Odaily, citing CCTV Finance, reported that the AI boom is sharply increasing electricity demand from data centers across the United States. As large-scale computing facilities continue to expand, electricity prices have kept rising in multiple areas, and some regions have issued warnings about possible power outages. The growing gap between data center construction and electricity supply has pushed grid access procedures into the regulatory spotlight.
FERC asks grid operators to consider new connection agreements
On the 18th, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asked regional grid operators to consider new agreements designed to accelerate grid connections for large electricity users, including data centers. The request focuses on improving the pace at which major power-consuming facilities can connect to the grid. For data centers, faster connection arrangements are directly tied to the ability to secure power for large computing operations.
The commission also said that, when making rules in the future, it will no longer proactively consider environmental impacts under the US National Environmental Policy Act. This statement marks a change in how environmental impact considerations are actively applied during its rulemaking process. The policy direction comes at the same time as major computing facilities are seeking faster access to electricity, placing coordination among grid operators, data center developers, and the broader power supply system at the center of the issue.
More than 4,000 operating data centers intensify competition for power allocation
According to data from Data Center Map, the United States currently has more than 4,000 operating data centers, with many more projects still in the planning or construction stage. The report said the construction pace of these data centers has far exceeded the speed at which new power plants are being brought online. At the same time, the progress of connecting these facilities to the grid has been slow.
Against this backdrop, major technology companies across the United States are trying various ways to secure power quotas for their data centers. Statistics from the Electric Power Research Institute show that data centers currently account for about 5% of total US electricity demand. By 2035, that share could rise to about 20%. The figures show that electricity consumption linked to AI computing demand has moved beyond the infrastructure needs of individual companies and has become an issue involving grid connections, power generation capacity, and regional electricity arrangements.