Today, we were delighted to welcome Neil Chatterjee, Former Commissioner and Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Neil served as FERC Chairman from August –December 2017 and again from October 2018–November 2020. During his tenure, he championed several strategic initiatives, including streamlining the liquified natural gas application review and approval process, and advancing the use of technology to mitigate physical and cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure. Prior to his service at FERC, Neil was an advisor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and worked for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He currently serves as Chief Government Affairs Officer at Palmetto, a Senior Advisor at KKR, a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy, and a Senior Policy Advisor at the Climate Leadership Council, in addition to serving on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Board of Directors. We were honored to host Neil at our offices in Houston for an insightful and engaging discussion.   In our conversation, we explore Neil’s perspective on the evolving U.S. energy landscape amid surging electricity demand, geopolitical pressure, and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. Chatterjee explains the unique structure and independence of FERC, emphasizing that this design has helped the agency maintain policy stability even as presidential administrations swing between dramatically different energy priorities. He argues that energy security has become synonymous with national security and that FERC now sits at the center of balancing reliability, affordability, and decarbonization. The discussion highlights how new pressures from data centers, electrification, and reindustrialization are straining a grid shaped by decades of flat demand and policy drift. Chatterjee also reflects on past regulatory controversies, noting that AI-driven load growth may finally push the country beyond polarized debates about “fossil versus clean energy,” because meeting demand will require every available resource, from gas and coal to solar, storage, nuclear, and distributed generation technologies. Neil dives into the operational, political, and economic complexities of meeting this surge in power demand. Chatterjee outlines the emerging challenge of large-load interconnection is how to quickly connect massive hyperscaler data centers without destabilizing markets or burdening consumers, and praises a recent DOE directive that gives FERC flexibility (linked <a href='https://www.energy.gov/topics/2025-doe-403-orders'>here</a>), while insisting on quicker pathways to power. He details trade-offs such as hyperscalers funding grid upgrades in exchange for curtailment obligations, growing tension between utility and market-based models, and the need for aggressive permitting reform to build pipelines and transmission. He notes that time-to-power constraints favor near-term solutions such as solar-plus-storage paired with gas peakers, while advanced nuclear and new gas capacity remain years away. Throughout, he stresses the importance of depoliticizing energy policy and “empowering the nerds”— letting engineers, economists, and market designers, not political cycles, guide decisions on reliability, infrastructure, distributed resources, and the evolving relationship between front-of- and behind-the-meter systems. It was a tour de force and we greatly enjoyed the discussion.   Mike Bradley kicked off the show by noting that U.S. markets are laser-focused on Wednesday’s FOMC rate decision. On the bond market front, the 10-year Treasury yield has risen to approximately 4.17% (up from 4% two weeks ago) amid growing concern that the Fed may not deliver the multiple interest-rate cuts expected in 2026. He added that a 25-basis point rate cut is anticipated at the meeting and that Chairman Powell’s press conference, particularly his tone and comments on Fed independence,

