Chris Combs on AI Power & Grid Constraints | Ep. 128
From The Energy Pipeline by Josh Lowrey
April 22, 2026 · 1h 1m
About this episode
Chris Combs discusses the impact of AI on energy demands and grid constraints.
AI is rewriting the rules of power. Live from Upright Digital Studios in Houston, The Energy Pipeline, sponsored by Cat Oil & Gas, host Josh Lowrey sits down with Chris Combs, COO and co-founder of Electric Gen, to break down the energy demands behind the AI boom. From the Marine Corps to Schlumberger and power startups like Evolution Well Services, Volta Grid, and now Nitrogen, Combs shares a firsthand view of how the industry is evolving. They cover: • The rise of gigawatt-scale data centers • Grid constraints and slow interconnection timelines • Why behind-the-meter power and microgrids are gaining ground • Key factors in site selection and power technology 00:00 Welcome and Banter 01:24 Caterpillar Podcast Setup 02:03 Chris Background and Evolution 06:38 From VoltaGrid to Nitrogen 09:54 Data Center Power Boom 11:44 Why AI Changes Everything 20:00 Nuances of Data Center Power 23:22 Oilfield Mindset Advantage 28:04 AI Uses 12x Power 30:38 Grid Limits and Key Questions 31:47 Grid Can’t Keep Up 32:28 PPAs and Onsite Power 33:34 Curtailment and Grid Support 34:26 Brownouts Are Back 36:00 Data Centers Eat Demand 37:58 Picking Data Center Sites 39:30 Behind the Meter Explained…
People in this episode
Host: Josh Lowrey
Guest: Chris Combs
Topics covered
- AI in energy
- grid constraints
- data centers
- microgrids
- energy demands
- site selection
Keywords
- AI power
- grid constraints
- data centers
- microgrids
- energy technology
- site selection
- power demands
Sponsors
Cat Oil & Gas
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Electric Gen, Upright Digital Studios, Schlumberger, Evolution Well Services, Volta Grid, Nitrogen
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