The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series The Reality of Electricity in America || Peter Zeihan
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Dec 1, 2025 The discussion dives into the staggering electricity demands required to double the U.S. industrial capacity, needing 50% more power, with data centers adding an extra 25-50%. Peter highlights the weaknesses of the current U.S. grid and the challenges of long-range transmission. He proposes investing in high-voltage transmissions instead of just building local capacity. The podcast identifies nuclear and coal as essential for baseload power for data centers, while gas, solar, and wind play supporting roles. The future calls for a pragmatic energy mix.
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Massive Electricity Gap For Industrial Growth
- Doubling U.S. industrial capacity requires roughly 50% more electricity and data centers add another 25–50% on top.
- Weak interstate transmission forces overbuilding and low-capacity operation, raising costs and inefficiency.
Interconnection Drives Efficiency
- The U.S. grid is poorly interconnected so regions must rely on local resources instead of efficient centralized generation.
- Long-range transmission would let cheap, high-yield generation supply demand centers and reduce redundant nameplate capacity.
Invest In Transmission To Save Overall Cost
- Building the grid up by 50% costs about $1 trillion for generation and $0.5 trillion for distribution if done within states.
- Spending ~20% more to add long-range transmission reduces generation needs and improves overall efficiency.