National TV program tackles rising electricity costs

By AI, Created 11:04 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – White House Chronicle is airing a new episode starting May 1 on public television and SiriusXM, with Large Public Power Council President Tom Falcone discussing why electricity costs are rising and how data center demand is straining the grid. The segment looks at who should pay for new infrastructure as utilities face growing demand.

Why it matters: - Electricity demand is rising at the same time the U.S. grid is facing pressure to expand. - The episode focuses on who pays when new power demand requires new infrastructure, a question that could affect customer bills and service access. - Public power systems and rural electric co-ops supply 30% of U.S. electricity, so changes in cost and investment decisions have broad reach.

What happened: - “White House Chronicle” began airing a new episode on May 1 on public television and SiriusXM satellite radio. - The episode features Tom Falcone, president of the Large Public Power Council. - Llewellyn King, the program’s executive producer and host, leads the discussion. - The conversation centers on the rising cost of electricity and the impact of growing demand.

The details: - The Large Public Power Council represents 30 of the largest public power systems in the United States. - LPPC advocates for federal policies aimed at reliable, affordable and clean energy. - The council represents consumer-owned, not-for-profit utilities serving more than 30 million customers across 23 states and territories. - King says Falcone explains the data center boom and why new customers should not expect old customers to pay for the infrastructure they require. - King says some new customers could be turned away or asked to wait if electricity suppliers cannot deliver enough power. - There are just under 3,000 utilities in the United States. - Most of those utilities are public power entities, ranging from small municipal systems to large providers such as CPS Energy in San Antonio, Salt River Project in Arizona and Santee Cooper in South Carolina. - Public power and rural electric co-ops together supply 30% of the nation’s electricity. - The remaining share comes from 168 investor-owned, for-profit companies, including Exelon, Con Edison and PG&E. - King founded The Energy Daily in 1973 and published it for 33 years. - King continues to write and broadcast on energy issues in the United States and abroad. - King says the nation’s well-being is tied to its supply of electricity.

Between the lines: - The episode reflects a broader tension in the power sector: fast-growing demand, especially from data centers, is colliding with the slow and expensive process of building new infrastructure. - Public power leaders are signaling that utilities may need to rethink how and when they add load if supply cannot keep up. - The discussion also underscores how electricity policy is becoming a national economic issue, not just a utility industry topic.

What’s next: - The “White House Chronicle” episode continues airing beginning this weekend on public television and SiriusXM. - Falcone’s comments may add to the policy debate over grid expansion, customer pricing and service priority as electricity demand climbs.