In the episode, Maloney and Tanner reflected on:

• The cost of inaction: “We're really at a critical time in our country's history. We are in a global race for energy security, AI innovation, and economic development,” said Tanner. “[The Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission project] took almost 13 years to build, and that's unacceptable… We absolutely can modernize our processes and build much faster.”
• Reducing delays and costs: “It can take six to 12 years just to get [transmission and generation projects] onto the market,” said Maloney. “In China, it takes one to three years. The length of time to address this demand ultimately hurts customers and hurts reliability. That’s why we’re leaning in, really supporting reliability and permitting reform here in Washington.”
• Impacts of protracted litigation: “We had to get 33 permits from 15 different agencies,” said Tanner. “And then the project was subject to five different lawsuits and four injunctions. We ultimately prevailed, but in the end, it took 13 years—which is way too long, and the result was that customers… were deprived of low-cost energy and a resilient grid.”
• Delivering for customers: “Basic [permitting] reform will do several things,” said Maloney. “It will keep customer prices lower, help increase reliability, and support the building of the new generation and transmission that we need for additional manufacturing, expanding small businesses, and supporting technology development that is so critical to the United States.”
• Community engagement: “We try to go above and beyond, and we try to engage stakeholders very early in the process to make sure that the route we're selecting has minimal impact,” said Tanner. “We engage landowners, environmental groups, and community leaders, our employees, and our labor friends, who are building the projects because they live and work in these communities. They're really the trusted resources that neighbors [rely on].”

Today’s podcast complements EEI’s ongoing efforts to highlight the importance of comprehensive permitting reform. In September, EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging bipartisan action on the federal permitting system to accelerate infrastructure deployment, drive economic growth, and strengthen America’s energy dominance.

Click here to listen to the full interview, and explore our latest episodes below:

• Scaling AI in the Energy Industry – featuring Arizona Public Service Chief Information Officer Michelle Ferrara and Bidgely Chief Growth Officer Karthik Moorthy
• Building America’s Energy Workforce – featuring FirstEnergy Pennsylvania President John Hawkins, Center for Energy Workforce Development Executive Director Missy Henriksen, and EEI President and CEO Drew Maloney
• Duke Energy’s Commitment to Affordability and Reliability — featuring Duke Energy President and CEO Harry Sideris

The Electric Perspectives podcast discusses the latest trends and issues shaping the electric power industry. Each episode features an interview with guests including leaders from EEI and our member companies, government and industry partners, and energy thought leaders and experts. Click here to listen to more episodes and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.