Power & Renewable Energy

News and Insights

Atwell supports Acceleration Solar in historic Michigan siting approval

 

Atwell supported Ranger Power’s Acceleration Solar project in securing approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), marking the first solar energy facility approved through Michigan’s new state-level siting process established under Public Act 233 of 2023. The 90-megawatt project will be located in Leslie, Onondaga, and Vevay townships in Ingham County, Michigan.

Our team supported Acceleration Solar throughout the state siting process, preparing the MPSC application, and providing site planning, civil engineering, environmental, stormwater and drainage, land-use, and permitting services. We also helped develop plans addressing landscaping and visual screening, traffic and construction, vegetation management, and the eventual decommissioning and restoration of the site. This comprehensive approach helped Acceleration Solar navigate Michigan’s new siting requirements while addressing considerations important to the project and surrounding communities. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with commercial operation anticipated in 2028.

We’re proud to have supported Acceleration Solar in reaching this historic milestone and to bring our multidisciplinary expertise to a project helping shape the future of renewable energy development in Michigan.

News and Insights

Before you buy the land: 10 steps to validate data center power availability

By Sam Barnes, P.E., Market Leader, Atwell

When evaluating land for a new data center, it’s easy to focus on things like acreage, location, or proximity to a transmission line. While those characteristics matter, they only tell part of the story. Developers need to understand whether the site can deliver the right megawatt capacity, on the required timeline, with the reliability, cost, and flexibility needed to support today’s project and future growth.

Successful site selection happens in layers. Each new layer of information helps validate or challenge the assumptions made before it. As you move from understanding your project’s power needs to evaluating infrastructure, schedule, cost, and risk, you build a clearer picture of whether a site can support your goals. The more questions you answer early, the more confident your investment decisions become.

Step 1: Define the project’s actual power requirements 
The first step in the process of selecting a data center site is to understand what your project actually needs.

Start by asking questions like:

  • For the first phase of development, what is the operating load?
  • How does that change as more phases are completed?
  • What is the total campus buildout and what voltage level will the facility require?
  • Will the load remain fairly steady, or will it fluctuate?

By understanding the project in both short-term and long-term needs, a better foundation for site evaluation is created.

Key message: You can’t evaluate available capacity until you define what the project needs and when it needs it.

Step 2: Look beyond nearby transmission lines and substations 
A transmission line or substation near a property doesn’t automatically mean your project can connect to it. A desktop review should evaluate:

  • Nearby substations and transmission lines
  • Voltage levels
  • Utility service territories
  • Regional transmission organizations or independent system operators
  • Planned transmission and generation projects
  • Existing large-load customers in the area
  • Public utility plans
  • Potential routes from the power source to the site

Infrastructure may already be assigned to another customer, lack sufficient capacity, or be unable to physically extend to the site.

Key message: Proximity to power is only a starting point and nearby doesn’t always mean available.

Step 3: Confirm what “available capacity” actually means 
Early conversations, maps, or broker information can be useful starting points, but they are not commitments. To get a true feel for what is available, ask questions like:

  • Is the capacity available today or only after planned upgrades?
  • Has it already been assigned or reserved for another customer?
  • Is the number based on normal or contingency conditions?
  • What infrastructure improvements are required?
  • Who pays for those improvements?
  • What approvals are still needed?

Key message: Available capacity and deliverable capacity are not the same thing.

Step 4: Establish a realistic energization timeline  
Power may be available, but not when your project needs it. Developers should ask for timeline assumptions to get a feel of where timing may shift rather than relying on a single estimated energization date.  Understand the major milestones, including:

  1. Large-load request
  2. Feasibility and system-impact studies
  3. Service agreements
  4. Regulatory and local approvals
  5. Infrastructure design
  6. Land and easement acquisition
  7. Equipment procurement
  8. Construction
  9. Testing and energization

Some activities can occur simultaneously while others depend on utility schedules, permitting, or long equipment lead times. It’s also worth watching a bigger regulatory shift already underway. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is weighing whether to take federal jurisdiction over how large loads connect to the transmission grid, a process that has historically been handled state by state. If that authority shifts, it could change who developers negotiate interconnection terms with and how approval timelines are structured going forward.

Key message: Understand if the complete infrastructure system can be designed, approved, procured, constructed, and energized when the project needs it.

Step 5: Determine the physical path to power  
Power may be available, but it may need to cross someone else’s property to bring it to the site. Scout the surrounding area to understand:

  • Transmission or distribution routes
  • Utility corridors and rights-of-way
  • Parcels that would need to be crossed
  • Existing easements and whether they are sufficient
  • Railroad, highway, pipeline, or waterway crossings
  • Environmental constraints
  • Required setbacks and buffer areas
  • Space for an on-site substation
  • Conflicts with future campus expansion

Key message: Power may seem available, but if there is no practical route to deliver it, it is not truly available to the property.

Step 6: Evaluate reliability, not just total megawatts 
Meeting your required load is only part of the equation; mission-critical facilities also require dependable service. To understand power reliability, ask:

  • Can the site receive power from more than one source?
  • What is the local outage history?
  • How are maintenance outages handled?
  • Is a dedicated substation needed?
  • What backup systems will be needed?

