’ve worked storms my whole career, going all the way back to Hurricane Hugo in 1989. This one was more impactful than anything I had ever seen.”

An army of more than 50,000 workers from all over the United States and Canada deployed to the Southeastern United States last year to assist the response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Crews spent weeks—in some cases months—helping communities rebuild following the storms. Those efforts and the devastation those crews worked through was still top of mind for many in Kansas.

“Today, we have focused on today. We have been ecstatic over the course the hurricanes and storms have taken this year,” says Barnhill, noting that this has been a quieter storm season on the East Coast.

Mutual assistance work is a hallmark of the lineworking trade, and, although they work in dangerous and difficult conditions, many lineworkers develop friendships over the years that they’re able to spark up again at events like the rodeo.

“You get all the companies out here that you go to work with during storms and hurricanes. There might be times you meet people during storms or at other events, so there’s a lot of camaraderie here,” says Chris Bristol, an OG&E manager of distribution construction. “There’s a little bit of trash talking that goes on. But, it’s all camaraderie.”

‘It’s a Big Family’

Todd Scheitel, a MidAmerican Energy transmission and distribution construction manager from Council Bluffs, Iowa, pulled into the parking lot of the rodeo grounds at 4:15 a.m. the day of the competition.

“We started cooking breakfast to get meals ready for all the competitors, the support staff, the family members,” said Scheitel, stepping away from the grill he would later use to cook a lunch of hamburgers and bratwurst for the MidAmerican Energy group and the broader team from parent company Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

Scheitel is a former rodeo competitor who attended his first event in 2003. He’s now one of hundreds who travels to Kansas each year in a support role, helping handle food and logistics for lineworkers competing in what many of them consider to be their Super Bowl.

“My favorite part of this rodeo is the camaraderie, the family, the friends. There are some guys who I only get to see this time of year,” he said. “To see the guys I used to work with, climb poles with, do transmission and distribution work with, it’s fun. It’s a big family.”

It’s a big family event, to be sure. Many companies encourage lineworkers to bring their loved ones to join in the festivities and get a front-row seat to what they do on the job. There are hayrides, bucket truck lifts, and children's events throughout the day to keep what could be the next generation of lineworkers interested and entertained.

“A good part of the rodeo is that you get to show the skills you learn on the job. The best part of the rodeo is that your families get to see what you do every day,” says OG&E’s Bristol. “There’s such a family atmosphere here. You’re competing to show that you’re better than everyone else. But, your family gets to see it, as well. That’s the best thing for me.”

As rodeo competitors, judges, support crews, families, and spectators began packing up for the day, Eversource Energy’s Henley stood in front of the poles he and Michaud had successfully scaled earlier that day.

Henley speaks with humility—until asked about his son, a 21-year-old overhead lineman apprentice in his first year on the job.

“Every day he comes home, it’s great conversation. We get to talk about what he did, and it brings me back to when I was an apprentice,” Henley says.

Henley’s son was not at the International Lineman's Rodeo this year but has recently competed in smaller rodeos. “I think I was more nervous than him” during his first event, Henley says. “He did a great job.”

“I just want to put my stuff on and go climbing with him. He’s doing his thing and working his way up, and I hope he does just as well or better than me,” he says.

The funds will be distributed through the Share program, administered locally by Metropolitan Ministries, the Salvation Army, and the Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg to provide direct support for customers struggling to pay their bills.

With this contribution, Tampa Electric will have donated $4.4 million to the Share program during the past four years. The program is funded by donations from Tampa Electric shareholders, employees, customers, and community partners and does not impact customer bills.

“We recognize that many of our most vulnerable customers are feeling especially stretched right now,” Tampa Electric President and CEO Archie Collins said in a statement. “As a company deeply rooted in this community, we believe it’s our responsibility to support our neighbors in times of need.”

Additionally, Tampa Electric recommends several tips and tricks to help customers adjust their energy usage and avoid unexpected hikes to their monthly bills. Closely monitoring the use of air conditioning, ceiling fans, and other household appliances could all help mitigate monthly energy consumption.

Customer affordability has long been a priority for investor-owned electric companies, particularly during summer months when air conditioning and energy use tend to spike, putting upward pressure on energy bills.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers, increased industrialization and the reshoring of manufacturing activity, and the broader electrification of the economy continue to push electricity demand higher, EEI member companies are proactively developing customer support programs and raising awareness of existing federal, state, and company-specific resources to help ensure customers who need financial assistance are able to access it.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

In August, Ameren announced plans to distribute $4 million in bill payment assistance to community action agencies that connect residential customers with financial resources. 

Ameren Illinois then announced that income-qualified customers who have fallen behind on their energy bills can apply for an additional $150 in payment assistance through their local Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) agency. That same $150 one-time Ameren Energy Relief Grant also is available to Ameren Missouri customers, who may qualify for up to $1,400 in bill payment assistance across several different programs. 

“It's also important for our customers to understand how to use our online tools and to see how they're using energy so they can take control of their usage,” Ameren Vice President of Customer Experience Joe Solari said in a statement, noting additional resources available to customers in Illinois and Missouri. “These tools are designed to empower customers to manage their energy in ways that work for them.” 

Ameren has partnered with hundreds of agencies this year, making more than $75 million available to support its customers through energy assistance and LIHEAP access. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill. 

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in recent weeks announced a series of advanced nuclear energy partnerships that are expected to help the company reliably and affordably meet customers’ evolving energy needs in the years ahead.

In August, TVA entered into a power purchase agreement with Google and Kairos Power. Through the agreement, TVA will purchase electricity from Kairos Power’s Hermes 2 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tenn., delivering up to 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the TVA grid that powers Google data centers in Tennessee and Alabama.

The deal drew recognition from several Tennessee lawmakers, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who praised the companies involved and touted advanced nuclear technologies as “essential to U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) dominance and energy leadership.”

Unlike traditional nuclear reactors, the Oak Ridge plant will rely on a fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor. Construction on the facility began late last year, and it is expected to come online by 2030.

“Energy security is national security, and electricity is the strategic commodity that is the building block for AI and our nation’s economic prosperity,” TVA President and CEO Don Moul said in a statement. “The world is looking for American leadership, and this first-of-a-kind agreement is the start of an innovative way of doing business.”

Separately, TVA in September announced an agreement with ENTRA1 Energy to develop a series of small modular reactors (SMRs) capable of delivering up to 6 gigawatts of new nuclear generation to TVA’s service territory. That sort of capacity is projected to power 4.5 million homes or 60 new data centers.

The deal stands as the largest SMR deployment program announced in the United States to date, potentially helping TVA meet rising energy demand driven by data centers and AI, industrialization and the reshoring of manufacturing activity, and the broader electrification of the economy.

"TVA is leading the nation in pursuing new nuclear technologies,” said Moul, noting that the deal “highlights the vital role public-private partnerships play in advancing next-generation nuclear technologies.”

EEI member companies will invest more than $1.1 trillion during the next five years to strengthen America’s energy grid and develop new critical energy infrastructure projects of all kinds. New and existing nuclear technologies play a vital role in America’s diverse energy mix, with advanced nuclear projects touted as a  promising source of reliable, affordable, 24/7 energy.

SMRs and advanced nuclear technologies were popular topics at EEI 2025—the electric power industry’s premier conference and thought leadership forum—in New Orleans earlier this year. Tune into the EEI 2025 Highlights series from the Electric Perspectives podcast to learn more about nuclear energy’s role in powering America’s energy future.

PG&E estimates a residential customer who uses 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month—roughly the average monthly usage for a California customer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration—will see their bills dip by about $5.

That’s in addition to a biannual $58.23 credit customers will receive in October from the California Climate Credit initiative, part of the state’s effort to support the transition to low-carbon energy generation. PG&E estimates residential electric rates have dropped three times during the past 15 months and that those drops have offset rate increases. The company forecasts rates will fall again in 2026.

“While we continue making progress to stabilize electric prices for our customers, we know there is more work to do,” PG&E Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer Carla Peterman said in a statement. “Our focus is on making our system safer and more reliable for customers every day, while managing our costs to keep bills as low as possible.”

