Grid Forward CEO urges urgent grid infrastructure renaissance now

Bryce Yonker, Executive Director and CEO of Grid Forward, urges utilities and stakeholders to undertake large-scale grid upgrades to meet surging AI compute demand, electrified transport, and broader electrification needs (opinion piece following DTECH 2026).

• Main action: After attending DTECH 2026 (San Diego), Yonker calls for large-scale deployment of grid basics—more generation, more transmission, more distribution—and advanced operational capabilities such as real-time awareness, automated controls, and greater flexibility to meet near-term demand.
• Context and details: The piece is an op-ed/reflection (not a new funding or policy announcement); it cites Elon Musk’s podcast remark that “in the next three to five years it will be easier to launch datacenters into space”, highlights that current efforts are too often piecemeal/Band-Aids, and urges coordinated action among utilities, innovators, investors, government, and advocates.