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.

Electric Perspectives (EP): Demand growth is creating a need for new critical energy infrastructure of all kinds, setting the stage for what could be one of the most transformational moments for American infrastructure since the years immediately following World War II. How is our industry responding?

Maria Pope (MP): Everything that we do and the way that we work is changing at a dramatic pace.

First, demand for electricity is growing at a rate we haven’t seen in decades. Data centers are rapidly expanding to meet the needs of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and are expected to consume an extraordinary amount of energy.

When you consider that a search on ChatGPT or another large language model requires 10 times the energy of a traditional search engine, it is easy to understand why. At the same time, more sectors of the economy and more homes and businesses are continuing to electrify.

Second, tremendous federal, state, and private sector resources have been brought to bear to onshore manufacturing and to enhance America’s global competitiveness and security, especially in the high-tech sectors. Since the signing of federal legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022, investment in American manufacturing has nearly doubled, according to a report from the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Third, extreme weather is underscoring the urgent need to enhance the resilience of the nation’s energy grid. Hurricanes, ice storms, wildfires, and other events are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. In response, electric companies are deploying significant capital and are becoming tech-forward businesses with a renewed focus on innovation.

EEI member companies are bringing new infrastructure, generation facilities, batteries, and countless innovative projects online at an incredible pace. We will continue to strengthen our infrastructure and build a more resilient, cleaner generation fleet. And, we will work to accomplish all of this in a way that is cost-effective for customers.

“EEI member companies are bringing new infrastructure, generation facilities, batteries, and countless innovative projects online at an incredible pace.”

EP: What are you prioritizing during your tenure as chair of EEI?

MP: I am honored to serve on the EEI Board alongside impressive leaders from across the industry. We are working together to advance our enduring value proposition: providing safe, reliable, secure, and increasingly clean energy to the customers we serve, while working to keep costs as low as possible. As I began my term, the Board developed multi-year strategic priorities.

The first priority is enhancing and strengthening grid reliability, resilience, and security. We are facing ever-increasing physical and cybersecurity threats while also managing incredible growth. To respond effectively, we need to increase the speed at which we bring on new generation, accelerate investments in our distribution and transmission networks, and adopt new technologies to enhance the resilience of our systems.

At the same time, we are driving a customer-focused vision and are strong advocates for policy solutions that benefit customers. The Inflation Reduction Act and its technology-neutral investment and production tax credits, as well as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, are powerful accelerators. These policies will help support customer affordability and create millions of jobs during the next decade, and they should be protected.

Our industry must redouble stakeholder education and engagement efforts to preserve these tax credits and other provisions of these laws that are directly benefiting customers. We also must work to secure a repairs fix in the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax, prioritize siting and permitting reform, and advance other initiatives aimed at fostering a supportive policy and regulatory environment. Underpinning much of our work is our belief that the investor-owned business model is the most efficient and economical way for our industry to serve customers. 

We are continuing to educate policymakers and other stakeholders on our regulatory compact and on the value our model delivers through efficient f inancing of important investments in our national infrastructure. EEI member companies are driving economic growth and are pivotal to national security during this transformational time.

Maria Pope speaks at EEI 2024 with Antonio Neri, president and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, on energy demand and the changing technology industry.

EP: Addressing energy security concerns also is a top priority for EEI and our member companies. How is the industry approaching this challenge?

MP: We have a clear responsibility to our customers to ensure reliable electricity, even as we respond to significant demand growth and changing customer needs.

EEI strongly advocates for the continued development of diverse energy resources—including natural gas, renewables, and new and existing nuclear energy—as well as grid-enhancing technologies that support flexible demand and increasing capacity. EEI member companies also are coming together to address resource adequacy concerns.

PGE and our peers in the West have had success balancing the demand and supply of electricity at lower costs to customers by participating in collaborative efforts like the Western Energy Imbalance Market, which delivered more than $6.25 billion in cumulative economic benefits between 2014 and 2024.

For PGE, regional connectivity and cooperation among electric companies enables us to draw on wind resources from Montana, batteries in California, hydropower in the Pacific Northwest, and solar arrays in the desert Southwest. It all comes together to improve reliability and stabilize energy markets.

