Electric companies drive economic development, grid investments, and customer benefits across the country, thanks in large part to the win-wins they create for communities through their work with hyperscalers, large manufacturers, and data center developers.

Last week, EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney moderated a discussion between EEI Vice Chairs Drew Marsh, chair and CEO of Entergy; and Chris Womack, chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company, during a Gulf South Business Roundtable event in Washington, D.C.

The group discussed the importance of industry-government coordination, electric companies’ commitment to protecting and serving customers, and the opportunities that are being unlocked in the Gulf South by hyperscaler investments.

“We’re seeing this region lead on affordability initiatives, on smart data center development, and on community engagement, with projects that benefit everyone,” Maloney said. “We’ve seen study after study show that grid-connected data centers can drive down prices and deliver meaningful benefits to customers. Entergy and Southern Company are case studies and role models for the rest of the country for the work they are doing in the Gulf South.”

Key Takeaways:

Hyperscalers Are Paying Their Fair Share – And Then Some

Context: Fair share agreements ensure tech companies and data center developers pay for the energy infrastructure they need – projects that benefit all customers by spreading fixed costs, creating jobs, and unlocking new streams of tax revenue to support schools, roads, bridges, and fire departments.

Entergy’s Fair Share Plus pledge ensures data centers pay their own way – and ultimately drive benefits to existing customers. In Louisiana, for example, school teachers in Richland Parish went from being among the lowest paid in the state to some of the highest paid thanks to increased tax revenues from an Entergy-powered Meta data center project.

Electric Perspectives: 

• “Our Fair Share Plus pledge lines up with the Ratepayer Protection Pledge that several hyperscalers signed in Washington a few months ago. … These projects are adding to schools and paying for new fire engines, libraries, and roads that help our communities.” - Entergy’s Drew Marsh
• “These projects are incredible economic engines for many of our communities. … Because of how we structure these projects and negotiate these contracts, we’re making sure they’re not only paying their fair share: They’re paying a premium that allows us to hold rates flat, or you’re seeing rates decline.” - Southern Company’s Chris Womack

Electric Companies Put Customers First

Context: Independent studies from EPRI, Columbia University, and The Brattle Group conclude that data centers and large customers put downward pressure on rates when connected to the grid. Previous research from Charles River Associates and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory also found that customers outside of the PJM region have largely been shielded from cost increases related to data centers and benefit from new large loads.

Entergy’s work with data center developers, for example, is driving $7 billion in savings to the company’s 2.3 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Meanwhile, Georgia Power’s data center work allowed regulators to lower customer rates by approximately $50 per year – following last year’s approval of a multi-year rate freeze thanks to Georgia Power’s work with data centers and large load customers. Similar freezes have been approved in Alabama thanks to Southern Company’s work.

Electric Perspectives:

• “If you look at the history of electricity and what our industry has done for more than 100 years, a cornerstone of our work has been a commitment to reliability, to service, and to our communities. That community focus has been tied to economic development and how we grow our communities, grow our tax base, and make communities better.” - Southern Company’s Chris Womack
• “We start by putting the customer at the center of everything we do. All of our decision making cascades from there. … Our communities, collectively, are very supportive of these opportunities because of how much these projects support our existing customers.” - Entergy’s Drew Marsh

New Infrastructure Is Efficient, Resilient, and Ready to Meet Demand

Context: Electric companies ensure the new infrastructure built to support data centers is new, modern, efficient, and beneficial to all customers.

Southern Company is developing or upgrading more than 1,300 miles of transmission and distribution lines across Georgia and Alabama. In Louisiana, Entergy estimates its work with Meta alone will lead to a 10 percent reduction in storm recovery and grid resilience costs to its customer base.

Grid-connected data centers enhance the resilience of the broader system, give tech companies the reliability their facilities need to operate, and subsidize the construction of new energy infrastructure and upgrades to existing assets.

Electric Perspectives:

• “My expectation is we will continue to have large-scale customer growth. That will be the engine that remakes the transmission and distribution grid. It will make rebuilding existing infrastructure more affordable for our customers. That’s what I’m excited about. There will be benefits for new customers coming in and all of our existing customers, as well.” - Entergy’s Drew Marsh
• “We’re going to meet this new demand, but we’re going to continue to make the right investments to make sure we strengthen the grid for our existing customers. That’s the responsibility that we have. We’re going to uphold that responsibility and execute around it.” - Southern Company’s Chris Womack

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill put America’s transmission infrastructure front and center Wednesday during a House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing.

