Power Plays
Business & Economics Podcasts
Welcome to Power Plays, a podcast series dedicated to the U.S. power and energy sector. Hosted by Teri Viswanath, lead energy economist with CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division, Power Plays connects you with top energy and environmental innovators, policy makers and rural electric cooperative executives for timely insights and in-depth market analysis.
Location:
United States
Description:
Welcome to Power Plays, a podcast series dedicated to the U.S. power and energy sector. Hosted by Teri Viswanath, lead energy economist with CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division, Power Plays connects you with top energy and environmental innovators, policy makers and rural electric cooperative executives for timely insights and in-depth market analysis.
Twitter:
@cobank
Language:
English
Email:
kedpower@cobank.com
Episodes
The CEO Learning Curve
9/24/2025
Leading an electric co-op mean faster decisions, a positive work culture and reliable service. In this episode of Power Plays, CEOs Tom Howard and Katherine Domingue share what comes with the top role, and point to the importance of safety, trust and communication. Hear how they’ve led through crises and their advice for future leaders.
Duration:00:18:35
How Much is Your Co-op’s Broadband Worth—And What Comes Next?
8/27/2025
After building out broadband, electric cooperatives’ next step is to assess it value – and maybe sell or divest, if an opportunity presents itself. As market dynamics shift and operational demands evolve, this episode of Power Plays offer advice to co-ops weighing financial returns against mission alignment and long-term sustainability.
Duration:00:16:49
How to Build a Power Plant (Quickly)
7/30/2025
The cost and time to build a new power plant has increased dramatically. Essential equipment lead times are long, and technical labor is scarce. In this episode of Power Plays, Gavin McCollam with Basin Electric shares how his North Dakota G&T cooperative is addressing reliability, meeting project timelines and building new generation for the next generation.
Duration:00:20:52
How to Build a Power Plant (Quickly)
7/23/2025
The cost and time to build a new power plant has increased dramatically. Essential equipment lead times are long, and technical labor is scarce. In this episode of Power Plays, Gavin McCollam with Basin Electric shares how his North Dakota G&T cooperative is addressing reliability, meeting project timelines and building new generation for the next generation.
Duration:00:20:52
How a Texas Co-op is Increasing Reliability with its Virtual Power Plant
6/25/2025
Since Winter Storm Uri left Texans in the dark four years ago, electric cooperatives and their members have actively pursued ways to harden the grid and increase community resiliency. In this episode of Power Plays, Will Nichols with Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative describes how its pilot project uses battery storage and other controllable devices to provide dispatchable generation.
Duration:00:20:04
U.S. Power Plant New Build Cycle — a Master Class in ERCOT and PJM
5/28/2025
The largest grid operator in the U.S., PJM, has more than 3,000 active projects in its interconnection queue, more than four other ISOs combined. And it used to be easy to build in Texas, but ERCOT is facing the same challenges as other regions. Spearmint Energy’s Andrew Waranch and Gina Wolf examine the nuances of building ISO supply in this episode of Power Plays.
Duration:00:23:57
U.S. Power Plant New Build Cycle — a Master Class in MISO and SPP
4/30/2025
Why exactly is the middle of the U.S. running out of power? In this episode of Power Plays, Spearmint Energy’s Andrew Waranch and Gina Wolf examine building new supply with MISO and SPP. In these two regions, new generation project queues are lengthy and community opposition is high. We look at what it will take to build back a safe reserve of supply for consumers.
Duration:00:24:40
How Co-ops are Maximizing DER Value for Members
3/26/2025
The popularity of solar panels and EVs shows DERs are here to stay, and proactive utilities are integrating them into their portfolios. In this episode of Power Plays, leaders with San Isabel Electric and Tri-State share how they are tapping into their co-op roots by connecting members with reputable contractors and offering on-bill financing and dynamic member education.
Duration:00:24:15
Bracing for Grid Strain and Customer Impacts from Virgina’s Data Center Boom
2/26/2025
Electric co-ops are preparing for their toughest planning cycle yet as large loads threaten to overwhelm the system. In this episode of Power Plays, energy expert Kush Patel, a senior partner with E3, shares what lessons utilities should take away from Virginia’s rapid expansion of data centers.