Key message: Power consistency is as important as power availability.

Step 7: Understand the full cost of getting power to the property 
The price of the land may only be a portion of the site’s total cost to energization. To understand the total cost, evaluate the following:

  • Utility studies and application fees
  • Substation construction
  • Transmission or distribution extensions
  • Network upgrades
  • New utility corridors
  • Easement and land acquisition
  • Environmental mitigation

Understanding which costs belong to the developer and which belong to the utility creates a more complete financial picture.

Key message: Don’t just evaluate the land price or utility rate – understand the total cost to energization.

Step 8: Examine conditions attached to the power commitment 
Power capacity may come with specific conditions in place from commercial, regulatory, or operational requirements. Common conditions that should be considered are:

  • Deposits or letters of credit
  • Construction contributions
  • Minimum usage requirements
  • Take-or-pay provisions
  • Capacity reservation milestones
  • Curtailment or demand-response requirements
  • Cost responsibility for future upgrades
  • Large-load tariffs
  • Service agreement deadlines

Key message: Understand the obligations you commit to when accepting power capacity.

Step 9: Test multiple scenarios  
Different scenarios should be evaluated to reduce uncertainty in case power delivery doesn’t go according to plan. For example:

Scenario A: Full utility service on the target schedule 

  • What must be true for the preferred plan to work?

Scenario B: Phased utility service 

  • Can the campus begin operating at a smaller load and expand as capacity becomes available?

Scenario C: Delayed permanent service 

  • What happens if the utility date slips by 12, 24, or 36 months?

Scenario D: Supplemental or on-site generation 

  • Does the site have the land, fuel access, permitting environment, and infrastructure needed for an interim solution?

Key message: Don’t expect the process to unfold perfectly from the get-go. Develop scenarios to prepare you for deviations from the original plan.

Step 10: Bring every layer of information together  
You now have a foundation of knowledge about the site that reveals how capacity, infrastructure, schedule, reliability, cost, and risk work together. That information helps determine whether:

  • The site has a credible path to meeting project goals
  • Additional due diligence or contractual protection would be beneficial
  • The risks outweigh the opportunity

Key message: The best site selection decisions are built by layering information until you have confidence in the path forward.

Better decisions start with better information  
The evaluation of power should be a major part of the land decision. Each layer of analysis adds clarity, helping separate what’s technically possible from what’s realistically deliverable.
By defining the load, validating capacity, evaluating infrastructure, understanding timelines and costs, and planning for multiple scenarios, you can make site decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. The more complete the picture, the more informed and confident your decision becomes.

About the Author

Sam Barnes

Market Leader

Sam Barnes, P.E., is Market Leader – Power at Atwell, LLC, where he leads the firm’s power engineering practice. His career spans systems engineering, consulting, and executive leadership, giving him a broad view of the power and energy project lifecycle from transmission and substations through EPC and utility-scale renewables. 

News and Insights

The spaces in between: How Atwell’s full power and energy capabilities connect to move projects forward

 

Power infrastructure projects are becoming more complex to deliver – not because individual engineering disciplines have become more difficult, but because the connections between them have become more critical. Growing electrical demand, increasingly constrained interconnection timelines, evolving regulatory requirements, and larger, more complex capital programs require utilities and developers to coordinate decisions across engineering, permitting, land, environmental, and construction much earlier in the project lifecycle.

Every power project depends on multiple disciplines working together. A transmission line requires substations, substations depend on interconnection planning, and renewable generation often requires storage – all of it ultimately fitting within the realities of the electric grid. The projects that move most efficiently are those where these disciplines are coordinated from the beginning rather than managed as isolated scopes.

That is where Atwell creates value – not simply within individual technical disciplines, but in helping clients manage the decisions that occur between them.

Atwell provides expert guidance and support for renewable and conventional power infrastructure throughout North America, with more than 50 gigawatts of renewable generation and energy storage projects energized, over 1,000 wind farms designed and permitted, and more than 5,000 miles of transmission line projects completed. Those numbers demonstrate technical depth and project experience. What they don’t fully capture is the coordination required across disciplines to consistently deliver successful projects. That coordination often begins long before challenges emerge in the field.

The “spaces in between”: Where power capabilities connect

Across every power infrastructure project, multiple technical disciplines must work together to keep projects moving. Each discipline requires specialized expertise, but success depends on how effectively those disciplines coordinate throughout planning, design, permitting, construction, and commissioning.

Delivery infrastructure

Transmission, substation, and distribution work form the physical backbone that moves power from where it’s generated to where it’s needed. Atwell supports utilities with transmission line design ranging from simple generation interconnections to ultra-high-voltage initiatives. Substation design and engineering for all voltage levels across conceptual, brownfield, and greenfield projects, with in-house expertise in system planning, structural engineering, protection, and control. Distribution work supports utilities bringing new systems online, relocating facilities, managing pole attachments, and recovering from storm damage.

These activities are rarely independent. A transmission upgrade may require substation modifications, while distribution planning often depends on upstream transmission capacity and long-term load forecasts. Each discipline plays an essential role in advancing projects, and early coordination across these disciplines reduces redesign, schedule impacts, and construction conflicts later in the project.