Policymakers and industry experts focused on permitting for, investing in, and upgrading one of the energy grid’s central pillars: the transmission network integral to moving electrons from power plants to homes, businesses, and government facilities across the country.

Southern Company Senior Vice President of System Planning Clay Rikard represented America’s investor-owned electric companies during the hearing.

Rikard stressed to lawmakers that “we are experiencing unprecedented load growth, and our electric utilities are moving with speed to provide power to our customers that is both reliable and affordable.”

Read on for highlights and key takeaways from Rikard and the other energy leaders testifying before the panel:

America’s Electric Companies are Protecting Customers Amid Data Center Buildouts

Transmission Is the Backbone of the Energy Grid

The Federal Government Has a Role to Play…

…But State- and Region-Specific Solutions Are Vital

The Regulated Business Model Puts Customers First

Federal Permitting Reform Is a Must

4 Takeaways:

1. Industry and Government Agree: Tech Companies Should Pay Their Fair Share.

Context: Electric companies and their government and regulatory partners are aligned on protecting residential customers by ensuring data centers and large loads pay for the infrastructure needed to meet their energy demand.

Many data center developers are also on board, particularly after the White House unveiled its Ratepayer Protection Pledge to ensure tech companies pay their fair share to access the grid.

EEI in March published a snapshot of the data center projects its members are engaged in, detailing 39 gigawatts of projects and $840 billion in investments. These projects are bringing economic development to communities across the country without raising customers’ bills.

Electric Perspectives:

2. Companies Are Protecting Customers.

Context: Twenty states have approved a large load tariff, charging higher, specialized rates to large load customers to ensure they fund the grid upgrades and infrastructure projects needed to meet their energy demand. Nine other states are actively considering them.

Two states where tariffs have been approved are Alabama and Georgia, where Southern Company has implemented multi-year rate freezes thanks to data center and large load development.

A recent report from Charles River Associates (CRA) found that—outside of the PJM region—data centers have not driven up residential rates.

Electric Perspectives:

3. Market Structure Matters.

Context: Vertically integrated companies that own their own generation are among the most closely regulated operations in the country, with rates and investments approved by public service commissions through open and transparent rate reviews.

Electric companies, state regulators, consumer advocates, local officials, customers, environmental groups, and other stakeholders have input on generation, transmission, and distribution decisions—which is beneficial when major investments like data centers are being considered.

Several speakers at the event noted the PJM region lacks vertical integration, exacerbating some of its recent challenges.

Electric Perspectives:

4. Companies Need to Communicate Customer Benefits.

Context: Although public sentiment on data centers is low, EEI members are leading projects that are bringing new jobs, tax revenues, energy infrastructure, and local investments to communities across the country without driving up customer bills.

Womack and Lake indicated there is no shortage of success stories nationally and that industry and government can do a better job communicating benefits directly with customers.

Electric Perspectives:

What’s Next:

• Duke President and CEO Harry Sideris will feature in the next EEI-Axios Live event scheduled for September.
• The CRA rate analysis has more information about data centers and customer impacts, detailed in a recent Electric Perspectives podcast episode.
• A recent Lawrence Berkeley National Lab report indicated growing demand from data centers and businesses can help lower costs for states and communities.
• Data centers and rising energy demand will be a key topic of conversation at EEI 2026, to be held June 2-4 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Register today at eei.org/2026.

The electric grid is the backbone of America’s daily life, enabling everything from economic activity and public safety to communication and innovation. Surging energy demand, extreme weather, emerging technologies, and electrification are impacting the grid and consumer power bills, making today’s decisions matter more than ever.

EEI joined Axios Live in April to host a series of conversations about the grid and the policy, planning, and investment decisions needed to improve and maintain a resilient grid for the decades ahead.

Scroll through for highlights from the event, and watch a full video recording above or at the Axios Live YouTube channel.

The electric power industry in January activated its largest mutual assistance effort since Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.

More than 65,000 workers from at least 44 states deployed in response to Winter Storm Fern, according to EEI. The storm brought frigid arctic air, heavy snowfall, and icy conditions to more than 200 million Americans.

Through the CEO-led Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, EEI and industry leaders coordinated with the highest levels of government, including at the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, to ensure unity of effort in responding to the storm and restoring power to impacted communities.

EEI recently joined the American Public Power Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in issuing a joint press release highlighting the breadth of industry response, explaining the mutual assistance process, and outlining how electric companies partner during extreme weather to keep customers safe.

