Stephen Woerner possesses the power to turn the lights on and off. As the president of National Grid New England, he is responsible for the utility company’s gas and electric operations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Woerner joined National Grid in October 2021. He came to the utility company from Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., where he worked his way up over a career started in 1990 to become chief operating officer and president.
As president, Woerner is charged with helping National Grid and its 6,200 employees transition into the next phase of its life, which involves more clean and renewable energy to power the region. This new commitment comes as he has to make sure the lights stay on during severe weather and the ongoing climate crisis.
One of National Grid’s next big projects is the exploration of geothermal energy, which is created below the Earth’s surface. Woerner has the job of mapping out the early stages of a pilot program to see if it can contribute to National Grid’s pledge to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and bring renewable and clean energy to its 1.3 million electric customers in Central Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts, and the South Shore, and more than 2.2 million total electric customers in New England.
How should professionals best use the power they wield? “We all have a responsibility to build connections between our teams and the communities we serve, facilitating meaningful impact by putting people first: our customers and our employees. Part of that responsibility calls us to give back through supporting community-based organizations and giving of our time and energy through volunteering.”
Movie star adjacent: Before college,Woerner managed a movie theater in Annapolis, Maryland, and attended movie premieres in the 1980s, where he interacted with directors, producers, and their relatives. He once met the mother of Steven Spielberg.