The same coordination across environmental permitting, land acquisition, and engineering teams helps identify potential constraints early, reducing the likelihood of redesigns and unexpected schedule impacts later in the project.

Generation, storage, and interconnection

Atwell offers comprehensive solutions for utility-scale solar, wind, and distributed energy resources, and has consulted on more than two gigawatts of energy storage projects. Our work includes feasibility studies, sizing recommendations, and economic impact analysis for battery energy storage systems. Today, securing timely interconnection has become one of the defining challenges facing renewable generation and energy storage projects.

Few areas of today’s power market illustrate the importance of the “spaces in between” more clearly than generation interconnection. A storage system sized without transmission capacity in mind, or a renewable project sited without a realistic understanding of interconnection timing, may appear technically sound yet still face years of delay if transmission capacity, queue timing, or grid constraints aren’t considered early. Atwell’s generation, storage, and interconnection teams work together so that what gets designed and what can be connected are evaluated as part of a single integrated planning process.

Connected infrastructure

Atwell has partnered with more than 65 utilities to expand operational capacity through new or upgraded substations, transmission, and distribution systems nationwide, acting as an extension of the client team across planning, land acquisition, right-of-way, permitting, engineering, and construction management. That same full-lifecycle approach extends into turnkey fiber solutions, where Atwell supports communication infrastructure build-outs with make-ready engineering, small cell power supply design, and owner’s engineer services for large-scale fiber projects.

While electric delivery systems and communications infrastructure are often managed separately, utilities increasingly view them as complementary investments sharing common rights-of-way, construction resources, and long-term planning objectives. Atwell’s program management and in-house EPC capabilities exist precisely to make the most of capital investment by coordinating across these adjacent infrastructure needs, rather than treating them as unrelated projects competing for the same crews and the same easements.

Creating connections that unlock opportunities

“Successful power projects aren’t just the result of strong engineering – they’re the result of good coordination. When engineering, permitting, land, interconnection, and construction planning are aligned early, clients spend less time reacting to surprises and more time advancing their projects,” said Jason Utton, Senior Vice President of Atwell’s Power Group.

“The clients who struggle most are usually the ones managing transmission, interconnection, storage, and permitting as separate contracts with separate teams that aren’t always aligned,” Utton said. “Every transition between separate teams creates an opportunity for assumptions to go unchallenged. When those disciplines work together from the beginning, potential issues are identified much earlier – before they become schedule impacts or construction problems.” Moments like these happen in the spaces in between, when disciplines that are usually scoped separately are designed together from the start.

That pattern is consistent across the projects Atwell supports: the value isn’t only in depth within any single discipline; it’s in how rarely something falls through the cracks between disciplines that may be handled by different firms.

Why Atwell is positioned to make these connections

Atwell’s Power & Energy team works across transmission, substation, distribution, generation, storage, interconnection, utility power delivery, and fiber all under one roof. We offer teams that work alongside each other on a regular basis rather than meeting for the first time on a shared project.

This integrated approach allows project teams to identify risks earlier, make better-informed decisions, and respond more effectively as project conditions evolve.

Combined with the expertise across the Atwell family of companies, our teams bring specialized knowledge across the full project lifecycle while maintaining a coordinated approach for our clients. Because we collaborate with utilities, independent power producers, developers, and regulators nationwide, we often see opportunities to connect disciplines and partners who can solve challenges together before a gap between scopes becomes a delay or a missed opportunity.

This perspective allows us to identify connections that others may not see, including linking technical disciplines, project phases, and client priorities across the full power and renewable energy lifecycle to keep projects moving forward.

Connection fuels progress

As power infrastructure continues to grow in scale and complexity, success increasingly depends not only on technical excellence within each discipline, but on how effectively those disciplines work together. By integrating technical expertise across the project lifecycle, Atwell helps clients reduce risk, improve coordination, accelerate decision-making, and keep critical infrastructure projects moving forward.

About the Author

Jason Utton

Senior Vice President

Senior Vice President of Atwell’s Power Group, Jason Utton has been developing renewable energy projects for more than 17 years, with experience in wind, solar, and battery storage projects across the country. He currently provides large scale investment and development clients with business goal setting, renewable portfolio optimization, and capital deployment strategies.

News and Insights

Atwell and NEI Electric Power Engineering unite to build a national platform to power data centers, grid modernization, and the energy transition

 

July 1, 2026 (Southfield, MI) – Atwell today announced the acquisition of NEI Electric Power Engineering, Inc. (NEI), uniting two industry leaders to create an integrated platform for critical power and energy infrastructure. The combined team is equipped to support clients across the full project lifecycle, from site selection, routing, and development through engineering, construction support, and operations. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The creation of this national platform comes amid rising electricity demand driven by data center growth, electrification, and renewable energy development, trends that are placing increasing pressure on the nation’s power infrastructure and the engineering resources needed to deliver it.

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, NEI is a recognized leader in transmission engineering, substation design, and power systems engineering. The firm’s more than 380 technical professionals serve utilities; renewable energy developers; industrials; hyper-scalers; engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors; and large-load infrastructure clients across 38 states.

