In this episode of Between Two Turbines, Sean Thompson, Supervisor of NERC Services at NAES, joins Josh Tate for a conversation about reliability, cybersecurity, and the evolving risks facing the power industry. Sean explains the role NERC compliance plays in protecting the grid, how operators prepare for both cyber and physical threats, and why risk mitigation has become more important than ever in today’s interconnected energy landscape.

The discussion covers everything from internal vulnerabilities and human error to external cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure. Sean also shares insight into the realities of compliance work behind the scenes, how the industry responds to emerging threats, and why maintaining reliability requires constant adaptation across the entire grid.

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In this episode of Between Two Turbines, Operations VP Alan Bull joins host Josh Tate to trace the history of the "largest machine in the world" and the problems that shaped it. From the 19th-century "War of Currents" to the massive public works projects of the Great Depression, Alan explains how the North American grid evolved from isolated generating stations into a complex, interconnected system. 

The conversation dives into the regulatory shifts that defined the industry, including the historic blackouts that transformed voluntary "best practices" into the mandatory NERC standards we navigate today. They also explore the modern challenge of explosive load growth driven by data centers and AI, the reality of the "all of the above" energy strategy, and why the future of the grid may depend on everything from 50-year-old refurbished turbines to the next generation of nuclear modular reactors. 

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In this episode of Between Two Turbines, NAES VP of Safety David Jackson joins host Josh Tate for a candid conversation on what it really takes to build — and scale — a safety culture. From nuclear cleanup sites to more than 200 power plants across the globe, David shares the lessons that shaped NAES Safe™, the philosophy behind “Stop Work Responsibility,” and the emotional impact of the Protect Your Four campaign.

It’s a deep dive into leadership, accountability, and the human side of safety in high-risk industries.

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E3 VP Operations, Ginger Elbaum joins host Josh Tate to explore how independent engineering helps turn complex energy projects into bankable realities. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience spanning power plant construction, field engineering, and project finance, Ginger explains how engineering judgment, financial scrutiny, and real-world lessons learned come together behind every major energy investment.

The conversation covers the role of independent engineers in managing risk, translating technical complexity for lenders, and evaluating everything from emerging technologies to large-scale infrastructure projects. Ginger also shares her perspective on the future of energy, the challenges facing transmission and development timelines, and why experience, pragmatism, and calm decision-making matter more than ever as demand accelerates.

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NAES Director of Compliance Services Mark Gollini joins host Josh Tate for a deep dive into the systems that keep the grid reliable and our environment protected. From the evolution of NERC regulations and the lessons learned from historic blackouts to the real risks of non-compliance, Mark breaks down why these standards matter — and what it takes for today’s plants to stay ahead of them.

The conversation spans environmental permitting, emerging regulatory trends, the true cost of outages, and where the grid is headed as demand accelerates. Mark also shares his 20-year journey at NAES and why compliance is ultimately about protecting people, plants, and performance.

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NAES Technical Program Director of Energy & Robotics Nancy Armstrong joins host Josh Tate to discuss how AI and robotics are transforming the power industry. From the workforce shortfall created by retiring operators to capturing decades of plant knowledge, Nancy explains how technology is stepping in to bridge the gap. The conversation covers predictive maintenance with robotics, AI as a tool for decision-making, and how small efficiency gains can deliver outsized impact for the grid. Nancy shares her perspective on what these changes mean for today’s workforce and how they shape the future of power generation.

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