AI Data Centers Spark "Power War": U.S. Moves to Accelerate Grid Connection for Large-Scale Computing Facilities

Odaily Odaily reports that the AI boom has led to a surge in electricity demand from data centers across the United States, causing electricity prices to continue rising in many areas and prompting power outage warnings in some regions. To alleviate the power supply dilemma, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the 18th required regional grid operators to consider new agreements to expedite the grid connection process for large electricity consumers like data centers. The commission also stated that it will no longer proactively consider environmental impacts under the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act when formulating rules going forward.

According to data from the Data Center Map website, there are currently over 4,000 operational data centers in the U.S., with a vast number more in the planning or construction phase. However, the pace of data center construction far outstrips the speed at which new power plants can be brought online, compounded by slow grid interconnection timelines. As a result, major tech giants across the country are scrambling to secure electricity quotas for their facilities. Statistics from the Electric Power Research Institute indicate that data centers currently consume about 5% of total U.S. electricity demand, a share that could rise to approximately 20% by 2035. (CCTV Finance)