Rethinking Load Growth: Assessing the Potential for Integration of Large Flexible Loads in US Power Systems

Following the release of DeepSeek, US energy regulators face growing pressure to protect ratepayers from premature infrastructure investments if data center electricity demand falls short of expectations. At the same time, new loads are navigating permitting obstacles while seeking access to the power grid as quickly as possible.

In this context, a new study from the Nicholas Institute provides the first national-scale analysis of how the existing US power system can accommodate large new loads without requiring major generation and transmission expansion.

In this webinar, hear from three of the authors-Tyler Norris and Dalia Patiño-Echeverri (Nicholas School of the Environment) and Tim Profeta (Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability)-about the study's key findings and the implications for connecting data centers and other large loads to the grid.