Philip Fischer
Data Center/Mission Critical Solutions Black & Veatch
Seminars
Monday 27th April 2026
Panel: Coordinating with Utilities to Align Grid Expansion with Data Center Development in the Mid-Atlantic
The Mid-Atlantic is now confronting the industry’s most severe misalignment between
data center construction speed and utility infrastructure timelines. This panel will unpack
what needs to change to accelerate energization and reduce costly uncertainty.
This workshop will gather experts to discuss:
- Understanding utility perspective: What underpins successful partnerships?
- Engaging utilities earlier in the site-selection and design process to secure accurate power timelines before capital and land decisions are locked in
- Improving transparency around utility schedules, capacity forecasts, and grid upgrade schedules to enable realistic project planning
- Addressing when interim bridge strategies should be an option to allow construction and commissioning to continue while waiting for long-lead grid infrastructure
Tuesday 28th April 2026
Chair’s Opening Remarks
8:00 am
Wednesday 29th April 2026
Chair’s Opening Remarks
8:20 am
Tuesday 28th April 2026
Chair’s Closing Remarks
4:20 pm
Wednesday 29th April 2026
Chair’s Closing Remarks
2:30 pm
Tuesday 28th April 2026
Case Study: Evaluating Rural vs. Urban Data Centers to Balance Access, Cost, & Infrastructure Readiness in Site Selection
10:10 am
- Comparing land availability, zoning flexibility, and development speed across urban hubs vs. rural regions to quantify where projects can be delivered fastest without compromising long-term expansion potential
- Assessing power and fiber readiness in rural regions where land is plentiful, but infrastructure and labor are sparse
- Analyzing tax incentive, economic development programs, and regional cost structures to quantify the real financial advantage of rural vs. urban locations beyond land pricing
