1A The Plan For The US Power Grid
May 5, 2026
Akshat Ratti, Bloomberg climate reporter; Ben King, Rhodium Group energy director; Robinson Meyer, Heatmap News editor. They explain how the grid works and why aging infrastructure may not meet rising electricity demand. They discuss what needs building: more generation, transmission, and distribution upgrades. They cover drivers of growth like data centers, EVs, and the trade-offs around batteries, mining, and rooftop versus utility-scale solar.
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Listener Reports Doubled Electric Bill Despite Efficiency
- Pete from Connecticut reports his electricity bill doubled despite minimizing usage with LEDs and efficient appliances.
- This listener example highlights rising bills driven by add-on fees, not just consumption.
Renewables And Electrification Are Rapid Crisis Levers
- Rapid renewables deployment and electrification are available short-term levers countries use in energy crises to reduce fossil-fuel exposure.
- Akshat Ratti notes utility-scale solar can be built in as little as two months and heat pumps/EVs deliver large efficiency gains.
2025 Was A Turning Point For Renewables
- 2025 marked the first year renewables produced more global electricity than coal and supplied all new demand growth.
- Akshat Ratti frames this as historic: solar's rapid price decline enables displacement of coal at scale.