How does a major utility plan for an energy future that is growing more complex by the day? From data centers to an aging grid to an affordability crisis and more, utility leaders are staring down challenges that are more intertwined and urgent than ever, and managing them all is no small feat.
In this episode, host Kinsey Grant Baker chats with Gil Quiniones, CEO of ComEd, to unpack the utility’s latest four-year plan and how it addresses some of the biggest pressures reshaping the grid: explosive data center demand, aging infrastructure, affordability concerns, and reliability expectations that keep rising every year. Gil walks us through what makes northern Illinois such a magnet for hyperscale growth, how ComEd is planning for concentrated load without overbuilding or shifting costs to other customers, and what it means to operate a transmission-and-distribution utility without owning generation.
Listen in to get the inside scoop about how ComEd is thinking about affordability, equity, and near-term energy efficiency solutions while still making the long-term investments needed to strengthen the grid.