PG&E maintains a series of no- and low-cost tools to help customers save energy and money, including the PG&E REACH program, which offers eligible customers credits of up to $300 to help pay past-due bills. The PG&E REACH program distributed more than $50 million in financial assistance to customers last year alone. PG&E also maintains a Savings Finder tool to help connect customers with support programs and resources and in July committed $50 million to new and existing financial assistance programs to support eligible customers with past-due energy bills. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill. 

Customer affordability has long been a priority for investor-owned electric companies, particularly during summer months when air conditioning and energy use tend to spike, putting upward pressure on energy bills.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers, increased industrialization and the reshoring of manufacturing activity, and the broader electrification of the economy continue to push electricity demand higher, EEI member companies are proactively developing customer support programs and raising awareness of existing federal, state, and company-specific resources to help ensure customers who need financial assistance are able to access it.

Each August, EEI and the National Energy & Utility Affordability Coalition observe Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Action Month, to help raise awareness of and advocate for federal funding for LIHEAP. The program plays a critical role in helping low-income customers manage their energy bills, providing essential heating and cooling assistance to eligible families. EEI is actively engaging with our partners on Capitol Hill to stress the importance of the program.

Additionally, many EEI member companies also are rolling out innovative financial assistance tools and relief programs to help keep customer bills as low as possible.

In June, Exelon Corporation and its local affiliate companies—Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, and Pepco—rolled out a $50-million Customer Relief Fund, partnering with local nonprofits to help limited- and middle-income customers in need of energy bill assistance this summer.

“Exelon understands that high energy bills, caused by increased supply costs, are extremely stressful for low- and middle-income customers—which includes many seniors, small business owners, and families experiencing challenges,” Exelon President and CEO Calvin Butler, who also currently serves as EEI Chair, said in a statement announcing his company’s Customer Relief Fund.

Similarly, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) in July announced it would commit $50 million to new and existing financial assistance programs. It also announced a new dollar-for-dollar matching program up to $1,000 to help eligible customers pay past-due bills. An estimated 400,000 customers are expected to be eligible for the new program based on federal income guidelines.

Exelon and PG&E are among EEI’s largest member companies, but electricity providers of all sizes are shining a spotlight on similar initiatives to support the customers and communities they serve.

Developing Innovative Solutions

Among the new EEI member-led financial support initiatives to launch this summer is the Public Service Electric and Gas Company’s (PSE&G’s) Summer Relief Initiative, designed to protect residential customers from higher energy bills. PSE&G in June received approval from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to issue temporary credits to customers, partially offsetting higher energy prices in the region. The company also issued a Summer Moratorium on disconnections for qualified customers and is waiving reconnection fees.

Many other companies are partnering with local nonprofits and philanthropic organizations to ensure resources flow to the most vulnerable. The Duke Energy Foundation, for example, committed $400,000 in June to its Share the Light Fund, which supports customers facing financial hardship across the six states that Duke Energy serves. Through the Share the Light Fund, Duke Energy works with local nonprofit agencies that can help connect individual customers with the resources and aid for which they qualify. The foundation’s latest contribution builds on the $11 million that Duke Energy, its foundation, its employees, and its customers have committed to such efforts during the past three years.

“We know that behind every request for assistance is a story—a family, a friend, a community member working to get through a tough time,” Duke Energy Foundation President Amy Strecker said in a statement. “Through the Share the Light Fund and our local partners, we’re able to support our neighbors in their moment of need.”

Driving Energy Efficiency

EEI member companies also are working directly with corporate and residential customers to help them improve their energy efficiency, do more with less electricity, and lower their monthly bills. Dominion Energy Senior Policy Director Tonya Byrd wrote in Electric Perspectives earlier this year about her company’s energy efficiency renovation efforts, describing a project that involved upgrading a local senior citizen’s aging HVAC system, heat pump, ducts, and light fixtures.

Similarly, Entergy Texas earlier this year hosted a series of community events in Cleveland and Huntsville to provide no-cost air conditioning tune-ups to eligible customers. Some customers also received free energy efficiency products and home weatherization upgrades.

The air conditioning work is part of the company’s broader CoolSaver program, which provides free HVAC services valued at more than $200 per home. Qualified technicians clean and calibrate the output of existing systems to improve performance and help customers reduce their energy usage.

“We know the Texas summer heat can be relentless, and so can high energy bills if systems aren’t running efficiently,” Entergy Texas Energy Efficiency Program Manager Mark Delavan said in a statement. “These tune-ups can make a big difference in the homes and wallets of our customers.”

Raising Customer Awareness

Six in seven families eligible for LIHEAP assistance are not actively enrolled in the program, largely because they are unfamiliar with the resources available to them. Many EEI member companies see similar barriers to enrollment in state- and company-specific programs and are actively working to educate customers and streamline application processes.

Xcel Energy’s Resources. Education. Delivered. (RED) Truck launched in 2023 to bring information about financial assistance directly to customers. The RED Truck travels to fairs and community events, where bilingual Xcel Energy account representatives can help customers understand the resources available to them and answer questions about their accounts.

“By connecting with our customers where they live, work, and play, the RED Truck ensures their voices are heard and their needs are met, aligning with our mission to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable service,” Xcel Energy—Colorado President Robert Kenney said in a statement. “The RED Truck initiative lets our customers know they can rely on us to be where they need us to answer questions and provide support.”

PNM raises awareness of its Good Neighbor Fund by participating in community resource events across Albuquerque and its wider service territory. The PNM Good Neighbor Fund provides electric bill assistance to low-income and income-qualified customers, including seniors and other vulnerable groups.

The fund, which is distributed through a partnership with the Rio Grande Food Project, helps qualified customers stay connected to electricity during challenging times. PNM hosts several on-site bill assistance events throughout the year to provide customers and community members with direct access to these vital resources. During the events, PNM team members are available to answer questions, review customer eligibility, and help customers with bill assistance applications.

Electricity customers looking for assistance can visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in their community, including federal LIHEAP eligibility, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that customers can take to help lower energy bills.

Since 2022, the Foundation, Duke Energy, and its employees and customers have contributed more than $11 million to local nonprofit initiatives through the Share the Light Fund, helping connect customers with qualifying aid. 

“We know that behind every request for assistance is a story—a family, a friend, a community member working to get through a tough time,” Duke Energy Foundation President Amy Strecker said in a statement. “Through Share the Light Fund and our local partners, we’re able to support our neighbors in their moment of need.” 

At the same time, new programs and incentives are giving Duke Energy customers more control over their energy usage and costs. In addition to home weatherization and free home energy assessments, the company offers payment plans, due date extensions, and a Payment Assistance Finder. Monthly usage alerts also help customers track their energy consumption mid-cycle so they can adjust before the next bill arrives, and Duke Energy provides summer heat relief by helping connect eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities with fans or air conditioners. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill. 

The roughly 1,000 goats are an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional vegetation management work, which often requires crews to scale steep hills and rocky slopes—terrain that goats can more nimbly navigate. Since SDG&E first piloted the goat vegetation management program in 2021, the herd has helped clear thousands of high-risk acres and avoid the need to utilize herbicides and heavy machinery—making it an ideal solution near homes and sensitive environmental habitats.

SDG&E has been working this summer to familiarize customers with its goat herd, featuring them as part of the company’s series of Annual Wildfire Safety Fairs. The safety fairs have been an opportunity to provide customers with emergency preparedness resources and information while also allowing them to feed and interact with the goats. The events are helping SDG&E drive home the critical role that goats play in their local wildfire mitigation. 

"Our goats may be a visible symbol of our wildfire prevention strategy, but they represent just one element of SDG&E's comprehensive, multi-layered approach for community safety and grid resilience," SDG&E Vice President for Wildfire and Climate Science Brian D'Agostino said in a statement. 

In addition to the goats, SDG&E has developed a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program that integrates cutting-edge technology, ecological solutions, and community collaboration to help reduce wildfire risk. The company maintains a wildfire and climate resilience center, which serves as a hub for research, development, and implementation of innovative wildfire prevention and mitigation solutions. 

SDG&E also operates a sophisticated weather network that applies machine learning to help predict weather patterns and better understand fire potential. And, the company has completed more than 315 miles of strategic undergrounding, installed 1,600 fire-resistant poles, and conducted more than 10,000 miles of advanced LiDAR inspections, enhancing reliability and safety for customers. 

