In today’s episode, we were joined by Mike Malguarnera, previously Director of Market & Transmission Analytics at BW Solar, for a fascinating conversation on why the grid is often far messier, riskier, and more nuanced than it looks from the outside.
With experience spanning utilities, cooperatives, power markets, FTRs, IRPs, interconnection, storage siting, and project development, Mike has seen how small assumptions can turn into very expensive mistakes. He brings a rare blend of market knowledge, transmission insight, and developer-side pragmatism.
We discuss:
- Whether the industry really needs more transmission - or better use of what already exists
- Why cheap interconnection does not always mean strong project economics
- How an $8m transformer upgrade changed the assumptions behind hundreds of millions in investment
- Why missed tariff deadlines can kill projects almost instantly
- The difference between interconnection modelling and economic modelling
- Why consultants are essential - but not always enough
- The case for having internal grid expertise earlier in the development process
- How land, queue risk, local opposition, and capital exposure all collide
- Why data centers could change the power dynamic between utilities and large-load customers
- Where Mike would place a bet in today’s market if money were no object
Books discussed on the show:
https://a.co/d/0awPgkvF
https://a.co/d/0awPgkvF
Featured on the show:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-malguarnera-p-e-a6705014/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-webb-a5605768/
