The largest U.S. power grid, PJM, is facing record electricity demand due to a heat dome and the expansion of data centers. On July 2, the grid began rerouting power traffic and dispatching costly fossil fuel plants to prevent outages. On July 3, electricity prices tripled on the PJM Interconnection grid, which serves 67 million people across 13 states, as power demand surged to approximately 163 gigawatts, nearing the all-time record set in 2006. On July 6, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill directing the Board of Public Utilities to establish a dedicated tariff for data centers with 50MW capacity or more.
New York becomes the first US state to halt large-scale data center construction to evaluate impacts on the power grid and resources.
Read the full storyLawmakers mandate a dedicated tariff for data centers exceeding 50MW to shield residential ratepayers from rising costs and ensure grid stability.
Electricity prices on the PJM grid surged as demand neared historic records, driven by a brutal heat wave and rising energy needs from data centers.
PJM Interconnection is bracing for record electricity consumption, forcing the dispatch of costly fossil fuel plants to maintain grid stability during a severe heat wave.