<description>&lt;p&gt;Today, we were delighted to welcome Neil Chatterjee, Former Commissioner and Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Neil served as FERC Chairman from August –December 2017 and again from October 2018–November 2020. During his tenure, he championed several strategic initiatives, including streamlining the liquified natural gas application review and approval process, and advancing the use of technology to mitigate physical and cyber threats to critical energy infrastructure. Prior to his service at FERC, Neil was an advisor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and worked for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. He currently serves as Chief Government Affairs Officer at Palmetto, a Senior Advisor at KKR, a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy, and a Senior Policy Advisor at the Climate Leadership Council, in addition to serving on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Board of Directors. We were honored to host Neil at our offices in Houston for an insightful and engaging discussion.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;In our conversation, we explore Neil’s perspective on the evolving U.S. energy landscape amid surging electricity demand, geopolitical pressure, and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. Chatterjee explains the unique structure and independence of FERC, emphasizing that this design has helped the agency maintain policy stability even as presidential administrations swing between dramatically different energy priorities. He argues that energy security has become synonymous with national security and that FERC now sits at the center of balancing reliability, affordability, and decarbonization. The discussion highlights how new pressures from data centers, electrification, and reindustrialization are straining a grid shaped by decades of flat demand and policy drift. Chatterjee also reflects on past regulatory controversies, noting that AI-driven load growth may finally push the country beyond polarized debates about “fossil versus clean energy,” because meeting demand will require every available resource, from gas and coal to solar, storage, nuclear, and distributed generation technologies. Neil dives into the operational, political, and economic complexities of meeting this surge in power demand. Chatterjee outlines the emerging challenge of large-load interconnection is how to quickly connect massive hyperscaler data centers without destabilizing markets or burdening consumers, and praises a recent DOE directive that gives FERC flexibility (linked &lt;a href='https://www.energy.gov/topics/2025-doe-403-orders'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), while insisting on quicker pathways to power. He details trade-offs such as hyperscalers funding grid upgrades in exchange for curtailment obligations, growing tension between utility and market-based models, and the need for aggressive permitting reform to build pipelines and transmission. He notes that time-to-power constraints favor near-term solutions such as solar-plus-storage paired with gas peakers, while advanced nuclear and new gas capacity remain years away. Throughout, he stresses the importance of depoliticizing energy policy and “empowering the nerds”— letting engineers, economists, and market designers, not political cycles, guide decisions on reliability, infrastructure, distributed resources, and the evolving relationship between front-of- and behind-the-meter systems. It was a tour de force and we greatly enjoyed the discussion.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;Mike Bradley kicked off the show by noting that U.S. markets are laser-focused on Wednesday’s FOMC rate decision. On the bond market front, the 10-year Treasury yield has risen to approximately 4.17% (up from 4% two weeks ago) amid growing concern that the Fed may not deliver the multiple interest-rate cuts expected in 2026. He added that a 25-basis point rate cut is anticipated at the meeting and that Chairman Powell’s press conference, particularly his tone and comments on Fed independence, &lt;/p&gt;</description>

Today, we were delighted to welcome Neil Chatterjee, Former Commissioner and Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Neil served as FERC Chairman from August –December 2017 and again from October 2018–November 2020. During his tenure, he championed several strategic initiatives, including streamlining the liquified natural gas application review and approval process, and advancing the use of technology to mitigate physical and cyber threats to critical energy infrastructu...

"I’m A Republican All In On Solar" Featuring Neil Chatterjee, Former FERC Commissioner

Today we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Kruti Lehenbauer, Founder of Analytics TX. Kruti is a longtime statistician and economic consultant who has held leadership roles across analytics, data, and research. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Political Economy and helps organizations audit business data, uncover hidden efficiencies, and navigate strategic planning, AI adoption, and more. She regularly shares thought-provoking insights and translates complex analysis into clear, actionable takeaways. We were delighted to hear her perspectives on interest rates, inflation, tariffs, and more ahead of next week’s Fed meeting.   In our conversation, we explore the “panic narrative” around the economy and why the past five years may feel worse than what the long-run trends suggest. We discuss the health of the U.S. economy, whether we’re truly in a unique moment, how rapid interest rate hikes have worsened the debt picture, and why Kruti believes rates should already be moving back toward ~3%. She shares why the expectation that “everything must rise exponentially” is misguided, invoking Joan Robinson’s reminder that “in the long run we are all dead, but not all at once.” We cover what data Kruti thinks the Fed should focus on (employment, GDP, true inflation) versus short-term headlines and political noise, the interplay between aggregate demand and aggregate supply, and why productivity and technology matter most for long-run growth. Kruti also explains how tariffs effectively raise real interest rates, how consumers adapt, and the flaws she sees in how we measure inflation today. We touch on why she believes fears of mass job loss from AI are overblown, the importance of adaptation, and her concerns about declining quality in higher education and its impact on high-skill labor and future productivity. We address fiscal versus monetary policy, why overreliance on the Fed is risky, and long-run structural issues including savings behavior, financial literacy, and long-dated household debt. We also discuss India’s role as a rising economic partner and end with the “magic-wand” reforms Kruti would prioritize including leaner government, updated inflation metrics, and policies that expand the economy’s productive frontier rather than over-managing it. It was a thought-provoking discussion.   Mike Bradley kicked us off by noting that broader equity markets rallied on a rebound in Bitcoin, bond yields have been inching higher, crude oil remains under pressure, U.S. natural gas price continues to surge, and copper prices are hitting all-time highs. The 10-year bond yield inched higher this week to ~4.1%, after trading near 4% last week, on rumors that Kevin Hassett is the front-runner for Federal Reserve Chairman. Bond volatility will likely continue into the December 10th FOMC meeting. The DJIA and S&amp;P 500 were both up on the day but remain flattish to slightly lower for the week, with Technology leading and Energy lagging. On the oil market front, WTI price continues to be under pressure (trading just under $59/bbl) due to continuing concern around an early 2026 global oil surplus (~2-4mmbpd). This bearish oil thesis/trade is very-very-very consensus. OPEC+ convened over the weekend and agreed, as expected, to pause oil output hikes through Q126 and to call for third-party verification of OPEC+ members Maximum Sustainable Capacity for 2027 production baselines. He closed by highlighting that cold weather has finally arrived, spiking prompt U.S. natural gas price to ~$5/MMBtu (while the 12-month strip holds steady at ~$4.15/MMBtu). He noted the remarkable surge in Lower-48 dry gas production, from 108-109bcfpd a month ago to a weekend peak of ~114bcfpd, now settling in at 112-113bcfpd. Jeff Tillery shared a few themes he’s watching heading into the next few quarters. In traditional energy, oilfield services stocks are jumping even as oil prices fall, raising the question of whether the market is signali

