Why Grid Access, Not Generation, Is the Real Bottleneck in Energy Strategy, According to Nick Curum

In a recent LinkedIn post, Nick Curum highlights a critical, often overlooked, factor in energy strategy discussions: grid access. Curum argues that many energy strategy conversations begin with the wrong focus, leading to inefficiencies and delays in the energy transition.

Shifting the Focus from Generation to Deliverability

Curum points out that traditional energy strategy often centers on generation capacity – determining how much power is needed, where new supply should be located, and which technologies to scale. While these are undoubtedly important questions, Curum contends they are frequently not the primary constraint.

“Most energy strategy discussions start in the wrong place. They start with generation.”

Instead, Curum identifies grid access, transmission capacity, connection queues, and network reinforcement timelines as the true bottlenecks in many electricity markets. He elaborates on this point, stating:

“A project can have financing, land, permits, and generation capacity ready to go and still wait years because the grid cannot move the power.”

The Crucial Gap: Approving Capacity vs. Ensuring Deliverability

The core issue, according to Curum, lies in a fundamental disconnect between what executives approve and what can actually be delivered. He frames this as a significant gap in strategic planning and execution.

Curum’s Proposed Solution: A Pre-Meeting Test

To address this common oversight, Curum has developed a simple, five-question pre-meeting test. This test, detailed in a notebook he shared, is designed to shift the conversation in energy investment meetings away from just generation and towards the critical issue of grid infrastructure and deliverability. Curum believes these straightforward questions can consistently alter the focus of important discussions.

According to Nick Curum, the conventional approach to energy strategy often misses the mark by not prioritizing the foundational infrastructure required to transmit power. As he notes:

“Executives approve capacity, not deliverability. That is the gap.”

By prompting discussions around these essential grid-related questions, Curum aims to encourage a more realistic and effective approach to energy investment and development. His insights suggest that a strategic reorientation towards grid infrastructure is paramount for successfully navigating the complexities of the energy transition.