EPRI Current

Surging electricity demand is pushing the grid to its limits, prompting regulators and innovators to expand the system without sacrificing reliability or affordability. In this episode of the Grid Talk Series on The EPRI Current, Marty Rosenberg meets with Ann Rendahl, President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), a commissioner with the Washington Utilities and Transportation
 
 
Commission, and a member of EPRI's Advisory Council, to explore how state regulators are navigating rapid changes to the electric grid. Rendahl discusses the sharp rise in electricity demand and its implications for rates, infrastructure investment, and long-term reliability. They also discuss how regulators are working to protect customers from stranded costs, balance an evolving generation mix, and manage growing risks from wildfires, cybersecurity threats, and climate impacts on hydropower.
To get EPRI’s Take, host Samantha Gilman speaks with Morgan Scott, EPRI’s VP of Global Outreach Partnerships, about where innovation is most urgently needed as electricity demand accelerates. Scott highlights the increasing load data centers could account for by 2030 and explains why meeting that challenge will require advances in generation, grid-enhancing technologies, and flexibility at both the customer and data center levels. She also reframes the conversation around affordability – distinguishing the rising cost of electricity from its growing value within the broader “energy wallet” for consumers.
 

 

For more information and episodes visit EPRI.com.
 

 

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EPRI Current examines key issues and new R&D impacting the energy transition. Each episode features insights from EPRI, the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, and from other energy industry leaders. We also discuss how innovative technologies are shaping the global energy future. Learn more at www.epri.com

As medium‑ and heavy-duty electric vehicles move rapidly from pilots to scaled deployments, utilities are navigating new pressures, opportunities, and load implications across their systems. In this episode of The EPRI Current, host Samantha Gilman meets with EPRI electric transportation experts Mike Rowand and Watson Collins to explore what 2026 has in store for fleet electrification. Drawing on decades of utility experience and EV experience, they reflect on key shifts observed in 2025, from evolving market behavior to the transition from pilot projects to large-scale deployments.
 
The conversation highlights why interest in fleet electrification remains strong, even amid broader industry uncertainty, and examines how EV load growth could eventually outpace data center demand. Mike and Watson also break down EPRI’s latest EVs2Scale planning tools – eRoadMap and GridFAST – and discuss how these resources equip utilities to plan confidently for an increasingly electric transportation future.
 

Learn more about GridFAST: https://www.gridfast.com/about
Learn more about eRoadMap: https://eroadmap.epri.com/

 

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and share! And please consider leaving a review and rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. 

 

Follow EPRI:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/epri/ 

Twitter https://twitter.com/EPRINews 

 

EPRI Current examines key issues and new R&D impacting the energy transition. Each episode features insights from EPRI, the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, and from other energy industry leaders. We also discuss how innovative technologies are shaping the global energy future. Learn more at www.epri.com

In this episode of the Grid Talk Series on the EPRI Current, Marty Rosenberg sits down with Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of the California ISO, to discuss how the state navigates extreme grid stress during record-breaking demand. Elliot reflects on California’s all-time peak of 52,000 megawatts during a historic heatwave and the extraordinary measures taken to keep the lights on. From emergency load reduction programs to extending the life of Diablo Canyon, the conversation highlights how flexibility and innovation are critical for reliability. Elliot shares insights on the growing role of demand response, virtual power plants, and customer engagement in preparing for rapid spikes in energy use. This discussion underscores why adaptive strategies are essential as electrification and climate extremes reshape grid operations.

 
 
To get EPRI’s Take, Samantha Gilman meets with Eamonn Lannoye, Director of EPRI Europe, to discuss similar trends across global markets and the importance of regional cooperation for reliability. They explore expanding transmission needs, advances in higher‑voltage and HVDC systems, and the push to optimize existing grid capacity through grid-enhancing technologies, including EPRI’s GET SET initiative.

 
 

 

For more information and episodes visit EPRI.com.
 

 

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and share! And please consider leaving a review and rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. 

 

Follow EPRI:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/epri/ 

Twitter https://twitter.com/EPRINews 

 

EPRI Current examines key issues and new R&D impacting the energy transition. Each episode features insights from EPRI, the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, and from other energy industry leaders. We also discuss how innovative technologies are shaping the global energy future. Learn more at www.epri.com

Welcome to our first podcast episode of 2026! In this Best of 2025 episode, we’re looking back at some of our most impactful conversations from the past year. You’ll hear highlights from episodes exploring how the energy sector is navigating rapid change – from the launch of the Open Power AI Consortium (OPAI) and efforts to responsibly scale AI, to global lessons learned from the Iberian Peninsula blackout. We’ll also revisit conversations on innovative grid flexibility initiatives, such as DCFlex, the latest insights from EPRI’s Advanced Reactor Roadmap, and an unexpected yet important topic: how energy infrastructure can support wildlife conservation, including the protection of bat populations.
 
 
Join us as we reflect on the moments that defined 2025 and set the stage for another year of insightful conversations on EPRI Current. Listen every other week for the latest research, real-world lessons, and industry perspectives shaping the future of energy.
 
 

For more information and episodes visit EPRI.com.
 

 

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and share! And please consider leaving a review and rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. 

 

Follow EPRI:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/epri/ 

Twitter https://twitter.com/EPRINews 

 

EPRI Current examines key issues and new R&D impacting the energy transition. Each episode features insights from EPRI, the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, and from other energy industry leaders. We also discuss how innovative technologies are shaping the global energy future. Learn more at www.epri.com

In this second episode of the GridTalk Series on the EPRI Current, host Marty Rosenberg speaks with Audrey Zibelman – former Chair of the New York Public Service Commission and CEO of the Australian Energy Market Operator – about lessons from New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) initiative and what it may take to scale distributed energy resources (DER).

Drawing on global experiences, Audrey shares insights from U.S. regulatory innovation and Australia’s efforts in rooftop solar and two-way energy systems, offering a unique perspective into how international best practices can inform U.S. strategies for resilience, affordability, and modernization. She also previews her work with the Pew Charitable Trust on a forthcoming DER playbook, focused on regulatory reform, market design, and scenario-based planning to meet surging demand from electrification and data centers.
 
 
Then, join Samantha Gilman for “EPRI’s Take” with Haresh Kamath, EPRI Director of Cross-Cutting Technologies and Solutions. Haresh discusses operational challenges utilities face when integrating DER and storage, including interoperability, visibility, business models, and contracts. He highlights EPRI’s FLEXIT initiative and emphasizes the importance of industry-wide collaboration and common approaches to unlock DER’s full potential for grid flexibility and resilience.
 

 

For more information and episodes visit EPRI.com.
 

 

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and share! And please consider leaving a review and rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. 

 

Follow EPRI:

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/epri/ 

Twitter https://twitter.com/EPRINews 

 

EPRI Current examines key issues and new R&D impacting the energy transition. Each episode features insights from EPRI, the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, and from other energy industry leaders. We also discuss how innovative technologies are shaping the global energy future. Learn more at www.epri.com