An apparatus comprising: a gas turbine engine having a compressor and a combustor, the compressor including a rotating blade adjacent a compressor exit flow path; an electric generator; a turbine structured to rotate and provide power to the electric generator; an electrically powered recuperator connected with the compressor exit flow path, the electrically powered recuperator in communication with the electric generator and disposed downstream from the rotating blade, the recuperator configured to transfer heat with a working fluid traversing the compressor en route to the combustor; and a controller configured to include one or more sets of instructions that enable the gas turbine engine and associated devices to be operated to selectively provide power to either the recuperator or a load, whereby said controller is structured to place the gas turbine engine in: an idle mode, a loaded idle mode in which a fuel flow to the gas turbine engine is increased relative to the idle mode and power is provided from the turbine to the recuperator, and in which an energy storage device may be charged to store energy, and a power mode in which a fuel flow to the gas turbine engine is increased relative to the loaded idle mode and power is diverted from the recuperator toward the load, and the energy storage device may be used to supplement power to the load, wherein the electrically powered recuperator is configured in an off condition in the idle mode and power mode and is configured in an on condition in the loaded idle mode. a gas turbine engine having a compressor and a combustor, the compressor including a rotating blade adjacent a compressor exit flow path; an electric generator; a turbine structured to rotate and provide power to the electric generator; an electrically powered recuperator connected with the compressor exit flow path, the electrically powered recuperator in communication with the electric generator and disposed downstream from the rotating blade, the recuperator configured to transfer heat with a working fluid traversing the compressor en route to the combustor; and a controller configured to include one or more sets of instructions that enable the gas turbine engine and associated devices to be operated to selectively provide power to either the recuperator or a load, whereby said controller is structured to place the gas turbine engine in: an idle mode, a loaded idle mode in which a fuel flow to the gas turbine engine is increased relative to the idle mode and power is provided from the turbine to the recuperator, and in which an energy storage device may be charged to store energy, and a power mode in which a fuel flow to the gas turbine engine is increased relative to the loaded idle mode and power is diverted from the recuperator toward the load, and the energy storage device may be used to supplement power to the load, an idle mode, a loaded idle mode in which a fuel flow to the gas turbine engine is increased relative to the idle mode and power is provided from the turbine to the recuperator, and in which an energy storage device may be charged to store energy, and a power mode in which a fuel flow to the gas turbine engine is increased relative to the loaded idle mode and power is diverted from the recuperator toward the load, and the energy storage device may be used to supplement power to the load, wherein the electrically powered recuperator is configured in an off condition in the idle mode and power mode and is configured in an on condition in the loaded idle mode.