USEA Press Briefing: High Demand, Prices Push Electric Utilities Out of Comfort Zone

The United States Energy Association will hold a press briefing, live on Zoom, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Shanthi Muthiah, a lead analyst at ICF, a consulting firm, and her colleagues predict that U.S. electricity demand will grow 25 percent by 2030, and an astounding 78 percent by 2050.

It is against this backdrop that the United States Energy Association will hold its next virtual press briefing on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. ET.

At the briefing, senior journalists from top print and broadcast outlets will question Muthiah and other experts on the challenges facing the electricity supply in the years ahead.

Llewellyn King, veteran journalist, who organized the briefing and will host it, said, “There is a perfect storm gathering for the electric utilities. They are facing many challenges, some of which are known, including the surge in demand from the frantic proliferation of data centers, a change of emphasis from the federal government, a lack of transmission, connection congestion, and the unpredictability of severe and extreme weather.

“The weather challenge, more than anything, electricity executives tell me is what keeps them awake at night.”

Among the briefing experts:

Jim Robb, President of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the organization created to predict demand.
Ted Vatnsdal, Executive Director for Strategy and Risk Management, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO).
Tom Falcone, President of the Large Public Power Council.
David Naylor, President and CEO, Rayburn Electric Cooperative.

The senior journalists, who will question the experts:

Jennifer Hiller, The Wall Street Journal
Evan Halper, The Washington Post
Peter Behr Politico’s E&E News
Adam Clayton Powell III, PBS
Ken Silverstein, Forbes

The briefing is unrehearsed, and the experts have no advance knowledge of the questions they might be asked. It is broadcast live on Zoom and runs one hour.

The object, King said, is to give the media a complete picture of the energy challenges lying ahead for the nation as high demand pushes up prices, and political entities and regulators fight to hold the line on pricing.

King said, “Utilities are at the end of their comfort zone where they have been for decades. Some of the gravest issues facing the industry, including whether some suppliers will be forced to use rolling blackouts, will get an airing at the briefing.

For more information on the virtual press briefing, which is one in a series, contact Melissa Brown at USEA: mbrown@usea.org.

Llewellyn King
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