SDG&E is far from the only EEI member company to embrace animals as a solution for vegetation management. Rochester Gas & Electric works with a team of rescue goats to control vegetation under its transmission lines. And, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company (LG&E and KU) have tapped a flock of more than 200 sheep to help with similar efforts. Read more about LG&E and KU’s sheep in the Sept./Oct. 2023 issue of Electric Perspectives. 

A National Grid program that helps support commercial and industrial customers in Central New York helped create 165 new jobs last year and contributed to nearly $1 million in energy savings. 

National Grid’s Manufacturing Productivity Program is an economic development initiative that provides financial assistance and sustainable solutions through grants to help eligible companies streamline their manufacturing efforts, increase productivity, and eliminate waste. More than $370,000 in such grants were approved in 2024, helping to support a sector that employs more than 412,000 New Yorkers and that generated more than $90 billion in economic activity last year. 

“National Grid’s priority is to provide our customers with affordable, reliable energy to fuel their businesses,” National Grid External Affairs Director for Central New York Alberto Bianchetti said in a statement. “Our Manufacturing Productivity Program offers valuable resources to companies throughout Central New York looking to increase productivity and expand the capabilities of their workforces while also reducing waste and lowering costs.” 

Since 2003, National Grid’s 18 economic development programs have provided more than $150 million in economic development grant funding in upstate New York, creating or retaining nearly 75,000 jobs and leveraging more than $12 billion in other private and public investments. 

“Our Manufacturing Productivity Program provides tools to help local companies sustainably grow,” said National Grid Director of Economic Development Katie Newcombe. “Finding efficiencies and improving processes ensures our customers become more productive and profitable and contributes to the overall economic wellbeing of the communities we serve.”

Increased industrialization and manufacturing activity are two of the key drivers of electricity demand growth in New York and throughout the United States, alongside artificial intelligence technologies and data center expansion and the electrification of the broader economy. 

National Grid and other EEI member companies have been making substantial infrastructure investments to help support demand growth. Investor-owned electric companies invested a record $178.2 billion to enhance America’s critical energy infrastructure last year and are projected to make more than $1.1 trillion in similar investments between 2025 and 2029, creating millions of jobs and supporting local economies across the country. 

The industry also is embracing AI and innovative technologies to drive efficiency and better serve customers. National Grid Partners, the unregulated corporate venture capital and innovation arm of the company, announced a commitment to investing $100 million into energy-related AI startups during CERAWeek earlier this year. Read more at electricperspectives.com.

On a recent episode of the

Following is an abbreviated writeup of Anthony’s interview with EP, lightly edited for length and clarity. To catch up with other recent interviews, visit electricperspectives.com/podcast.

Electric Perspectives (EP): Tell us a little bit about your background.

Tyler Anthony (TA): I've spent more than three decades in the energy industry, with more than 20 years in nuclear and 15 years on the transmission and distribution side of the business. That perspective has shaped how I approach this role at Pepco Holdings, where we serve more than 2 million customers across Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and here in Washington, D.C., including some of the country's most critical government and institutional facilities.

We take that responsibility very seriously at Pepco. It's an honor to serve this area. Our mission is to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable power to these communities, and that includes ensuring continuity for the institutions that keep our region and our nation running.

We're doing all of this at a time when the energy landscape is undergoing, frankly, unprecedented change. In the last five years, we've seen more transformation than we had in the previous 50. From the rapid growth of data centers and electric vehicles to the impacts of climate change and evolving customer expectations, our grid is under more pressure than ever. 

At the same time, exciting opportunities are emerging. We're seeing a resurgence of interest in clean, baseload generation like nuclear. I'm looking forward to talking more about how we're responding to surging demand, especially from areas like AI and data centers, how we're investing in grid modernization to prepare for what's ahead, and how we're building the workforce needed to power this transformation in a way that's equitable and lasting.

EP: The rapid growth of AI and data centers is accelerating grid transformation. At the same time, the industry is navigating rising electricity demand and extreme weather events. How is Pepco developing long-term plans to power its communities in the face of all of these sometimes-competing dynamics?

TA: We're at an inflection point. The convergence of AI, data center growth, electrification, and extreme weather is transforming the energy system faster than anything I've seen in my 30-plus years in the industry. As an example, battery storage at scale in the United States is poised to more than double during the next two years and will close out 2026 at nearly 65 gigawatts (GW). When you put that in perspective, it's a rapid rise from the 17 GW in the first quarter projected for 2024. A gigawatt is roughly equivalent to building an entire nuclear power station.

At Pepco, we're focused on energy security as older baseload resources that operate 24/7 retire and new energy resources come online. We've retired all the fossil generation in New Jersey. We've just retired the last fossil plant in Delaware in December of last year. That just means the need for renewables will continue as we build these larger baseload, 24/7 resources.

We also are advocating for market and policy reforms that ensure large-scale users like data centers pay their fair share, and that customers aren't left shouldering the costs of rapid transformation. Both Pepco and Exelon Corporation support co-location of data centers with energy generation. We see that as a key part of the solution, but it has to be done responsibly. We need to ensure that it doesn't drive up costs for residents and small businesses while also helping position the United States to lead in the global race for AI.

This is all about national security. And, it's about striking the right balance between growth and accountability, innovation, and equality. As long as we're working together—electric companies, policymakers, regulators, as well as our partners in labor in our communities—we can solve these issues and continue to advance improvements to the grid. I can't stress enough the importance of partnerships.

This moment calls for urgency but also discipline. We can move fast and still do it the right way. 

EP: Can you tell us more about Pepco’s Capital Grid project?

TA: I mentioned the importance of partnerships. The Capital Grid project pulled all of our regional partnerships together to essentially set a foundation with our stakeholders to put a $1.6-billion investment in the future of energy in Washington, D.C.

It's going to serve as a springboard to our long-term strategy to enhance the energy grid. The project was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our employees to work on something that is transformative for our customers, our communities, and our partners. It essentially puts 230 kilovolts 25 feet into the ground across the entire District of Columbia, increasing capacity and replacing aged infrastructure.

The Capital Grid project started in 2016, and we're quickly coming to its conclusion.

EP: Exelon, which is the parent company of Pepco, recently announced a $50-million charitable contribution to help customers in need of financial assistance across its network. Can you tell us about Pepco's role in this program and how it will help customers?

TA: This is one of the reasons I'm so proud to work for Exelon. We spend a great amount of time in our communities, and that builds a level of trust. What we've seen across the different jurisdictions, as supply costs have increased, is that our customers’ bills are increasing.

Exelon and companies like Pepco asked ourselves: What more can we do? How can we be part of the solution? This was a step in that direction—to say to our customers, ‘We're here for you.’ We're part of the broader community. It's very important that we show up when our customers are in need in any way that we can. This is another step in that direction—to build that trust with our community and our customers.

EP: What can you tell us about your focus on ensuring customer bills are as low as possible? 

TA: This is probably the top issue facing our industry, facing Exelon, and facing Pepco. We're taking it very seriously. Our relief fund is a big step in the right direction. However, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes as we try to drive costs down.

There are four areas that we're focused on currently. One is reforms on the supply side with the PJM Interconnection, looking at how we keep dispatchable resources affordable and available for customers.

The second is our internal costs, looking at how we keep these as low as possible and get the most out of every dollar we spend.

Third, we're working to educate customers. In our customer portal, customers can get weekly and daily updates on the energy they're using, how it compares over time, and how much they're spending. This keeps them more active, because nobody wants a surprise bill. In Washington, D.C., where temperatures can get close to 100 degrees this time of year, more energy will go toward running air conditioners. We have to keep customers informed and help them manage their energy.

Our fourth and final area of focus relates to our regulators and our partners and includes energy efficiency programs, energy efficiency audits, what we're doing around rate structure for low- to moderate-income customers, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and federal programs, and how we’re connecting all of this to customers. 

The PNM Good Neighbor Fund provides electric bill assistance to low-income and income-qualified customers, including seniors and other vulnerable groups. The fund, which is distributed through a partnership with the Rio Grande Food Project, helps qualified customers stay connected to electricity during challenging times. A subprogram to the Good Neighbor Fund, the PNM CARES Program, offers targeted assistance to customers facing unique hardships, including medical challenges or domestic violence.

