FERC to Propose Data Center Power-Cost Plan This Month as AI Boom Strains Grids
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 10
FERC to Propose Data Center Power-Cost Plan This Month as AI Boom Strains Grids
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 10
Summary
Laura Swett said FERC will unveil within days a federal framework for assigning electricity infrastructure costs and connecting more data centers to regional grids.
Major guardrails are aimed at preventing residential customers from subsidizing AI-driven data center expansion through higher utility bills, as public anxiety over costs grows.
Data center developers and AI companies are increasingly pursuing off-grid power while waiting for access to multistate high-voltage networks, adding pressure on regulators to set rules quickly.
Republican lawmakers and regulators broadly agree ratepayers and communities need protection from the AI boom’s energy demands, while EPA chief Lee Zeldin said states should handle project-specific environmental terms.