“NEI has built a remarkable organization known for technical excellence and solving complex power engineering challenges,” said Matthew C. Bissett, President and CEO of Atwell. “Demand for power is outpacing the infrastructure to deliver it, and that gap is the defining challenge facing our clients. By combining NEI’s expertise in transmission, substations, renewable interconnections, and power systems engineering with Atwell’s capabilities in land development, permitting, surveying, environmental, and program delivery, we can move a project from raw land to an energized grid as a single integrated team. That means helping clients modernize the grid, expand transmission networks, integrate renewable resources, and meet growing power demands, while compressing timelines the industry has long treated as fixed.”

Atwell and NEI have successfully partnered on projects for more than a decade, giving the combined firm a proven working relationship and a delivery model built to reduce risk on complex infrastructure programs.

“Joining Atwell represents an exciting opportunity for our employees, clients, and the future of our business,” said Clifton Oertli, President and CEO of NEI. “For more than four decades, NEI has built its reputation on industry-leading expertise, trusted client relationships, and a commitment to delivering solutions through adaptation, collaboration, and innovation. Atwell shares those values. Our clients will continue working with the same trusted teams while gaining access to expanded resources, additional services, and a nationwide network of expertise.”

The combined platform positions Atwell among the leading firms serving the fastest-growing segments of the power and energy market, from data center development to grid modernization and transmission expansion across North America. Moreover, it will drive the Atwell flywheel across land development and infrastructure, where projects benefit from similar expertise.

For Atwell, Morrissey Goodale served as financial advisor, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal counsel. For NEI, Black Iron Advisers served as financial advisor, and Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP served as legal counsel.

News and Insights

Atwell supporting Related Digital on $16 billion Oracle data center project in Saline Township, Michigan

 

Related Digital is advancing a $16 billion hyperscale data center campus in Saline Township, Michigan, developed for Oracle and marking the largest capital investment in the state’s history. The more than 1,000-megawatt campus will help expand advanced artificial intelligence and cloud computing capabilities for Oracle and Open AI.

Atwell is supporting the project with concept planning, due diligence, land surveying, civil engineering, wetland permitting, landscape architecture, and construction management services. Our team is helping move this large-scale development from early planning through execution while supporting the infrastructure needed for long-term growth and innovation.

“Projects of this scale require strong collaboration and thoughtful planning from day one,” said Eric Lord, Vice President at Atwell. “We’re excited to help deliver the infrastructure needed to support long-term innovation and growth in Michigan.”

News and Insights

Ken Schramm on leadership, innovation, and the future of surveying in the power and energy sector

From retracing the footsteps of historic surveyors in the American West to leading teams supporting critical energy infrastructure nationwide, Ken Schramm has built a career defined by technical expertise, leadership, and a passion for the surveying profession. In his new role as Senior Director of Power and Energy Surveying Operations at Atwell, Ken is helping to expand our national surveying capabilities and continuously improve the services we deliver to power and energy clients. We recently sat down with Ken to learn more about his career path as a surveyor, industry insights, and what excites him most about the future.

What inspired you to pursue a career in land surveying, and how has that evolved into supporting large-scale power and energy projects across the country?

My father was a professional land surveyor, and growing up around the profession gave me an early appreciation for the role surveyors play in shaping the built environment. As I got older, I realized surveying was a natural fit for my interests and strengths. I enjoyed mathematics, geodetic concepts, and problem solving, but I also loved being outdoors and working in different environments.

What really captured my imagination was the blend of science, history, and investigation. Particularly in cadastral surveying throughout the western United States, there is an element of archaeology and detective work involved. You’re retracing the footsteps of the original surveyors, interpreting historical records, recovering monuments, and piecing together evidence that may be over a century old.

My career evolved from solving technical challenges into leading teams and supporting large-scale power and energy projects all across the country. Today I’m motivated by developing people, advancing our profession, and helping build our nation’s critical energy infrastructure.

Tell us about what brought you to Atwell. What has stood out to you about the company’s culture and approach to solving client challenges?

I was drawn to the quality of people and opportunity for growth. Early on, I sat down with Matt Bissett (President and CEO) to discuss his vision for the future, centered on growth, innovation, and investing in people. It was clear that Atwell’s future would be people-driven, and that resonated with me. I’ve always believed that great companies are founded on great teams.

I’ve also been impressed with Atwell’s willingness to think creatively when solving client challenges. There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit throughout the company, combined with a collaborative culture across disciplines and geographies.

This is a new role at Atwell. What excites you most about the opportunity?

What excites me most is the opportunity to help build and scale a national surveying platform. As we continue to grow, there’s an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across regions, create consistency in service delivery, and ensure we continue providing an exceptional client experience.

What challenges come with serving clients and building teams on a national scale, and how do you navigate them?

One of the biggest challenges is maintaining consistency across multiple regions while still recognizing that every market and project has unique needs. Success depends on clear communication, strong quality standards, and a culture where teams openly share knowledge and support one another. Building that culture requires ongoing mentorship and investment in people.

How have emerging technologies changed the surveying industry during your career, and how has your role evolved alongside those changes?

The surveying industry has changed dramatically over the course of my career. These advancements have improved efficiency and expanded the amount of information we can deliver to clients. However, technology hasn’t replaced the need for experienced professionals. While collecting data is easier than ever, ensuring that data is accurate, reliable, and defensible still requires a strong understanding of surveying principles, geodetic concepts, coordinate systems, and sound professional judgment.