PNM hosts several on-site bill assistance events throughout the year to provide customers and community members with direct access to these vital resources. During the events, PNM team members are available to answer questions, review customer eligibility, and assist customers with bill assistance applications.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

PG&E also announced a new dollar-for-dollar matching program up to $1,000 to help low- and moderate-income customers pay past-due bills and prevent service disconnections. An estimated 400,000 customers are expected to be eligible for the new PG&E Match My Payment Program, based on federal income guidelines.

“Our Match My Payment Program is designed to make sure more families receive support when they need it most, especially during the summer months when energy bills can peak,” PG&E Senior Vice President for Customer Experience Vincent Davis said in a statement.

Additional funding for the new program and PG&E’s other bill relief offerings will be monitored throughout the year to ensure resources are appropriately allocated to best meet customers’ evolving needs.

PG&E offers a range of income-based assistance programs for customers who need help with their bills, including the PG&E REACH program, which offers eligible customers credits of up to $300 to help pay past-due bills. The PG&E REACH program distributed more than $50 million in financial assistance to customers last year alone. PG&E also maintains a Savings Finder tool to help connect customers with support programs and resources.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, and Pepco are accepting applications from customers seeking bill relief. PECO customers in the Philadelphia area will be able to apply for assistance beginning in August.

“Exelon understands that high energy bills, caused by increased supply costs, are extremely stressful for low- and middle-income customers—which includes many seniors, small business owners, and families experiencing challenges,” Exelon President and CEO and EEI Chair Calvin Butler said in a statement. “The Customer Relief Fund, in addition to our existing year-round programs supporting customers with energy assistance, once again demonstrates Exelon’s commitment to our communities.”

The $50-million fund has been spread across Exelon’s local energy companies, which are actively assisting customers who want more information about how they can access and apply for assistance.

Last month, Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined officials from BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power, and nonprofit organizations including the United Way of Central Maryland, the Salvation Army, Harford Community Action Agency, and Shore UP! to announce that $19 million in assistance would be made available to limited- and middle-income customers in Maryland. 

“We need to work together to get them relief—and today, we are taking new actions to achieve exactly that,” Governor Moore said in a statement. “But, while this is an important step forward, it will not be the last.” 

The one-time fund is part of Exelon’s broader efforts to help customers manage their energy bills. Across the country, EEI’s member electric companies are offering energy efficiency programs to help customers reduce their energy use, working with state and local governments to develop new and innovative customer-centric programs, and offering billing assistance and flexible payment options to help customers manage costs. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. And, learn about more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

Entergy Mississippi this month announced it would contribute $628,000 to provide bill assistance to older adults and customers with disabilities who qualify through its The Power to Care program.

Entergy Mississippi announced the contribution during a “Beat the Heat Day” event, where employee volunteers partnered with community resource groups to provide resources to help customers combat high temperatures, including household energy efficiency kits, fans, energy-saving tips, and cooling stations. 

“High temperatures in our service area are notorious for causing higher energy bills, which leaves many of our customers struggling to make ends meet,” said Valarie Mabry, public affairs analyst at Entergy Mississippi. “It’s why we’re thankful for our community partners who help us get these important resources to homes in need.” 

Entergy Mississippi’s bill assistance contribution will be distributed through Entergy Corporation’s The Power to Care program, which provides emergency bill payment assistance to older adults and customers with disabilities in their time of need. The Power to Care program is funded through employee, customer, and shareholder donations, and Entergy shareholders match each gift, up to $1 million.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

Upgrades and expansions to Entergy Louisiana’s generation and transmission infrastructure will help power a planned $5.8-billion Hyundai Motor Group steel manufacturing facility in Donaldsonville, La.

The facility, announced in late March, will produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel each year and help create an estimated 5,400 new jobs in the area. It also will solidify Hyundai’s vehicle manufacturing footprint within the United States, and the electric arc furnace serving the mill is expected to produce 70 percent fewer emissions than a traditional blast furnace.

“This historic investment will help set up Louisiana for long-term economic success, creating thousands of high-quality jobs and positioning our state as a leader in next-generation, low-carbon steel production,” Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May said in a statement.

For years, Entergy Louisiana has worked with the Louisiana Public Service Commission and other stakeholders to upgrade its transmission capacity along an area that, to date, has been the largest undeveloped tract of land along the deepwater stretch of the Mississippi River.

Last year, the company installed self-healing grid technology along the border of the surrounding Ascension Parish and East Baton Rouge, making local infrastructure more resilient.

Entergy Louisiana separately announced a $39-million project to fortify nearly 60 miles of power lines in Ascension Parish. Upon completion, the upgrades will help prevent 5.6 million hours of outages and save nearly $140 million in restoration costs during the next five decades. Work on additional transmission projects in the surrounding area also is underway.

Increased industrialization and onshoring of manufacturing activity in the United States is contributing to significant energy demand growth across the country and creating new opportunities for America’s electric companies to collaborate with their industry partners.

“Entergy Louisiana is proud to support Hyundai Steel Company with the reliable, sustainable energy solutions needed to power such an ambitious and forward-thinking facility. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future for our state,” May said.

Days after the Louisiana announcement, Hyundai opened its nearly $7.6-billion mass-production electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid plant in Ellabell, Ga., which is powered in part by nuclear energy generated from Georgia Power’s Vogtle Units 3 and 4. And, last year, AES Ohio unveiled a new $175-million substation, which powers a new Honda-LG Energy Solution EV battery plant in Fayette County, Ohio.

Manufacturing activity is one of several factors driving demand growth projections higher in the years ahead, alongside the electrification of transportation and the buildout of data centers supporting artificial intelligence technologies.

Since 1922, the Edison Award has recognized electric companies for their distinguished leadership, innovation, and contribution to the advancement of the electric industry for the benefit of all. The Edison Award is the most prestigious honor.

In March, an independent panel of reviewers met to evaluate nominations for the 2025 Edison Award and selected projects from The AES Corporation, Duke Energy, Edison International and Southern California Edison (SCE), and Southern Company as domestic finalists. Projects from ATCO Electric and Fortis Inc. were selected as international finalists.

“EEI’s member electric companies continue to drive innovation across their companies by investing in and deploying cutting-edge technologies and solutions that benefit the customers and communities they serve,” said EEI interim President and CEO Pat Vincent-Collawn. “This year’s Edison Award finalists have demonstrated exceptional leadership and ingenuity, and this recognition is well-deserved.”

The winners of the 97th Edison Award will be selected by a panel of former electric company chief executives and will be announced during EEI 2025, EEI’s annual conference and thought leadership forum, to be held June 2-4 in New Orleans.

Learn more about the Edison Award at eei.org/awards.

Domestic Finalists

The AES Corporation

• Maximo, the AI-Powered Robot

The AES Corporation unveiled Maximo, a first-of-its-kind robot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and built to install solar panels quickly, precisely, and efficiently, in 2024. The robot works alongside construction crews to automate heavy lifting and precise placement tasks associated with installing solar panels, ultimately making the installation process safer and reducing costs.

Maximo is on track to install more than 100 megawatts of solar panels in 2025 and is slated to be deployed across 5 gigawatts (GW) of projects during the next three years, including the 2 GW Bellefield solar project in Kern County, Cali. That project, under contract with Amazon, is the largest solar-plus-storage project to be permitted in the United States to date.

Using advanced sensors and cameras, an industrial robotic arm, and generative AI to refine exact coordinates and dimensions for placement, Maximo can install solar panels in half the time and at half the cost of traditional crews while also opening the door for new career opportunities. Already, AES crew members have continued to work onsite alongside Maximo when they otherwise would have been sidelined from installation due to unpredictable weather conditions or staff shortages.

Duke Energy

• Setting a New Bar for Climate Resilience and Storm Response

In 2024, Duke Energy advanced its science-based planning to enhance grid resilience and reliability in the face of extreme weather. The company published the first comprehensive assessment of climate risks across generation, transmission, and distribution for a vertically integrated electric company: the Duke Energy Climate Resilience and Adaptation Study. 

Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton impacted customers in all six states served by Duke Energy, leaving catastrophic damage in their wake and demanding a historic coordinated response from across the electric power industry. Duke Energy mobilized more than 20,000 workers in response to Helene and nearly 19,000 following Milton, and Duke Energy Foundation provided more than $2.3 million in grants to 78 organizations for disaster relief and recovery.

