Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners Annual Education Conference

Tuesday June 16th | 10:45-11:45am

Itron's Eric Fox will be speaking during the session titled Powering the Mid-Atlantic: Building the Infrastructure for a New Energy Era. This session will cover how the Mid-Atlantic is entering a new energy era defined by rapid load growth from data centers, electrification, and industrial expansion—placing unprecedented pressure on both the electric grid and the natural gas pipeline system that underpins regional reliability. This panel examines how policymakers, regulators, utilities, and infrastructure developers can respond to surging demand by coordinating investment in electric transmission and natural gas pipeline capacity, while preserving affordability, reliability, and safety. Panelists will explore the challenges of accurately forecasting demand, distinguishing firm needs from speculative requests, and designing “smart” transmission and pipeline projects that meet real system needs without overbuilding or shifting unfair costs to ratepayers. 

Focusing on the intersection of gas and electric systems, the discussion will address how natural gas pipeline constraints affect electric dispatch, resource adequacy, and reliability planning across the Mid-Atlantic, despite the region’s proximity to the gas-rich Appalachian Basin. The panel will also examine the evolving roles of state commissions, FERC, and PHMSA in permitting and oversight, including how regulators assess prudency, rate recovery, and safety compliance for proactive infrastructure investments. Attendees will gain practical insight into how coordinated planning across sectors—and early engagement among utilities, large customers, and regulators—can accelerate infrastructure development at the scale and speed demanded by the regional 
economy.