My role has evolved alongside those changes. Today, I work with leaders and teams across the country to establish standards, improve processes, and promote consistent execution across projects. As power, energy, and infrastructure projects become larger and more complex, I take pride in helping ensure our clients can rely on the survey data that serves as the foundation for critical decisions.

Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth and innovation in the power and energy sector?

Demand for infrastructure, renewable energy, transmission, and grid modernization continues to grow, and surveyors will play a critical role in supporting those projects. As the complexity and scale of projects increase, the need for highly skilled survey professionals and reliable geospatial data will only become more important. One of my goals is to help develop programs and talent that make Atwell the unquestionable choice for land surveying services.

I also believe emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), present exciting opportunities for our profession. With the potential to improve efficiency, assist with data management, identify patterns, and help automate repetitive tasks, I view AI as a tool that should enhance our work and empower the critical thinking, judgment, and technical knowledge of our professionals. Organizations that combine strong fundamentals with thoughtful innovation will lead the future of our industry.

What is a career moment you’re particularly proud of, and why does it stand out?

While I’ve been fortunate to lead and support some very challenging and rewarding projects, I’m most proud of the impact I’ve had on people. The surveying profession has faced ongoing challenges in attracting and developing the next generation of surveyors, particularly younger professionals, women, and future licensed surveyors. I’ve had the opportunity to mentor and work alongside many talented professionals as they developed their technical skills and leadership abilities.

There is nothing more rewarding to me than seeing someone grow from an entry-level professional into a trusted leader, project manager, or licensed surveyor.

What do enjoy outside of work?

Family is my first priority. Spending time with family is incredibly important to me, and living in Wyoming gives us plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors together through hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities. My daughter was just married, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.

During the winter months, my wife and I enjoy spending quality time together working on home improvement projects. She has a real talent for interior design, and I enjoy helping bring her ideas to life. It’s something we enjoy doing together and a great way to stay busy during the colder months.

And lastly, golf is probably my biggest personal passion. Golf is a game that constantly challenges you to improve, no matter how long you’ve been playing, and I think that’s one of the reasons I enjoy it so much.

News and Insights

The data center boom is real. The grid gap is real. The good news? So are the solutions

 

The data center development boom is unlike anything the infrastructure industry has seen in decades. AI adoption has dramatically accelerated demand for power, and developers are racing to secure land, permits, and utility capacity at a pace the grid and broader utility ecosystem were never designed to support. The result is a complex challenge that is forcing developers to rethink not just where they build, but how they power their facilities from the moment they break ground.

The tension is straightforward: developers want power now, and the grid can’t deliver it fast enough. Understanding why and what options exist in the interim is essential for any developer.

The grid constraint is reshaping development strategy

Connecting to the utility grid remains the most cost-effective long-term power solution for data centers. Grid power, purchased at commercial or industrial rates, is significantly cheaper than building and maintaining on-site generation. The problem is the timeline. Depending on the market, a meaningful grid connection can take several years when you factor in land acquisition, infrastructure planning, permitting, and construction. For a developer who wants to be operational “tomorrow,” that timeline is untenable.

Compounding the delay is a significant community relations challenge for utilities and developers. In many states and municipalities, data centers have become a flashpoint for community opposition, not necessarily because of the facilities themselves, but because of misperceptions around electricity rates and environmental impact. Many residents fear that data centers will drive up their electricity bills, even though developers typically purchase power at separate commercial rates and do not burden the residential rate base. Utilities are caught between pursuing large commercial load growth opportunities and navigating public utility commission scrutiny, ratepayer concerns, and political pressure around infrastructure expansion. Water consumption has also become a growing point of public scrutiny, particularly in water-stressed regions, even as newer facilities increasingly rely on closed-loop and more efficient cooling technologies. The perception gap between environmental impact and community concern remains wide, adding another layer of complexity to development projects.

Bridge power: A growing menu of options

Given the grid access timeline, a wide range of “behind-the-meter” and temporary power solutions have emerged. These are not new concepts, but the scale and urgency of data center demand have elevated them into mainstream planning conversations. Here is where the market currently stands:

Fuel cells. Natural gas-powered fuel cells have become one of the more prominent bridge solutions. Companies have established a meaningful foothold in the data center market. Fuel cells offer a relatively clean, scalable power source, and while they come at a cost premium over grid power, they are increasingly viewed as a viable interim or supplementary solution.

Gas turbines. Gas-fired turbines have historically been a go-to for on-site power generation, but the market is currently constrained. Turbine manufacturers are facing significant backlogs driven by simultaneous demand from data centers, power generation facilities, and natural gas compressor stations. Developers who want turbines need to place orders and commit capital well in advance, with delivery timelines that rival the grid itself.

Battery storage. Battery energy storage systems are an increasingly common component of the bridge power toolkit, often deployed in combination with other generation sources. They provide flexibility and resiliency, though they are not often a standalone solution for the sustained power loads that large-scale data centers require.

Diesel and dual-fuel generators. Diesel and propane generators remain in the mix as backup and supplementary sources. Their capacity limitations, however, make them better suited to redundancy roles than primary power for hyperscale or large regional facilities.

