Energy Solutions: A Podcast From EPSA

Hosted by Electric Power Supply Association

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May 2026

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About the show

America runs on reliable, affordable electricity - but the demands on our grid are changing. From natural gas to renewable power, electric vehicles and the competitive power markets, what are the energy solutions to cultivate cleaner air, new technology and more innovative and reliable power generation - at the least cost? Experts and voices from throughout the electric industry and government join the Electric Power Supply Association to discuss emerging trends, current issues, energy customer needs, and new projects. Discover how competition unlocks solutions to build the grid of the future.

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June 16, 2026Episode 6755 min

Can the Grid Keep Up? A Regional Look at Electric Reliability, Costs, and Demand Growth

How does an historic rise in electricity demand coincide with summer power needs? In this special summer reliability roundtable, we’re taking a look at what to expect when it comes to electric bills, power grid reliability, and what it will take to build the infrastructure needed to support future growth while protecting consumers. EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler is joined by Gavin Donohue of the Independent Power Producers of New York (IPPNY), Glen Thomas of the PJM Power Providers Group (P3), Dan Dolan of the New England Power Generators Association (NEPGA), Jan Smutny-Jones of the Independent Energy Producers Association (IEPA), Scott Miller of the Western Power Trading Forum (WPTF), and Michele Richmond of Texas Competitive Power Advocates (TCPA). Together, they provide a regional outlook on summer reliability, discuss the realities behind rapidly growing electricity demand, and explore how different markets are preparing for a future that looks very different from the past twenty years. The conversation examines data centers, power supply, electricity prices, transmission investment, market evolution, and the role competitive power markets can play in meeting future demand while protecting consumers. While each region faces unique challenges, the panel agrees on one thing: reliability, affordability, and economic growth are increasingly interconnected, and the decisions being made today will shape the future of the electric grid for decades to come. Topics include: Summer reliability outlooks across New York, PJM, New England, California, Texas, and the West, Data centers, AI, and the realities of electricity demand growth, Resource adequacy and generation investment, Electric affordability and rising customer bills, Transmission costs and infrastructure planning, The role of competitive markets in meeting future demand, Cost allocation and protecting consumers (who pays for data center growth?), Regional market developments and policy challenges, And what industry leaders believe will be the biggest power sector story over the next year. Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA Guests: Gavin Donohue, Independent Power Producers of New York (IPPNY) Glen Thomas, PJM Power Providers Group (P3) Jan Smutny-Jones, Independent Energy Producers Association (IEPA) Dan Dolan, New England Power Generators Association (NEPGA) Scott Miller, Western Power Trading Forum (WPTF) Michele Richmond, Texas Competitive Power Advocates (TCPA) Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

May 18, 202643 min

“I can't believe my utility bill just doubled.” Rising Demand, Rising Electric Bills, and the Case for Competition

As electricity demand grows and states debate how to pay for new infrastructure, questions around affordability, customer choice, and financial risk are becoming central to the future of the power sector. Consumers across the country are seeing rising electricity bills, while policymakers face increasing pressure to ensure the grid can support data centers, manufacturing growth, and electrification without placing excessive costs on households and businesses. In this episode, Chris Ercoli, President and CEO of the Retail Energy Advancement League (REAL), joins EPSA CEO Todd Snitchler to discuss how competitive retail and wholesale power markets can help address affordability concerns while expanding customer choice and encouraging private investment. Chris explains why REAL believes traditional utility models are struggling to keep pace with rising demand, evolving customer expectations, and the growing need for flexible energy products. He breaks down the differences between vertically integrated utility systems and competitive retail markets, why long-term structural infrastructure costs are driving prices higher, and how retail competition can give customers more control over price certainty and risk. They also discuss why states like Missouri are debating retail choice, how data centers and load growth are reshaping infrastructure investment, and why REAL believes private capital—not ratepayers—should bear the financial risk of building new generation. Topics include: Why electricity affordability has become a growing concern for consumers and policymakers, The difference between traditional utility models and competitive retailpower markets, How customer choice can provide flexibility, price certainty, and customized energy products, Why states are reconsidering retail competition amid rising demand growth, The role of private capital versus ratepayer-backed utility investment, How utilities recover infrastructure costs through the rate base, Why large energy users are seeking direct access to competitive generation, How states like Missouri are debating energy choice and new generation investment, The risks associated with CWIP (Construction Work in Process) and long-term infrastructure cost recovery, And why REAL believes competitive markets can help balance affordability, reliability, and investment needs. Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA Guest: Chris Ercoli, President and CEO, REALLiked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

April 14, 2026Episode 6539 min

Powering the Surge: Turbines, Data Centers, and the Race to Build the Grid

After years of flat demand, the power sector is facing a dramatic shift. AI, hyperscale data centers, electrification, and manufacturing growth are driving a new wave of electricity demand—and putting unprecedented pressure on the grid. Gas turbine orders are expected to peak in 2026 as developers secure equipment for more than 60 gigawatts of new gas capacity. In this episode, Matt Neal, President of Siemens Energy North America, joins EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler to break down what this moment means from the front lines of equipment manufacturing. From turbine shortages and long lead times to supply chain constraints and workforce challenges, Matt explains why building new power infrastructure isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. They discuss how demand from data centers is reshaping how projects are developed, why customers are reserving equipment years in advance, and how Siemens Energy is investing billions to expand U.S. manufacturing capacity. Matt also explains why gas turbines remain critical for reliability, how they support an increasingly dynamic grid while also achieving efficiency and emissions milestones, and what the system could look like by 2040. Topics include: Why electricity demand growth today represents a “generational shift” for the power sector, How AI and data centers are reshaping load growth and infrastructure planning, Why turbine lead times now stretch close to 2030 and what’s driving the bottleneck, How supply chain, workforce, and manufacturing constraints are impacting grid expansion, The shift from traditional procurement to reservation-based equipment strategies, Why gas turbines remain essential for reliability and grid stability, The latest innovations and technology breakthroughs, How hyperscale data centers are changing project development and co-location strategies, And what needs to happen across the industry to maintain reliability and affordability as demand accelerates. Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA Guest: Matt Neal, President, Siemens Energy North America Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