Resilience and restoration efforts were aided by the $4 billion Duke Energy invested last year in hardening and modernizing the grid, which included undergrounding lines, upgrading poles to steel and concrete in coastal areas, and installing innovative self-healing grid technology. These investments helped to avoid nearly 550,000 customer outages and saved 7 million hours of total outage time during Debby, Helene, and Milton.

These real-world challenges tested and validated the importance of Duke Energy’s commitment to resilience and system adaptation, solidifying the need for the industry to continue collaborating to further prepare for extreme weather events. Duke Energy is investing $70 billion during the next decade to make the grid smarter, stronger, and more resilient. The resilience and adaptation study also identified future opportunities, like new infrastructure design standards, to accommodate higher temperatures and mitigate impacts from flooding.

Edison International and Southern California Edison (SCE)

• AWARE System

SCE’s Advanced Waveform Anomaly Recognition (AWARE) system supplements advanced sensors and other applications already used by many electric companies with state-of-the-art physics-based AI models and machine learning technologies. The resulting grid anomaly detection and proactive fault management technology can help to identify and locate problematic equipment on SCE’s circuits before a failure occurs, mitigating outages and helping to keep customers and communities safe and energized.

Many smart grid technologies use electric waveforms to detect faults, but the energy grid’s increasing complexity and the rise of customer-sited distributed energy resources can add noise that is difficult for traditional detection programs to sift through.

SCE’s AWARE system uses AI and machine learning to identify the unique waveforms for different kinds of equipment failures. It also can help to pinpoint where failures take place within SCE’s service territory, accelerating restoration times and supporting safer and more targeted restoration efforts.

Southern Company

• Plant Vogtle Unit 4

Plant Vogtle Unit 4 entered commercial operation in April 2024, following the completion of Vogtle Unit 3 the year prior. Each unit can power 500,000 Georgia homes and businesses and will serve communities across the state for decades to come. Collectively, the units have created 800 new good-paying, high-quality permanent jobs while helping to strengthen America’s nuclear energy supply chain and talent pipeline.

Sitting on 3,000 acres of land on the banks of the Savannah River, Plant Vogtle is the largest generator of carbon-free nuclear energy in the United States, capable of producing more than 30 million megawatt-hours of electricity annually.

The nuclear energy produced by Vogtle Units 3 and 4 will prevent an estimated 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, equivalent to planting 165 million trees every year, all while powering Georgia’s economy.

International Finalists

ATCO Electric

• Jasper National Park Wildfire Response

The 2024 wildfire in Jasper National Park was one of the most devastating in Canadian history, destroying nearly a third of the town of Jasper and forcing 25,000 residents to evacuate. Despite extensive damage to more than 800 electric and natural gas assets, ATCO Electric restored power to all properties able to receive it within 16 days of the fire’s outbreak—preventing economic losses while supporting community livelihoods.

The Jasper fire was first reported on July 22, 2024, and spread quickly and aggressively. ATCO Electric employees were among the last to evacuate and first to return as they worked to restore power to impacted communities. Through ATCO Electric’s extensive experience with wildfires in Alberta, the company effectively collaborated with Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper to rebuild infrastructure safely and as quickly as possible.

Grid hardening was critical to ATCO Electric’s response and restoration efforts. ATCO Electric undergrounded nearly 8 kilometers (5 miles) of distribution lines near a popular ski hill, replaced cables and converted lines associated with a local sky tram, and installed non-combustible composite poles to protect against future fire risk—highlighting the company’s commitment to supporting the area’s key economic driver and source of jobs.

Fortis Inc.

• Wataynikaneyap Power Transmission System

The approximately $1.9-billion Wataynikaneyap Power Transmission System is Canada’s largest Indigenous-led electricity project. Fortis partnered with Wataynikaneyap Power and 24 First Nations communities to construct the 1,800-kilometer (1,118-mile) transmission line connected to 22 substations. The system connects 17 rural and remote First Nations communities to the Ontario provincial energy grid.

Construction of the system began in 2020 and was completed in May 2024. With 16 of the 22 substations and half of the transmission line accessible only during winter months, construction timelines needed to be compressed, meaning, in some cases, a year’s worth of work needed to be completed in a matter of months.

The new transmission system is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 6.6 million tonnes during the next 40 years and will reduce First Nations communities’ reliance on diesel generation. Construction on new homes, offices, health facilities, fitness centers, and schools has already begun in areas that previously were unable to expand due to lack of access to reliable, affordable energy—underscoring the industry’s critical work to drive communities forward.

The Diablo Canyon facility is California's only nuclear power plant in operation and generates nearly 9 percent of the state's electricity. (Photo: Pacific Gas & Electric Company)

Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) recently launched an on-site generative artificial intelligence (AI) program at its Diablo Canyon Power Plant, marking the first time such technology has been commercially deployed at a U.S. nuclear plant.

The program, developed by technology company Atomic Canyon using Nvidia’s AI platform, is helping facility operators with document search and retrieval, saving time and significant cost while improving operational efficiency. PG&E estimates it maintains billions of pages of technical documentation to adhere to federal and state regulations and that its new AI capabilities will cut search times from hours to seconds.

“Atomic Canyon’s AI solutions will enable faster data retrieval, boosting collaboration and ensuring continued safe, but more efficient, operations,” PG&E Vice President of Business and Technical Services at Diablo Canyon Power Plant Maureen Zawalick said in a statement. “Accessing critical information in seconds will let us focus on what truly matters—delivering reliable clean energy safely and affordably.”

The Diablo Canyon facility opened in 1985 and is California’s only nuclear power plant in operation. It is surrounded by 12,000 acres of coastal terrain between Los Angeles and San Jose. The plant generates nearly 9 percent of the state’s electricity and will be critical to meeting growing customer demand and California’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2045. The California Energy Commission estimates energy demand in the state will increase 43 percent during the next 15 years.

“With skyrocketing energy demands and increased support from tech leaders, we are witnessing the growing excitement and need for nuclear energy in real time,” said Atomic Canyon Founder Trey Lauderdale. “This is the future of nuclear plant operations, and we’re just scratching the surface.”

Nuclear energy has generated attention around the world in recent years as demand for electricity accelerates. Georgia Power made headlines in 2023 and 2024 for completing Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in Waynesboro, Ga. They were the first newly constructed nuclear facilities to be built in the United States in more than 30 years. Plant Vogtle Unit 4 was recently named a finalist for the Edison Award, which will be issued at EEI 2025 in New Orleans in June.

AI technologies and the data centers that power them also have been a central focus for the electric power industry—because of their substantial energy needs and their potential to revolutionize how electric companies operate and serve their customers. AES last year launched Maximo, an AI-powered robot designed to help install solar panels. And, Avangrid recently launched a new AI program to help technicians more quickly troubleshoot and resolve issues on wind turbines.

In late March, Avangrid unveiled a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool built to help the company’s field technicians more quickly and efficiently respond to technical issues at its wind plants.

The First Time Right Autopilot generative AI program helps technicians diagnose and resolve possible problems on wind turbines. Technicians engage with the program via voice or text, providing background information on the issue, and the program provides them with step-by-step instructions and documentation through their mobile devices. The program already has been installed at plants in Iowa and New York. Avangrid is planning to deploy it across its fleet later this year.

“By leveraging generative AI to provide real-time, expert-level support, we are empowering our technicians with the tools they need to improve reliability and efficiency within our fleet,” Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra said in a statement. “This is a testament to our commitment to shaping the future of energy through continuous innovation and technological advancement.”

The program is helping Avangrid technicians safely and more quickly identify technical problems, cutting down on the amount of time turbines are taken offline. It is the company’s latest effort to leverage AI capabilities to assist in its operations and better serve its customers. Last year, Avangrid unveiled Ava, a customer-facing AI energy assistant, in certain markets, and it announced a pilot project involving an AI-powered robotic dog to assist with substation inspections. And, in 2023, Avangrid and Iberdrola stood up a data science and analytics team to manage the company’s AI systems that help improve grid reliability and serve customers.

Executives from Eversource and their partners break ground on the Greater Cambridge Energy Program substation project in January. (Photo: Eversource)

In late January, Eversource broke ground on a $1.8-billion project in Cambridge, Mass., that, upon completion, will include the largest underground electrical substation in the United States.

