An alternative to connecting a large data center load to the electrical grid is a private, fully off-grid energy system, writes Travis Fisher of Cato.

PacifiCorp filed a partial motion to dismiss an Oregon complaint by Amazon Data Services that alleged the utility has breached agreements to provide electric service to four data centers in the utility’s service territory.

FERC approved a transmission security agreement between PECO Energy and Amazon for a data center planned in Falls Township, Pa.

Many comments on the Department of Energy’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to FERC on large load interconnections warned against going too far into jurisdictional issues.

PJM stakeholders are to vote on a record-breaking number of proposals on how the RTO should integrate large loads without impacting resource adequacy.

PJM has withdrawn its non-capacity backed load proposal, shifting the focus of its solution for rising large load additions to creating a parallel resource interconnection queue and reworking price-responsive demand.

The data center dilemma centers first on a familiar mismatch of timescales. Utilities and their regulators tend to plan based on the small, incremental demand growth. But development and the power demand it generates move at ever-increasing digital speed.

FERC received comments on its recent technical conference on co-located load in which parties offered suggestions for how the commission should move forward in dealing with the emerging issue.