Rephonic
Artwork for Electric Futures
Imperial Valley
Data Centers
Microgrids
Wildfires
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
Energy Transition
Department Of Energy
USC Annenberg Center For Climate Journalism and Communication
Data Center
Microgrid Technology
California Wildfires
Water Resources
Electricity
LA Wildfires
Trump Administration
Renewable Energy
California
Connected Communities
RSTEP

Featured by the LA Times, La Opinión, and NPR! Electric Futures is an award-winning podcast series from the University of Southern California exploring lesser-known stories of the energy transition, from the perspectives of the people most impacted by the changes that transition will bring. In Season 3, former USC Provost and current professor Charles Zukoski explores how the demand for AI is alte... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes27Founded3 years ago
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Science

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Artwork for Electric Futures

Latest Episodes

¿Alguna vez te has preguntado qué sucedería si cruzaras una comunidad agrícola con la forma más avanzada de tecnología humana?

¡Fuimos al Valle Imperial para averiguarlo! En este episodio especial de Electric Futures, describimos cómo la demanda de ... more

Recorded live in USC’s Wallis Annenberg Hall in April 2026, this special episode focuses on the key issues surrounding data centers, the focus of Season 3. What exactly are data centers? Who benefits from their development? What are the drawbacks? Ex... more

In our Season 3 finale, we explore what it is about data centers that has been creating animosity across the country. Is it the pushback against what powers artificial intelligence…or is it something else?

You can follow us on Instagram at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@usc_... more

In this episode, we explore how communities think about jobs when a data center comes knocking. When a data center comes to town, will it bring high paying jobs to a community? Could this be the main benefit of hosting a data center in your community... more

When a hyperscale data center comes to a place like Imperial Valley, communities have questions and concerns. Billions of dollars of investment — and profit – are at stake. Community members have questions. But rather than excitement, there’s communi... more

In this episode, we look how the proposed data center in the Imperial Valley would use water, then explore similarities and differences with data centers around the nation. How much water is really needed for a data center — and why?

You can follow ... more

We take a deep dive into the AI data center planned for California’s Imperial Valley and talk to the developers themselves about how the project came about. Then, we explore the mathematics of AI and how exactly a data center works.

You can follow u... more

Have you ever wondered what might happen if you crossed an agricultural community with the highest form of human technology?

We went to the Valley to find out! In this season of Electric Futures, we describe how the demand for AI is altering the fab... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
Podcast Host

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Recent Guests

Tom DuBose
Leads the Imperial Valley design firm involved with the data center project
Design firm for Imperial Valley data center
Episode: Episodio 8: El Centro de Datos en la Cuadra
Annette León
Part of the team putting the data center together; discusses job creation and design
Imperial Valley design team
Episode: Episodio 8: El Centro de Datos en la Cuadra
Sebastián Rucci
Executive Director of Manufacturing for the Imperial Valley
Imperial Valley Manufacturing
Episode: Episodio 8: El Centro de Datos en la Cuadra
Gilberto Manzanares
Resident of Imperial Valley; local activist/politically active figure
Valle Imperial Resiste (social/political activism)
Episode: Episodio 8: El Centro de Datos en la Cuadra
Danny McCain
Business Sub-manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569
IBEW Local 569
Episode: Episodio 8: El Centro de Datos en la Cuadra
Cindy Yasuhara
Mother of a local resident; early awareness advocate about the center
Community member
Episode: Episodio 8: El Centro de Datos en la Cuadra
Taja Fortune
Imperial Valley College student; production assistant on the Spanish episode
Imperial Valley College
Episode: Episodio 8: El Centro de Datos en la Cuadra
Liana Golubchik
Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering/Computer Science
University of Southern California
Episode: Episode 7: Electric Futures Live! Everything You Need to Know About Data Centers
Sean Wilcox
Vice President of Business Development, Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation
Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation
Episode: Episode 7: Electric Futures Live! Everything You Need to Know About Data Centers

Hosts

Charles Zukoski
Host of Electric Futures
Allison Agsten
Director of the USC Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 7: Electric Futures Live! Everything You Need to Know About Data Centers
Q: How do communities actually respond when data centers come to town, and who should bear the cost of water and infrastructure?
The panel discussed CEQA processes, misinformation and social media influence, and the balance between attracting investment and ensuring public health and water sustainability, stressing the need for proactive, transparent communication and fair cost-sharing for infrastructure improvements.
Episode 7: Electric Futures Live! Everything You Need to Know About Data Centers
Q: What are legitimate environmental concerns that people should have specifically related to the environment or environmental impacts of data centers?
Audience members highlighted concerns about CO2 emissions from electricity sourcing, water use and aquifer impacts, noise from cooling equipment, backup generator emissions, and the broader energy and water infrastructure costs, with explanations that most concerns have nuanced realities rather than binary outcomes.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Futures

What is Electric Futures about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show focuses on energy transition stories told from the perspective of people most affected by changes in power, policy, and technology. Across episodes, the conversations center on data centers, electricity markets, water resources, and community impacts in the Imperial Valley and similar regions. Guests range from university researchers and policymakers to developers, labor voices, and local residents, providing a multifaceted view of how large-scale energy and tech projects intersect with climate, economics, and everyday life. A standout pattern is the emphasis on governance, environmental justice, and practical resilience—often through on-the-ground reporting, town halls, and expert analysis that bridges technical detail with publi... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Electric Futures?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Electric Futures. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Electric Futures and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Electric Futures get?

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What are the audience demographics for Electric Futures?

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How many subscribers and views does Electric Futures have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Electric Futures has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Electric Futures?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Electric Futures:

1. Hidden Brain

How many episodes of Electric Futures are there?

Electric Futures launched 3 years ago and published 27 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Electric Futures?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Electric Futures?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Electric Futures from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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What guests have appeared on Electric Futures?

Recent guests on Electric Futures include:

1. Tom DuBose
2. Annette León
3. Sebastián Rucci
4. Gilberto Manzanares
5. Danny McCain
6. Cindy Yasuhara
7. Taja Fortune
8. Liana Golubchik

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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