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I actually like the idea of these data centers connecting to the grid, because it’s good for all of us to have a rich customer who has the money to invest in making the grid better.
Dr. Michael E. Webber, author and professor of public affairs and mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin
One of the things that Texas does really well is that we’re builders… and I think that nuclear has suffered from constant ideation, constant conceptualization… But we’re at a critical moment for the industry where it’s time to build.
Reed Clay, president of the Texas Nuclear Alliance
As conflict in the Persian Gulf threatens global oil supplies and artificial intelligence drives unprecedented demand for electricity, Texas is in a race to unlock the full potential of its diverse and deregulated grid. The path it chooses may arguably shape the U.S. economy and global energy markets.
In this third episode of our series on Texas water, energy, and growth, host Duke Reiter is joined by UT Austin professor, author, and global energy consultant, Dr. Michael E. Webber and president of the Texas Nuclear Alliance, Reed Clay to discuss:
- How the U.S.-Israel-Iran war has sent the world reaching for U.S. oil and natural gas and what this means for Texas
- How Texas came to lead the nation in renewable energy generation in the years following Winter Storm Uri, despite the rhetoric
- What makes Texas a leading contender in the U.S. for a nuclear energy renaissance
- Why surging AI-driven energy demand could accelerate the clean energy transition, not slow it down
Relevant Articles and Resources
“US LNG exports break record high as Middle East war disrupts global supply” (Reuters, April 2026)
“A Texas City Faces Water Crisis as Big Oil and Gas Use Most of It” (Truthout, March 2026)
“Is the US headed toward an electricity crisis of its own making?” (Canary Media, January 2026)
“Texas’ power grid weathered another winter storm. Is it ready for the future?” (Texas Tribune, January 2026)
“Trump, atoms, AI and the Texas data center gusher” (Politico, January 2026)
“New U.S. nuclear power boom begins with old, still-unresolved problem: What to do with radioactive waste” (CNBC, November 2025)
“Texas renewable energy grid defies Trump’s claims on solar and wind” (Power Technology, July 2025)
The Timeline and Events of the February 2021 Texas Electric Grid Blackouts (University of Texas at Austin)
Final Report on February 2021 Freeze Underscores Winterization Recommendations (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
Relevant Ten Across Conversations Podcasts
Part One: Can Texas Drought-Proof Its Economic Miracle?
Part Two: Does Texas Have the Water to Support an AI Boom?
Credits
Host: Duke Reiter
Writer and producer: Taylor Griffith
Editor: Kate Carefoot
Research and support provided by: Rae Ulrich, Kelly Saunders, Maya Chari, and Sabine Butler
Guest Speakers
Reed Clay is president of the Texas Nuclear Alliance. Prior to that, Reed was the Chief Operating Officer of Texas under Governor Greg Abbott and the founder of the government affairs consulting firm Crestline Group. He is also an experienced litigator and founding partner of Clay Scott LLP, with prior experience in the U.S. Department of Justice and Texas Attorney General’s Office.
Dr. Michael E. Webber is the Sid Richardson Chair in the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Cockrell Family Chair #16 in the department of mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to that, Michael served as CTO of Energy Impact Partners and Chief Science and Technology Officer at ENGIE, a global energy company. Michael has authored or co-authored more than 600 publications, including the book “Power Trip: the Story of Energy” and “Thirst for Power: Energy, Water, and Human Survival,” both of which, were developed into award-winning documentaries.
