Using more of the grid we’ve already built
About this episode
Ian Magruder discusses how better utilization of the existing US power grid can lead to cost savings and support growing demand.
The US power grid runs at about 50% capacity on average — built for its worst day, underutilized every other day. As demand surges from data centers and electrification, utilities are racing to build more infrastructure. But Ian Magruder, who heads the new industry-backed Utilize Coalition, argues there's a cheaper, faster path: better use what we've already built — it will enable faster growth and bring down ratepayer bills, potentially by billions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe
People in this episode
Host: David Roberts
Guest: Ian Magruder
Topics covered
- power grid
- infrastructure
- utilities
- electrification
- cost savings
Keywords
- power grid
- capacity
- infrastructure
- electrification
- ratepayer bills
- Utilize Coalition
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Utilize Coalition
Places: US
More episodes of Volts
- Enabling ordinary people to invest in renewable energy projects
- Tom Steyer wants to be California's climate governor
- The big stories from the last year in electricity
- Life as a clean energy journalist in an age of madness
- Climate finance, interrupted
- Doing data centers the not-dumb way
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Volts podcast page.