Building an interconnection team for a 1.2 GW portfolio

The client had secured land for three campuses across the Carolinas and Georgia, but had no in-house interconnection team. Every large-load request was being handled by outside consultants, and timing on two sites was slipping.

They needed people who had sat on the utility side of the table — and who could move at the speed of a hyperscale development program.

Compounding the problem, utilities in all three territories were revising their large-load study processes, so the client needed people who could adapt to changing rules rather than follow a fixed playbook.

We mapped every interconnection and transmission planning professional with Southeast utility experience, including people at utilities, IPPs and engineering firms.

We ran a confidential search, briefing candidates on the portfolio without naming the client until the second conversation.

We helped the client design the team structure: one regional lead, two interconnection managers and a power systems studies engineer.

All four roles were filled, with the regional lead starting within 60 days of kickoff.

Two of the four hires came directly from utility planning groups and had never been approached for a data center role before.

The client brought large-load coordination in-house and reduced reliance on outside consultants.

Within six months, the new team had advanced service agreements on two of the three campuses and recovered most of the schedule that had slipped.

Start early. The strongest interconnection candidates were not looking and needed time to consider a move.

Be specific about the mandate. Candidates responded to clear decision rights, executive access and real projects — not just compensation.

Move fast once finalists appear. Every hire in this search had other conversations underway.