This episode is part of our EEI 2026 Highlights series. The discussions highlight the innovative strategies, investments, and partnerships shaping the future of the energy grid. The speakers are: Ted Walker, Partner, Communities, Energy &amp; Infrastructure, Guidehouse Michelle Fay, Global Energy Providers Practice Leader, Guidehouse Ali Ipakchi, Chief Visionary Officer, OATI Tom Keefe, Power, Utilities &amp; Renewables National Sector Leader, Deloitte You can also visit the Electric Perspectives website to read coverage of this year&#x27;s conference.

EEI 2026 Highlights: Reliability, Affordability, and Innovation

Electric Perspectives

# Full Transcript

**Podcast:** Electric Perspectives

## Transcript

Welcome to Electric Perspectives, a podcast that explores the innovations and policies shaping the electric power industry and how America's electric companies are delivering the resilient energy we need to strengthen America's energy security and power our daily lives. This show is brought to you by EEI, the Edison Electric Institute, which represents all US investor and electric companies. I'm your host, Brian Reel.

I'm excited to be coming to you live from the Hub at EEI 2026. All week we've had thought leaders come through to discuss meeting demand growth, grid reliability, and making sure that all this work is helping to keep costs as low as possible for our customers. So this will be a multi-part series and we're excited to have technology partners, policy makers, and other thought leaders really showcasing the partnership and innovation that's underway to make sure that we're delivering the energy of every day to the customers and communities who depend on the customer.

Next up we have Michelle Fay, Global Energy Providers Practice Leader at GuideHouse, and Ted Walker, Partner for Southeast Market for Utilities for GuideHouse here in the Hub at EEI 2026. Michelle, great to see you again and Ted, nice to meet you. Thanks for joining us. Great to be here. Thanks for having us. From your vantage point, Ted, what is the most important shift electric companies are navigating right now and why does it matter for the industry moving forward?

Sure. Utilities are facing a once in a generation demand growth from AI data centers while also managing often conflicting priorities of resiliency investments and changing customer needs. This is putting significant affordability pressure on utilities and their customers. We think of affordability as a lens that utilities can balance strategic and tactical decisions ranging from generation build out, transmission upgrades, climate resiliency investments, regulatory policy changes, and customer program expansion.

I've heard the affordability challenge compared to trying to solve a Rubik's Cube while on a roller coaster and blindfolded. But bottom line, utilities need to recast the conversation around the total value to customers they provide. It is including rates. It includes the value to society for things like storm resiliency, economic growth, etc. And America's electric companies are facing skyrocketing demand, and there's a big focus on expanding energy infrastructure and maintaining reliability and affordability.

It's been a hot topic all week. How has Guidehouse evolved its approach, Michelle, to supporting electric companies and what's a really rapidly changing landscape? Yeah, it's a good question. The pressure on these utilities is really unprecedented and like nothing that we've seen before. And if I think about it just from a client perspective, you know, it's really forcing our clients to fundamentally rethink their busin...

EEI 2026 Highlights: Reliability, Affordability, and Innovation

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.

EEI 2026 Highlights: Reliability, Affordability, and Innovation

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are findingedge in conversations you're not hearing.

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.