<description>&lt;p&gt;Today we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Kruti Lehenbauer, Founder of Analytics TX. Kruti is a longtime statistician and economic consultant who has held leadership roles across analytics, data, and research. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Political Economy and helps organizations audit business data, uncover hidden efficiencies, and navigate strategic planning, AI adoption, and more. She regularly shares thought-provoking insights and translates complex analysis into clear, actionable takeaways. We were delighted to hear her perspectives on interest rates, inflation, tariffs, and more ahead of next week’s Fed meeting.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;In our conversation, we explore the “panic narrative” around the economy and why the past five years may feel worse than what the long-run trends suggest. We discuss the health of the U.S. economy, whether we’re truly in a unique moment, how rapid interest rate hikes have worsened the debt picture, and why Kruti believes rates should already be moving back toward ~3%. She shares why the expectation that “everything must rise exponentially” is misguided, invoking Joan Robinson’s reminder that “in the long run we are all dead, but not all at once.” We cover what data Kruti thinks the Fed should focus on (employment, GDP, true inflation) versus short-term headlines and political noise, the interplay between aggregate demand and aggregate supply, and why productivity and technology matter most for long-run growth. Kruti also explains how tariffs effectively raise real interest rates, how consumers adapt, and the flaws she sees in how we measure inflation today. We touch on why she believes fears of mass job loss from AI are overblown, the importance of adaptation, and her concerns about declining quality in higher education and its impact on high-skill labor and future productivity. We address fiscal versus monetary policy, why overreliance on the Fed is risky, and long-run structural issues including savings behavior, financial literacy, and long-dated household debt. We also discuss India’s role as a rising economic partner and end with the “magic-wand” reforms Kruti would prioritize including leaner government, updated inflation metrics, and policies that expand the economy’s productive frontier rather than over-managing it. It was a thought-provoking discussion.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;Mike Bradley kicked us off by noting that broader equity markets rallied on a rebound in Bitcoin, bond yields have been inching higher, crude oil remains under pressure, U.S. natural gas price continues to surge, and copper prices are hitting all-time highs. The 10-year bond yield inched higher this week to ~4.1%, after trading near 4% last week, on rumors that Kevin Hassett is the front-runner for Federal Reserve Chairman. Bond volatility will likely continue into the December 10th FOMC meeting. The DJIA and S&amp;amp;P 500 were both up on the day but remain flattish to slightly lower for the week, with Technology leading and Energy lagging. On the oil market front, WTI price continues to be under pressure (trading just under $59/bbl) due to continuing concern around an early 2026 global oil surplus (~2-4mmbpd). This bearish oil thesis/trade is very-very-very consensus. OPEC+ convened over the weekend and agreed, as expected, to pause oil output hikes through Q126 and to call for third-party verification of OPEC+ members Maximum Sustainable Capacity for 2027 production baselines. He closed by highlighting that cold weather has finally arrived, spiking prompt U.S. natural gas price to ~$5/MMBtu (while the 12-month strip holds steady at ~$4.15/MMBtu). He noted the remarkable surge in Lower-48 dry gas production, from 108-109bcfpd a month ago to a weekend peak of ~114bcfpd, now settling in at 112-113bcfpd. Jeff Tillery shared a few themes he’s watching heading into the next few quarters. In traditional energy, oilfield services stocks are jumping even as oil prices fall, raising the question of whether the market is signali&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Today we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Kruti Lehenbauer, Founder of Analytics TX. Kruti is a longtime statistician and economic consultant who has held leadership roles across analytics, data, and research. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Political Economy and helps organizations audit business data, uncover hidden efficiencies, and navigate strategic planning, AI adoption, and more. She regularly shares thought-provoking insights and translates complex analysis into clear, actionabl...

