Flexible Load, Firm Power: Serving AI Compute Without Burdening Utah’s Grid

Demand for AI computing is growing faster than Utah’s grid can add capacity, and serving that demand through conventional approaches risks increasing costs and reducing reliability for other ratepayers.

Reed Page, Director of Commercial Development at Summit Energy, will present a different approach: modular AI compute designed as a flexible load. These facilities operate on utility power for most of the year but can transition to on-site natural gas generation during the grid’s highest-demand hours. This approach allows utilities to serve new electrical loads without adding those loads to system peak demand.

The presentation will cover the generation and controls architecture used to support seamless transfers, the load-duration analysis used to size projects for individual municipal systems, and why Utah’s community-owned utilitiesmay be especially well positioned to host these projects.

Lunch will be provided. 

Presenters: Reed Page - Summit Energy

Reed Page is Director of Commercial Development at Summit Energy, a Salt Lake City–based natural gas marketing and advisory firm now in its 28th year. A natural gas trader by background, Reed works where gas supply, pipeline capacity, and power development meet, helping data-center, industrial, and power developers secure the fuel and infrastructure their projects need. His current work includes data-center and power projects in Utah and Colorado and the development of modular, grid-friendly AI compute. Reed is a Uintah Basin native who now lives in Lehi with his wife and four children.

Parking & Arrival

Parking is available at the One Utah Center parking structure beneath Gallivan Plaza. Please note that parking validation will not be available for attendees.

From the west parking structure, take the elevator directly into the One Utah Center lobby, then use the main building’s low-rise elevator bank to reach the 2nd floor.