From the Grid to the Game Show
From the Grid to the Game Show
A senior advisor at Southern California Edison who works in interconnections and has a vast amount of trivia-worthy knowledge.
Who is Peter McFerrin?
McFerrin — who has been at SCE for more than 12 years — is a lifelong “Jeopardy!” fanatic. While his day job keeps him busy getting large-scale solar and battery storage projects connected to the grid, helping keep power reliable for millions of customers, his thirst for random facts keeps him ready to dominate competitive quizzes.“I was the kid who read the encyclopedia for fun,” he said. “I’ve always loved that kind of stuff, so I started auditioning for ‘Jeopardy!’ about 12 years ago, and I got my first in-person audition in 2017.”
He made it past auditions and into the contestant pool in 2020 but was robbed of his opportunity when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the show’s production.
Fast forward five years: He finally got the chance to prove it’s much more than useless knowledge stored in his brain. He got the call that he’d be taking the stage on ABC’s game show in April. His episodes aired in June, and he did not disappoint.
SCE employee Peter McFerrin wins six back-to-back "Jeopardy!" games, which qualifies him for the "Tournament of Champions."
On day one, he swept all five games. He attributes the success to his daily devouring of The New York Times, years spent participating in his high school’s version of the show — where he competed alongside “Jeopardy!” Masters Tournament super champion Yogesh Raut — and his innate curiosity for any topic, including ones that don't particularly interest him.
“For example, I cleaned up in the hip-hop category,” McFerrin said. “Do I have any use for Cardi B's music? No. But did I get a question right about her? You bet I did.”
Another unexpected advantage came from timing his daughter's swim meets.
“A big part of the game is how quickly you can buzz,” he said. “You hit the buzzer as soon as they flash a light — exactly like hitting the stopwatch at a swim meet.”
In a game where every second counts, that muscle memory gave him the leg up he needed to best his competition. McFerrin swept six games before he was dethroned in the seventh during “Final Jeopardy!”
The Mira Loma battery storage project is an example of the large-scale energy storage projects that Peter McFerrin helps coordinate the contracts for at SCE.
While his reign may be over, it's not the last time fans will see his face appear on the game show stage. McFerrin will return for the “Tournament of Champions,” whenever that may be. In the meantime, he’s already settled back into his real life, making sure generation projects are on track and aligned with federal and state regulations.
“I really enjoyed the experience. It was a lifelong dream that I achieved,” he said. “But I am happy to be back at work because we have important goals to achieve — delivering a clean energy future that is reliable and affordable for our customers.”
For more information, visit sce.com/careers.