The Greater Cambridge Energy Program substation will occupy 35,000 square feet and feature eight new 115-kilovolt transmission lines, which will span more than 8 miles and power portions of Cambridge, Boston, Somerville, and surrounding communities. The facility will be more than 100 feet underground at the site of a former parking garage and underneath what will be a new public green space.

“By taking a collaborative approach with the community and local leaders, this critical energy infrastructure meets several needs for our customers and the region’s energy supply while helping to enable the clean energy transition,” said Eversource Chairman, President, and CEO Joe Nolan.

By placing the facility underground, Eversource hopes to minimize its footprint within the city while enhancing grid resilience and insulating lines from above-ground threats such as extreme weather. Eversource has spent years designing the facility and conducting community engagement efforts with customers, local leaders, and other stakeholders, having started public outreach efforts in 2019. The company has since partnered with the city of Cambridge, the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, and real estate investment company BXP to bring the project to life.

“This region is experiencing a surge of new residential and commercial development, while at the same time moving away from fossil fuels. This generates a growing demand for a reliable electrical grid,” said Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang. “The Greater Cambridge Energy Program helps address the increased energy needs in the region, enhance the resiliency and reliability of the grid to reliably serve customers in our community, and support the decarbonization goals of both Cambridge and the Commonwealth.”

Eversource designed the substation to help meet the needs of customers now and in the future, particularly as the economy continues to electrify. For example, the company estimates that the substation will allow it to handle all of its East Cambridge residential customers who are converting their traditional heating systems to electric heat pumps while cutting the area’s reliance on natural gas in half.

“The Greater Cambridge Energy Program is a creative solution that helps shape a more sustainable and resilient energy future for our customers,” said Nolan.

The undergrounding of substations is not a new concept in the United States, with the first such project opening in Anaheim, Calif., in 2006. Upon its completion, the Cambridge substation will be more than twice the size of the underground substation in Anaheim.

Eversource anticipates that it will be able to operate at least some of the facility by 2029 and that it will be fully operational by 2031, creating and supporting an estimated 500 full-time jobs.

Portland General Electric (PGE) was recently named the winner of the Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI’s) inaugural Corporate Citizenship Award for its Project Zero initiative.

Project Zero represents PGE’s commitment to expanding learning pathways that inspire the next generation to learn, solve, and act on clean energy challenges and solutions. It involves partnerships with more than 43 community organizations to address gaps in clean energy education through hands-on classroom activities, out-of-school experiences, and internship opportunities.

The initiative was created to empower young people to be active in shaping a sustainable energy future—particularly in underserved communities. Funded in part by the PGE Foundation, it is designed to introduce young adults to the opportunities available to them in the energy industry, potentially helping to bridge skills gaps and recruit promising young talent to the industry.

Since its launch in 2020, Project Zero has reached more than 175,000 K-12 students with learning and engagement opportunities related to climate, sustainability, and clean energy. More than half of the program’s interns secured full-time positions in energy- or environment-related fields upon completion of the program.

“This program creates vital pathways for young people from all walks of life to engage with climate solutions, develop problem-solving skills, and envision themselves as key players in the clean energy transition,” said Kregg Arntson, PGE’s Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility. “We are honored to receive EEI’s Corporate Citizenship Award. This recognition would not be possible without our community partners who have supported PGE’s commitment to empowering the next generation of clean energy leaders.”

The EEI Corporate Citizenship Award was launched last year to recognize member companies’ commitments to supporting the growth, development, and well-being of the communities they are proud to serve. PGE was selected by a panel of executives as the inaugural winner from a group of more than 10 innovative projects.

“PGE is demonstrating its dedication to positively impacting the communities it serves through Project Zero,” said EEI interim President and CEO Pat Vincent-Collawn. “This initiative is an investment in the future energy workforce of America and is helping push our industry forward. EEI applauds the PGE team for its leadership and congratulates them for winning this inaugural award.”

The award was presented during EEI’s Powering Engagement Conference in the fall. Applications for the 2025 award will open on May 1. For more information about the Corporate Citizenship Award and other EEI programs designed to recognize outstanding leadership and service in the electric power industry, visit eei.org/awards.

Hundreds of lineworkers gathered around journeyman Paul White in a field outside of Kansas City, Mo., on a crisp, clear morning in late October, eagerly awaiting the beginning of the 40th annual International Lineman’s Rodeo. With the moon still high in the sky, spotlights and head lamps illuminated the rows of tents and dozens of 40-foot power poles flanking White as he addressed the crowd.

“Everyone here this morning is connected to the electric power industry. And, the demand for electric energy never rests,” said White, a longtime journeyman lineworker and rodeo competitor who delivered introductory remarks and helped emcee this year’s event. “The lineman trade has a proud history that demands a specialized skill set.”

That skill set was on display over the course of the four-day event, which drew competitors from across the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Brazil, and beyond. Rodeo organizers estimated more than 5,000 spectators and nearly 1,100 lineworkers traveled to Kansas City for the competition.

The event is a friendly competition among some of the most skilled lineworkers in the world, and it celebrates the brave men and women who regularly work in dangerous conditions to maintain and repair the critical energy infrastructure that powers our nation.

“Whether linemen are working under sunlight, moonlight, or spotlight, they get the job done, and electricity continues to flow,” said White. “The satisfaction of the job goes well beyond a paycheck.”

‘It’s Not About How Fast You Get Up and Down’

EEI was a sponsor of this year’s event, which was hosted by Evergy, an EEI member company. EEI and its members historically have maintained a strong presence at the rodeo, with nearly half of the three-person teams competing at the 2024 rodeo hailing from investor-owned electric companies. Other competitors were contractors or represented public power utilities and electric cooperatives.

“I love it. I’ve been blessed over the years to have some great teammates, and I have friends I’ve met from all over the country out here,” said Jason Novak, an Ameren Illinois lineman and 23-time rodeo competitor whose team ended up placing first overall at this year’s competition.

Despite having “rodeo” in its name, the International Lineman’s Rodeo does not feature lassos, bulls, or barrel racing. In place of horses and 10-gallon hats are harnesses and 50-foot bucket trucks, as lineworkers compete in a series of skills challenges. In one event, they rescue dummies dangling from power lines. In another, they race up power poles while attempting not to crack an egg held in their mouth.

Lineworkers are divided into three-person teams and compete across four events, each of which tests skills they pick up on the job. Two events in the competition aren’t revealed until the weekend of the rodeo, making it more difficult to practice in advance. A separate scoring track for apprentice lineworkers also allows those who are just beginning their careers to test their mettle among their peers.

Participants are scored on how quickly they complete the challenges but also on how well they adhere to safety protocols and best practices.

“Everything we do here is about safety. It’s not about how fast you get up and down that pole,” said Dale Warman, co-chairman of the International Lineman’s Rodeo Board of Directors and a retired director of field operations at Kansas City Power & Light, which is now Evergy. “You have to be safe, and, if you’re not, you’ll have points deducted. It’s a big part of your scoring.”

It’s an event that participants train for all year—on the job and through separate, smaller competitions, since most companies only have a certain number of rodeo slots available.

“We have our own rodeo every year in August, and all of the Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) guys will compete against each other. We take the best of the best from our rodeo up here to compete,” said Tyler Scott, a supervisor at OG&E who was attending his fourth international rodeo.

Reflecting on Mutual Assistance

Warman recalls the inaugural lineworker rodeo that he helped set up 40 years ago. Twelve teams initially were slated to compete, but a dispute between teams before the rodeo began meant that only eight actually participated. That’s compared to the nearly 230 three-person teams and nearly 400 apprentices who traveled to this year’s event—numbers that would have been higher had Hurricanes Helene and Milton not struck the southeastern United States only a few weeks prior, prompting one of the largest mutual assistance efforts in the electric power industry’s history. 

“That’s why some of the guys aren’t here today. They’ve been down there answering the call,” said Scott. “It’s something that all of us take pride in. I was just in Georgia for 17 days.”

Scott and his colleagues at OG&E joined an army of more than 50,000 workers from nearly every state in the country to assist with storm recovery and restoration efforts following Helene. When Milton struck the Gulf Coast of Florida two weeks later, crews were diverted to Florida. That led to dozens of would-be rodeo competitors dropping out at the last minute because their work in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas was not yet finished.

