Podcast: Utilities, data centers, and grid flexibility: How does the customer benefit?

In this episode of the Factor This podcast, Sam Uyeno, partner in our Energy & Utilities practice, shares a pragmatic perspective on how unprecedented load growth is reshaping utility planning, operations, and collaboration.

As utilities work to meet surging demand from AI data centers and large-load customers, the industry faces a critical inflection point: how to scale infrastructure quickly without shifting costs or risk to other customers. While the pace and scale of demand present real challenges, they also create opportunities—particularly around demand flexibility, improved grid utilization, and the potential for lower electricity costs over time.

The conversation explores how utilities and developers can better align on interconnection timelines, the growing complexity of co-location and supply chains, and the role AI could play in modernizing grid planning. Uyeno also addresses the trade-offs utilities may face as they balance speed, reliability, and decarbonization goals in an increasingly competitive, fast-moving energy landscape.

Drawing on real-world experience, including a net-zero community project in San Jose, Uyeno highlights what it will take for utilities, developers, and regulators to move faster—and more collaboratively—to meet the moment.