"The Expectation That Everything Has To Exponentially Rise Is Foolish" Featuring Dr. Kruti Lehenbauer, Analytics TX

We are thrilled to share what is now our sixth annual COBT Thanksgiving episode, showcasing and thanking the hardworking people working in energy who make Thanksgiving Day possible. Earlier this year, after hosting Jim Grech, President and CEO of Peabody on COBT (episode linked <a href='https://veriten.com/stream/cobt-283/'>here</a>), Mike Bradley floated the idea of filming our Thanksgiving episode at the North Antelope Rochelle Mine (NARM). Jim and his team were gracious enough to say yes and made this special visit possible.   Our team travelled to NARM in Gillette, Wyoming, and met with the mine’s management and safety teams for an in-depth overview of operations before heading out for a tour. Following the tour, Mike Bradley and Maynard sat down with Pat Forkin, Executive Vice President, Global Strategy and Peabody Development, and Clayton Kyle, Production Manager at NARM, for a fantastic discussion.   Our conversation with Pat and Clayton covered NARM’s operations, scale, and logistics as the largest coal mine in North America, producing ~12% of U.S. coal. We discuss the mine’s daily activity, filling 12-13 trains per day each with ~150 cars and ~16,500 tons (&gt;200,000 tons of coal produced per day), as well as coal’s role in the U.S. power mix and Peabody’s safety-first culture and use of technology onsite. Clayton shares his on-the-ground perspective on Peabody’s workforce, the demanding schedules, the team’s pride in tough work and long tenure, and the company’s 142-year history. We explore Peabody’s engagement with multiple federal agencies and the growing opportunity around critical minerals and rare earths. A major highlight was the mine’s extensive land reclamation process including backfilling pits, replacing topsoil, restoring hydrology, and returning the land to conditions well beyond minimum requirements through improved soils, carefully designed vegetation, grazing practices, and habitat restoration that often attracts more wildlife post-mining. The whole Peabody team’s pride in their work was readily apparent and we truly enjoyed the discussion.   We can’t thank the Peabody team enough for their hospitality and for the hard work they put in every day. For them, today is simply another workday, and the job still needs to get done. We hope you enjoy this special conversation as much as we did. And for everyone working today at the mine, THANK YOU!   Happy Thanksgiving to you all! We are thankful for you!

