Theodore Geisler on grid capacity
From Navigating Arizona’s Energy Sector with APS’s Ted Geisler | Let's Talk Business · · Greater Phoenix Chamber
“As we sit here today, we've got about 3 to 4,000 megawatts of AI data center demand that is in development or under construction that'll be connecting to the grid over the next few years, and we've got another 16,000 megawatts of AI demand sitting in a queue waiting for us to be able to work on the timing and scale at which we can serve them. So we will not put reliability at risk by taking on more data center demand than what the grid can handle.”
On , Theodore Geisler, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer at Pinnacle West, spoke about grid capacity during Navigating Arizona’s Energy Sector with APS’s Ted Geisler | Let's Talk Business on Greater Phoenix Chamber.
About Theodore Geisler
Ted Geisler, president and CEO of Arizona Public Service and Pinnacle West, appeared on the Greater Phoenix Chamber's podcast "Let's Talk Business" on June 10, 2025. He discussed the company's approach to serving growing demand from AI data centers, stating that APS has 3,000 to 4,000 megawatts of such demand under development or construction and an additional 16,000 megawatts in a queue. Geisler said the company will not take on more data center demand than the grid can handle to avoid compromising reliability. He also emphasized that growth should pay for itself, saying the cost of infrastructure for data centers should not be shifted to existing ratepayers. Geisler, a third-generation Arizona native, also discussed future energy innovations, expressing interest in small modular nuclear reactors as a potential way to power data centers near their locations, reducing reliance on large transmission lines. He noted that the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, which uses recycled wastewater, is the only nuclear plant in the world not located on a body of water, calling it an engineering marvel.