Calvin Butler Takes National Stage: Exelon CEO Named Chair of EEI
From clean energy to AI-driven demand, Butler’s appointment comes at a defining moment for America’s electric future.
When Calvin Butler takes the stage at the Edison Electric Institute's closing keynote this morning, he won’t just be wrapping up a conference. He’ll be stepping into history.
The Exelon President and CEO has officially been named Chair of EEI, the nation’s most influential electric utility association—representing more than 70 investor-owned utilities and over 250 million customers. For Butler, the appointment isn’t just ceremonial. It’s personal. It’s strategic. And it’s right on time.
“Assuming this role during a watershed period for our industry is significant not just for me, but for all of Exelon,” he shared in a LinkedIn post. “As we power a cleaner energy future for our customers and communities, we will continue to prioritize grid reliability, affordability and energy security.”
The timing couldn’t be more pivotal. The energy sector is in the middle of a full-scale transformation—one shaped by climate imperatives, rapid electrification, AI-fueled data demands, and an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
EEI plays a critical role in helping electric companies respond to today’s challenges—not just by supporting infrastructure, but by shaping influence. From energy policy to federal funding, cybersecurity to clean tech investments, the organization helps steer how utilities operate and innovate at scale. As Chair, Butler will help set the national tone—guiding where the sector places its focus, how it prepares its workforce, and how it navigates complex policy and market shifts. And now, as EEI Chair, he’ll help guide how the industry navigates this new energy era—with an eye on both innovation and integrity
Butler models the kind of leadership this moment demands: balancing shareholder strategy with public accountability, and prioritizing grid investments while keeping affordability on the table. Under his leadership, Exelon’s 2022 strategic separation from its generation business, Constellation Energy, allowed the company to focus solely on energy delivery. The move paid off—driving significant financial growth and operational efficiency, with Exelon’s valuation rising from roughly $40 billion to $57 billion in just one year.
Butler will join Pedro Pizarro (Edison International), Pat Vincent-Collawn (EEI Interim President), Victor Peng (former AMD President), and John Abizaid (former U.S. CENTCOM Commander) for EEI’s Closing Keynote Conversations—a fitting platform that signals the start of his leadership era.