Why speed to power starts before the grid

To truly redefine speed to power, a nimble approach to changing utility frameworks, supply chain bottlenecks, and local engagement is required. In this DCD>Talk episode, Patrick Dillow, VP of energy and water at Rowan Digital, sits down to discuss what it takes to execute complex projects in the shifting landscape of energy. Amid shifting grid policies, new cluster study processes, and evolving utility rules, a developer’s greatest point of leverage remains rooted in initial site selection. Identifying properties with existing grid infrastructure, available transmission capacity, or near-term interconnection opportunities significantly reduces long-term utility dependencies and streamlines development schedules from day one. Discussing what ultimately dictates a project’s timeline, Dillow explains: “Developers have the most influence in our site selection strategy – finding the right power from the very beginning, identifying the right types of infrastructure requirements and bringing those ingredients together for a good solid power strategy is where we can shape the story the most. “From there, we have to make sure we partner well with our utilities, their associates and their project teams to make sure that we’re working through the development and construction process appropriately to ensure that we are going to energize on time.” A prime example of this principle in practice is Rowan Digital’s Boxite One project. Rather than waiting on lengthy greenfield grid expansions, the project team identified a strategic location with existing high-voltage transmission lines already traversing the site. By establishing an early, collaborative relationship with utility partner FirstEnergy, Rowan Digital swiftly moved through the formal interconnection study process and secured critical power commitments.

Even with a strong site selection strategy in place, accelerating project execution often creates tension with environmental commitments and operational resilience. In an effort to bypass grid delays, some market participants have turned to interim thermal generation options – such as natural gas turbines or diesel generators – to provide prime power ahead of grid energization. However, these bridge solutions carry significant tradeoffs, frequently triggering strict air permitting requirements, raising local emissions concerns, and undermining corporate sustainability targets for both developers and end users. Rather than viewing speed, sustainability, and reliability as competing metrics, Dillow argues that balance can be achieved across the full lifecycle of a project through flexible, multi-stage development strategies. He notes: “Sometimes it feels like they’re competing, but if you zoom out, you can actually find balance across the lifecycle. Sometimes we’re looking for acceleration strategies that may optimize for speed. But as the strategy changes – whether it’s an islanded solution that becomes a grid or behind the meter solution later on – that changes how those characteristics are balanced. The reliability really comes through towards the back end, and from there, we can optimize for speed and sustainability on the front end.” Since energy access cannot be evaluated in a vacuum, a successful, bankable data center site requires a complete infrastructure package that satisfies every technical requirement of modern high-density compute workloads. Developers across the industry are also adapting by engaging utilities earlier, securing queue positions, and ordering long-lead equipment ahead of time. Yet even with these early moves, rapid expansion introduces new commercial, operational, and regulatory risks that require active management. “We’re evaluating and finding where new risks are emerging that we weren’t really considering or hadn’t thought about before, whether it’s in delivery schedules or whether new technologies will perform in the way that they’re expected to,” Dillow observes. Among these emerging risks is the national shift toward updated utility rate structures, as state regulators and utilities seek to protect local ratepayers and ensure data center operators pay their fair share of electrical grid upgrades.

To maintain long-term project viability, developers must collaborate closely with power providers early in the planning process to navigate these regulatory shifts and structure equitable commercial agreements. Beyond technical infrastructure and supply chain execution, community engagement has become a fundamental benchmark for defining project success. With public scrutiny surrounding data center land use, water consumption, and energy demand rising across key markets, securing entitlements and long-term operational certainty requires proactive, transparent communication rather than late-stage outreach. Rowan Digital embeds community integration into its core development model, utilizing open houses, public project portals, and ongoing dialogue with municipal leaders to ensure local alignment before ground is broken. To Dillow, the goal is clear: act as a collaborative partner from day one, not a counterparty in the process. For developers aiming to break ground on a new hyperscale campus, establishing the foundational relationships across all fronts remains the single most critical objective during the first year of development. By weaving together early site selection, lifecycle balancing, transparent community engagement, and proactive relationship building, developers can ensure their speed to power is built on a solid, lasting foundation. As Dillow neatly summarizes: “A successful data center is going to bring all of those ingredients together, not just power.” To learn more about how to overcome energy bottlenecks, de-risking project timelines, watch the full DCD>Talk here.…Read more by DCD, Patrick Dillow