
SunCast · 2026-06-19 · 36 min
There are 43 years of decisions compressed into this episode. And if you work in energy, utilities, infrastructure, manufacturing, or public policy, it's worth your attention. Tom Fanning spent four decades at Southern Company, including 13 years as CEO, helping guide one of the largest and most influential power companies in the United States through extraordinary change. Along the way, he oversaw everything from international development and grid modernization to cyber security and the completion of Vogtle, the first new commercial nuclear plant built in America in more than 30 years. In this special Energy Empire x SunCast collaboration, Jigar Shah and Nico Johnson sit down with Tom to explore what it actually takes to build large-scale infrastructure in America. If you heard this conversation first on Energy Empire, we're excited to bring it to the SunCast audience as well. The conversation begins with Vogtle, but quickly expands into a broader discussion about leadership, national competitiveness, energy markets, workforce development, cyber security, and the future of the electric grid.