<description>&lt;p&gt;We are thrilled to share what is now our sixth annual COBT Thanksgiving episode, showcasing and thanking the hardworking people working in energy who make Thanksgiving Day possible. Earlier this year, after hosting Jim Grech, President and CEO of Peabody on COBT (episode linked &lt;a href='https://veriten.com/stream/cobt-283/'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), Mike Bradley floated the idea of filming our Thanksgiving episode at the North Antelope Rochelle Mine (NARM). Jim and his team were gracious enough to say yes and made this special visit possible.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;Our team travelled to NARM in Gillette, Wyoming, and met with the mine’s management and safety teams for an in-depth overview of operations before heading out for a tour. Following the tour, Mike Bradley and Maynard sat down with Pat Forkin, Executive Vice President, Global Strategy and Peabody Development, and Clayton Kyle, Production Manager at NARM, for a fantastic discussion.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;Our conversation with Pat and Clayton covered NARM’s operations, scale, and logistics as the largest coal mine in North America, producing ~12% of U.S. coal. We discuss the mine’s daily activity, filling 12-13 trains per day each with ~150 cars and ~16,500 tons (&amp;gt;200,000 tons of coal produced per day), as well as coal’s role in the U.S. power mix and Peabody’s safety-first culture and use of technology onsite. Clayton shares his on-the-ground perspective on Peabody’s workforce, the demanding schedules, the team’s pride in tough work and long tenure, and the company’s 142-year history. We explore Peabody’s engagement with multiple federal agencies and the growing opportunity around critical minerals and rare earths. A major highlight was the mine’s extensive land reclamation process including backfilling pits, replacing topsoil, restoring hydrology, and returning the land to conditions well beyond minimum requirements through improved soils, carefully designed vegetation, grazing practices, and habitat restoration that often attracts more wildlife post-mining. The whole Peabody team’s pride in their work was readily apparent and we truly enjoyed the discussion.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;We can’t thank the Peabody team enough for their hospitality and for the hard work they put in every day. For them, today is simply another workday, and the job still needs to get done. We hope you enjoy this special conversation as much as we did. And for everyone working today at the mine, THANK YOU!&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;Happy Thanksgiving to you all! We are thankful for you!&lt;/p&gt;</description>

We are thrilled to share what is now our sixth annual COBT Thanksgiving episode, showcasing and thanking the hardworking people working in energy who make Thanksgiving Day possible. Earlier this year, after hosting Jim Grech, President and CEO of Peabody on COBT (episode linked here), Mike Bradley floated the idea of filming our Thanksgiving episode at the North Antelope Rochelle Mine (NARM). Jim and his team were gracious enough to say yes and made this special visit possible.   Our tea...

Celebrating Thanksgiving Day at North America’s Largest Coal Mine With Peabody

It is our honor to welcome back Governor Mike Dunleavy of Alaska. We last hosted the Governor on COBT in May of 2023 (episode linked <a href='https://veriten.com/stream/cobt-180/'>here</a>), and there has been much to cover since our last visit. Governor Dunleavy is Alaska’s 12th Governor and was first elected in 2018 (and again in 2022). He moved to Alaska in 1983 and served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in Arctic communities before his 5-year term as a State Senator from 2013 to 2018. Throughout his career, Governor Dunleavy has been committed to opening Alaska to new business and investment. We were thrilled to host the Governor to explore the latest energy developments in Alaska, what’s top of mind for the state, and more.   In our conversation, we explore Alaska as an “energy laboratory” given the state’s unique mix of energy production, policy, federal lands, abundance of water, technology, and geopolitics. We discuss the impact of shifting federal administrations on Alaska, the scale and federal ownership of its land, and the statehood mandate to develop its resources to fund government operations. We examine the need for legislative reform to address the problems of both “lawfare” and permitting, the growing opportunity around rare earths and critical minerals in Alaska, the benefits of the federal government as an equity partner, mining as a national security issue, post-COVID workforce shifts, and the renewed importance of trade work and skilled labor. Gov. Dunleavy shares his perspective on affordability and energy prices in Alaska, current issues around the need for more gas supply and potential LNG imports, and the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline (AGLNG Glenfarne Project). He outlines his vision for Alaska’s future as a premier location for AI data centers and its ambition to be the data transportation capital of the world. We touch on Alaska’s desire to “create the future” rather than simply react to it, the role and gatekeeping power of the Army Corps of Engineers in 404 water permits, and Alaska’s strategic position as “America’s fort” in the Arctic. We also discuss the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference, with its fifth iteration taking place in May 2026, which Veriten is excited to attend. We greatly enjoyed hosting Governor Dunleavy and look forward to staying in touch.   To start the show, Mike Bradley highlighted that markets continue to be volatile from week to week. On the bond market front, the 10-year bond yield has traded down to under 4% on optimism that Kevin Hassett looks to be the frontrunner for Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Hassett is considered more dovish and so markets are responding positively, at least initially, for the potential of additional interest rate cuts in 2026. On the broader equity market front, the DJIA was also up 500-600 points on optimism that more interest rate cuts are coming in 2026 despite US economic readings being a bit mixed. On the oil market front, WTI price is now trading under $58/bbl due to continued concerns of a global oil oversupply situation in 2026 (anywhere from 2- 4mmbpd) and potentially into 2027. JPM jumped further onto the bearish oil bandwagon this week, indicating that oil prices in 2027 could trade under $40/bbl. He closed by noting that some initial momentum for a Russia/Ukraine peace plan has also weighed on oil prices this week.   Thanks again to Governor Dunleavy for sharing his time and for a fantastic discussion. Please stay tuned for a Special Edition COBT episode publishing on Thanksgiving Day! Our best to you all.