Addressing energy security and resource adequacy concerns will require significant capital investment. EEI member companies have invested more than $1.3 trillion during the past decade in critical energy infrastructure projects of all kinds, spending more than $170 billion each year to make the energy grid stronger, smarter, cleaner, and more secure.

PGE’s Coffee Creek battery storage facility is one of several new projects that is helping the company improve grid operations by matching available supply to current demand.

EP: How are electric companies using AI and other advanced technologies in their own operations?

MP: Technology is revolutionizing our industry, making us smarter, more efficient, and more effective. We are using technological innovations, particularly AI, to shorten design timelines, accelerate project completions, and optimize complex grid operations.

At PGE, to name one example, we created an “AI Design Review Bot” that has reduced our engineering cycle times twelve-fold. AI is critical as distributed energy resources (DERs) become even more common. AI already is helping to balance the surging demand for power and to enhance grid management.

PGE estimates as much as 25 percent of the power needed on the hottest and coldest days of the year could be supplied by customer-sited DERs—such as solar panels, batteries, and EVs—as soon as 2030.

PGE’s wind resources are bringing geographic and resource diversity to the company’s generation portfolio.

EP: Last year, we saw the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton across the Southeast, in addition to catastrophic wildfires and myriad other extreme weather events across the country. What strategies are electric companies pursuing to mitigate risks posed by these events?

MP: The impacts of extreme weather on lives and livelihoods, local economies, and critical infrastructure are increasing. That’s why all EEI member companies are devoting significant time and resources year-round to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events, which are becoming more frequent and less predictable.

EEI member companies dedicate more than $30 billion annually to adaptation, hardening, and resilience initiatives to strengthen the nation’s transmission and distribution infrastructure. This includes using innovative technologies like AI-enabled cameras, weather stations, and advanced modeling programs that help companies prepare for and respond to weather-related events, particularly in high-risk areas.

It is worth noting that many of these investments supplement the work of public safety agencies, strengthening communities against a variety of threats. Wildfires also are a growing challenge, affecting more communities across the U.S. each year.

From the southwest to the northeast, there’s a need to do more to prevent wildfires before they happen and to protect affected communities from long-term costs. We need a comprehensive national strategy that emphasizes community protection, wildfire prevention, responsible investment, and rapid recovery.

There is also an urgent need for long-term policy solutions that will require cooperation with regulators, legislators, insurers, public agencies, and many other stakeholders. Wildfires truly are a societal problem that requires societal solutions.

While the challenges of extreme weather are formidable, our industry is in this together. When a major event hits—whether it is a tornado, hurricane, ice storm, or wildfire—we actively support one another through mutual assistance efforts. After Hurricane Helene, an army of more than 50,000 workers from nearly every state in the country deployed to the Southeast to help with recovery and restoration efforts. Just two weeks later, when Hurricane Milton made landfall, mutual assistance crews and resources were redirected to Florida.

These events collectively represent one of the nation's largest-ever mutual-assistance mobilizations, and our industry’s coordination with federal officials and other stakeholders through the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council was critical to delivering a safe and efficient storm response for impacted customers and communities. Our ability to support each other and work together is one of our industry’s superpowers.

“Our ability to support each other and work together is one of our industry’s superpowers.”

EP: Customer affordability is a central concern for EEI member companies and their customers. What are electric companies doing to help keep costs as low as possible?

MP: Like many industries, electric companies are facing mounting pressure over price increases. When costs go up, people may need to make difficult choices, as they work to pay rent, keep the lights on, and put food on the table.

We have a responsibility to manage our business in a way that prioritizes customers, and we are committed to keeping costs to customers as low as possible. Fortunately, new demand means that, as more businesses and people are connected to the grid, operating costs can be spread out.

Ensuring these savings materialize requires thoughtful work on the part of electric companies and regulators to shape and adjust rate structures. Growth also requires investments in generation, transmission and distribution, and advanced grid technologies, all of which will help minimize costs in the long run.

As these investments are made, we have an important opportunity to drive customer energy efficiency and efficiency in our operations. Customers—understandably—want to know what goes into their bill, and every part of our operations must deliver customer value.

EP: With a new administration and new Congress in Washington, do you see an impact on this industry?

