Keeping the Lights on in the Age of AI

The Pew Charitable Trusts releases a new podcast episode on AI and energy demand

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New artificial intelligence data centers and increasing household energy use throughout the United States are stressing the nation's aging electric grid, notes Maureen Quinlan of The Pew Charitable Trusts' energy modernization project.  She invites the public to learn more by listening to Pew's "After the Fact," podcast. The program recently traveled to Houston—the epicenter of the U.S. power industry—to talk with experts, journalists, and electricity providers about why investments in modernizing the grid are necessary for preventing higher energy bills for consumers, or worse, blackouts that leave communities in the dark.

The episode also explores how innovative solutions such as tapping into battery storage and microgrids could connect nearly 2,600 gigawatts of alternative energy capacity to the grid, which would double the nation's available power supply.

"After the Fact" episode guests include:

Carter Harms, officer, energy modernization project, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Pat Wood III, CEO, Hunt Energy, and member, Pew Distributed Energy Resources Advisory Council

Jennifer Hiller, energy reporter, The Wall Street Journal

Mark Parsons, senior vice president and head of Texas consumer energy, NRG Energy

Jim Nye, chief product officer at Vivint Smart Home, NRG Energy

For more information, visit Energy Modernization | The Pew Charitable Trusts (pew.org)

Contact: Matt Herbert, communications officer, [email protected], 605-759-8911

SOURCE The Pew Charitable Trusts