Equal Ventures’ Post

I might belong to the 1% of New Yorkers who chat with their taxi drivers. On my way back from Distributech, my driver asked me about the state of energy. - AI is driving the conversation to energy supply — but supply isn’t the whole story. Our grid is cracking under pressure. Energy supply is growing, but the infrastructure that delivers it is aging, straining, and in some cases, breaking. - Critical equipment to reinforce this infrastructure is in short supply. Transformers—essential for keeping the lights on—have lead times of up to “7 years.” Some utilities are rotating old ones and stockpiling what they have. - Tariffs are driving up electricity costs. Tariffs on energy equipment—and maybe even power itself—will push consumer costs higher. U.S. consumers, especially in the Northeast, could see higher bills as tariffs on Canadian electricity cut off access to low cost hydro and nuclear. - Utilities need to spend more. Capital expenditures across 47 utilities are expected to hit $212 billion this year—a 22% increase from 2024. Guess who pays? Customers like you and me. Higher capital expenditures mean higher rates that eventually show up in our monthly bills. Figuratively and literally, the lights are starting to go out. My taxi driver jumps in. He tells me about Shani Shaiya. In Vedic astrology, there’s a period when “Shani’s light goes out”—a 2.5-year stretch where there’s a planetary transition and Saturn enters a combust state—and that stretch just started this past weekend (March 29). This phase is marked by delays, challenges, and restructuring. This “reduced visibility” acts as a karmic checkpoint. It demands reflection, patience and discipline—refocusing on what’s important and “putting in the work” despite not seeing the return just yet. But here’s the thing: once Saturn emerges from this phase, the real transformation begins and “returns on investment” can finally be seen. Maybe energy is going through its own Shani moment. Right now, I truly believe we’re at a critical checkpoint to refocus on customers. We need to restructure in order to ensure that individuals and businesses have reliable and affordable power. On the other side of this restructuring period, we have the opportunity to build a grid that’s stronger, smarter, and more resilient! Equal VenturesRick Zullo