Pre-Conference Day

Power constraints have become the defining factor shaping data center project delivery across the Midwest, with multi-year utility lead times and uneven state-by-state capacity planning creating unprecedented project risk. This interactive, hands-on Workshop Day is your opportunity to convene with the utilities, developers, and delivery partners, and walk away with a step-by-step action plan to navigate Midwest power constraints.

• Clarifying the current Midwest utility map to outline each state’s service landscape, available power options, and five-year expansion plans to support more accurate demand forecasting

• Assessing existing capacity constraints and long utility lead times, including multi-year waits for power and transmission infrastructure, to better anticipate project timelines

• Uncovering how utilities prioritize large-load and hyperscaler requests by examining capacity allocation processes, curtailment practices, communication protocols and any other alternative priorities

Explore how early and ongoing utility engagement influences project timelines, forecasting accuracy, and power certainty across Midwest markets. Learn from your peers how teams are navigating utility transparency gaps, managing long lead times, and aligning with economic development stakeholders to reduce misalignment and de-risk project delivery.

• Exploring challenges and cost implications of bridging power and when it should be considered as a viable solution

• Evaluating the financial and operational trade-offs of running large generator fleets 24/7, including diesel consumption and maintenance demands

• Overviewing proven Midwest projects utilizing behind-the-meter power solutions, including BESS installations, natural gas generation, hydrogen-ready systems and renewable hybrids

Explore when interim power solutions become unavoidable in the face of prolonged utility delays, and how teams are

evaluating the cost, operational, and risk trade-offs of bridging power strategies. Learn from peers how new technical,

financial, and stakeholder considerations have been addressed, and how generator fleets, BESS, and hybrid solutions have successfully enabled progress.

• Assessing the realistic position of nuclear energy: which technologies are nearing commercial deployment, what timelines are achievable, what are the true costs and how quickly can operators expect to get power online?

• Identifying key challenges and obstacles to SMR adoption, including regulatory barriers, financing hurdles and grid integration limitations

• Analyzing the advantages of isolated micro-nuclear systems, including their ability to serve a single data center, reduce grid dependency and potentially feed excess power back into the local grid

Explore how permitting complexity, infrastructure competition, and coordination gaps impact power certainty in Midwest data center projects. Hear how your peers are balancing the trade-offs between utility gas services and on-site power generation, and when they are actively implementing on-site power generation to mitigate risk.