<description>&lt;p&gt;It is our honor to welcome back Governor Mike Dunleavy of Alaska. We last hosted the Governor on COBT in May of 2023 (episode linked &lt;a href='https://veriten.com/stream/cobt-180/'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;), and there has been much to cover since our last visit. Governor Dunleavy is Alaska’s 12th Governor and was first elected in 2018 (and again in 2022). He moved to Alaska in 1983 and served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in Arctic communities before his 5-year term as a State Senator from 2013 to 2018. Throughout his career, Governor Dunleavy has been committed to opening Alaska to new business and investment. We were thrilled to host the Governor to explore the latest energy developments in Alaska, what’s top of mind for the state, and more.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;In our conversation, we explore Alaska as an “energy laboratory” given the state’s unique mix of energy production, policy, federal lands, abundance of water, technology, and geopolitics. We discuss the impact of shifting federal administrations on Alaska, the scale and federal ownership of its land, and the statehood mandate to develop its resources to fund government operations. We examine the need for legislative reform to address the problems of both “lawfare” and permitting, the growing opportunity around rare earths and critical minerals in Alaska, the benefits of the federal government as an equity partner, mining as a national security issue, post-COVID workforce shifts, and the renewed importance of trade work and skilled labor. Gov. Dunleavy shares his perspective on affordability and energy prices in Alaska, current issues around the need for more gas supply and potential LNG imports, and the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline (AGLNG Glenfarne Project). He outlines his vision for Alaska’s future as a premier location for AI data centers and its ambition to be the data transportation capital of the world. We touch on Alaska’s desire to “create the future” rather than simply react to it, the role and gatekeeping power of the Army Corps of Engineers in 404 water permits, and Alaska’s strategic position as “America’s fort” in the Arctic. We also discuss the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference, with its fifth iteration taking place in May 2026, which Veriten is excited to attend. We greatly enjoyed hosting Governor Dunleavy and look forward to staying in touch.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;To start the show, Mike Bradley highlighted that markets continue to be volatile from week to week. On the bond market front, the 10-year bond yield has traded down to under 4% on optimism that Kevin Hassett looks to be the frontrunner for Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Hassett is considered more dovish and so markets are responding positively, at least initially, for the potential of additional interest rate cuts in 2026. On the broader equity market front, the DJIA was also up 500-600 points on optimism that more interest rate cuts are coming in 2026 despite US economic readings being a bit mixed. On the oil market front, WTI price is now trading under $58/bbl due to continued concerns of a global oil oversupply situation in 2026 (anywhere from 2- 4mmbpd) and potentially into 2027. JPM jumped further onto the bearish oil bandwagon this week, indicating that oil prices in 2027 could trade under $40/bbl. He closed by noting that some initial momentum for a Russia/Ukraine peace plan has also weighed on oil prices this week.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;Thanks again to Governor Dunleavy for sharing his time and for a fantastic discussion. Please stay tuned for a Special Edition COBT episode publishing on Thanksgiving Day! Our best to you all.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

It is our honor to welcome back Governor Mike Dunleavy of Alaska. We last hosted the Governor on COBT in May of 2023 (episode linked here), and there has been much to cover since our last visit. Governor Dunleavy is Alaska’s 12th Governor and was first elected in 2018 (and again in 2022). He moved to Alaska in 1983 and served as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in Arctic communities before his 5-year term as a State Senator from 2013 to 2018. Throughout his career, Governor Dunleavy h...

