“Burgeoning demand for AI data centers is already reshaping load profiles in Virginia, Texas, and other hot spots. Virginia’s data center load will approach half of the state’s overall power consumption by 2030 – up from about a quarter today.”

“This pioneering project shows that we no longer need to guess or debate whether a proposed data center will get built. We can wait until it’s mostly built (so we can be surer it’ll get finished and run), then build its off-grid power supply on nearby cheap land.”

“The data center load under contract will more than double the peak demand of Indiana Michigan Power Company over the next five years. This is a terrific opportunity but also presents a significant challenge in terms of grid upgrades, increased generation capacity requirements, and capital outlays.”

“I’ve been warning that we’re heading for a reliability crisis. It’s a simple Econ 101 equation. Supply is going down with premature retirements of generation and not building enough. Then, we’re seeing exponential increase in demand.”

See photos as experts on energy and utility regulation got together to discuss the hot topics.

Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Nevada recently approved tariffs for new large load customers. This panel at the 2025 NARUC Summer Policy Summit explored the state objectives regulators consider when evaluating tariffs and which tariff design elements support those goals. On the panel were moderator and North Carolina Commissioner Floyd McKissick Jr., moderator and Virginia Commissioner Kelsey Bagot, SEPA Senior Manager, Emerging Technology Ann Collier, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Deputy Department Leader Natalie Mims Frick, Verrus Head of Energy Jeff Bladen, and ALN Policy and Law, LLC President Angela Navarro, a former Virginia Commissioner.

This panel at the 2025 NARUC Summer Policy Summit explored competing policy demands. On the panel were moderator and NARUC Senior Director Kim Duffley, ISO New England CEO Gordon van Welie, District of Columbia Commission Chair Emile Thompson, Northeast Power Coordinating Council CEO Charles Dickerson, Avangrid Networks CEO Joe Purington, GT Power Group President Glen Thomas, and Copper Monarch Principal Vincent Duane.

The 2025 NARUC Summer Policy Summit featured a conversation between Exelon CEO Calvin Butler and NARUC President and Georgia Commissioner Tricia Pridemore. There was a lot to talk about with Butler, who leads one of the nation’s largest utility companies, serving more than 10.7 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities – Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO, and Pepco. He also is chair of the board of the Edison Electric Institute and leads some twenty thousand Exelon employees.

A plethora of energy and utility experts convened on the big issues at the 2025 NARUC Summer Policy Summit, with a bullseye on demand from AI and data centers, and much more. Included are excerpts from sessions on Unpacking Challenges Facing RTOs and Designing Tariffs for Large Load Customers, as well as a conversation with NARUC President and Georgia Commissioner Tricia Pridemore and Exelon CEO Calvin Butler.

“Last year, the governor pushed for a siting and permitting bill that is one of the first in the nation on getting clean energy sited in the state. That bill is about having predictable timelines that are shorter with less appeals and provide an opportunity for people to participate in these proceedings.”