Peter Lake Departs White House Energy Council

Peter Lake, a key figure in President Donald Trump’s energy and AI initiatives, is set to leave his role as senior director of power at the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) at the end of July.

Lake was instrumental in driving proposals aimed at facilitating rapid data center connections to the power grid while implementing measures to shield ratepayers from increased costs. He also played a role in discussions with Congress regarding federal permitting rule overhauls, focusing on grid and transmission issues.

Jarrod Agen, the NEDC’s executive director, praised Lake’s contributions, stating that his work on grid stabilization, nuclear energy initiatives, and AI solutions has been crucial to America’s energy dominance. Agen added that Lake will be missed as a founding member of the NEDC.

Lake, a former chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, joined the White House advisory body in March 2025. He will return to his private project development and advisory business, Cardinal Rose LLC. The NEDC is currently considering candidates to succeed Lake, but no decision has been made.

His departure occurs at a time of significant strain on energy infrastructure, with power demand reaching record highs in several regions due to rapid data center construction and extreme weather events. Lake had recently expressed criticism regarding the management of PJM Interconnection LLC, the largest U.S. power grid operator, describing it as "broken."