Read the full release below, and visit eei.org for the latest updates on Winter Storm Fern.

More than 65,000 workers from 43 states have been mobilized and are assessing damage and restoring power where it is safe to do so. That’s comparable to the historic response and recovery efforts seen during Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.

“America’s electric companies are really well positioned to deal with this,” EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney said Monday morning on CNBC’s “Worldwide Exchange.”

Maloney highlighted the planning that began last week with the highest levels of industry and government, including with senior Administration officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, and dozens of state and local leaders, to ensure unity of effort in impacted communities.

“It’s really a unified effort,” Maloney said. “I think it’s really important for everyone to understand the coordination with federal, state, and local officials … to get power up as quickly as possible during this historic ice storm.”

While ice poses unique challenges to restoration, tens of thousands of lineworkers are braving frigid conditions across several states and will continue working around the clock to ensure power is restored to everyone who is able to receive it.

Watch Maloney’s full interview below, and visit the EEI Storm Center for the latest storm updates.

The investor-owned member electric companies of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) play a critical role in powering the lives of nearly 250 million Americans each day. Throughout 2025, EEI’s member companies showcased how they are working for their communities by helping to lower costs, supporting the nation’s economic growth, strengthening the energy grid, and investing in the future.

See below for some of the ways EEI member companies have showcased their commitment to their communities and workforces. EEI also will be sharing these stories on our social channels as we count down to 2026—find them on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Entergy: Data Center Drives Down Local Rates

As more AI data centers connect to the grid, Entergy showcases how the projects it powers will create direct benefits not just for customers, but for residents of the states it serves for generations to come.

Duke Energy: Significant Progress Restoring the Grid After Hurricane Helene

One year after Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, N.C., Duke Energy highlights the significant progress made by its lineworkers to restrengthen the grid.

Exelon: Customer Relief Program Benefits Customers and Local Businesses

Exelon’s Customer Relief Fund helps low-income customers, which in turn benefits local businesses in its service territories—including Midnite Confections + Cupcakery in Baltimore, Md.

Puget Sound Energy: Apprenticeships Lead to Full-Time Employment

Puget Sound Energy’s Pathways to Apprenticeship series shares the different apprenticeships offered by the company, and features employees sharing their favorite parts of the job.

Pacific Gas & Electric: Customer Dollars Directly Contribute to Infrastructure Reliability

Through their “Your Energy Dollars at Work” series, Pacific Gas & Electric highlights how customers’ dollars directly contribute to infrastructure projects that keep the energy system safe, reliable, and climate-resilient.

Xcel Energy: Reliable Energy Powers Local Businesses Like Red Wings Shoes

For more than a century, Xcel Energy’s reliable, essential energy has powered the production of Red Wings Shoes’ high-quality leather boots. 

American Electric Power: Drones Help Power Reliability for Customers

The integration of drone technology has transformed how AEP Ohio maintains the grid—helping to prevent and shorten outages, improving operational efficiency, and keeping its crews and communities safe. 

Arizona Public Service: Employees Provide Live Bill Assistance During Phone Bank

In Summer 2025, Arizona Public Service partnered with local media to host a live phone bank, where employees took customer calls, answered questions, and offered on-the-spot ways to save on energy bills.

Con Edison: Reliable Service Keeps a Favorite Local Business Running

Mamitas, a local favorite in New York, depends on Con Edison’s reliable energy service to keep its equipment running smoothly and its freezers cold, so it can produce its fan-favorite ice pops.

This National Ice Cream Day, we’re honoring Mamita’s Ices — a 25-year NYC family business rooted in Dominican tradition. See how reliable energy keeps their sweet moments refreshingly cool everywhere: https://t.co/xT6MZRlrq7 pic.twitter.com/Py9vKfOrb9

— Con Edison (@ConEdison) July 20, 2025

Ameren – Restoring Customer Power After a Tornado Event

After a tornado hit Ameren’s service territory earlier this year, impacting energy infrastructure and customer homes and businesses, the company deployed 1,900 workers to quickly and safely restore power.

Hawaiian Electric: Employees Are the Fabric of the Community

Hawaiian Electric’s employees make up the fabric of the community and its commitment to its customers—including Mikey Burke and Kaulana Anderson, who were impacted by the Lahaina fires. 

