Willie Phillips is the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and now a partner at Holland & Knight. During his time at FERC, Phillips helped lead major reforms to transmission planning and the electric grid’s interconnection process. He now advises the companies and utilities he once regulated, giving him a unique perspective on how developers can navigate the regulatory system. In this episode of Inevitable, Phillips explains how FERC works, what companies routinely get wrong when engaging with regulators, and why early participation and pre-filing conversations can dramatically improve the odds of success. He also breaks down the Supreme Court’s overturning of the Chevron doctrine and how his team designed Order 1920 around reliability and existing legal precedent. The conversation then turns to the bigger challenge facing the U.S. grid: rapidly growing electricity demand from AI, data centers, electrification, and industrial activity. Phillips argues that the grid was not built for this moment and that the country needs faster, more coordinated planning while preserving the role of states and regional authorities. Finally, Phillips discusses large loads, behind-the-meter generation, vertically integrated utilities, and the possibility that hyperscalers could become major power generators. He argues that regulators, utilities, and technology companies have an opportunity to work together to build the infrastructure needed for the next era of the American economy. Episode recorded on July 29, 2026 (Published on August 25, 2026). In this episode, we cover: (0:00) An overview of FERC and Willie Phillips’s career (6:31) How companies can successfully navigate the FERC process (9:07) What overturning Chevron means for federal regulators (12:00) Order 1920 and the need for long-term transmission planning (13:35) Reforming the interconnection queue (15:39) How FERC navigated legal uncertainty around grid reform (17:29) Why America needs to “do big things” with the electric grid (20:42) FERC, states, and the future of grid planning (23:33) America’s energy infrastructure race with China (25:02) Why large loads are transforming the grid (27:07) A 21st-century economy running on 20th-century rules (28:18) FERC’s approach to accelerating large-load interconnections (30:15) Why reliability, affordability, sustainability, and speed matter (31:30) The jurisdictional questions around large loads (33:06) Organized markets vs. vertically integrated utilities (37:40) Reliability, affordability, and the value of invisible infrastructure (40:35) Behind-the-meter generation and co-location (43:17) Could hyperscalers become major power generators? (44:09) Turning hyperscalers into partners in building the grid (46:09) Why the energy transition needs the voice of investors and innovators Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc. Connect with MCJ: Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant
