POLITICO Energy

Recent Episodes

1. Sen. Martin Heinrich’s permitting state of play

   Aug 3, 2026

   Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, discusses ongoing permitting reform negotiations with Republicans and obstacles posed by White House actions on clean energy projects. He addresses the political potential of electricity affordability messaging for Democrats in the midterms, data center cost-shifting concerns, and his legislative agenda to prevent corporations from pushing infrastructure costs onto utility customers. Heinrich also weighs tribal consultation protections, climate-affordability alignment, and federal oil and gas leasing trends.

2. Freedom fueled refineries? Trump’s latest bid to lower gas prices

   Jul 31, 2026

   POLITICO's oil and gas reporter James Bikales discusses the Trump administration's effort to revive idled petroleum refineries across the U.S.—from the Virgin Islands to California—as a strategy to increase fuel supply and lower gas prices. The conversation covers the White House's outreach to potential investors, the involvement of the controversial Freedom Fuel network backers, and the checkered history of the St. Croix refinery in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bikales details the obstacles to reopening closed refineries, including market pressures, regulatory challenges, and the administration's focus on facilities in California.

3. Nuclear fusion tries to win over Washington

   Jul 29, 2026

   Joe Spots, deputy editor-in-chief at Politico, discusses the state of nuclear fusion technology and its path to commercialization. He explores why fusion has been in development for 75 years but is now attracting private capital and commercial interest, examines the technical challenges that make fusion harder than fission, and analyzes what federal support the fusion industry is seeking from Washington—specifically citing the SpaceX/NASA model as a template. The episode covers the industry's messaging challenges, competition for federal funding against AI and quantum computing, and realistic timelines for grid deployment in the 2030s.

4. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp isn’t giving up on EVs, even as data centers boom

   Jul 27, 2026

   Georgia Governor Brian Kemp discusses his state's rapid shift from pursuing electric vehicle manufacturing to becoming a major hub for AI data centers and cloud infrastructure. Kemp explains how Georgia has maintained clean energy investments while pivoting to meet surging energy demand, details the state's approach to grid expansion funded by large load users rather than ratepayers, and addresses concerns about affordability and community impacts as the state welcomes massive projects like OpenAI's $200 billion facility in Effingham County.

5. Dems are prepping a Big Oil onslaught. K Street is ready.

   Jul 24, 2026

   James Bikelis, Politico's oil and gas reporter, discusses Democratic plans to conduct aggressive oversight of the Trump administration's ties to the energy sector if they regain congressional power. Democrats aim to use investigative leverage and subpoena power to uncover links between Trump policies, oil and gas industry benefits, and rising energy prices, framing this as part of their affordability messaging for 2028. K Street lobbyists are already preparing oil and gas clients through vulnerability assessments, document reviews, and mock questioning sessions (murder boards) to anticipate Democratic scrutiny.

6. How the Trump administration’s Colorado River push could reshape the West

   Jul 22, 2026

   Annie Snyder, Politico's water expert, discusses the Colorado River crisis and the Trump administration's new 10-year management framework. With climate change reducing flows by 20% over two decades and negotiations between seven states and Interior failing, the federal government is stepping in to issue two-year operating plans instead of a comprehensive long-term solution. Key tensions include potential state-versus-state litigation, Arizona's vulnerability as a swing state, and Interior's controversial proposal to claim water from conservation contracts funded by Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.

7. Meet the new Republican leading America's solar industry

   Jul 20, 2026

   Tim Polenti, former Minnesota governor and Republican politician, discusses his new role as president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The conversation focuses on the solar industry's challenges in a Republican-controlled Washington, strategies for building bipartisan support, and how solar can compete on economic grounds rather than environmental ideology. Polenti outlines priorities including permitting reform, domestic supply chain development, and potential tax policy discussions.

8. Inside the energy fight splitting Virginia Democrats

   Jul 17, 2026

   Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas, Senate President pro tempore, discusses her aggressive campaign against data center tax incentives in Virginia, pushing back against Governor Abigail Spanberger's compromise on energy taxation. Lucas details her statewide listening tour efforts, grassroots opposition to data centers driven by environmental and community concerns, and her position that data centers should pay full sales and use taxes rather than receiving exemptions worth $1.9 billion annually.

9. The SCOTUS ruling behind America’s data center boom

   Jul 15, 2026

   Miranda Wilson, reporter for Politico, discusses her investigation into how a 2023 Supreme Court ruling (Sackett v. EPA) and subsequent Trump administration actions have dramatically accelerated federal permitting for AI data center construction. The ruling narrowed Clean Water Act protections for wetlands and streams, allowing many data centers to bypass or streamline environmental reviews. Wilson's reporting found at least 25 data center projects obtained expedited permits since early 2024, with communities experiencing reduced transparency and public engagement opportunities in the permitting process.

10. Gov. Hochul on New York’s energy and climate balancing act

    Jul 13, 2026

    Governor Kathy Hochul of New York discusses her state's energy and climate strategy, balancing ambitious clean energy goals with affordability concerns. She defends recent delays to climate regulations and emissions targets, citing inflation and supply chain disruptions, while highlighting major infrastructure projects including offshore wind, Canadian hydroelectric transmission (CHIPS), and a planned nuclear power expansion. Hochul addresses criticism from climate advocates, conflicts with the Trump administration, and how Democrats should unite on energy policy.