“Another supervisor who was supposed to be here is down in Florida helping with the hurricanes, so I stepped in to help run things this year,” said Jesse Trumble, a senior operations supervisor at National Grid, who helped to coordinate and organize National Grid’s competitors from Massachusetts and New York. “That’s part of the job, and it’s a great service to the people impacted.”

Those unable to attend the rodeo because of the mutual assistance response were acknowledged throughout the weekend. Reflecting on their colleagues’ absence, many attendees recalled previous mutual assistance deployments to Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Texas, and up and down the East Coast in response to hurricanes and strong storms. Although many acknowledged such assignments can pull lineworkers away from friends and family for days or weeks on end, there was a shared sense of pride in helping restore power to those in need.

“We get calls all the time and at all hours of the night. We can be gone from our families a lot. But, it’s part of the trade, and I’d want the power to be on in my home for my family. So, I’m happy to make sure that happens for someone else,” said Novak of Ameren Illinois.

‘Line Families Help Other Families’

Novak’s Ameren Illinois team scored a perfect 400 points throughout the course of the rodeo, completing skills challenges with the fastest time to win first overall. A second Ameren Illinois team, two teams from Pacific Gas & Electric, and a team from Southern California Edison also placed in the top 10 overall, and 20 of the top 50 journeyman lineworker teams hailed from investor-owned electric companies.

“This event is the best of the best. We get some practice time, but a lot of training for this we do on our own,” said Novak. “This is high competition. You need to be fast, and you need to be clean.”

For Novak, though, winning first overall was only one of the weekend’s highlights. While many competitors were practicing and preparing for the challenges ahead, Novak spent the day before the rodeo raising money for Climbin4kids, a fundraising organization that he helped found in 2021 to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Thanks to generous support from Ameren Illinois, the International Lineman’s Rodeo Association, Novak’s fellow rodeo competitors, spectators, and vendors at the event, Climbin4kids raised nearly $84,000 during the rodeo.

“Line families help other families,” Novak said. “That’s what we do.”

Although the rodeo is planned by and for lineworkers, Warman said it has always been structured with service and community in mind, since both are so intrinsically tied to the lineworker profession.

Warman is also proud that the atmosphere of these events is “always all about family.” Play areas and activities are set up for kids throughout the weekend, as many lineworkers bring their families to watch them compete. In some cases, it’s their loved ones’ only real opportunity to see the intricate and, at times, dangerous work that they perform every day.

“I appreciate the family atmosphere of the company and this rodeo and the camaraderie of the linemen,” said Jason Grier, an operations manager at CenterPoint Energy. Grier is a 17-time rodeo competitor who now heads CenterPoint Energy’s rodeo committee.

“It’s a real brotherhood, and I love that aspect of it,” he said.

Rodeo organizers also noted that the event is a great opportunity to showcase a rewarding and in-demand career path to children and young adults in attendance. Although some rodeo competitors had family connections that sparked their interest in the industry, many said they stumbled into the job through a recommendation from a friend or after seeing a job posting.

Scott of OG&E recalled a line foreman living a few houses down from his family growing up. He said he was inspired to become a lineworker after seeing his neighbor and others hard at work during an ice storm while he was in high school. He hopes to offer that same inspiration to others.

“I watched those guys work outside all day to get the lights back on in our house. It’s just something I always knew that I wanted to do,” he said. “I have a son and two daughters, and I would suggest anyone get into this line of work. I take a lot of pride in doing this work in my own community when my own friends and family don’t have power. People will always need electricity. It’s very fulfilling.”

For the third straight year, Southern Company delivered 100-percent clean, renewable energy to power the TOUR Championship, the PGA TOUR’s season-ending event in Atlanta.

During the event, held at East Lake Golf Club in late August and early September, Southern Company and its subsidiary companies, Georgia Power and Southern Company Gas, provided 500,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy. They also supplied the event with carbon-neutral natural gas captured from landfills to mitigate emissions from natural gas appliances in the venue’s clubhouse.

Additionally, 90 percent of golf carts used during the event were electric, and battery- and solar-powered cell phone charging stations were available for fans and patrons. Electric vehicle chargers also were stationed in the parking lot for players and fans to use during the event.

“I am very excited about the innovations we have been able to bring to the TOUR Championship,“ said Southern Company Director of New Ventures Robin Lainer. “Being able to deploy these solutions in a way that is seamless and integrated gives
patrons a better experience.”

Through Southern Company’s partnership with the PGA TOUR, last year’s championship eventually received an international award for sustainability in golf from the Scotland-based Golf Environmental Organisation (GEO) Sustainable Golf Foundation. The 2023 championship was the first such event to be certified by the GEO for its commitment to sustainability.

“We really couldn’t have been GEO certified without Southern Company,” PGA TOUR Director of Sustainability Brazos Barber said in a statement. “They are honestly the kind of a partner that you dream of, especially on the sustainability front. They really believe in sustainability and in reducing their energy footprint.”

Southern Company is one of 50 EEI member companies that has set ambitious emissions reduction targets for the years ahead, aiming for its electric and natural gas operations to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. As of last year, the company’s emissions were down 49 percent from 2007 levels.

Historically, major athletic events like the TOUR Championship have driven significant short-term energy demand. Through its sustainability and clean energy efforts, Southern Company estimates that it helped avoid the production of 650,000
pounds of carbon emissions—the equivalent of 245 gasoline-powered vehicles being driven for an entire year.

The event is just the latest example of EEI member companies actively working to supply some of America’s biggest and most high-profile events with resilient clean energy. Earlier this year, AES Indiana worked to ensure all venues and hotels associated with February’s 2024 National Basketball Association All-Star Game were powered by renewable energy. AES Indiana similarly applied more than 1.1-million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy credits when it hosted the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in June.

Also this year, NV Energy worked with partners in and around Las Vegas to provide clean, renewable energy to Allegiant Stadium during Super Bowl LVIII.

In October, Jackson State University in Mississippi received a $2-million grant from the Entergy Charitable Foundation to establish the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab—an innovation and skills development hub that will help train the skilled cybersecurity workforce that electric companies will depend on in an increasingly digital economy.

With cybersecurity threats becoming more advanced and increasingly threatening America’s critical energy infrastructure, the new program will give students real-world experience and prepare them for careers in energy security.

“At Entergy, we believe that one of our many strengths in serving our customers is the diversity of our workforce,” Entergy Chair and CEO Drew Marsh said of his company’s work with one of the largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States. “By investing in education and fostering inclusion, we are not just building a diverse workforce; we are investing in the heart of our communities where we live, work, and serve.”

Jackson State University is updating its curriculum to help prepare students for roles that are in high demand throughout the industry. The new program will focus specifically on energy security, including for the nuclear energy and natural gas sectors.

“Looking ahead, this lab will not only benefit Jackson State University and our students, it will also play a critical role in shaping the broader energy landscape,” University President Dr. Marcus Thompson said in a statement.

The grant is Entergy’s latest effort to support HBCUs throughout the company’s service territory in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. In July, Entergy announced a 10-year, $20-million commitment to support HBCUs, building on the $7.4 million that it already has invested into HBCUs since 2018. The commitment supports improvements to facilities and curriculums, internship and research opportunities, mentorship programs, and technology upgrades.

Entergy’s pledge also will support academic scholarships, facility grants and endowments, and workforce development and career readiness programs, opening pathways to employment at Entergy for high-performing HBCU students.

“As an energy industry leader, it’s important that we help develop future generations of the U.S. energy workforce by strengthening awareness and promoting the advantages of careers in our field,” Marsh said.

The $20-million initiative will include the awarding of $5,000 annual scholarships to 20 high-achieving HBCU students within Entergy’s service territory, the establishment of a competitive grant program to support research and facility improvements at HBCUs, and the support of workforce development initiatives, including the creation of 10 annual internships. Over the summer, Marsh joined EEI and the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) for the second-annual Executive Leadership Development Summit in Massachusetts.

