2026.03.13 | PJM’s 262% Capacity Surge & The Data Center Gas Pivot

Hyperscale data centers are pushing the grid to the brink, triggering a staggering 262.3% surge in PJM capacity costs and forcing a radical shift in utility development strategies. We analyze how the Department of Energy is utilizing the new Spark and Uprize initiatives to fast-track transmission reconductoring and nuclear restarts to feed this explosive load without waiting for decade-long greenfield builds. The episode also uncovers how major developers like RWE are effectively jumping the interconnection queue by swapping planned intermittent projects for dispatchable natural gas peakers. Listen now to understand the high-stakes regulatory battles over infrastructure planning and how this desperate race for 24/7 power is directly threatening long-term grid decarbonization targets.