In this episode of Talk Business and Politics, host Roby Brock is joined by Buddy Hasten, CEO of the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas. They discuss the shifting focus of energy policy under the Biden administration towards balancing affordability, reliability, and responsibility. Hasten highlights the challenges of meeting growing electricity demands, the infrastructure required, and the legislative actions expected at both the federal and state levels to support economic development. The episode also covers the importance of upgrading transmission infrastructure and the implications of closing coal plants and transitioning to natural gas.
00:32 Welcome and Topic Overview
00:49 Federal Energy Policy Shifts
02:03 Challenges in Energy Reliability
03:47 Future Energy Infrastructure
05:52 State Legislative Focus
07:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts