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.

"Deep, collaborative partnerships combined with creative problem-solving are the only way we can meet the explosion of AI growth, as well as society's accelerating electricity demand," said Sheldon Kimber, CEO of Intersect Power.

Clean industry executives and experts at DOE's Deploy 2024 conference were surprisingly optimistic about continuing market growth linked to the boom in energy demand from data centers, AI and electrification.

The Louisiana PSC has taken first steps to consider Entergy’s request to power a proposed $5 billion AI data center in north Louisiana with $3.2 billion in mostly natural gas generation.

"Chicken Little" claims about power outages being caused by the transmission grid being overtaxed do not stand up to scrutiny, says columnist Steve Huntoon.

If data centers are connected to the grid they should contribute to the cost of the network infrastructure providing those services, Exelon Executive Colette Honorable said.

FERC rejected an amended ISA filed by PJM to allow an existing data center co-located at a Talen Energy nuclear plant to expand, saying it did not meet the commission's standards for changes from its pro forma rules.

Different industry stakeholders have estimated it may take five to 10 years for FERC Order 1920 to have any major impacts on transmission planning.