Infocast PowerUp Data Center – Infrastructure Summit 2026

Troutman Pepper Locke is proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of Infocast’s PowerUp Data Centers – Infrastructure Summit 2026, a timely forum focused on the power and infrastructure demands created by rapid AI and data center growth. With interconnection requests surging – including a 300% increase in ERCOT alone in 2025 – the Summit will explore how the energy industry can address speed-to-power challenges, rising load growth, customer cost concerns, and the need for new generation, transmission, financing, and interconnection solutions.

About the Summit

PowerUp Data Centers – Infrastructure will bring together data center, power, infrastructure, and finance leaders to discuss near-term and long-term solutions for powering large-scale data center development.

The Summit will focus on:

• Hybrid data and power facilities using a range of generation technologies
• Bridge power solutions before full grid interconnection
• Legacy generation as a power source
• New interconnection processes for large loads
• Accelerated generation and transmission development
• Financing structures that combine commercial real estate and project finance

Dealing with Interconnection Scarcity Challenges

Troutman Pepper Locke Partner Andy Flavin will moderate the panel, “Dealing with Interconnection Scarcity Challenges: New Processes and Transmission Buildout to Meet Capacity Demands,” on July 14 at 3:00 p.m. ET.

This panel will explore how large data center load growth is intensifying interconnection delays and increasing the need for new transmission capacity. Topics will include:

• FERC Order No. 1920-B implementation
• Colocation of data centers and generation in transmission planning and cost allocation
• AI’s potential role in accelerating grid upgrade planning
• System impacts of large loads in rural and emerging areas
• Strategies to speed transmission buildout

Perspectives on Data Center and Grid Infrastructure M&A and Deal Trends

Troutman Pepper Locke Partner Brandon Lobb will moderate the panel, “Perspectives on Data Center and Grid Infrastructure M&A and Deal Trends,” on July 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET.

This session will examine how data center power demand is reshaping M&A activity and investment in generation assets, IPPs, developers, and grid infrastructure. Topics will include:

• Recent M&A trends and market outlook
• Evolving financing models for data center power strategies
• Partnerships among data centers, IPPs, and renewable developers
• Roles of real estate, REITs, technology companies, and infrastructure investors
• Impacts on interconnection agreements and PPAs
• Utility involvement in financing discussions
• Investment impacts of fuel mix changes and bridge-to-long-term power transitions