The politics of making electricity cheaper, from PJM reform to VPPs
Electricity affordability has become the defining energy issue of 2026. As policymakers scramble for solutions, two very different playbooks are taking shape. On one side, a blunt-force federal appro...
29 Jan 1h 16min
A five-alarm fire for the grid? (Live)
It’s been nearly a year since a national energy emergency was declared, with big promises on prices and reliability. So we’re asking a simple question: how’s that going? In this live episode of Open ...
26 Jan 59min
Meta's nuclear deal explained: What's real vs hype?
Meta just unveiled the biggest-ever corporate deal for nuclear power. It’s a sprawling set of contracts for both existing plants and next-generation reactors that totals 6.6 gigawatts. Just a few yea...
16 Jan 1h 10min
Who controls power in the AI era?
This is an episode with a lot of firsts: the first show of the year, the first full show on video, and the first with our new co-host, Caroline Golin. In 2026, we’re launching a new chapter for Open ...
9 Jan 1h 6min
Katherine’s final episode
After more than 40 years in the energy industry, Katherine Hamilton is retiring. And that means she’s also retiring from the podcast after a decade behind the microphone. In this farewell episode, Ka...
19 Dec 202554min
The year's twists, villains, and breakout stars in energy
This year, the energy industry changed faster than we could talk about it. We collectively said more than 225,000 words on this show — some of them were informed takes, some speculation. So how did th...
12 Dec 20251h 13min
3 years after ChatGPT, vibes meet grid realities
Three years after ChatGPT ignited the AI race, the assumptions driving the trillion-dollar data-center boom are starting to shift. The belief that endlessly scaling large language models will unlock ...
5 Dec 202551min
A feast of hot takes
This year in energy has had the vibes of a dysfunctional family gathering: everyone showed up with big feelings, and no one agreed on the menu. To celebrate Thanksgiving, we’re processing the chaos r...
26 Nov 20251h 3min
