Connect | MENA // Major Panel: Gridlock to gigawatts - Defining MENA’s power strategy for AI’s next leap

As MENA accelerates its transition to a data-driven economy, the region’s power strategy faces mounting pressure. AI workloads are transforming electricity into a critical competitive advantage, yet utility hesitancy to commit to long-term contracts is creating uncertainty for both operators and investors. The question now is whether MENA can reform its regulatory and contracting frameworks quickly enough to deliver reliable, large-scale power for digital infrastructure - or if grid limitations will constrain its AI ambitions. This session examines how private generation, regulatory innovation, and creative power purchase agreements (PPAs) can strengthen long-term energy resilience. Discussion points include whether long-term PPAs can stabilize costs and align with hyperscaler timelines, how utilities can be incentivized to support multi-decade capacity, and the pace of deregulation to enable private participation. The panel will also assess the future role of onsite generation - from gas microgrids to solar-plus-storage and modular reactors - in shaping MENA’s AI-ready, resilient energy landscape.