MP: Electric companies create millions of good jobs, power the U.S. economy, and play a critical role in a variety of national and international policy and security priorities.

We’ve always worked with regulators and policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels to ensure our industry’s significance is understood and that our economic impact is enhanced by supportive public policy. That doesn’t change when a new administration arrives or political power shifts.

We are committed to engaging with the new administration and Congress to advance public policies that benefit our customers and to address common issues of global economic competitiveness and national security.

We share common interests and will work collaboratively, as we always have, when there are opportunities to better serve the American people with the reliable and affordable energy they need to thrive.

PGE’s AI-driven cameras provide 24-7 visual observation of high-risk fire zones. The company’s ability to detect wildfire smoke and alert a network of 50 public safety partners in real time helps reduce risk and keep communities safe.

EP: Looking out at the rest of 2025 and beyond, what message do you have for EEI member companies?

MP: We know that our customers expect the world’s most reliable electricity, and we know it’s our job to deliver it safely, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The pace of change that we are witnessing is accelerating. I am proud that EEI’s member companies are leading the way and are moving at new and exciting speeds as AI advances; more data centers come online; manufacturing and industrial activity accelerates; and homes, businesses and transportation continue to electrify.

Our customers are counting on us to meet today’s rapidly growing energy needs and to help make America home to the industries that will drive our future. At the same time, we are managing the increasing risks of wildfires and extreme weather; tackling energy security and resource adequacy as demand rises; and investing in a smarter, more flexible, more connected, and more resilient grid. We are balancing these efforts while working to keep costs as low as possible for customers.

As an industry, we have a clear set of priorities. Electricity is vital to our national security and economic competitiveness. Electricity powers our lives. We need a reliable, modern energy system for a modern age. Working together, we can deliver an energy grid—and an energy future—that is reliable, weather-resilient, responsive, and ready for the demand arriving now.

In these extraordinary times, our challenge is to capitalize on the extraordinary potential in front of us. I am confident that we are up to the task. EP

In November, the Exelon Foundation and PECO partnered with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (Ripken Foundation) to open a new state-of-the-art center supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) opportunities for students at the Tinicum School outside of Philadelphia.

The center will provide STEM education and training to more than 300 local students and is the latest partnership between Exelon, its local electric companies, and the Ripken Foundation to expand learning opportunities to elementary and middle school students, particularly those in disadvantaged communities.

The Exelon Foundation donated $3 million last year to support the opening of 81 STEM Centers across the country. The Tinicum School’s center is the 27th that Exelon has supported and the first of seven planned for PECO’s service territory.

“Exelon is proud to partner with the Ripken Foundation on this venture because we have been interested and invested in STEM education for a long time, and for good reason,” said EEI Vice Chair Calvin Butler, president and CEO of the Exelon Corporation. “The energy industry is facing some significant challenges—from climate change to cyber security—and we need the skills and expertise that students will gain in a STEM center. Our goal is that these students will one day bring those skills to Exelon.”

Butler attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Cal Ripken, Jr., a co-founder of the foundation and a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, and other officials before attending a demonstration that allowed Tinicum students to show off the new tools and resources available through the STEM center.

“Seeing the students react to the new STEM center in their school is always special,” said Ripken, Jr. “Calvin Butler and the Exelon Foundation have been incredibly generous partners and with their support we have made a tremendous impact on kids here in the Philadelphia area and nationwide.”

Exelon has a long history of supporting STEM education and helping to develop the next generation of the energy workforce. Each summer, the company hosts free, week-long STEM academies in Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Many of these academies have been specifically designed for high school girls from underserved communities. Through its Corporate Scholars program, Exelon also supports students bound for historically black colleges and universities, offering scholarship recipients $25,000 in need-based financial aid each year for four years.

“We believe it’s our responsibility to ensure a better future for all. This guides me every day in my work as CEO,” Butler told Electric Perspectives in a recent profile.

Read more about Butler, Exelon, and the company’s philanthropic work in our Spring 2024 issue.

America’s investor-owned electric companies are in the midst of incredible demand growth and on the cusp of tremendous change. I am excited to be serving as EEI’s interim president and CEO at such a pivotal time, working with the talented leaders at our member companies to build a brighter energy future for all.