Wind and solar. Renewable generation is viable in the right circumstances, but the land footprint required to generate meaningful megawatts can be substantial. Developers who can integrate a solar or wind component into a larger site plan may find these options increasingly attractive, particularly as permitting for smaller distributed sites becomes more common.

The decision framework: Cost, speed, and long-term fit

For most developers, the conversation around bridge power comes down to a tradeoff: is the cost of a temporary or permanent behind-the-meter solution worth it compared to waiting for grid access? Well-capitalized developers like large hyperscalers and institutional players often have the balance sheet to pursue either path. The decision becomes more nuanced for mid-market developers working with tighter margins.

The key variables are rarely just financial. Speed to market, site-specific constraints, local regulatory dynamics, and the developer’s long-term operational strategy all factor in. A developer with a site near an existing substation faces fundamentally different considerations than one in a greenfield location with no nearby infrastructure. Getting the analysis right from the outset before land is committed or capital is deployed is where strategic planning makes the biggest difference.

Looking ahead at a market in transition

The current pace of data center development is extraordinary, but it will likely moderate somewhat. The land-acquisition frenzy of the past 18 to 24 months is beginning to encounter the natural limits of grid capacity, equipment supply chains, and public acceptance. The market is not stopping as AI adoption has created a demand curve that is not going to reverse but it is maturing.

One meaningful shift on the horizon is a move toward smaller, more efficient facilities. As chip technology advances, data centers will be able to do more with less space and less power. A portfolio of five 20-acre facilities may ultimately replace the need for a single 100-acre hyperscale campus. That model is both easier to permit and more resilient from an infrastructure standpoint. The underlying demand for power will continue to grow; the physical footprint required to meet it may not grow at the same rate.

The importance of creating a strategy to meet the needs of today

Navigating the intersection of land, power, permitting, and infrastructure planning requires an integrated strategy from the outset.

The most effective engagements begin early, well before a site is selected, before a power strategy is committed, and before regulatory exposure is locked in. Our role as a strategic partner is to help developers understand the full landscape of options, stress-test their assumptions, and build a plan that is grounded in what is actually achievable in a given market and timeline.

The challenges shaping data center development today are not going away. But for developers who approach them with the right team and the right plan, they are navigable.

About the Author

Brent Straub

Senior Director

Brent Straub is a strategic operations and program executive with more than 15 years of experience leading technical operations, field execution, and organizational transformation across critical infrastructure sectors. He specializes in directing large-scale natural gas distribution and transmission programs, bringing deep expertise in pipeline replacement, integrity management, and regulatory compliance across PHMSA, DOT, and FERC requirements. Brent is recognized for scaling programs across complex, multi-state environments and aligning engineering, construction, and operational teams to deliver safety-critical infrastructure with consistency and discipline.

News and Insights

The grid can’t keep up: Understanding the U.S. power transmission crisis

The United States is experiencing its most significant electricity demand growth in decades. AI data centers, semiconductor manufacturing facilities, electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy projects, and more are all adding load to a grid that was built for a different era. At the center of every conversation around whether the grid can keep pace is one foundational issue: power transmission infrastructure.

Understanding what power transmission is, why it matters, and what makes it so difficult to deliver at the scale and pace the country needs is essential for anyone working in or alongside the energy, utilities, and infrastructure sectors today.

What is power transmission?

Power transmission refers to the large-scale movement of electricity from where it is generated to where it is consumed. Once electricity is generated, whether at a natural gas plant, wind farm, solar facility, or nuclear station, it must be transported to where it will be consumed.. That transmission is often across significant distances, before it reaches homes, businesses, data centers, manufacturing facilities, and factories.

This movement happens across a network of high-voltage transmission lines, electrical substations, and switching equipment that collectively form what most people commonly call “the electrical grid.” Transmission is distinct from power distribution, which handles the final delivery of electricity at lower voltages within local communities. Transmission functions as the electrical system’s long-haul highway network.

The U.S. grid is divided into three major interconnections: the Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection, and the Texas Interconnection (ERCOT). Within those broad zones, regional transmission organizations (RTOs) manage the real-time balance of supply and demand across their respective footprints.

Why does power transmission matter so much right now?

The short answer is because U.S. electricity demand is rising rapidly, and the infrastructure that moves power across the country has not kept pace.

For roughly two decades following the 2008 financial crisis, U.S. electricity demand was essentially flat. Efficiency gains in appliances and lighting, along with slow economic growth in some regions, kept load growth modest. Utilities and grid planners were able to operate in an environment where incremental upgrades were generally sufficient.

That environment no longer exists.

