Energy Central

As utilities race to modernize the grid, too often the communication systems needed to communicate with the grid are overlooked. From DER integration and wildfire mitigation to smart meters and real-time situational awareness, none of it functions without robust telecom infrastructure. That reality is why the power utility and telecom nexus is being brought more into the spotlight with each passing year.

In this episode, we’re joined by Rusty Williams, President & CEO of the Utilities Technology Council (UTC), a global trade association advocating for the telecom needs of critical infrastructure providers. Rusty brings 30+ years of experience in utility telecom and IT—and he’s here to pull back the curtain on why communications infrastructure is no longer a side topic for utility executives, but instead it must be a a central pillar of the energy transition.

From battles over wireless spectrum to debates on pole attachments, this Power Perspectives conversation unpacks the regulatory, policy, and operational issues utilities must navigate to ensure secure, real-time communication across their systems.

Key Links:
Energy Central Post: https://www.energycentral.com/podcasts/post/this-ceo-wants-you-to-talk-to-the-grid-GBOIxbnT56McnIc

Rusty Williams on Energy Central: https://www.energycentral.com/member/3I8Ryirutc

Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Y5L05dJZtGM

Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

How are utilities supposed to balance 1) strategic grid planning with 2) strong stewardship of the tree canopy we all rely on?

It requires a new approach to vegetation management—one rooted in global information sharing that transcends competitive bounds. That’s what today’s guests—Dennis Fallon, Executive Director of the Utility Arborist Association, and Justin McQuistan, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the Arbor Day Foundation—are building.

And this week, Kim & Lee getting the inside scoop on how they’re doing it.

Because trees and vegetation certainly can work in favor of utilities…it’s just about the right tree in the right place. This episode serves as a roadmap for utility leaders who want to redefine their vegetation management approach to go from reactive to proactive.

PLUS: The Arbor Day Foundation is giving away free trees. They’ll plant one free tree for the first 200 Piloting the Future listeners who go to this link: https://get.arborday.org/innovationforce

Thanks for listening, and go claim your tree now. See you soon.

We’re building the grid of the future today, but how can we do so without fully knowing what’s already underground?

That’s the uncomfortable truth facing utilities, city planners, and infrastructure developers as they charge ahead with clean energy, broadband, EV charging, and transmission upgrades. In today’s episode of Power Perspectives, we confront the chaos beneath our feet, and introduce one leader’s bold vision to fix it.

This episode’s guest is Itzik Malka, CEO of 4M Analytics, the company currently using AI, satellite imagery, and geospatial analytics to create the first scalable, dynamic map of underground infrastructure. Think “Google Maps” for what’s buried underground—built without boots on the ground, at global scale. In this conversation, we dive into the risks of outdated or missing subsurface data and the cascading costs of uncertainty in construction. And we explore how AI is not just a shiny new tool—but a necessary lens for utilities and contractors to see clearly, collaborate better, and avoid catastrophe.

Key Links:
Energy Central Post: https://www.energycentral.com/podcasts/post/how-ai-is-mapping-the-invisible-grid-underground-84vRiBufx5Kyby9

Itzik Malka on Energy Central: https://www.energycentral.com/member/u5ABP7pagw

Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MDtkoKef1c4

Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

At the core of running an efficient, resilient power system, there’s one singular need: interoperability.

Do you have one place where everyone, across teams and structures, can go to get the real-time information they need when they need it?

Without that, utility leaders are setting themselves up for failure to meet the rising expectations from consumers. But the good news? Maps make interoperability like second nature.

And this week on The GISt, we have a step-by-step how-to for utilities that want to strengthen their collaboration.

In the last of three top-notch episodes of The GISt with our partners at Esri, we’re joined again by Director of Electric Utility Solutions Bill Meehan & Director of Electric Industry Solutions Pat Hohl.

And these two? They’re breaking down some of the coolest ways utilities are sharing information in real time—as it’s happening—to avoid redundancy, become more effective across teams, and nail the three Cs of power: collaboration, coordination, and communication.

This episode is brought to you by Esri.

Esri is the global market leader in GIS software, location intelligence, and mapping. With Esri software you can add the power of location to modernize how you work. Esri helps to digitally transform utilities by enabling users to create, discover, share, and use maps anywhere, anytime, on any device. The Esri ArcGIS system is a comprehensive GIS allowing organizations to analyze and share their data across the organization. Operators and managers access ArcGIS for improved operational awareness and decision making. Field and office staff use ArcGIS to manage, update, and analyze information about customers, network assets, and work orders. To find out how to digitally transform your utility visit [www.esri.com/electric] to learn more.

Artificial Intelligence promises to revolutionize the utility industry, from predicting outages to integrating distributed energy resources. But between headlines and hype, a dangerous pattern is emerging: AI fatigue.

Too many pilots, too many proof-of-concepts, and not enough actual results. Utilities risk getting lost chasing the “next shiny object” instead of tackling the biggest, most urgent operational challenges staring them in the face. In this episode, we’re joined by Kim Getgen, Founder & CEO of InnovationForce, who has made it her mission to cut through the noise and help utilities focus. Kim’s team has analyzed more than 600 grid modernization plans to identify critical challenges hidden in plain sight — and she’s on a mission to help utilities match those challenges with real, utility-grade solutions.

If you care about real progress — not just buzzwords — this is an episode you won’t want to miss. And if you’re pulled in by Kim’s inspired perspective on innovation, you can catch more on the ‘Piloting the Future’ podcast she hosts, part of the Energy Central podcast network.

