New CATF/Brattle report identifies untapped solutions to address rising electricity demand and avert grid bottlenecks 

A new report from The Brattle Group, commissioned by Clean Air Task Force (CATF), identifies actionable, near-term strategies to help policymakers, utilities, and system planners respond to a sharp rise in electricity demand driven by data center expansion, electrification, and manufacturing growth. With many new generation resources—such as renewables, storage, and natural gas—constrained by supply chains and planning processes, the report outlines the remaining practical near-term solutions to ensuring grid reliability in the next three-to-five years while maintaining public policy objectives. 

The report, Optimizing Grid Infrastructure and Proactive Planning to Support Load Growth and Public Policy Goals, calls for commercially available, cost-effective solutions to be deployed quickly to increase the utilization of the existing grid, accelerate the connection of new loads and resources, and improve planning and procurement practices. These measures can minimize costs and emissions, maintain electricity reliability, and ensure energy infrastructure keeps pace with surging demand and changing public policy goals.  

“Decision makers are under significant pressure to deliver affordable, reliable electricity to meet rapidly growing load right now,” said Kasparas Spokas, Electricity Program Director at CATF. “This report identifies many immediate and pragmatic actions that remain underutilized to reliably support growing load, reduce costs, and support clean energy and other public policies.” 

Johannes Pfeifenberger, a Principal of The Brattle Group and co-author of the report noted, “Addressing the significant load-growth in a timely and cost-effective way requires considerable effort, coordination, and collaboration by industry, regulators, and policy makers. We hope the action steps outlined in this report serve as a blueprint to help these stakeholders successfully address the challenges facing the power industry.” 

Key recommendations from the report include: 

• Maximize the value of the existing power system: Rapidly deploy advanced transmission technologies, like grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), improve interregional trade, and scale up demand-side solutions like virtual power plants to reduce strain on the system and the cost of infrastructure buildout. 

• Accelerate grid connections of new loads and resources: Use self-supply models and co-located “energy parks,” in addition to reforming interconnection processes, to bring new loads online faster while meeting reliability, affordability, and clean energy goals. 

• Implement more proactive planning: Shift from reactive to proactive, scenario-based planning to identify lower-cost, lower-risk infrastructure investments and support clean energy and economic development zones. 

• Protect affordability: Implement smart rate designs to avoid cost shifts from rapidly growing large industrial and data center loads and expand bill assistance and demand-side incentives for low-income customers. 

Without fast action, data center expansion and electrification ambitions could outpace grid capacity—putting pressure on regional reliability and stalling economic development. Most new generation projects, including clean energy and gas, face permitting, procurement, construction challenges, and policy uncertainty. This impacts the industry’s ability to address load growth and public policy goals in a timely fashion.  

“Nearly 70% of transmission lines are over 25 years old, and many proven solutions—like grid-enhancing technologies and proactive planning tools—remain underused,” said Nicole Pavia, Director for Clean Energy Infrastructure at CATF. “While commercializing clean firm power remains essential to long-term decarbonization, the next five years require immediate, practical steps to meet rising demand, protect affordability, support energy policy goals, and prepare the grid for future growth.” 

Read the report here for detailed case studies and recommendations tailored to today’s policy and planning challenges. 

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Press Contact

Steve Reyes, Communication Manager, [email protected], +1 562-916-6463 

About Clean Air Task Force 

Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a global nonprofit organisation working to safeguard against the worst impacts of climate change by catalysing the rapid development and deployment of low-carbon energy and other climate-protecting technologies. With more than 25 years of internationally recognized expertise on climate policy and a fierce commitment to exploring all potential solutions, CATF is a pragmatic, non-ideological advocacy group with the bold ideas needed to address climate change. CATF has offices in Boston, Washington D.C., and Brussels, with staff working virtually around the world. Visit catf.us and follow @cleanaircatf.

About The Brattle Group 

The Brattle Group answers complex economic, finance, and regulatory questions for corporations, law firms, and governments around the world. We are distinguished by the clarity of our insights and the credibility of our experts. The experts in Brattle’s electric power practice provide utilities, grid operators, power producers, customers, regulators, law firms, and policymakers with operational, planning, regulatory, and litigation support. For more information, please visit www.bratttle.com.