Today, electricity demand is growing at its fastest pace in decades, as new technologies and evolving customer expectations are driving rapid transformation. This once-in-a-generation demand growth is creating new challenges for our nation, as well as unique opportunities for our industry to better serve customers and communities and to ensure America is home to the industries, technologies, and jobs of tomorrow. EEI and our member companies are leading the way and are working hard to meet these challenges head-on.

At the same time, we are engaging with a new administration and new Congress on a busy policy agenda. We know that our job of educating policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders is more important than ever, and we have developed strategic advocacy plans to advance our priority issues and to achieve favorable results that benefit our customers.

Our efforts are fueled by knowledge that we need a modern energy system for our modern age, particularly as data centers and artificial intelligence technologies, the onshoring of manufacturing, and increased electrification continue to drive energy demand and global economic activity. With a supportive policy and regulatory framework in place, we can build an energy grid that is reliable, responsive, weather-resilient, and ready to meet customer demand today and in the years ahead.

Promoting Supportive Public Policy

We all know that electricity is the energy that powers our increasingly digital economy, and our industry is integrally linked to the success of our nation. As a whole, our industry supports more than 7 million jobs across the country and accounts for at least 5 percent of U.S. GDP.

More than ever, it is vital that public policies support energy security by prioritizing the buildout of more critical energy infrastructure and by allowing electric companies to maintain a diverse, domestic, and dispatchable energy
mix. Natural gas, renewables, storage, and new and existing nuclear are all important parts of this equation.

EEI’s member companies have the expertise needed to build the necessary infrastructure. What we don’t have is time—specifically, time for inefficient government review processes to drag on and on.

We must streamline permitting requirements, align policy requirements, and encourage capital investment to rapidly build out the grid and the other critical infrastructure needed to power data centers, bolster domestic manufacturing, and support the electrification of other sectors of the economy. We also must continue to lead efforts to develop, demonstrate, and deploy grid-enhancing technologies that are helping to bolster grid resilience and get more out of the infrastructure that we already have.

Favorable tax policy is particularly important, and we are engaging with members of Congress and their staff on where and how policies like the energy tax credits are driving innovation, creating new American jobs and economic opportunities, and helping electric companies meet the rapidly growing demand for electricity reliably and affordably. During the year ahead, we will work to protect the energy tax credits, secure a repairs fix in the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax, and continue to advocate for provisions within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that benefit electricity customers.

Environmental regulations also remain front and center, and EEI is committed to working with policymakers and regulators to support policies that better accommodate member company fleet transition plans and reflect the challenges of building new generation. We are committed to getting the energy we provide as clean as we can as fast as we can, and we are working to find solutions that drive innovation and the deployment of new energy technologies, allowing our member companies to meet demand growth reliably while helping to keep customer bills as low as possible.

Addressing Wildfire Risk

Among EEI’s priorities this year is advancing a comprehensive national strategy that addresses wildfire risk, with a focus on community protection, prevention, responsible investment, and rapid recovery. The recent fires in Southern California, exacerbated by hurricane-force winds and severe drought conditions, offer a grim reminder of the devastation that these events can inflict. We are grateful for the brave firefighters and first responders who worked around-the-clock to contain the blazes.

EEI and our member companies were actively engaged at the highest levels of industry and government through the CEO-led Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) to ensure that impacted electric companies had the resources and equipment needed for the response, restoration, and rebuild efforts that are essential to the recovery.

The threat of wildfires is a societal problem that requires societal solutions. We are committed to working with Congress to advance legislation that will help mitigate risks and support our efforts to protect the customers and communities that we serve. And, we will continue to work with our partners in Washington to ensure that the ESCC remains the center of gravity, where industry and government come together to strengthen our shared responsibility of protecting the grid against all threats.

The growing frequency and intensity of wildfires and extreme weather events of all kinds reinforces just how important it is to invest in resilient infrastructure and a more weather-resilient grid, as few regions were spared Mother Nature’s wrath over the past year. EEI’s member companies invested more than $171 billion in 2023 alone to make the grid stronger, smarter, cleaner, more weather-resilient, and more secure, and these efforts will continue in 2025 and beyond. Securing our grid against threats both natural and manmade is critically important to the success of our industry, as well as to our nation’s role as a global energy leader.

