On Episode 13 of the TRWA Rural Water Podcast, presented by Maguire, host Brian Cooper of Maguire is joined by grant consultant Kathy Wood to discuss water infrastructure grant opportunities for small utilities

TRWA Rural Water Podcast Episode 013

On Episode 14 of the Rural Water Podcast, Scott Galloway of the Texas Water Development Board joins host Brian Cooper of Maguire to discuss water infrastructure funding in Texas. 

Texas Rural Water Podcast Episode 014

When a tech giant comes knocking, how does a utility say make room for them in a way that ensures the best outcomes for its existing customers?

That’s the question at the heart of Mississippi’s leap into the global spotlight, as Amazon Web Services chose the state for one of its largest-ever data center investments. And for Entergy Mississippi, this wasn’t just about plugging in servers — it was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernize the grid, replace retiring generation, invest in community infrastructure, and keep rates affordable for customers, including the 20% living below the poverty line.

In this episode of Power Perspectives, podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester are joined by Haley Fisackerly, President and CEO of Entergy Mississippi. In this conversation, Haley outlines how this deal came together after years of effort, what it means for clean energy and resiliency in the region, and how his team manages to balance the demands of hyperscale data centers with the realities of local communities. 

From navigating regulatory hurdles to ensuring affordability and equity, Haley shares lessons every utility leader should hear before the next big tech partnership lands on their doorstep.

Key Links:
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Energy Central Post for this episode: https://www.energycentral.com/podcasts/post/how-this-utility-ceo-helped-land-amazon-s-16-billion-power-investment-HPe8T88l2ugWwIg

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

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How this utility CEO helped land Amazon’s $16 billion power investment

When we look to the future of the electric utility industry, what do we see?

Better data. More efficiencies. Smarter grids. Simpler asset management. At least—that’s what we’re all hoping for. 

To make it happen? It’s all about location, location, location. And that’s where GIS comes in: Moving into the future of power, GIS will be instrumental in challenging the status quo, improving utilities’ understanding of where things are (from outages to assets to customers), leveling up what regulatory compliance really means, and breaking down siloes across the power org.

Today on our finale of The GISt, we hear from Dr. Comfort Manyame, director of geospatial R&D at EMPACT Engineering and an expert in GIS for nearly 30 years. Dr. Manyame covers it all, from the intersection of GIS and AI to the skillset of the next generation of remarkable power professionals. 

Accessible GIS is the key to bringing this industry into its next era. Today, we’re talking about how that happens, who stands to benefit the most, and where we’re headed next.

Moving beyond the map: How GIS takes utility leaders from reactive to proactive

On Episode 15 of the Rural Water Podcast, host Brian Cooper is joined by TRWA's own Larry Bell to discuss the questions he receives most often from systems and operators. 

TRWA Rural Water Podcast Episode 015

Utilities are known for spending, but not always where it counts. In fact, hyperscalers in Big Tech outspend utilities by 10x when it comes to critical R&D.

So as we move into the data center-dominated future, how will utilities learn to spend on innovation and navigate challenges from scope to timeline to transparency? Our mission on today’s episode is to figure that out.

We’re bringing in three venerated experts from across the industry: Erik Helland, Commissioner at the Iowa Utility Commission; Jason Wild, CEO of Wild Innovation & Strategy Excellence; and Mike Smith, Principal, KLN Group. 

Together, these three paint an optimistic (and realistic) picture of where utilities can bend to avoid breaking as the battle for ownership of this AI-driven future heats up.

A handful of key ideas from this conversation loaded with real-world utility examples? “If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough,” Erik says. Jason explains the role of human behavior in tech adaptation. Mike walks through the juxtaposition of utilities’ intense focus on operational excellence and their need to innovate—which can sometimes get messy.

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of the utility innovation bias, plus key learnings about the roles all of us can play, from regulators to utility leaders to ratepayers.

Innovation doesn’t have to be a scary word. We’re giving it a new definition today on Piloting the Future.

Can utilities keep up with Big Tech innovation?

Ashley Dawson returns to discuss his new piece at the New York Review of Books, "The Costs of the Cloud: How much power does AI consume?" "The Moment of Truth" with Jeff Dorchen follows the interview.

Check out Ashley's article here: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2025/09/27/the-costs-of-the-cloud/

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AI's Environmental Footprint / Ashley Dawson

On this episode we go behind the scenes of rural water systems, not the big city utilities, but the small towns and communities that face unique challenges every single day with Gavin Graverson and Allen Kocmich of the South Dakota Association of Rural Water Systems.

58: Gavin Graverson and Allen Kocmich - SDARWS

TRWA Rural Water Podcast Episode 016

TRWA Rural Water Podcast Episode 017

Welcome to the Energy Central Podcast Network—your ultimate resource for the biggest ideas, boldest perspectives, and best insights from across the electric power industry.

We publish…

Power Perspectives. From CEOs of major utilities to founders of energy tech startups pushing the envelope, Power Perspectives curates the news, thought leaders, and big picture conversations most important to modern power professionals—every week on Tuesdays.

The Watt & Why. Dive deep into utility business strategies, straight from the minds of the leaders deciding what comes next. Host Mike Smith leverages his own decades of power utility industry experience and leadership to get to the bottom of what inspires, drives, and challenges utility decision makers.

Piloting the Future. Hosts Kim Gergen and Lee Krevat go deep with the leaders, innovators, and forward thinkers responsible for not just imagining where our power future is headed…but building it day by day.

The GISt. This action-packed limited series demystifies the rapidly evolving world of Geographic Information Systems through focused, expert-led deep dives into the most future-defining GIS topics.

And there’s even more to come.

Energy Central is a community where 250K electric power professionals share, learn, and connect in a collaborative environment. Want to join in? Visit www.EnergyCentral.com to register for free.

New tracks tagged #utilities