April 1, 2026Episode 641 hr 14 min

EPSA Live: What Will It Take to Finance the Energy Future?

In this special live episode of Energy Solutions, recorded at EPSA’s 5th Annual Competitive Power Summit, Ed Crooks of Wood Mackenzie moderates a panel on what it will take to finance the power system of the future. Panelists discuss how quickly new infrastructure can be built to meet rising demand, what investors need to deploy capital, and the policy and regulatory challenges shaping development in an increasingly tight supply-demand environment. Topics include: What it will take to finance the full power system, How Wall Street is evaluating energy investment opportunities and risk, The role of policy stability in unlocking private capital, And the role of large energy users, including data centers, in shaping investment decisions. Moderator: Ed Crooks, Vice Chair Americas, Wood Mackenzie, and host of the Energy Gang podcast Guests: Judge Kelsey Bagot, Virginia State Corporation Commission Anthony Crowdell, Managing Director, Mizuho Americas Andrew Gilbert, Partner, Energy Capital Partners Josh Levi, President, Data Center Coalition Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

April 1, 2026Episode 631 hr 6 min

EPSA Live: Why State Policy Is Driving Power Investment

In this special episode of Energy Solutions, recorded live at EPSA's 5th Annual Competitive Power Summit, Kathryn Clay, Lead Energy & Climate Analyst at Washington Post Intelligence, moderates a discussion with LS Power Generation President Nate Hanson, Speaker Matt Huffman of the Ohio House of Representatives, Competitive Power Ventures CEO Sherman Knight, and Gordon van Welie, former President and CEO of ISO New England, on how state leadership is shaping where and how new energy resources are built. As demand for electricity accelerates, panelists explore how state policy decisions influence investment, the growing challenges around permitting and infrastructure development, and what is needed to expand capacity and maintain reliability. The role of states in ensuring resource adequacy and reliability, How policy decisions shape where energy investment flows, Barriers to building new generation, including permitting and infrastructure constraints, The importance of regulatory stability for attracting private capital, How affordability pressures are influencing energy policy decisions, And the growing tension between state, regional, and federal roles in power markets. Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

March 24, 2026Episode 6249 min

EPSA Live: Who Pays for the Grid We Need? With State and Federal Energy Regulators Ann Rendahl and David Rosner

In this special live episode of Energy Solutions, recorded at EPSA’s 5th Annual Competitive Power Summit, NARUC President Ann Rendahl and FERC Commissioner David Rosner join Todd Snitchler to discuss how regulators are navigating rising costs and growing investment needs across the power grid. They explore who pays for grid expansion, how to balance affordability with reliability, and the critical role state and federal regulators play in shaping the future of the power system. Topics include: Rising cost pressures and long-term grid investment needs, Balancing affordability with reliability and infrastructure expansion, State vs. Roles in cost allocation and decision making, The importance of transparency, How regulators can better communicate with the public, and Permitting, transmission, and building new supply to meet demand. Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA Guests: Ann Rendahl, President, NARUC and Commissioner, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission David Rosner, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

March 23, 2026Episode 6131 min

EPSA Live: Building the Grid for the AI Era – With Peter Lake, White House National Energy Dominance Council

In this special live episode of Energy Solutions, recorded at EPSA’s 5th Annual Competitive Power Summit, Peter Lake of the White House National Energy Dominance Council joins Todd Snitchler to discuss the future of the U.S. power grid as demand surges from AI. Lake highlights the need to modernize grid policy, speed up interconnection, and support new infrastructure, emphasizing that energy policy is critical to economic strength, competitiveness, and national security. Topics include: Top priorities for the National Energy Dominance Council, AI-driven electricity demand and the race for global leadership, Stabilize, optimize, and grow: a three-part framework for grid transformation. Co-location of data centers and generation resources, PJM market reforms and the future of power markets, Balancing affordability, reliability, and infrastructure investment, And the importance of regulatory flexibility and stakeholder collaboration. Host: Todd Snitchler, President and CEO, EPSA Guest: Peter Lake, Senior Director of Power, White House National Energy Dominance CouncilLiked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

March 23, 2026Episode 6042 min

EPSA Live: Investing in the Next Wave of Power Demand – With Steve Fleishman, Wolfe Research

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 Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

February 11, 2026Episode 5942 min

Who Pays to Power AI? Inside the Regulator’s Balancing Act With NARUC President Ann Rendahl

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. Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.

January 22, 2026Episode 5842 min

Energizing AI: Constellation on Nuclear’s Renaissance and Power Markets

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 Liked this episode? Share it on X @EPSANews or LinkedIn at Electric Power Supply Association. Want more competitive power updates? Sign up for our monthly Power Moves newsletter.