ITC Transmission: Restoring Transmission Service After Severe Winter Weather

After severe winter weather swept across Michigan and affected 23 transmission lines and 17 substations, ITC Transmission crews coordinated with local partners and worked around the clock to safely and quickly restore transmission service.

OG&E: A Career Journey in Energy, From Internship to Engineering

Anne and Ayden share their OG&E career journeys from internships to full-time positions in engineering and operations. 

Southern Company: Making Significant Investments to Meet Demand Growth

Southern Company highlights the investments made in advanced technologies and renewable energy to meet the significant demand growth in its service territories. 

NorthWestern Energy – Osprey Conservation Work Featured in Children’s Book

NorthWestern Energy Content Development Specialist Erin wrote Oliver the Osprey, a children’s book that highlights the osprey conservation work NorthWestern Energy provides to help the company deliver a critical service and maintain reliability. 

One year ago, Georgia Power announced that it had largely completed immediate restoration work following Hurricane Helene with 95 percent of impacted customers restored within 8 days of the most destructive storm in the company’s history. The company mobilized its largest restoration effort ever with more than 20,000 personnel responding at the peak of restoration efforts, and partnering companies from across the country. Intensive restoration efforts were initiated in the hardest-hit areas of the state, including Valdosta, Augusta, and Savannah. Several of these areas were hard to reach and required helicopters, boats, and unmanned aerial vehicles to get responders close enough to restore power.

The company repaired or replaced 11,800+ power poles, 1,500+ miles of power lines, 5,800+ transformers, and addressed 3,200+ trees impacting lines. In some areas, the damage was so severe that crews had to rebuild portions of the power grid from the ground up.

With the approval of the Georgia Public Service Commission, Georgia Power has invested more than $10 billion over the last decade in smart grid technology and grid resiliency. Those investments have reduced the duration and frequency of outages, and made the grid more resilient to extreme weather.

During the height of Hurricane Helene, these advanced systems and automated devices prevented sustained outages for thousands of customers, automatically rerouting power around trouble areas and helping avoid thousands of hours of outage time for storm-ravaged homes, families, and businesses in some of the less-affected areas of the state such as Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. This enabled crews to quickly repair major problems and refocus their efforts on the hardest-hit communities.

In the months following Hurricane Helene, once customers were safely reconnected as quickly as possible, the company took the time to strategically rebuild parts of the grid with smarter technology and stronger infrastructure, which included upgrading power lines, poles, and transformers to enhance reliability and durability for future storms. For example, Georgia Power integrated self-healing grid technologies such as automatic electric-fault detection and automated switches helping to enhance monitoring, reliability, and energy efficiency for all customers.

“We understand the importance of reliable energy for families and businesses and are working every day to plan improvements and align our investments in grid resilience to deliver the best value for customers,” said Georgia Power Vice President of Strategy and Support Josh Stallings. “While this is an ongoing effort that has been underway for years, following Hurricane Helene, we recognized an opportunity to upgrade sections of the grid in impacted areas while we rebuilt from the ground up in many cases, making them stronger and more resilient. We’re proud to continue to be here for Georgia communities every day.”

Examples of work in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene include:

• Coastal Georgia: Several basic insulation level and sectionalizing projects have been completed in the last year benefiting more than 10,000 customers.
• East Georgia: Many sectionalizing projects in the Augusta area have taken place with more than 90 devices upgraded or added to the system that allows the grid to “self-heal.”
• South Georgia: Crews have reconductored circuits in Hahira and East Valdosta with larger wire, including more than a mile of new service lines.

To learn more about Georgia Power’s historic restoration efforts following Hurricane Helene, visit georgiapower.com/helene.

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.

Left to right: Chris Harris, International Representative, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; Eliecer Viamontes, President and CEO, Entergy Texas; Harry Sideris, President and CEO, Duke Energy; Michele O'Connell, President and CEO, Orange & Rockland Utilities; EEI Chair Maria Pope, President and CEO, Portland General Electric; and Chris Womack, President and CEO, Southern Company.

In late February, leaders from EEI and America’s investor-owned electric companies joined state regulators, technology leaders, government officials, consumer advocates, and other industry and regulatory stakeholders at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC’s) annual Winter Policy Summit in Washington, D.C.

“The purpose of this meeting is to assemble a group of key stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges before us and how we can meet the demand that we are seeing in the electric power sector,” NARUC President and Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore said during the summit’s opening session.

