VP Nuclear Development, Government Affairs

Role Overview

• Develop and lead AEP’s regulatory strategy for nuclear development across all regulated jurisdictions.
• Translate the nuclear project delivery model into clear, actionable regulatory plans, filings, and engagement strategies needed to secure regulatory approvals.
• Collaborate with AEP operating companies to ensure alignment between nuclear development activities and jurisdictional regulatory frameworks, expectations, and precedents.
• Anticipate regulatory risks and opportunities and advise senior leadership on mitigation options.
• Collaborate with AEP operating companies and other organizations to develop cost recovery strategies that reflect customer needs, system benefits, and long term value creation.
• Develop and lead the legislative affairs strategy for Nuclear Development at both the state and federal levels, ensuring alignment with AEP’s broader government affairs priorities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with governors’ offices, state legislators, congressional delegations, and relevant committees to advance policies that enable nuclear deployment.
• Monitor legislative activity affecting nuclear development, including siting, permitting, financing, incentives, workforce, and energy policy.
• Coordinate AEP’s legislative positions, testimony, and policy materials for hearings, briefings, and stakeholder engagements.
• Collaborate closely with AEP’s federal and state Government Affairs teams to ensure seamless alignment between legislative, regulatory, and business strategies.
• Represent AEP’s Nuclear Development strategy before state commissions, regulatory staff, legislative bodies, and other key governmental and industry stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong, constructive relationships with regulatory and legislative entities to support transparency, trust, and credibility.
• Coordinate closely with jurisdictional regulatory teams and government affairs teams to ensure consistent messaging across all forums.
• Serve as the senior regulatory and legislative advisor to the President, Nuclear Development and the Nuclear Development leadership team.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including engineering, finance, legal, customer operations, communications and external affairs, to integrate policy strategy into project planning and execution.
• Guide cross-functional teams to ensure regulatory and legislative milestones are understood, tracked, and achieved.
• Provide leadership in shaping AEP’s nuclear narrative for customers, regulators, policymakers, and industry partners.
• Monitor emerging regulatory and legislative trends, federal and state policy initiatives, and industry developments relevant to nuclear energy.
• Develop policy recommendations that position AEP to benefit from evolving nuclear policy frameworks, incentives, and technological advancements.
• Influence national and state policy development in coordination with AEP’s federal affairs and state government affairs teams and through strategic engagement with industry associations, coalitions, and government organizations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (e.g., JD, MBA, public policy, engineering) preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in utility regulation, energy policy, legislative affairs, nuclear project development, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience developing regulatory and/or legislative strategy for major infrastructure or generation projects, ideally including nuclear.
• Experience working with state utility commissions, legislative bodies, and regulatory staff across multiple jurisdictions strongly preferred.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and the ability to distill complex technical issues into compelling regulatory narratives.
• Strong understanding of customer needs, regulatory frameworks, legislative processes, and cost recovery mechanisms.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship building skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive alignment in a complex, multi-jurisdictional environment.
• Demonstrated executive presence and ability to engage effectively with senior leaders, regulators, and external stakeholders.