Key Links:
Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://www.energycentral.com/podcasts/post/breaking-utilities-out-of-pilot-purgatory-TaXe0xDDYFpfkqb

Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8EZkaTqC3d0

Kim Getgen on Energy Central: https://www.energycentral.com/member/7aue97w7Ti

Latest Episode of Piloting the Future, Co-Hosted by Kim Getgen: https://www.energycentral.com/podcasts/post/piloting-the-future-how-to-scale-with-simplicity-ft-it-s-electric-9uYSJNa0LuJgRoR

Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

The first step to creating widespread change in energy? Know the problem you need to solve.

For Tiya Gordon, cofounder & COO of It's Electric, that problem was this: More people would get EVs if they were easier to charge in big cities. So? She got to work creating a solution in the first curbside EV charging system built for metro areas.

This week on Piloting the Future, Tiya and Mike Lake, President & CEO of Leading Cities, join Kim and Lee to share the nitty gritty on building their partnership and the first behind-the-meter public curbside charger solution.

The episode is packed with insights on building ideas into startups and startups into scalable businesses. Tiya explains how It’s Electric avoided the logjams of direct utility connection for charging infrastructure. Mike explains how he evaluates startups for investment and backing, from innovation to leadership. And Kim and Lee lead us through tons more.

This conversation is loaded with real-world insights into the process of creating change, one city and one idea at a time.

Learn more about It’s Electric here: https://www.itselectric.us/
And learn more about Leading Cities here: https://leadingcities.org/home

Behind the energy transition’s headlines about megawatts and microgrids lurks a quiet but critical crisis: a severe shortage of skilled trade workers. These electricians, technicians, lineworkers, and other trade professionals keep the power flowing, yet they’re retiring faster than they’re being replaced — leaving an enormous talent gap just as the grid needs to expand and modernize.

In this episode of Power Perspectives, Ruchir Shah, Founder and CEO of SkillCat, joins the conversation to break down how we can rescue the skilled trades pipeline, attract new talent, and modernize training for a rapidly evolving energy industry. Whether you’re a utility executive, HR leader, regulator, or simply someone concerned about energy’s future, this episode will give you a fresh look at why skilled trades matter more than ever, what you can do to help keep this essential workforce strong, and how to attract new, young talent to our sector.

Key Links:
Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: TBD

Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DWhYps7-Wto

Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

When you see relationships and patterns, you don’t just take a peek at opportunities—you get a preview of risks…and a chance to get out in front of changes that need to be made.

That’s the power of GIS as a tool for discovery.

Why? Because looking at your reality in a spatial context opens up a new world of discoverability—and that can quite literally take utilities from “I hope so” to “now I know what to do.” Creating that tapestry of high-value information can change everything for power pros.

In the second of three top-notch episodes of The GISt with our partners at Esri, we’re joined again by Director of Electric Utility Solutions Bill Meehan & Director of Electric Industry Solutions Pat Hohl. And these two? They’re breaking down some of the coolest ways utilities are leveraging GIS and mapping to do better business—including how one Esri client quadrupled their asset renewal program effectiveness in just one year.

This episode is brought to you by Esri.

Esri is the global market leader in GIS software, location intelligence, and mapping. With Esri software you can add the power of location to modernize how you work. Esri helps to digitally transform utilities by enabling users to create, discover, share, and use maps anywhere, anytime, on any device. The Esri ArcGIS system is a comprehensive GIS allowing organizations to analyze and share their data across the organization. Operators and managers access ArcGIS for improved operational awareness and decision making. Field and office staff use ArcGIS to manage, update, and analyze information about customers, network assets, and work orders. To find out how to digitally transform your utility visit [www.esri.com/electric] to learn more.

Don’t miss the next episode of The GISt ft. Esri—covering GIS for utility collaboration. See you next time.

For decades, utility performance has been judged by how well companies met regulatory requirements—but is that enough for the energy transition ahead?

In this episode of Power Perspectives, we look at what it means for a utility to evolve beyond compliance, as we’re joined by Guy Chalkley, CEO of Endeavour Energy in Australia, and Richard McIndoe, Executive Chairman of Edge Zero. Together, they’re helping utilities shift from a risk-averse, regulation-driven mindset to one rooted in customer outcomes, DER integration, and future-focused innovation.

Australia has faced a rapid influx of distributed energy resources (DERs) and customer-driven change, forcing utilities to respond years ahead of their global peers. U.S. utilities now have an opportunity to learn from that experience—before the disruption lands at their doorstep. That need for transformation means this episode is essential listening for utility executives, regulators, planners, and customer engagement teams alike. It’s not just about the technology—it’s about rethinking the entire framework of utility success.

Key Links:
Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://www.energycentral.com/podcasts/post/redefining-utility-success-w-australia-s-biggest-power-pros-uYOsBQ94fRvllO9

Video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/M7M8w3QfGmA

Richard McIndoe on Energy Central: https://www.energycentral.com/member/BBML0B8KoT

Edge Zero on Energy Central: https://www.energycentral.com/edgezero

Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on Power Perspectives? Leave us a message here for your chance to be featured in an upcoming episode: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

Tackling energy’s biggest problems requires true innovators to start somewhere—small solutions turn into enormous ones, faster than you might think.

This week on Piloting the Future, hosts Kim Getgen and Lee Krevat hear from David Burchfield, Cofounder of BuildingLens, and Katherine Juengel, Green Cities Industry Liaison at Prosper Portland, about the way Portland is supporting energy innovation—and making community a cornerstone of power programs—one step at a time.

We cover distributed energy (the lowest hanging fruit for innovators, as our guests put it), the role of risk taking for utilities that truly want to think for the future, and how to work backwards from the customer to create solutions worth adopting—along with so much more.

Listen in for an up-close look at how Portland and the innovators who call it home are proving that transformation is just one relationship away.