The event was held in August during a series of multi-sector and multi-disciplinary leadership meetings on Martha’s Vineyard, part of the Underground Railroad in the late-1700s and 1800s and historically considered a popular destination for Black middle-class and upper-middle-class families. It brought together civic leaders, EEI member company executives, leaders from HBCUs, and other stakeholders to discuss the steps needed to develop Black industry leaders and to help foster a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

In July, The AES Corporation unveiled “Maximo,” a robot powered by artificial intelligence (AI) specifically designed to bolster the speed, efficiency, and safety associated with installing solar energy equipment.

Maximo can install solar panels at half the time and at half the cost of traditional crews, helping address a projected workforce shortage as interest in solar continues to accelerate. Generation from solar energy has increased almost 50 percent nationally during the past two years and is more than four times the generation total from 2016. By 2035, solar additions are expected to triple today’s metrics, according to the International Energy Agency.

“We are facing unprecedented increases in demand, driven in large part by the rise of AI and data centers,” said AES President and CEO Andrés Gluski. “Innovations like these will be fundamental for accelerating our ability to bring projects online faster and with greater efficiency.”

Maximo has already helped AES install nearly 10 megawatts (MW) of solar generation, enhancing safety and efficiency by automating the heavy lifting associated with installation. AES projects Maximo will help install 100 MW of solar capacity by 2025, including assisting with the 2-gigawatt Bellefield solar project in California—which stems from an AES partnership with Amazon and, upon completion, will be the largest solar-plus-storage facility in the United States.

“We’re excited to collaborate with renewable energy developers like AES that are prioritizing the use of AI technologies that can help us fast-forward to a carbon-free energy future,” Amazon Web Services Sustainability Director Chris Walker said in a statement.

EEI and its member companies regard long-duration energy storage as a key enabler for a resilient clean energy future. At Xcel Energy, plans are underway to incorporate long-duration energy storage technologies at two retiring coal-based power plants.

The projects—which will be placed at the Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo, Colo., and the Sherburne County Generating Station in Becker, Minn.—will be 10 megawatt/1,000megawatt-hour iron-air battery systems developed by Form Energy. Breakthrough Energy Catalyst also is involved with the projects and has agreed to commit $20 million in contingent grant funding.

“Innovative long-duration energy storage technologies are crucial to achieving 100-percent carbon-free electricity,” said Xcel Energy Chairman, President, and CEO Bob Frenzel. He added that the grant funding will “accelerate adoption of this promising new technology, which allows us to provide higher percentages of renewable energy while still providing affordable electric service to our customers.”

Long-duration—or multi-day—energy storage offers similar benefits to more traditional storage technologies: It helps to maximize the integration of renewable energy and maintain reliability, particularly during periods of high demand or lower renewable production. Electric companies utilize for 93 percent of all energy storage technologies deployed today. Yet, many current technologies store energy for eight hours or less. Multi-day storage will allow companies to manage their renewable energy reserves more strategically and will help to bolster reliability and resilience.

In July, Xcel Energy received regulatory approval for its Minnesota long-duration storage project. Construction will start in the second quarter of 2024, with the battery system expected to come online as early as 2025.

Xcel Energy also has recently received a grant of up to $70 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to reduce the cost of these types of projects and plans to use provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, such as renewable energy and storage system tax credits, to further drive down iron-air battery costs.

“Multi-day battery storage has the potential to help us better harness the renewable energy we generate while ensuring the grid remains reliable for our customers,” said Bria Shea, regional vice president, regulatory policy for Xcel Energy–Minnesota. “We look forward to bringing this system online … and learning more about the role it can play in our larger effort to reach 100-percent carbon-free electricity.”

EEI and Alabama Power recently hosted a panel discussion focused on driving equity and inclusion into the shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) and the buildout of EV infrastructure. The panel was part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 52nd Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.

“EVs are obviously important to our business, but this particular topic of equity is part of Alabama Power's DNA,” said Houston Smith, vice president of government affairs at Alabama Power. “It is encouraging to see that we are having equity and inclusion conversations on the front end of this developing EV industry.”

During the session, which was moderated by Paula Glover, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, panelists discussed EV equitability and access concerns relevant not only to Alabama, but throughout the rest of the country. EEI projects that 140,000 EV fast charging ports will be needed to support the more than 26 million EVs expected to be on U.S. roads by 2030.

“We need to ensure our communities share in the economic opportunities and job creation from this industry,” U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) said during her introductory remarks. “We need to make sure in all of our communities that no one is left behind. We need to prepare for an EV future.”

Access to charging infrastructure was referenced throughout the session, as panelists described the challenges faced by EV owners who live in multi-unit housing, rural communities, or areas that historically have not seen the same level of infrastructure investments as higher-income areas.

“We know that not everyone will be able to plug in at home, so we need to address those challenges,” said Dr. Shelley Francis, co-founder and managing partner of EVNoire. “We understand that every community is different, and mobility needs are different.”

Dr. Francis noted that EVs have become more affordable for many Americans—and that more federal dollars are being directed toward the buildout of EV charging infrastructure—thanks to the passage of legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Among other supportive EV measures, the laws offer tax credits for the purchase of new or used EVs and EV-charging equipment, direct billions of dollars to support advanced vehicle and part manufacturing in the United States, and establish new national programs to expand the availability of public and fast charging equipment.

“The government using federal dollars to stimulate this industry is going to unlock tremendous opportunity,” Smith said, highlighting Alabama Power's work to ensure that this opportunity will benefit people throughout the state and the rest of the country. “A lot of our citizens don't live on the interstates where a lot of this infrastructure has been built. Our company is working to provide a match to state dollars to make sure disadvantaged communities can access critical charging infrastructure.”

Smith also pointed to the potential boon EVs and EV manufacturing will have on local labor markets. Alabama's manufacturing industry historically has been among the largest in the United States, accounting for more than 16 percent of Alabama's total economic output, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. More than 13 percent of Alabamans work in manufacturing. And, motor vehicles and parts manufacturing represents the largest segment of the industry in Alabama, accounting for roughly $6.7 billion in total economic output.

Smith estimates 80,000 jobs in Alabama are supported by auto manufacturing. He said Alabama Power maintains active partnerships with several community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the state to ensure the science, technology, engineering, and math skills needed for more advanced EV manufacturing are being taught to students.

“Whether you like it or not, Alabama's economy depends on the future of automobiles. And, the future of automobiles is electric,” Smith said. “The jobs of the future that will support EVs, the software-based jobs, are very different from what we have today. We want to focus on inclusive training so that all communities across Alabama can benefit from these new and technologically advanced jobs.”

In November, Oregon took a big step forward in using electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce emissions from its waste management operations. The state’s first all-electric garbage truck completed its first pickup in Portland, thanks in part to support from Portland General Electric’s (PGE’s) Drive Change Fund.

“We’re proud to work together with customers and community members to demonstrate what’s possible in diverse industries in building an economy increasingly powered by electricity from renewable resources,” said the company in a press release.

The zero-emissions truck, operated by COR Disposal and Recycling, can hold a charge for two days of trash pickups and takes three hours to recharge. It will operate in East Portland—an area that PGE says has been disproportionately impacted by climate change and air quality concerns. PGE helped with the installation of charging infrastructure needed to operate the truck.

“This milestone for COR will create green jobs for our community while linking together social, economic, and environmental justice in ways our economy has never witnessed,” said COR CEO Alando Simpson, thanking PGE and other community partners “who made this fully electric truck a reality for the residents of East Portland.”

PGE’s Drive Change Fund was established in 2019 to help support local businesses, municipalities, and nonprofits interested in accelerating the electrification of their transportation fleets. In 2023, the fund, which is supported by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ’s) Clean Fuels program, made nearly $2.3 million in grants available to advance the electrification of transportation in Oregon.

The types of projects it helped support include a wildlife conservancy’s purchase of EVs to help transport injured animals and plants, a public works department’s investment into an electric street sweeper, and a health-care nonprofit’s use of an EV to deliver prescriptions to patients, among others. Information about the types of projects supported by the Drive Change Fund is available on PGE’s website. Grant applications for 2024 will be available in February.

Electric companies are investing more than $4.2 billion across the country to deploy charging infrastructure and to pave the way for an EV future, with more than 26 million EVs projected to be on U.S. roadways in 2030. The transportation sector is the economy’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. In Oregon, the DEQ estimates transportation accounts for more than a third of the state’s carbon footprint.

Learn more about how electric companies are fueling the electrification of transportation.