Advertise on podcast: People in Power – A NewsData Podcast

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★★★★★

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NewsData's "People in Power" is an exciting new biweekly podcast that explores issues in the energy industry, featuring expert guests from a wide range of backgrounds. Hosted by veteran energy journalists Jason Fordney and Abigail Sawyer of California Energy Markets and including appearances by writers from sister publication Clearing Up, People in Power will explore trends such as development of a Western wholesale electricity trading market, the transition to a more electrified world of new infrastructure and transportation, renewables integration and reliability, wildfire response and mitigation, and many other topics. "People in Power" draws from an unprecedented pool of expertise and insight in a way never seen before! It's available on all major podcast platforms as well as at www.newsdata.com.

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Check latest episodes from People in Power – A NewsData Podcast podcast

From Archaeology to Climbing Wind Turbines: Nicole Hughes, Executive Director of Renewable Northwest

2026/10/14

Nicole Hughes talks about her path from archaeologist to energy advocate, and reflects on how renewable energy has changed over the past 20 years.

Travis Kavulla of the Bonneville Power Administration on Market Choice, Transmission Expansion and the Future of BPA

2026/09/29

Travis Kavulla, the new CEO and administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration, talks with Steve Ernst and Abigail Sawyer about regional market-choice considerations as he recently laid out in a letter to the Regional Organization for Western Energy; his plans for accelerating the expansion of BPA transmission; load and resource pairing; his preparation and philosophy for leading the federal power-marketing agency; and, of course, salmon and tribal relations.

Ziad Alaywan on the Creation of the California Independent System Operator

2026/08/27

In this episode of People in Power, California Energy Markets Managing Editor Jason Fordney interviews Ziad Alaywan, founder and CEO of ZGlobal Inc. Ziad details what his firm does and also provides a fascinating history of his experiences helping stand up the California Independent System Operator and witnessing the California energy crisis of the early 2000s. Ziad, who had a front-row seat to the market manipulation of Enron and others, describes the incredible stress and complexities of managing a brand-new wholesale market and all the fallout of this interesting yet dark period in California energy history.

Crystal Ball, Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee, on the Northwest Regional Forecast

2026/08/05

Crystal Ball tells all about her background at the Bonneville Power Administration, PNUCC’s Northwest Regional Forecast, gas-electric coordination, and how power is all about people.

Chair Letha Tawney of the Oregon Public Utility Commission on Meeting Demand in Oregon

2026/07/27

Chair Tawney discusses her path to being a regulator, the challenges and opportunities of meeting rising demand in Oregon, and how it relates to knitting!

Danielle Hughes of Tahoe SPARK on Liberty Utilities Rates and Procurement Controversy

2026/07/17

This episode of People in Power features Danielle Hughes, a long-time resident of Lake Tahoe and CEO of Tahoe Spark (Supporting Permanent Affordable Residential Kilowatts). Tahoe Spark is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit regional energy and public policy organization focused on energy affordability, climate resilience, infrastructure transparency, and regulatory oversight in Liberty Utilities’ California service territory. According to Hughes, Liberty residential utility customers lack a say in energy planning and procurement, a situation she says state energy regulators are allowing to happen. She also explores issues around the process by which Liberty is going about securing a new energy supply contract after its previous one was canceled by NV Energy.

Nick Schlag of E3 on Resource Adequacy in the Desert Southwest

2026/06/10

Energy and Environmental Economics Partner talks with CEM Associate Editor Abigail Sawyer about the changing shape of resource adequacy in the Desert Southwest as utilities try to thread the needle on reliably meeting a new level of "baseload demand" while striving for affordability and meeting state clean energy goals.

What’s Behind the ‘Astounding’ and ‘Bonkers’ California Energy Prices?

2026/05/01

In this episode of People in Power, California Energy Markets Staff Writer Linda Dailey Paulson dives into Western energy prices, which due to a variety of factors have seen extreme volatility, including negative prices in the triple digits. Along with CEM Associate Editor Abigail Sawyer and CEM Managing Editor Jason Fordney, Linda takes a general look at real-time and 15-minute day-ahead power price trends, exploring topics such as what increased renewables mean, why batteries are not able to take up excess solar, and what's happening with demand.