Several forces are converging to drive electricity demand higher at a pace that is straining both grid modernization efforts and physical infrastructure:

  • AI data centers and hyperscale computing growth: Hyperscale data centers and AI training facilities require enormous, continuous power loads of hundreds of megawatts at a single site. This sector alone is adding gigawatts of new demand across multiple regions simultaneously.
  • Advanced manufacturing and industrial electrification: Semiconductor production, battery manufacturing plants, and other industrial facilities are coming online with power requirements measured in the hundreds of megawatts. Many of these facilities require substation construction, transmission upgrades, and grid infrastructure improvements before they can even open.
  • Transportation electrification: The shift toward electric vehicles, along with electrification of rail, port operations, and commercial fleets, is adding distributed but substantial new load to the grid.
  • Renewable energy integration: Wind and solar resources are often located far from population centers requiring significant high-voltage transmission capacity to deliver that power where it is needed.
  • Aging grid infrastructure: Much of the existing U.S. transmission system was built decades ago. Aging equipment, thermal constraints, and reliability concerns are limiting how much power existing lines can carry, even before the new demand is factored in. At the same time, utilities are under increasing pressure to improve grid resilience against extreme weather events and physical system disruptions, adding further urgency to transmission investment.

The result is a gap between what the grid can currently move and what the economy increasingly needs it to move. Closing that gap requires expanding electric transmission capacity at a scale and speed that industry has not attempted.

Key challenges slowing transmission expansion

If the need for more transmission is clear, why is it so difficult to build? Several interconnected challenges make transmission one of the most complex energy infrastructure sectors in the country.

  • Transmission routing complexity

    Transmission lines must travel across real terrain, through multiple jurisdictions, and past properties owned by thousands of individual landowners. Identifying a viable corridor while avoiding environmental sensitivities, significant community impact, and remaining economically feasible, is not a simple exercise.Routing decisions require detailed analysis of environmental constraints (including wetlands, habitat, cultural resources), land use patterns, existing infrastructure, and topography. When those analyses happen in sequence rather than in parallel, the process takes longer and produces more modifications. When they are integrated early, transmission development projects move faster and encounter fewer surprises along the way.
  • Permitting and regulatory approvals

    Most transmission projects require a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) or equivalent state regulatory approval before construction can begin. These proceedings involve public hearings, expert testimony, environmental review, and regulatory deliberation. The process can span years, particularly when routing alternatives are not well-defined or when there may be opposition to a project or route.Federal permitting requirements add additional layers of complexity, particularly for projects crossing federal land or affecting sensitive resources.
  • Land access and right-of-way acquisition

    Securing legal access to the land a transmission line will cross is one of the most time-consuming and relationship-intensive parts of the transmission line development process. Easements must be negotiated with individual landowners, many of whom have no prior experience with utility easements and may be skeptical of the project.Find out more about this essential step by visiting one of our recent posts on right-of-way (ROW).
  • Interconnection queues and backlogs

    Before a new generation or transmission project can connect to the grid, it must go through an interconnection study process managed by the appropriate grid operator. In most regions, these queues are severely backlogged right now, even up to multiple years in part because many regions are attempting to evaluate large volumes of proposed generation and load simultaneously. New generation resources waiting for interconnection approval often represent far more capacity than the grid can physically accommodate, which complicates transmission planning and creates uncertainty for developers trying to build quickly to meet demand.
  • Supply chain and workforce constraints

    Even when permitting and land access are resolved, bringing a transmission project to construction requires transformers, conductors, towers, and other critical grid equipment that is currently in tight supply.This means that the projects able to move from development into procurement and construction fastest, because they have resolved permitting and land access efficiently, have a meaningful competitive advantage in securing the equipment and crews they need.

The bigger picture

Power transmission is about connection. It connects generators to consumers, remote resources to population centers, and the energy system we have today to the energy system the economy is demanding for tomorrow.

The challenges involved are real and substantial. But they are not insurmountable. They are engineering and management problems, and they can be addressed through clear-eyed analysis, early action, disciplined coordination, and the kind of experience that comes from having navigated the issues before.

As electricity demand continues to rise and the pressure to expand U.S. transmission infrastructure capacity intensifies, the question is not whether this infrastructure will be built. It will be. The question is which power transmission projects move efficiently, and which ones will stall given the expertise needed to bring projects to completion.

News and Insights

The spaces in between: How the right relationships can move complex energy developments forward

 

Large, complex developments, such as data centers or advanced manufacturing facilities, require coordination among many specialists. Developers, utilities, engineers, municipalities, contractors, and investors all work together to move a project forward. Sound market knowledge, technical expertise, and proper execution are all essential, but one of the most valuable drivers of success is often overlooked: the power of connection.

In fast-growing sectors where timelines are tight and infrastructure demands are high, these connections often determine how quickly a project can move from concept to construction.

Atwell excels not only in our technical expertise but also in the spaces in between. We connect people, solve challenges, and help projects move forward even when a clear path does not yet exist. Because we support projects from concept through completion, our team often sees opportunities others may miss. Through our family of companies, we provide resources spanning the full project lifecycle, and we bring the right people together to create solutions and build new possibilities. These connections often happen outside formal project scopes, in conversations or introductions that bring the right expertise together at the right moment.

The “spaces in between”: where projects move forward 

Many projects stall not just because of technical barriers, but also because the right relationships have not yet been formed.

For example, a developer may need power solutions, and a utility may have capacity but lack a partner to execute quickly. Atwell sits at the intersection of these conversations and can introduce teams or partners who can turn a project from an idea to a reality.

In other cases, a municipality may be seeking economic growth while a developer is searching for the right location for their project. Our in-house teams leverage their industry relationships while prioritizing thoughtful community engagement to make the right introductions. When those priorities align, new opportunities emerge that benefit both the community and the project.

