The Pennsylvania Public Utility Company is ringing the alarm about the risks of rabid data center growth.
An independent analysis warns that rapidly growing data center development could create “serious reliability risks across Pennsylvania and the broader region.”
This summer, the PUC said they expect electricity usage for industrial energy usage to increase by 18 percent by 2030.
If there are no new policy changes, the independent study claims the reliability risk for the regional power grid is six times worse than PJMs planning standard. In comparison, PJM plans for one loss-of-load event every 10 years. This new study claims a loss-of-load event could happen 13 times a year.
In the last year the PUC has taken the following actions. A model large-load tariff, increasing accountability and accuracy in reporting energy forecasts, and ensuring electricity shortages protect existing customers.