As data centers continue to put stress on the nation’s electricity grid, federal regulators are moving quickly to stave off overwhelming it. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is now considering major reforms for large-load interconnections and has launched an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking. Final comments were due on December 5, and final action is expected by April 30, 2026. But conflict is threatening the process, as developers, utilities, state commissions, and other major players remain sharply divided over jurisdiction, cost allocation, reliability, and the pace of interconnection.

What themes are emerging from the comments on FERC’s large-load interconnection rulemaking? How should FERC set guidelines that respect state jurisdiction while still ensuring consistency and transparency? And how is the large-load interconnection landscape likely to evolve in the near term?

In the tenth episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner Ken Irvin is joined by Jessica Hogle, head of government relations and regulatory affairs at GridCARE, a startup accelerating speed-to-power for AI data centers by unlocking spare capacity on the existing grid. Together, they dig into the key takeaways from the comment record, the federal-state jurisdictional tensions, the risks of stranded costs, and how affordability and technology trends may inform FERC’s next steps.

Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.

DOE Secretary Wright’s Federal Power Act Section 403 direction to FERC calls for a sea-change in the way large energy users — especially data centers — interconnect to the power grid.

In the ninth episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner Ken Irvin is joined by colleagues Terence Healey, a partner in Sidley’s Energy practice, and Peter Bruland, a senior managing associate in the firm’s Supreme Court, Appellate, and Litigation Strategies practice. Together, they examine how this rulemaking may affect the cooperative federalism balance and change the large load interconnection process, transmission planning, capacity markets, and the pace of new infrastructure deployment. Hear what to expect and how to stay positioned for what’s next in the power-hungry data economy.

Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.

Demand for electricity is surging in America, driven largely by AI data centers and other energy-intensive users powering the digital economy. This rapid growth has heightened concerns among businesses and consumers over rising costs and grid reliability. In response, Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 6 (SB6), a sweeping overhaul of how the state regulates large power users and behind-the-meter projects such as solar, battery storage, and data centers.

These changes could significantly influence the state’s energy future. But what does SB6 mean for renewable energy project financing in Texas? How might it affect solar, storage, and other emerging projects? And how can investors position themselves to take advantage of the new opportunities?

In the eighth episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner Ken Irvin welcomes Chris Panaro, Executive Director and Assistant General Counsel at Nomura, a global leader in wealth management, investment management, and investment banking. Together, they discuss how SB6 is reshaping the financing and infrastructure development landscape in Texas. Their conversation examines the structural shifts investors are seeing in project financing, the evolving allocation of risk to developers, and whether these policy changes are encouraging new capital to flow into Texas energy projects.

Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.