Hardware Podcasts

How data centers are complicating transmission expansion

Catalyst · 25 Jun 2026 · 30m

What this episode covers

Maeve Allsup, a senior reporter at Latitude Media, discusses the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL), a $960 million transmission line approved by PJM in 2022 that is now facing significant delays due to multi-state cost allocation disputes. She explains how the surge in data center load and the 'Ratepayer Protection Pledge' signed by tech hyperscalers have empowered state consumer advocates to challenge the project, arguing that local ratepayers should not subsidize infrastructure primarily benefiting Virginia's data centers. Allsup highlights the conflict between the rapid pace of AI-driven energy demand and the slow, complex regulatory processes governing grid expansion.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
PJM, Latitude Media, NextEra, FERC, EnergyHub
Products
Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link

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