Alex Oort Alonso

Tony Wagler, a power project developer at Paces, and researcher Alex Oort Alonso delve into a critical issue: the mismatch between projected data center growth and real grid planning. They reveal how speculative load growth influences costly transmission investments. Their analysis of 14 million Texas land parcels suggests a land-first, data-driven approach could better align development with infrastructure. The discussion highlights only 17% of viable land near substations has adequate capacity, stressing the need for smarter coordination in planning and decision-making.