power demand

Analysts still see multi-year deficits in U.S. transformer supply, even as equipment manufacturers invest billions in new factories and advanced manufacturing processes. But some brokers suggest there is no

The power of U.S. innovation and market incentives cannot be underestimated. The convergence of a business-driven energy transition and the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) have exposed a critical bottleneck within our energy grid.

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just transforming industries; it is also transforming the energy grid. Behind every AI breakthrough lies a massive surge in computing power, and with it, an unprecedented demand for reliable and affordable electricity. As the U.S. positions itself for continued technological leadership, meeting the energy needs of AI data […]

This week, the energy world convenes in New York for the United Nations Climate Week. The gathering will encompass the most vital sectors of the U.S. economy at present—technology firms and utilities will be well-represented, along with a host of consultants, suppliers, experts, and academics, who consistently attend these events. UN Climate Week mirrors another […]

With billions of dollars pouring into the sector from power players like Google and Amazon, the data center industry is having a moment. But this surge in investment and interest has also brought up serious questions—particularly around how we are going to power these massive computing engines. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data […]

Biogas doesn’t just offer a backup plan for tech companies seeking more power; it provides a blueprint for sustainability. By transforming landfill, agricultural, and wastewater emissions into usable power, biogas solves two problems at once: it reduces fugitive methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), and generates renewable electricity. This is energy that’s good for […]

The explosive growth of hyperscale data centers is reshaping the power sector at unprecedented speed. In just a few short years, load requests from data center operators have gone from occasional filings to a full-on wave of gigawatt-scale development across North America. While much attention has been paid to the trend of co-locating data centers […]

The U.S. is bracing for a reality where artificial intelligence and data centers overwhelm the power grid, and rightfully so, as America seeks to lead the global AI race. But this push is coming at the same time that the federal government is reshuffling fiscal priorities and prioritizing energy independence. While that dynamic may seem like a challenging juxtaposition, one thing is clear: regardless of political affiliation or preferred priority, if the U.S. wants to lead the world in AI, it must power it first.

As artificial intelligence (AI) usage and sophistication grows, questions about the sustainability of the traditional model of utilizing huge, centralized data centers are frequently raised. Hyperscale data centers handle most AI workloads today, but they come with high energy demands and environmental costs.

U.S. power infrastructure—the intricate physical fabric that laces together generation, transmission, and distribution—is under intensifying strain. Outdated and overextended, it must now absorb relentless growth from electrification and data centers or risk escalating reliability threats, surging costs, and a weakened global competitive edge. POWER examines the dysfunction and what it will actually take to future-proof […]

A startup company led by former executives with major technology and energy groups is betting on the use of natural gas and battery energy storage to provide data centers with on-site power, freeing those sites from reliance on the traditional power grid.

While many utilities are hardening power grid infrastructure by upgrading poles and wires—a necessary step—brute force solutions alone won’t be enough. To truly future-proof the grid, resilience must be rooted in intelligence via systems that anticipate, adapt, and respond dynamically.

The U.S. power sector stands at a juncture, facing a confluence of factors that are poised to trigger an era of unprecedented growth and necessitate a large influx of capital. Driven by the increasing demand from data centers, the reshoring of manufacturing, and electrification across transportation, heating, and industry, the demand for electricity is rising at a pace unseen in recent decades.

Today’s data centers, the workhorses of our digital economy, face a paradox. While they are asked to fuel the rapid advancement of generative AI, they must do so under increasingly tight energy budgets, with sustainability mandates and power constraints threatening to slow innovation. The question isn’t whether AI will transform industries—it already is—but whether our infrastructure can keep up without buckling under the weight of AI’s energy appetite.

Seven major U.S. grid operators have raised a unified alarm about an impending capacity crunch, warning that the pace and scale of explosive demand—including from data centers, manufacturing, and electrification—pose a precarious misalignment with accelerating generator retirements and transmission constraints. At a March 25 hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, the […]

Maryland lawmakers have introduced a bill in the state legislature that sponsors say would provide an easier path to build new power plants, including natural gas-fired facilities, and lower utility bills for ratepayers as part of the process.

Imagine unlocking 30% more power from our existing grid overnight. That’s the potential we’re ignoring, and it’s costing us billions. The demand for energy is rising, and utilities are struggling to serve this growth. In the U.S., congestion costs have increased from $8 billion in 2021 to more than $11 billion in 2023 despite record […]

PPL subsidiaries Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities Company (KU) have proposed to upgrade environmental controls at a 1974-built coal unit, build two new gas-fired power plants at a combined cost of $2.8 billion, and add 400 MW of battery storage. The measures seek to significantly boost the companies’ capacity to ready […]

Data center power demand is accelerating, pushing the grid to its limits and prompting tech giants to bet on next-generation nuclear reactors. But given steep costs, regulatory hurdles, and uncertain

As we stand on the brink of an all-electric future in North America, we find ourselves amidst a monumental shift—from a reliance on oil, coal, and gas to a world powered by electricity. This transformation

Vantage Data Centers, a prominent developer and operator of data center campuses, is teaming with VoltaGrid, an innovative microgrid power generator, to deploy more than 1 GW of power capacity across Vantage’s expanding North American data center portfolio. The strategic partnership, unveiled on Feb. 11, will set a “new benchmark for speed, reliability and energy […]

The rapid rise of data centers has put many power industry demand forecasters on edge. Some predict the power-hungry nature of the facilities will quickly create problems for utilities and the grid. ICIS, a data analytics provider, calculates that in 2024, demand from data centers in Europe accounted for 96 TWh, or 3.1% of total […]

The energy grid is confronting unprecedented challenges, including surging demand, aging infrastructure, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. A deep freeze across the East Coast recently generated an all-time winter high demand on the PJM grid, while Texas and Florida dealt with a rare snowstorm. Demand response has emerged as a proven and […]

The debate over just how much power will be needed to support the artificial intelligence (AI) industry became heated when a Chinese company said it has a low-cost AI model that could upend the sector’s energy needs. DeepSeek created a global stir after releasing information that said the company’s DeepSeek-V3 required less than $6 million […]

Facing a projected surge in power demand across the country, NextEra Energy is taking steps to potentially restart its shuttered 615-MW Duane Arnold nuclear plant in Iowa as early as 2028, while also signing a new partnership with GE Vernova to develop natural gas generation projects that could be paired with renewable energy and storage. […]

Is it possible that the digital infrastructure and energy/power industries are overestimating the need for data centers, and for development of new energy facilities to be used to power them? The growth of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) is expected to account for 3.5% of global electricity consumption by 2030, according to Gartner, a consultancy. […]

After several years of relatively steady demand, U.S. electricity demand is now surging, driven by various factors, including commercial sector growth, the urgent development or expansion of data centers, and the adoption of new power-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. As the U.S. Energy Information Administration recently announced, the country’s power consumption will reach record highs […]

Technology companies are looking at various ways to source electricity for energy-intensive data centers. Google on Dec. 10 unveiled a plan to join with several partners in supporting power generation, as part of what could be a $20 billion investment to develop industrial parks that would have renewable energy and energy storage built alongside those […]

The energy landscape in the U.S. is undergoing a seismic shift, owing in part to the exponential growth of generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications and data centers, according to McKinsey & Company. This rise in energy demand is further exacerbated by the country’s increasing seasonal cooling and heating needs due to extreme weather. To offset […]

American Electric Power (AEP) subsidiary AEP Ohio filed a settlement agreement with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and key stakeholders on Oct. 23 to address the costs of power infrastructure improvements required for Ohio’s rapidly expanding data center industry. The agreement, which is subject to review and approval by PUCO, sets a precedent […]