Kelly Fukai on Her New Role as CEO of the Northwest Gas Association

2026/04/01

In this episode of People in Power, Kelly Fukai talks about her new role as CEO of the Northwest Gas Association, the role of natural gas as a firm resource in an era of growing demand, and baseball!

Larry Bekkedahl on Retiring After 40 Years in Energy

2026/03/17

Greg Mason, Associate Editor of Clearing Up, interviews Larry Bekkedahl, senior vice-president of advanced energy delivery at Portland General Electric, about his retirement from the energy industry after 40 years, his perspective on the region’s load projections, and his advice to grid operators on maintaining reliability.

Peter Ferrell of NEMA on Electrical Equipment Supply Chain Issues

2026/02/12

In this episode of People in Power, Abigail Sawyer talks with Peter Ferrell, senior director of government relations for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, about supply chain challenges and how they are affecting the buildout and modernization of the U.S. electric grid. From tariffs, trade and immigration policy to workforce shortages and natural disasters, supply chain concerns are contributing to numerous other challenges facing electric utilities as they work to improve and expand the complicated system that delivers power to a growing number of end users.

Sarah Edmonds and Rebecca Sexton of Western Power Pool on WRAP and WestTEC

2026/01/28

Ayla Burnett and Abigail Sawyer chat with Sarah Edmonds and Rebecca Sexton of the Western Power Pool on their backgrounds and the paths that led them to be leaders in the Western energy world. They also discuss the inception of two groundbreaking initiatives: the Western Resource Adequacy Program and the Western Transmission Expansion Coalition.

Carrie Simpson of the Southwest Power Pool on RTO Expansion and Markets+

2026/01/14

People in Power Episode 20: Abigail Sawyer talks with Carrie Simpson, vice president of markets for the Southwest Power Pool, about her experience in energy, which goes back to the early 2000s when she worked as an energy trader for Enron. Since then Carrie has been involved in power markets in both the Western and Eastern Interconnection. She is anticipating the expansion of SPP’s RTO—which will be the first organized wholesale market to operate in both interconnections—and also preparing for SPP’s day-ahead market offering, Markets+, which will begin serving entities in the Western Interconnection in October 2027.

Brian Turner of Advanced Energy United on a New Path Forward for a Westwide Market

2025/11/14

Abigail Sawyer and Brian Turner of Advanced Energy United and the West Wide Governance Pathways Initiative launch committee discuss the renewed possibility of a seamless, westwide power market that would be governed by a regional organization. The recent passage of California's Assembly Bill 825 cleared the way for California entities to participate in such a market, which, with the load and resources of California's investor-owned utilities, presents a compelling opportunity for non-California entities. Brian also discusses lessons learned from market structures in the Eastern Interconnection and how the California Independent System Operator's extended day-ahead market hopes to avoid making the same mistakes.

Quinn Nakayama of PG&E on Partnering to Solve Problems with Innovation

2025/09/30

Abigail Sawyer and Quinn Nakayama, senior director of Grid Innovation and Development for Pacific Gas &Electric, discuss the role of innovation and partnerships in solving California problems that include load-shifting, load management and utility undergrounding. Recorded live at PG&E's Innovation Pitch Fest 2025 in Oakland.

Podcast reviews

Read People in Power – A NewsData Podcast podcast reviews

5 out of 5

8 reviews

★★★★★

paul dock 2022/03/17

Great hosts

NewsData is a critical source of information for folks in the Western energy industry, and this is a great way to keep up to speed as quickly as possi...

★★★★★

Gafjxunh 2022/02/21

Inside scoop on energy in the West

Quick and insightful. If they keep it up, this is a must for energy insiders in California and the Northwest.

★★★★★

elsathecat 2022/02/20

Actually pretty interesting

Turns out energy is super important to a functional 21st century. This podcast gives interesting insight to where we are at a micro level. Worth a lis...

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