Leading the Way

This will be a busy year for us all. As the leader of an EEI member company myself, I recognize and appreciate the important work that is underway across our industry on behalf of the hundreds of millions of Americans who depend on us to power their lives. I am also grateful for the high levels of engagement from my CEO colleagues on these and so many other critical issues.

We will face no shortage of opportunities, challenges, and change in 2025 and beyond. What will remain the same is our commitment to delivering a secure, reliable energy future that benefits everyone. Through the Power by Association^SM that EEI represents, we will meet the evolving needs and expectations of our customers, and we will engage with partners in industry and government to ensure we have the infrastructure, technologies, and policies in place to power our economy and our lives for decades to come.

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.”

Collaboration and coordination between government stakeholders and the electric power industry are vital following weather-related events and natural disasters that cause significant power outages. These partnerships help ensure an efficient response, using the strengths and resources of both industry and government to restore power quickly and to support storm-affected communities and customers. By working together, we can mitigate the impact of disasters, enhance resilience, and expedite recovery efforts.

One of the hallmarks of this industry is its collaborative nature, embodied by the mutual assistance process that brings resources and support to communities that need it most. We are fortunate to be part of a critical industry that keeps the lights on and energy flowing, and we are proud to be there so customers and communities know they can depend on us to reliably deliver the energy they need when and where they need it. That’s true on blue-sky days and in recovering and rebuilding in the wake of storms.

More than power, even, we have the privilege of restoring hope. Nowhere was this more evident than in the recent responses to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which made landfall within two weeks of one another. More than 200 lives were lost during these devastating storms, which also disrupted power and paralyzed local economies for millions of Americans.

The Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC)—the principal liaison between the federal government and the electric power sector—was pivotal in preparing for and responding to these hurricanes. The ESCC brings together industry CEOs and leaders with key federal partners, including officials from the White House, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, among others.

During Helene and Milton, the ESCC convened numerous national calls structured to facilitate unity of effort and message. Working through the council ensured that information was shared with all relevant parties and that challenges were promptly addressed to help communities recover safely and as swiftly as possible.

We are incredibly grateful for the involvement and leadership of senior government officials who connected directly with our industry throughout the response to these storms. Especially encouraging was direct engagement from President Joe Biden; Vice President Kamala Harris; Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm; FEMA Director Deanne Criswell; and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Caitlin Durkovich, among others.

In the days leading up to and following Helene’s landfall, Southern Company system responders joined tens of thousands of mutual assistance workers deployed from all over the country before pivoting to assist with the response to Milton. In the responses to Helene and Milton, our industry mobilized more than 50,000 mutual assistance workers from at least 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada—highlighting the strength and importance of industry partnerships in storm restoration.

The coordination across companies and state lines, and the unity of effort to move crews and materials where work needed to be done, was a marvel to see.

Customers and communities are at the heart of everything we do. We know that energy is a necessity, not a commodity. It is a critical asset to our nation and to our economy that powers everyday life. That’s why we also know how incredibly essential energy resilience is.

Southern Company, like so many of our peers, has been focused on resilience planning for years. We prepare for extreme weather events and worst-case scenarios so that we can deliver for our customers when they need us most. Since 2015, we’ve invested around $21 billion in our energy grid. And much of our future investment is expected to go toward things that make our grid more resilient, like hardening our infrastructure and enhancing the resilience of our generation facilities. 

Investments in resilience pay off. Even with the magnitude of Helene and Milton, areas in Florida and Georgia that had significantly invested in resilience experienced less damage to the grid and saw faster restoration times. We are working closely with customers, communities, government officials, and regulators to help everyone understand the importance of these investments and the tangible benefits they provide.

I am proud of the team at Southern Company—and of EEI and our peers across the industry—for learning new lessons every year and after every storm. We are always looking for ways to get better. Helene and Milton brought extraordinary challenges. Their lessons will help us to better serve our customers and to be even more prepared for the next storm.

Stan Connally is the executive vice president of operations at Southern Company and chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company Services. He also serves as the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council’s emergency response lead.