Throughout the four days of programming, more than 2,100 summit attendees heard about the considerable energy demand being generated by data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies; physical, cyber, and weather-related threats to America’s critical energy infrastructure; and how electric companies are working with the regulatory community to power Americans’ lives and businesses and to keep customer costs as low as possible.

“NARUC was borne out of a noble idea, that the regulatory policies that were taking shape in Washington, D.C., couldn’t effectuate policy over such a large country,” said NARUC Executive Director Tony Clark. “What happens here directly affects affordability and the reliability of our system.”

Diverse Stakeholder Group Joins Demand Roundtable

New to the NARUC agenda this year was a Demand Roundtable discussion. The session convened more than 20 state commissioners, electric company executives, and technology leaders from Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Walmart to discuss demand needs and to ensure industry and regulators are moving in lockstep to bring new technologies, generation, and transmission and distribution to the energy grid.

“We need speed, flexibility, and a willingness to be creative to find solutions for our customers,” Exelon Corporation Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Innocenzo said during the discussion, noting the industry’s dual priorities of meeting new customer demand while prioritizing service for existing customers and communities. “We have an obligation to maintain a grid that is safe, reliable, and affordable. We do not want to overburden any segment of our customers.”

To open the session, participants were polled on a series of questions to gauge their near- and long-term concerns about meeting demand growth. Nearly 1 in 3 representatives from electric companies and state commissions said they were very concerned about increasing demand from data centers, while 54 percent said they were somewhat concerned. Nearly 1 in 4 said significant upgrades are needed to existing infrastructure in their service territories to support projected growth.

Participants also were asked to list the biggest challenges that they see related to data center demand, and several common answers emerged: timelines involved with building new infrastructure, supply chain concerns, tariffs and cost allocation, and risks associated with first-of-a-kind technologies.

“There is substantial first-mover risk. Some of the investments we’re talking about are larger than entire companies,” said Duke Energy Senior Vice President for Pricing and Customer Solutions Lon Huber. “You can’t bet your company on these sorts of technologies. You can’t bet your service territory. There has to be some kind of partnership to support these technologies and ensure that electric companies aren’t solely bearing the risk.”

Unity of Effort and Message in Mutual Assistance

The first full day of the summit began with a discussion about mutual assistance and the power of partnership, moderated by Southern Company Chairman, President, and CEO Chris Womack and featuring International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International Representative Chris Harris; Orange and Rockland President and CEO Michele O’Connell; EEI Chair Maria Pope, president and CEO of Portland General Electric (PGE); Duke Energy President Harry Sideris; and Entergy Texas Chair, President, and CEO Eliecer Viamontes.

“It is so important that we are starting this meeting with a discussion about mutual assistance,” said Womack. “This clearly demonstrates the role of what we do, the value of what we do, and it speaks to the value that we bring to customers and communities.”

Sideris and Viamontes discussed an active 2024 hurricane season, which included Hurricane Beryl’s impacts on Texas and Hurricanes Helene’s and Milton’s devastation to the Southeast. Sideris, whose hometown of Asheville, N.C., saw catastrophic damage from Helene, noted the storms impacted Duke Energy’s service territories across all six states that the company serves. He said the storm “caused the most damage that we’ve ever seen,” and he praised the army of mutual assistance workers who deployed to North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida to assist with storm response and recovery.

“There was a tremendous response from the industry, and it’s really in the DNA of our lineworkers and our companies. We had employees who lost homes and family members and came to work the next day to restore power,” Sideris said.

Viamontes stressed the importance of proactive communication with local officials and customers during storm response efforts, noting that Entergy Texas actively engaged with local media and held daily calls with elected officials during Beryl.

O’Connell was one of several on the panel who urged the regulatory community to support efforts to harden the grid and to make it more weather resilient, citing Orange and Rockland’s investments totaling $1 billion during the past 10 years in undergrounding overhead lines and installing submersible equipment.

Pope emphasized that wildfire mutual assistance is in many ways different from traditional storm response efforts but that some principles touted by other panelists still apply. She highlighted the use of early detection AI cameras and the increasing use of public safety power shutoffs in the West as efforts that potentially can mitigate catastrophic wildfires, as well as the need to engage with local officials to promote transparency.

“I never thought I’d know the chiefs of police in as many of our jurisdictions as I do today,” Pope said. “Unity of effort and unity of message are a hallmark of what we do in this industry. Mutual assistance demands leadership and coming together, not pointing fingers.”

