The Power Allocation

Nuclear fusion has been 20 years away for decades, but recent breakthroughs and $10.6 billion in private funding are compressing timelines.

Show Notes

Nuclear fusion represents the ultimate clean energy source for data centers—but when will it actually deliver power?
Key topics covered:
  • Lawrence Livermore ignition milestone: net energy achieved December 2022
  • $10.6 billion private funding 2021-2025
  • Helion Energy-Microsoft PPA targeting 2028 delivery
  • Commonwealth Fusion Systems building 400 MW SPARC device
Related keywords: nuclear fusion data centers, Helion Energy Microsoft, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, SPARC reactor, fusion ignition, clean energy future
Brought to you by Spring Street Management Group.]]>

What is The Power Allocation?

The AI boom isn't constrained by chips, algorithms, or talent. It's constrained by electricity.

The Power Allocation is a daily briefing on AI infrastructure — where capital is actually being deployed. Each episode cuts through the hype to examine the physical realities shaping the AI buildout: power constraints, grid interconnection, land acquisition, data center financing, cooling infrastructure, and utility relationships.

This isn't a software podcast. This is an infrastructure podcast.

Who it's for: Institutional investors, infrastructure allocators, data center developers, utilities, family offices, and anyone positioning capital for the physical layer of artificial intelligence.

What you'll learn:

Why power availability — not GPU supply — is the binding constraint on AI compute
How hyperscalers are locking in multi-decade power purchase agreements
Where data centers are relocating and why grid geography is reshaping the industry
The financing structures turning compute facilities into bond-like assets
What execution timelines, permitting delays, and interconnection queues mean for capital deployment
Format: 3-6 minute episodes. Dense. Clear. No hype.

New episodes daily. Subscribe wherever you listen.