"We Want To Be The Data Transportation Capital Of The World" Featuring Governor Mike Dunleavy, AK

Today we had the opportunity to host Jim Bride, President of Energy Tariff Experts (ETE). We became familiar with Jim after reading his report on power generation costs and impacts on electric bills earlier this year (linked <a href='https://epsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EPSA-ETE-Study_2025.5.14-FINAL.pdf'>here</a>). Jim founded ETE in 2013 to provide expert consulting, data products, and analysis related to retail electricity, natural gas, and water rates. Before founding ETE, Jim served as a Portfolio Manager at EnerNOC and earlier in his career worked as an environmental professional at Tetra Tech EMI, focused on EPA Superfund investigations and brownfield remediation. ETE helps clients navigate the complex world of energy rates by providing actionable data and insights on utility pricing structures to facilitate efficient capital deployment, reduce energy expenses, and enhance the performance of distributed energy resource management systems. We were thrilled to visit with Jim to discuss ETE’s report and the power landscape more broadly.   In our conversation, we begin by exploring how rising power prices, especially in the PJM market, are gaining political attention. Jim then provides a brief history of the utility sector, tracing the deregulation movement that began in the 1980s and ultimately reshaped the industry into separate components for generation, transmission, and distribution. We discuss how each of these components, along with public-policy charges like renewable mandates or green standards, contribute to PJM customers’ bills. Jim describes his team’s extensive effort to reconstruct 12 years of utility tariff data to understand which costs have been driving recent increases. Their findings show that while generation costs had broadly fallen for a decade due to cheap shale-driven natural gas and competitive markets, only spiking briefly during the Ukraine-related gas price surge, transmission charges have grown significantly as utilities invest heavily in new and replacement infrastructure under favorable FERC rules. In states like New Jersey and Maryland, public-policy charges tied to decarbonization mandates have also risen meaningfully. The result is that today’s higher bills stem mainly from transmission spending and policy add-ons, not from generation itself, though all components interact. The discussion closes with reflections on aging grid assets, rising load from electrification and data centers, and how future planning and policy choices will shape costs going forward. It was a meaty conversation and we greatly appreciate Jim joining us.   To start the show, Mike Bradley highlighted that markets over the last week can best be described as “wobbly” due to growing interest rate cut concerns, continued broader market valuation concerns, and AI/Tech equity exhaustion. On the bond market front, the 10-year bond yield has crept up recently to just over 4.1% on concerns that the Fed may not cut interest rates at their December FOMC Meeting. The odds of a December rate cut have fallen from ~75% just a few weeks ago to ~50% today. Over the last month, Bitcoin has plunged from a peak of ~$125k to ~$90k, which also implies there’s a bit of a risk-off trade occurring. On the broader equity market front, the S&amp;P 500 is down ~3% over the last week (down ~5% from recent highs) and seems to have lost its long-held trading momentum. Big6 AI/Tech stocks are down ~11% from recent all-time highs and both the S&amp;P 500 and Big6 AI/Tech stocks are nearing technically oversold levels, which hasn’t been seen since the April tariff scare. NVIDIA will report its Q3 results after the close on Wednesday, and it will be a huge test to see whether Big AI/Tech equities will continue to be the broader equity market leaders. On the oil market front, the WTI price continues to hold the $60/bbl level, with the biggest overhang continuing to be the size of the 2026 global oil supply surplus. The IEA