‘Power Shifting to the States’

EEI Executive Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and International Programs Phil Moeller spoke during a series of events that EEI hosted on the sidelines of the summit, including at the EEI Women’s Breakfast. Moeller delivered remarks before and after a panel discussion about the industry’s commitment to reducing serious injuries and fatalities, moderated by Con Edison Vice President of Environment, Health, and Safety Venetia Lannon. The panel featured International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Fourth District International Vice President Gina Cooper, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations President Liz Shuler, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Chair Katie Sieben, and Pepco Holdings Chief Operating Officer Tamla Olivier.

The session featured panelists’ insights on recent trends, strategies to minimize incidents, the introduction of innovative safety metrics, and how a collaborative safety culture can support these efforts. The group discussed how to get at the heart of what causes incidents, how to implement effective reporting structures, and the importance of ongoing workforce training initiatives that help ensure safety.

“Zero incidents for our employees and our contractors, and zero public safety events: That’s always our goal,” Olivier said during the discussion.

Moeller also joined a NARUC Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment session, offering his federal policy predictions for 2025 and beyond.

He saw “an interesting dynamic of power shifting to the states, which we’re seeing through the actions of the Administration and the actions of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Mark Christie.” That power shift, Moeller said, would require states within the same regions to work together more closely to avoid creating patchwork regulatory frameworks.

“That takes time. That takes trust. Putting the effort in to bridge regional differences will be important,” he said.

Moeller also stressed the need for more dynamic rate structures that send better price signals to customers, the importance of customer education and engagement, and the progress that the industry has made on workforce development and skills training initiatives.

“That issue really used to worry me when I served on FERC. I’m more comfortable now that there’s a lot more going on,” he said, highlighting EEI’s work with groups like Veterans in Energy and the Center for Energy Workforce Development.

Left to right: Mark Birk, Chairman and President, Ameren Missouri; EEI Vice Chair Calvin Butler, President and CEO, Exelon Corporation; Steve Fleishman, Managing Director and Senior Analyst, Wolfe Research; Michael Haggarty, Associate Managing Director, Moody's Ratings; Teresa Ho Kim, Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Asset Management; NARUC President Tricia Pridemore, Commissioner, Georgia Public Service Commission.

‘It’s Not Just About Demand Growth’

Several EEI member company CEOs joined NARUC sessions later in the week, including NiSource President and CEO Lloyd Yates, who participated in a fireside chat with Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Chairman Stephen DeFrank. Yates discussed the industry’s emphasis on an all-of-the-above energy strategy and his optimism for hydrogen blending, small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), and other emerging energy solutions.

“This is a huge economic development opportunity for this country. It’s a huge national security issue for this country,” Yates said. “We have to continue to put resources into nuclear and making SMRs work. We have to blend in renewables. Transmission investments are so important. And, we need more natural gas infrastructure. The energy transition looks different in every state, so you need to do the work and bring everyone to the table in every state.”

Later in the week, Ameren Missouri Chairman and President Mark Birk and EEI Vice Chair Calvin Butler, president and CEO of the Exelon Corporation, participated in a conversation about industry access to capital, joining Wolfe Research Senior Analyst Steve Fleishman, Moody’s Ratings Associate Managing Director Michael Haggarty, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management Managing Director Teresa Ho Kim.

Birk highlighted the need for proactive communication with regulators and members of the financial community, noting that Ameren Missouri regularly hosts power plant and facility tours to help stakeholders understand the size and scale of investments needed.

“If you’re able to show that the projects you’re working on directly benefit customers, and you can show the why, it makes it easier to work with regulators and with investors,” he said.

Butler noted that the electric power industry is the most capital-intensive in the country, with grid infrastructure investments totaling tens of billions of dollars each year. He said telling that story can be difficult sometimes because “we’re investing in things we hope you will never feel, like security.”

“It’s not just about demand growth. It’s about providing a system that everyone in this room can come to depend on. We all need to keep our eyes on the ball and stay on top of that,” Butler said.

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.

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.

Tom Fanning (TF): First and foremost, running Southern Company—one of the great companies in the world, when you consider our economic significance and our mission of delivering clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy to our customers.

Getting Vogtle done—the first newly constructed nuclear unit to be built in the United States in more than 30 years—also was significant. Vogtle required resilience. It required vision. It required courage. To see that come to fruition—knowing that we were able to keep the aircraft carrier running optimally on top of making sure that Vogtle was a success—was a very rewarding thing.

