U.S. Energy Regulator Urges Faster Grid Connections for Data Centers Amid Rising Power Demand

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the 18th asked regional grid operators to consider new agreements to speed up grid connections for large electricity users such as data centers, as power demand surges linked to the AI boom. According to Odaily, the increase in data center electricity consumption has pushed power prices higher in multiple areas across the United States, and some regions have issued blackout warnings. The commission also said it will no longer proactively consider environmental impacts under the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act when developing rules in the future. Data from Data Center Map shows the United States has more than 4,000 data centers currently in operation, with many more in planning or under construction. The report said data center construction is outpacing the commissioning of new power plants, and slow grid-connection progress has led major U.S. technology companies to seek electricity allocations for their data centers. The Electric Power Research Institute estimates data centers currently account for about 5% of total U.S. electricity demand, and that share could rise to about 20% by 2035.