Our national presence with local expertise enables us to build connections at every level needed to bring a project to completion. If we do not have the solution, someone in our network or family of companies will, and we will help to make that connection. We not only advocate for our clients but also connect them with the people and resources they need to get the job done.

Creating connections that unlock opportunities 

Our team excels at thinking beyond traditional solutions. By combining technical expertise with strong industry relationships, we often identify opportunities others might miss.

James Hall, Executive Vice President of Special Projects, recently shared an example from a data center conference.

“I was wrapping up a meeting with a potential client and was running late to meet with an existing client,” Hall said. “Instead of cutting the conversation short, I suggested they join me for the next meeting because I believed their two companies should meet. This was a bit of a risky move that turned out to be the right call. The introduction created a strong connection between their two organizations and opened the door to new opportunities not just for the industry but also for our team. Sometimes thinking on your feet and bringing the right people together can make all the difference.” Moments like these happen in the spaces in between, when the right introduction at the right time brings new partnerships and projects to life.

While the conversation started as a simple introduction, it ultimately led to a new working relationship between two organizations that may not have otherwise connected. In industries as collaborative as data center development, these relationships often become the foundation for future projects.

Why Atwell is positioned to make these connections 

Atwell works across the full project lifecycle, offering solutions from site selection and due diligence to engineering, permitting, construction management, and power delivery solutions.

Our family of companies expands the expertise we can bring to every project. Because we collaborate with developers, utilities, municipalities, and contractors nationwide, we often see opportunities to connect partners who can solve challenges together.

This perspective allows us to identify connections that others may not see—linking ideas, expertise, and resources across organizations to keep projects moving forward.

Connection fuels progress 

Progress on complex projects rarely happens in isolation. It happens through collaboration, shared expertise, and relationships built over time. By working in the spaces in between—connecting the right people, ideas, and resources—opportunities can be transformed into real projects that move industries and communities forward.

 

News and Insights

How Atwell is deepening its roots in Nashville

 

There’s a reason that leading corporations (and engineering and infrastructure firms) are paying close attention to Nashville. The city, long known for its music scene and Southern charm, has quietly become one of the most dynamic and strategically important markets in the country. And Atwell is leaning in.

Over the past year, Atwell has been steadily enhancing its Nashville presence, building a team that now numbers close to a dozen professionals. That growth hasn’t happened by accident. It reflects a distinct recognition that Nashville sits at the intersection of several of the most active sectors in land development and civil engineering: mixed-use urban, healthcare infrastructure, and fast-moving private development. For a firm with national reach and local talent, the timing couldn’t be better.

Nashville’s appeal starts with its economics. The city has emerged as a major healthcare hub serving as home to HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit hospital operator in the country, along with other significant operators, including Community Health Systems and Acadia Healthcare. These companies don’t just bring hospitals; they bring corporate operations and project pipelines that stretch across dozens of states.

For a national engineering firm with leading professionals that know and love Nashville, it creates a powerful dynamic: local relationships with decision-makers, combined with the ability to leverage experience across dozens of cities. It’s an efficient model that turns local presence into national productivity.

Beyond healthcare, Nashville’s core has experienced a sustained wave of mixed-use and multi-family development. Infill projects combining residential density with retail components have reshaped entire neighborhoods, attracting developers who value teams that can move quickly, communicate clearly, and manage multiple active projects simultaneously. This complex, fast-paced, client-service-oriented work is precisely the kind of market where Atwell’s culture and capabilities shine.

The foundation for Atwell’s Nashville operation was laid through years of relationship-building and market development, with team members already active in the region before the recent growth in staffing. That groundwork, which included establishing credibility, connecting with local developers, and building familiarity with the local landscape has positioned the office for accelerated growth.

One recent addition to the team reflects both the office’s momentum and the caliber of talent it is attracting. Matthew Hamby, a Nashville native and Tennessee Tech University graduate, joined Atwell as Senior Director with nearly a decade of experience in the AEC industry, along with additional consulting leadership experience. Hamby’s background spans some of the sectors with the greatest opportunity in the region. He has built deep client relationships across the Nashville development community and brings firsthand knowledge of the local market’s rhythms, players, and opportunities.

What drew Hamby to Atwell, he says, wasn’t just the work, but the culture. He was drawn to a privately owned company that prioritizes its people, its clients, and long-term relationship-building over short-term projects. “I’m a true believer that a rising tide raises all ships,” Hamby said. “Being part of a firm where the focus is on process improvement, training, and genuine client service is exactly where I wanted to be for the long haul.”

That entrepreneurial mindset and client-first philosophy aligns naturally with how Atwell operates, and it’s the kind of perspective the Nashville office will emphasize as it continues to grow. Hamby’s arrival adds senior-level depth to a team already gaining traction in the market and signals that the office is entering a new phase of development. The combination of a thriving healthcare economy, an active private development community, strong population growth, and an increasingly sophisticated urban core makes Tennessee one of the most compelling regions in the Southeast.

With an expanding local team, a growing project portfolio, and leadership that knows the market from the ground up, Atwell’s Nashville office is positioned to grow with the city and to help shape what it becomes.