In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with Juan Huerta and Beau Tubbs from Arizona Public Service for a deep dive into the world of substation work—one of the most critical, high-risk, and least understood parts of the power system.

We unpack what a real day in the life of a substation electrician looks like, why precision matters when the margin for error is slim, and how trust, communication, and accountability show up differently inside a substation than out on the line. This conversation goes beyond job titles and into the weight of responsibility that comes with working where everything connects.

Juan and Beau also share hard-earned lessons on collaboration between crafts, “failing safely,” teaching complex systems to apprentices, and creating environments where crews feel comfortable speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. We also talk candidly about stress, mental health, and what it takes to stay sharp—both on the job and at home.

🎧 Topics include:

• A day in the life of substation professionals

• Why substations are critical to grid reliability

• Trust and communication in high-risk environments

• Collaboration across multiple crafts

• Teaching, mentoring, and passing knowledge forward

• Mental health and stress in high-responsibility roles

Whether you work in substations, linework, or anywhere in the trades, this episode offers a rare inside look at the people and precision that keep the grid running.

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with APS foremen Casey Lozier, Eric Eager, and Andrew Schonhoff for an honest roundtable conversation about what really holds crews together in the trade.

We talk openly about trust, mentorship, brotherhood, and the human side of being responsible for people — not just production. This conversation goes beyond the job and into the realities foremen face every day: balancing expectations, teaching the next generation, handling conflict, supporting mental health, and creating crews where people actually want to show up and work for each other.

The panel shares lessons learned the hard way, stories from the field, and practical insight on how culture is built through small daily actions — not titles or speeches. This episode is for anyone who’s ever worked on a crew, led one, or is about to step into more responsibility in the trade.

🎧 Topics include:

• Building trust on crews

• Teaching and mentoring apprentices

• Brotherhood and crew culture

• Mental health on the job• Conflict resolution and communication

• What foremen wish they’d learned earlier

Whether you’re on the tools, running a crew, or moving toward more responsibility, this episode offers a rare look at the conversations that matter most in the field — but don’t always get said out loud.

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with Brian "Biscuit" Alston, Artie Garcia, and Todd Wilson from Arizona Public Service for a raw conversation about what really changes when the work stops being just about you and starts being about everyone else.

We talk about the moment responsibility shifts, how trust is earned from crews who used to be your peers, and why brotherhood still matters in a trade that demands both accountability and care for the people beside you. This isn’t about titles it’s about ownership, respect, and carrying the trade forward the right way.

The conversation covers mentorship, culture, hard decisions, mistakes, and the unseen weight that comes with being responsible for people, production, and safety. Whether you’re still on the tools or stepping into more responsibility, this episode speaks directly to that transition every tradesperson eventually faces.

🎧 Topics include:

• The responsibility shift from tools to people

• Earning respect without titles

• Brotherhood, culture, and accountability

• Mentoring the next generation

• Hard lessons learned on the job

• Carrying the trade forward with pride