Federal power regulator to big tech: Let's talk

What they're saying: "I don't talk to them as much as I thought that they would be coming to me," said Laura Swett, chairman of the independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees the nation's interstate power grid and gas systems.

By the numbers: Swett said she talks to utilities about AI-driven demand "probably nine times as much" as she hears from hyperscalers.

The big picture: Her comments underscore a core tension in the AI boom unfolding here this week at the CERAWeek conference:

• Tech and energy companies need each other, but often speak different languages.
• That disconnect could shape how quickly data centers get built — and who pays for the power.

The intrigue: Swett was unusually blunt, far more candid than a lot of other main stage conversations underway here at what's considered the world's most influential energy gathering.

"I'm going to be blunt here, and I'm going to catch some flack for this," Swett told conference host Daniel Yergin on stage Thursday.

• Hyperscalers come to FERC to complain about electric utilities, but when they do, they "show a lack of understanding" about how utilities and the grid typically function, she said.
• "I think it's improving, but I don't know, because I don't talk to them as much as I think I would."

What we're watching: FERC is weighing how to handle a surge in power demand driven largely by AI — including proposals that could determine how data centers connect to and pay for the grid.