Duration:00:17:22
Profit by the Gig: How Co-ops are Leveraging Data Analytics for Broadband Success
1/22/2025
Need fresh ideas to boost your co-op broadband business? Ozarks Electric and United Electric share practical advice in this episode of Power Plays, explaining how data analytics drive their strategies to retain broadband customers and increase fiber business profitability.
Duration:00:24:59
Can We Have Electricity That is Both Affordable and Reliable?
12/19/2024
As rate case filings grow, utility commissioners are pressured to keep electricity affordable — while they meet demand growth and maintain reliability. Are they striking the right balance? In this year-end episode of Power Plays, Lillian Federico and Steve Piper from S&P Global look at the structural rise in utility costs and whether an increasingly fragmented industry is agile enough to meet the challenges ahead.
Duration:00:24:33
Flexible Generating Technology Comes Up to Bat
11/20/2024
Electricity demand is growing, weather events are worsening, and variable renewables make up a larger share of supply. The grid needs flexible generating resources. But with a years-out supply chain, where do we turn? Two manufacturers of flexible generating technology – Wärtsilä and Mainspring Energy – outline innovation and options for co-ops in this episode of Power Plays.
Duration:00:22:41
How Statewide Associations Help Power Co-ops
10/23/2024
From providing vital safety and education programs to speaking with one voice, the statewide associations representing electric co-ops strengthen and unify members and their communities. This episode of Power Plays celebrates National Cooperative Month with association CEOs from Minnesota, Missouri and Arizona who share how they’re shaping electricity in their states.
Duration:00:27:32
This is Not Your Parents’ Electric Co-op
9/25/2024
As Amazon has set consumers’ expectations and COVID changed workers’ expectations, running an electric co-op demands nimble leadership and innovation. In this episode of Power Plays, two authors of a new Rural Electric Management Development Council white paper share how they’ve taken charge of their co-ops’ destinies.
Duration:00:19:32
How Utilities are Right-sizing Distribution Systems to Meet Future Needs
8/28/2024
We’ve all seen scary headlines portraying an overwhelmed electric grid on the brink of collapse. But there is optimism and opportunity. Offering up specific solutions, Larry Bekkedahl with Portland General Electric and Jeff Smith with EPRI explain in this episode of Power Plays how to the industry can meet the challenge.
Duration:00:24:02
What the Shale Will Happen with Natural Gas Prices?
7/24/2024
Consumers in different regions of the U.S. are paying vastly different prices for natural gas — the consequence of notoriously slow pipeline projects. In this episode of Power Plays, Bethel King and Dr. Robert Brooks, principal researchers at RBAC, explain the primary regional drivers that will influence the price you’ll pay for natural gas.
Duration:00:25:42
From Bytes to Bucks: Data Center Financing Considerations
6/26/2024
When the largest commercial real estate company in the world says power is the No. 1 priority for data center operators — and they’re coming to rural America — we’re all ears. Pat Lynch, CBRE’s global head of data center solutions, joins CoBank’s Chris Shaffner and Jackie Bove on this episode of Power Plays to discuss planning, financing, credit, and the related balancing act for electric distribution cooperatives.
Duration:00:23:29
The Practical AI Conversations at Electric Co-ops
5/29/2024
Where are utilities finding the greatest value for their AI investments? Using concrete examples from their own co-ops, Jason Bowling of Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative in Arizona and Chris VanLokeren of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives share how they are making better decisions, faster.
Duration:00:22:36
The Tennessee Valley Partners Creating a Two-Way Grid
4/24/2024
A decade ago, rampant predictions assumed solar and battery storage would render the century-old electric utility business model obsolete and trigger a “utility death spiral.” But the reality is just the opposite. In this episode of Power Plays, leaders of Middle Tennessee Electric and Tennessee Valley Authority explain how they are using DER to transform their regional grid.
Duration:00:22:16
How NRECA’s Microgrid Consortium is Creating ‘Wired Resilience’
3/27/2024
After demonstrating clean energy projects can succeed in rural areas, NRECA is putting more partnerships into practice. Its CARED project is creating a consortium of seven rural co-ops ops — including Minnesota Valley Electric — to deploy microgrids. In this episode of Power Plays, NRECA’s Tolu Omotoso explains how the DOE-funded project will create solutions hundreds of co-ops can scale and replicate.
Duration:00:21:41