Additionally, Southern Company gave me a platform for a lot of external engagement, which had three focuses: engagement in national energy policy; my long-standing involvement with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; and national security engagement, particularly over the past decade. That national security work really started with the creation of the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) more than a decade ago, and it progressed into my own e orts to reimagine national security in a digital realm.

That meant redefining private-sector interconnections and how the private sector should work with government to preserve and enhance our national security. That manifested in my appointment to the Cyberspace Solarium Commission and then my role as chair of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Advisory Committee, which came through a White House appointment.

I was never identified as a Republican or a Democrat. I developed a reputation for being able to work with anyone for the betterment of America. That has been very fulfilling.

When Vogtle Unit 3 went online in 2023, it became the first newly constructed nuclear energy plant to be built in the United States in more than 30 years.

EP: You mentioned the importance of industry-government and inter-industry coordination. Can you speak to the signi cance of these partnerships and how they have evolved?

TF: It was very clear, when I became the co-chair of the ESCC in 2013, that living within a silo had been adequate to a point but was sorely insufficient to carry out our mission. The U.S. economy is built upon interdependence. Thinking only about electricity issues is very short-sighted.

In thinking about redefining the relationship between the private sector and the government, particularly around security, it is important to remember that the dogma of not fighting battles on other people's shores doesn't apply. In a digital world, there are no borders. There are no friendly oceans east and west. The bad guys are attacking our systems hundreds of millions of times each day. 

When you come from our industry, you know that electricity represents 5 percent of the U.S. economy—but it’s the first 5 percent. It is the most fundamentally important piece, and it is foundational to our economic and national security. We built momentum when we started linking with other lifeline sectors, particularly finance and communications. We created the Tri-Sector Executive Working Group, which united electricity, finance, and communications to support our national and economic security.

In thinking about redefining our relationship with government, I want to acknowledge recent administrations led by Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. All have treated us in a non-partisan way. We've built, in my experience, an effective relationship with our sector's risk management agency—in our case, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The leaders at DOE have been terrific partners with us. Of course, EEI President and CEO Dan Brouillette was one of those leaders when he served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy and then U.S. Secretary of Energy.

EP: What are the most important shifts in public policy affecting our industry that you have seen in your career?

TF: Concern with the climate has been a giant ocean current for our industry—to help lessen the effects of climate change and define our industry's role. That touches carbon emissions, but it's a much broader issue than that.

One thing to watch out for, as I tell my successors at Southern Company and in the industry, is: Don't let yourself get funneled into single-issue politics. Our mission in the electricity industry is defined by clean, safe, reliable, and affordable. We have to think about that broad mandate. We have to maintain balance while pursuing multipronged objectives.

And, former EEI President and CEO Tom Kuhn deserves great credit. Certainly, not every company agrees with everything that Southern Company does. But, one of the benefits of EEI is this Power by Association^SM. I always laughed and said Tom was our chief psychiatrist. He kept us together, and he became a real icon for the folks in Washington, D.C., in terms of his effectiveness. Our industry is too important to fall into parochial factions, and Tom has really helped us avoid that.

“Our mission in the electricity industry is defined by clean, safe, reliable, and affordable.”

EP: You have previously spoken of the importance of leading by principle. In 2015, you published Leadership Perspectives, a book that features leadership mantras and nuggets of wisdom that have helped guide your career: “Be here now.” “Fix the roof while the sun is out.” Where did these mantras come from, and do you have any favorits that have helped make you an impactful leader?

TF: I am a fan of off-the-wall analogies and metaphors for our business. And, two of my favorites have actually been two other books. One was Barbarians at the Gate, which teaches the simple lesson that, if you don’t run your business as well as you can, someone else will. The second was The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

I have always been fascinated with the idea of how best to reach people, and this book was one way I attempted to do that. My first idea for it was based on how The Art of War relates to Southern Company. I took concepts from that book and explained what they meant to the business. But, it was too dense and deep and long. I put it aside and decided that I wanted something that could be digested on a plane ride. I wanted it to be punchy. That became Leadership Perspectives. It still pulls from The Art of War and Barbarians at the Gate, but it is quick and to the point.

One idea I talk about is aspirational behavior. There are those of us who get their energy not from the here and now, but from what may be. And, when you think about legacy, how much better off would society be if people thought about legacy very early in life? How do you want to act now to create a legacy that benefits other people? Defining how you operate in life should always be anchored in the “them,” not the “you,” which is one of the hallmarks of our industry.

