Energy Solutions: A Podcast From EPSA

In this special live episode of Energy Solutions, recorded at EPSA’s 5th Annual Competitive Power Summit on March 3 in Washington, D.C., EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler joins Wolfe Research analyst Steve Fleishman to discuss the surge in electricity demand driven by AI, data centers, and electrification—and what it means for investment in new power infrastructure. 

The conversation covers the reality behind rising load forecasts, how investors are responding, and why clear market structures and policy signals are critical to supporting the next generation of energy development. 

Topics include: 

• How AI, data centers, and electrification are reshaping electricity demand forecasts, 
• Whether current load growth projections are realistic and what could slow them down, 
• The scale of investment required to build new generation and infrastructure, 
• The growing role of long-term contracts and durable, long-term capital investment in the power sector, 
• And why political and regulatory stability is critical for attracting capital. 

Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA 

Guest: Steve Fleishman, Managing Director and Senior Analyst, Wolfe Research 

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AI and data centers are driving electricity demand higher just as Americans are feeling the pressure of rising energy bills. Meanwhile, utilities are seeking approval for unprecedented levels of grid investment. As state regulators gather this week for their annual Winter Policy Summit, the question is front and center: how do we keep the lights on without breaking the bank? 

In this episode, Ann Rendahl—who leads state utility regulators nationwide as president of NARUC and serves as a utility commissioner in Washington State— discusses how regulators balance reliability and affordability, the tools they use to decide which investments are truly needed, and where the biggest cost pressures are emerging. Drawing on her experience working with organized wholesale power markets in the West and Midwest, she explains how competition, private investment, and early collaboration between industry and regulators can help manage costs and deliver the reliable infrastructure customers expect. 

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With AI, data centers, and electrification are driving a surge in electricity demand, the pressure is on to keep America’s power grid reliable and affordable. The real question is whether we’ll meet this moment with competitive, market-driven investment – or shift the risk and the cost back onto consumers. 

In this episode of Energy Solutions, EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler sits down with Mason Emnett, Senior Vice President of Public Policy at Constellation Energy, the nation’s largest nuclear power plant operator and largest private-sector power producer. 

They discuss what’s really behind today’s energy demand forecasts, why misunderstanding new load profiles can lead to costly overreactions, what the Crane Clean Energy Center restart tells us about the future of nuclear power, what’s happening in PJM, and why competitive markets – where investors bear the risk, not consumers – matter more than ever as the U.S. enters a new era of electricity growth. 

Topics include: 

• Why AI and data centers are changing electricity demand, 
• The biggest misunderstandings about new load growth, 
• Who should bear the risk when demand forecasts or projects are wrong, 
• How competitive markets protect consumer from risk better than vertically-integrated models, 
• What the Crane Clean Energy Center restart means for nuclear’s future, 
• How permitting, interconnection, and market reform can unlock private investment, 
• What Maryland’s CPCN process reveals about state energy policy choices, 
• And why abandoning competition would raise costs and slow progress. 

Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA 

Guest: Mason Emnett, Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Constellation Energy 

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What would happen if a coordinated cyber and physical attack disrupted the systems that power daily life—not just power plants, but data centers, pipelines, and communications? 

Cyber and physical threats to the electric grid are growing more advanced, more frequent, and harder to detect. The impacts can ripple far beyond the energy sector, affecting communities, public safety, and the broader economy. From sophisticated phishing to copper theft from power plants, competitive power suppliers, grid operators, and utilities must stay prepared. 

In this episode of Energy Solutions, EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler sits down with one of the nation’s top grid security leaders to unpack today’s threat landscape and what it takes to strengthen the power system. Michael Ball is Senior Vice President of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and CEO of the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). They discuss the rising role of AI in cyberattacks, how adversaries target industrial control systems, and why information sharing across the energy sector is essential. 

They also cover insights from the recent national GridEx VIII exercise—as well as a new “Grid-Ex-in-a-Box" drill EPSA customized for member companies this November in Houston—and explore how competitive power suppliers can get prepared before a real crisis hits. 

Topics include: 

• How cyber threats have become constant and increasingly sophisticated, 
• The rise of almost autonomous AI-enabled cyberattacks, 
• Physical security risks including vandalism, copper theft, and drone activity at power plants, 
• How adversaries target industrial control systems with advanced toolkits,  
• The critical role of information sharing across competitive power suppliers, utilities, and government partners, 
• What the E-ISAC does and how it supports industry-wide situational awareness, 
• Key insights from GridEx VIII, 
• The importance of resilient communications strategies and updated playbooks, 
•  And what competitive power suppliers and utilities should focus on heading into 2026. 

Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA 

Guest: Michael Ball, senior vice president, NERC, CEO, E-ISAC   

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As AI, electrification, and manufacturing growth drive record electricity demand, the U.S. grid faces new pressures to deliver reliable, affordable power. What can other regions learn from New England — one of America’s most energy-constrained power systems? 

In this episode of Energy Solutions, EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler sits down with Gordon van Welie, outgoing President and CEO of ISO New England, to reflect on 25 years of market evolution and what it takes to keep the lights on. They discuss how competitive power markets have driven investment and reliability, and why policy alignment between grid operators, states, and the federal government is key to meeting the demands of an AI-powered economy. 

Topics include: 

• How New England’s competitive market evolved — and what’s worked best, 
• Why policy alignment among grid operators, states, and the federal government is critical, 
• The growing interdependence between gas and electric systems, 
• Lessons from managing fuel constraints and preparing for winter, 
• How transmission planning and collaboration with states can unlock progress, and 
• What the AI-era demand surge means for investment and reliability. 

Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA 

Guest: Gordon van Welie, President and CEO, ISO New England 

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The U.S. power sector is at a critical turning point. AI, electrification, and manufacturing and economic growth are leading to surging electricity demand, and power supply is struggling to keep up as prices increase. How should policymakers and energy leaders respond to encourage wise investment without overbuilding, overspending, or undermining reliability? 

In this episode of Energy Solutions,EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler sits down with David Hill, Executive Vice President of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Energy Program, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator, and former DOE General Counsel to unpack the key issues that are shaping today’s energy sector. They discuss the risks of over- and under-building, the role of competitive markets, and how smarter permitting and planning can help manage uncertainty without putting consumers at risk. 

They also discuss bipartisan solutions to energy affordability, lessons that can be learned from past energy policies, and why natural gas and nuclear energy are critical to meeting demand as part of an all-of-the-above strategy. 

Together, they tackle: 

• Why uncertainty is the defining challenge in today’s energy sector. 
• How past experiences with over- and under-building can inform better decision making. 
• The growing bipartisan consensus on energy affordability and reliability. 
• The critical role of natural gas and infrastructure to support new demand. 
• How permitting reform could help unlock faster, smarter investment. 
• Why transparent markers and sound planning protect consumers. 

Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA 

Guest: David Hill, Executive Vice President of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Energy Program, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New York Independent System Operator   

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The recent PJM Governors’ Conference in Philadelphia spotlighted surging electricity demand, political scrutiny, and concerns over rising power bills. Governors, regulators, and industry experts gathered to debate the future of PJM Interconnection, which directs the flow of power to 67 million people in 13 states and DC. 

In this episode of Energy Solutions, EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler sits down with four panelists who were part of the conversation to go beyond the headlines and delve into why costs are rising, what states are considering, and actionable solutions to enable competitive markets to deliver reliable, cost-effective power:  

• Travis Kavulla, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, NRG   
• Marji Phillips, Senior Vice President of Wholesale Market Policy, LS Power   
• Glen Thomas, President, P3   
• Arnie Quinn, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Policy, Vistra

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The United States is undergoing a once-in-a-generation shift in electricity demand — driven in large part by the extraordinary growth of data centers, AI development, and cloud infrastructure. These digital engines are vital to national competitiveness, economic growth, and everyday life. But delivering on their promise requires a power system that can grow with them — reliably, affordably, and sustainably.  

In this episode of Energy Solutions, EPSA President Todd Snitchler sits down with Aaron Tinjum, Vice President of Energy at the Data Center Coalition, to discuss how the data center sector is planning for the future, where it intersects with power markets and energy policy, and how competitive energy providers can help deliver the electricity infrastructure that meets this historic moment. They explore how to scale reliable generation, improve permitting, align regulatory frameworks, and ensure that both consumers and innovators benefit from a modern, responsive electricity system. 

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As electricity demand surges across the country due to data centers, electrification, and industrial growth, the U.S. power grid is under pressure to keep up. But what do the numbers really show, and where are we headed? 

In this episode of Energy Solutions, EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler sits down with Angelina LaRose, Assistant Administrator for Energy Analysis at the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), to dive into what the data is telling us – from a changing resource mix to the vital role of dispatchable resources and the surprising growth in winter peak electricity demand. 

She also shares how EIA maintains its neutrality, how new tools like the Energy Atlas and Electric Grid Monitor help make sense of the grid, and what to watch in the months ahead as power demand continues to rise. 

Together, they tackle: 

• The rising electricity demand across sectors – from AI to manufacturing 
• The evolving generation mix, including trends in coal, solar, and storage 
• The critical role of natural gas and dispatchable resources 
• How EIA incorporates extreme weather and infrastructure constraints 
• Regional reliability risks and price volatility 
• EIA’s approach to modeling policy changes and staying neutral 

 📈 Whether you're a policymaker, analyst, reporter, or just curious about how energy trends take shape, this episode offers a clear, data-driven look at the forces reshaping America’s electricity landscape 

Guest: Angelina LaRose, Assistant Administrator, EIA 

Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA 

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As electricity demand surges across the U.S. — driven by AI, data centers, electrification, and reshoring of manufacturing — one critical question rises to the top: Who’s going to build the grid of the future, where does the money come from, and how fast can we do it?  

In this episode of Energy Solutions, EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler sits down with Doug Kimmelman, Founder and Executive Chairman of Energy Capital Partners, to explore the role of private investment in meeting this challenge and building a power system to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. 

Doug shares why he believes we're entering a new era of infrastructure urgency, introduces the concept of the "Triangle of Power"—power generation, natural gas supply, and delivery infrastructure—and explains why competitive electricity markets and permitting reform are essential to meeting America’s energy moment. 

Together, they tackle: 

•  Why reliability is the true product of the power sector 
•  The unique opportunity the AI boom presents for the U.S. economy 
•  Myths about Wall Street’s role in energy infrastructure 
•  How private capital can deliver faster, smarter, and at scale 
•  What policymakers can do to unlock investment and spur innovation 

 📈 Whether you're a policymaker, investor, energy professional, or just want to understand how the grid keeps up with growth, this episode offers candid insights on the future of U.S. power. 

Guest:  Doug Kimmelman, Founder and Executive Chairman, ECP 

Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA 

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