<description>&lt;p&gt;Today we had the opportunity to host Jim Bride, President of Energy Tariff Experts (ETE). We became familiar with Jim after reading his report on power generation costs and impacts on electric bills earlier this year (linked &lt;a href='https://epsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EPSA-ETE-Study_2025.5.14-FINAL.pdf'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;). Jim founded ETE in 2013 to provide expert consulting, data products, and analysis related to retail electricity, natural gas, and water rates. Before founding ETE, Jim served as a Portfolio Manager at EnerNOC and earlier in his career worked as an environmental professional at Tetra Tech EMI, focused on EPA Superfund investigations and brownfield remediation. ETE helps clients navigate the complex world of energy rates by providing actionable data and insights on utility pricing structures to facilitate efficient capital deployment, reduce energy expenses, and enhance the performance of distributed energy resource management systems. We were thrilled to visit with Jim to discuss ETE’s report and the power landscape more broadly.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;In our conversation, we begin by exploring how rising power prices, especially in the PJM market, are gaining political attention. Jim then provides a brief history of the utility sector, tracing the deregulation movement that began in the 1980s and ultimately reshaped the industry into separate components for generation, transmission, and distribution. We discuss how each of these components, along with public-policy charges like renewable mandates or green standards, contribute to PJM customers’ bills. Jim describes his team’s extensive effort to reconstruct 12 years of utility tariff data to understand which costs have been driving recent increases. Their findings show that while generation costs had broadly fallen for a decade due to cheap shale-driven natural gas and competitive markets, only spiking briefly during the Ukraine-related gas price surge, transmission charges have grown significantly as utilities invest heavily in new and replacement infrastructure under favorable FERC rules. In states like New Jersey and Maryland, public-policy charges tied to decarbonization mandates have also risen meaningfully. The result is that today’s higher bills stem mainly from transmission spending and policy add-ons, not from generation itself, though all components interact. The discussion closes with reflections on aging grid assets, rising load from electrification and data centers, and how future planning and policy choices will shape costs going forward. It was a meaty conversation and we greatly appreciate Jim joining us.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;br/&gt;To start the show, Mike Bradley highlighted that markets over the last week can best be described as “wobbly” due to growing interest rate cut concerns, continued broader market valuation concerns, and AI/Tech equity exhaustion. On the bond market front, the 10-year bond yield has crept up recently to just over 4.1% on concerns that the Fed may not cut interest rates at their December FOMC Meeting. The odds of a December rate cut have fallen from ~75% just a few weeks ago to ~50% today. Over the last month, Bitcoin has plunged from a peak of ~$125k to ~$90k, which also implies there’s a bit of a risk-off trade occurring. On the broader equity market front, the S&amp;amp;P 500 is down ~3% over the last week (down ~5% from recent highs) and seems to have lost its long-held trading momentum. Big6 AI/Tech stocks are down ~11% from recent all-time highs and both the S&amp;amp;P 500 and Big6 AI/Tech stocks are nearing technically oversold levels, which hasn’t been seen since the April tariff scare. NVIDIA will report its Q3 results after the close on Wednesday, and it will be a huge test to see whether Big AI/Tech equities will continue to be the broader equity market leaders. On the oil market front, the WTI price continues to hold the $60/bbl level, with the biggest overhang continuing to be the size of the 2026 global oil supply surplus. The IEA &lt;/p&gt;</description>

Today we had the opportunity to host Jim Bride, President of Energy Tariff Experts (ETE). We became familiar with Jim after reading his report on power generation costs and impacts on electric bills earlier this year (linked here). Jim founded ETE in 2013 to provide expert consulting, data products, and analysis related to retail electricity, natural gas, and water rates. Before founding ETE, Jim served as a Portfolio Manager at EnerNOC and earlier in his career worked as an environmental pro...

"Transmission [Is] Eating Up A Bigger Share Of The Bill" Featuring Jim Bride, Energy Tariff Experts

C.O.B. Tuesday is a weekly one-hour talk show that serves as a knowledge pipeline for the energy industry and the energy curious. We host honest, timely, conversations with people we believe can improve the discussion, can provide new perspectives, can share unique insights into key energy issues, and can discuss inventive, pragmatic solutions for a stronger energy future. Produced by Veriten.&nbsp;

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