AI & Energy: Who Pays for the Compute Boom?

AI’s growth is tightly linked to energy and infrastructure. Data centers can bring jobs and investment, but they also raise hard questions about grid reliability, electricity prices, water use, and emissions. Communities and policymakers are actively debating who should bear the costs of upgrades and how to ensure the benefits are shared fairly. Join us for a practical, welcoming discussion where we’ll explore:

• Demand and reliability: What happens to grid planning when large new “AI loads” arrive quickly and unpredictably?
• Rates and fairness: If grid upgrades drive rate increases, who should pay, and how do we protect households and small businesses?
• Boom and bust risk: What happens if we build out the grid for AI demand and then the bubble bursts, leaving everyone to pay for stranded infrastructure?
• Climate and clean energy claims: How should we evaluate “100% renewable” or “net zero” commitments tied to data center growth?
• Transparency and disclosure: What should companies and utilities publish about energy use, emissions, and water impacts?
• Transparency and local governance: What should companies and utilities publish about energy use, emissions, and water impacts, and what questions should cities and counties ask when approving data centers?

Whether you work in energy, tech, policy, research, or you’re simply curious, bring your questions and a local scenario you’d like to stress-test with the group.