I’ve coached football for many years. And, one of the ideas I’ve given to kids is: If you’re not early, you’re late. If you’re late, you are not respecting the mission or other people’s time. I run meetings that way. We don’t delay meetings because somebody isn’t there. We go.

Another idea, whether it’s work or a sport, is to bring three things to everything you do: Do the right things, do them to the best of your ability, and bring a sense of fun to whatever you do. If work is fun, you never work a day in your life.

I also use a lot of movies as metaphors. The greatest movie ever written, Casablanca, has a famous line when Rick, the protagonist, is talking to a police chief. The chief says, “Rick, I just blow with the wind.” He takes what comes. Taking what comes, in my opinion, is lethal to corporate culture. You have to influence your environment. Similarly, one of the most important ideas in the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is proactivity. I am not acted upon. I choose to act. That’s the same concept. If you don’t like the way things are, in work or in life, change them. Make your environment as good as it can be.

Throughout his career, Fanning worked with government leaders to help make the grid more secure and resilient. Shown above, he testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism in 2018.

EP: Thomas Edison once said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed always is to try one more time.” How has the concept of perseverance factored into your work at Southern Company?

TF: The tougher the issue, the more you will find yourself in the minority  when you get to the moments where perseverance, courage, and vision matter. If everybody felt that what you were doing was the right thing to do, it would be easy to get tough things done.

Now, you had better be right. You had better be open to changing your course of action. If you think about Vogtle, we had our major constructor, Westinghouse, go bankrupt. We had their parent, Toshiba, on the verge of bankruptcy and owing us $3.7 billion. We had support from the federal government in the form of tax advantages and loan guarantees, and those were set to expire. We had the COVID-19 outbreak. We had the Fukushima nuclear accident.

All of those moments tested our perseverance. In dealing with COVID-19, I remember working with Sean McGarvey, the president of North America’s Building Trades Unions. We had very tough conversations at the outset. What was this virus? Did we have to shut down the project? We had 10,000 people on a limited site in Georgia. How do you keep that going?

Our conviction was to make that site the safest place on earth. We had to change work practices. We decided to put a medical village onsite, and we moved essential medical facilities there. It takes a whole lot of effort, persuasion, and an unmitigated belief that what you’re doing is right and necessary and important to get those things done.

EP: How can the industry continue to develop the careers of promising young professionals?

TF: The first thing we can do is acknowledge how fundamentally important our work is. Not to denigrate soft drinks, but if all I did every day was get up and worry about how to sell brown sugar-water, I wouldn't feel as convicted as I do in this industry. What we do really matters to people.

Second: Ask the question, “Do I have the ability to influence an outcome for the betterment of society?” In this industry, absolutely. That is a very powerful motivator, and it speaks to our culture. We have been so successful at moving and selling electricity over the years, but the greatest harbinger of future failure is past success. People tend to get wedded to the way things went last year if last year was successful.

What I’ve tried to do is cultivate a celebration of the barbarians—of the people who come in and, for all the right reasons, challenge conventional wisdom . They want to make things better. Frankly, that is also the mission of a CEO. What you want to do is protect these people and nurture them, because the body politic of a successful culture will be to reject changes. But, these barbarians are so useful in helping to move company culture forward. EP

“Southern Company recognizes the importance of developing and supplying carbon-free electricity as we continue our efforts toward our goal of reaching net zero by 2050,” said Southern Company President and CEO Chris Womack. “Through industry-leading innovation and a commitment to a net-zero future, we are delivering sustainable and resilient energy solutions that help drive growth and prosperity.”

By 2030, Southern Company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent from 2007 levels. As part of the MOU, the company will work with GSA to develop a roadmap that will lead to federal agencies in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi buying more renewable and carbon-free energy, including through the use of solar, battery storage, nuclear energy, and hydrogen technologies. GSA is engaging in similar initiatives across the country with other EEI member companies, including Entergy, Pepco, and Xcel Energy.

“Through smart partnerships with energy service providers, we can help advance sustainability, create jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and ensure a healthier planet for our kids,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan.

The U.S. Army is currently the largest federal customer served by Southern Company. In a statement, Army Assistant Secretary for Installations, Energy, and Environment Rachel Jacobson said the U.S. Department of Defense and the Army are “committed to using carbon-free energy to support our national defense” and that the MOU “demonstrates the exact kind of collaboration that is key to improving the reliability and resilience of the commercial grid and achieving our carbon-free energy and readiness goals.

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.”