The Power Behind the Power

Electricity underwrites nearly every aspect of modern life, yet decisions about power, cost, and control are increasingly opaque. New York Times energy correspondent Ivan Penn joins Mark Labberton to unpack how data centres, AI, utilities, and politics are reshaping the grid—and who ultimately bears the cost.

“The real focus is who pays and who gets paid.”

In this episode with Mark Labberton, Penn reflects on his journey into journalism, his unexpected path into energy reporting, and how covering power revealed the economic forces shaping daily life.

Together they discuss electricity as a moral and economic issue, the rise of AI-driven data centres, nuclear power’s return, utilities versus tech giants, consumer vulnerability, racial inequity in journalism, and faith as a commitment to truth.