Grid Under Pressure Series: Deep Dive

Draft Agenda

As data centers reshape regional electricity markets, stakeholders face mounting pressure to balance affordability, reliability, and sustainability in an environment of unprecedented demand. Building on integration strategies explored in Part 1, Part 2 of this 3‑part series will take a deep dive into the economic and resource implications of large load growth due to data centers. Attendees will gain insight into how these interconnected challenges impact siting, infrastructure investment, and long-term planning decisions and come to understand what strategies utilities, regulators, and developers are deploying to balance cost, reliability, and emissions.

9:00 – 9:10         Welcome Remarks
Kristy Nieto, Commissioner, Public Service Commission of Wisconsin

9:10 – 9:50         Affordability and Rate Design – Rapid load growth from data centers can strain existing infrastructure and drive up costs for existing customers if not managed carefully. This session explores how utilities and regulators are designing rates and cost allocation frameworks to manage costs and maintain competitiveness for economic development.
Moderator:
Camille Kadoch, Principal and Midwest Lead, Regulatory Assistance Project
Panel:
Richard Heinemann, Attorney, Boardman Clark
Molly Knoll, Senior Advisor, Align Energy Advisors
David Springe, Executive Director, National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
Melissa Whited, Vice President, Consulting, Synapse Energy Economics

9:50 – 10:30       Panel: State Utility Regulators on Balancing Affordability, Clean Energy Goals, and Infrastructure Needs – Rapid load growth from data centers is forcing regulators to make difficult decisions to balance affordability, reliability, and clean energy goals. In this session, state commissioners will share how they are approaching these challenges in real time by balancing the need for infrastructure investment with ratepayer protections while ensuring progress toward decarbonization goals.
Moderator:
Sarah Martz, Chair, Iowa Utilities Commission
Panel:
Eric Blank, Chair, Colorado Public Utility Commission
Angie Hatton, Chair, Kentucky Public Service Commission
Lea Márquez Peterson, Commissioner, Arizona Corporation Commission

10:30 – 10:40    Break

10:40 – 11:20    Nuclear Energy Integration – As data center developers seek firm, low-carbon power, nuclear energy is re-emerging as a strategic option. This session explores feasibility, financing, and siting considerations for nuclear integration including co‑location opportunities to meet peak demand.
Ashwini Bharatkumar, Graduate Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Aditi Verma, Assistant Professor, Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan

11:20 – 12:00     Panel: Data Center Resource Use – Data center resource use, including water, energy, and land, varies dramatically by technology, climate, and site. Cooling systems can strain local resources, increase energy demand, and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. This session will explore best practices for integrated environmental planning, including water-energy coordination, emissions reduction, and resilience strategies to manage impacts on local ecosystems and communities.
Moderator:
Paul Robbins, Dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies; Professor, Environmental Studies and Geography, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Panel:
Ismaeel Chartier, Executive Director, RENEW Wisconsin
Rachel Havrelock, Professor, University of Illinois Chicago
David Strifling, Associate Professor, Marquette University Law School