Slow Data Center Hookups Offer US Power Grids Summer Relief (1)

Key grids across the US have lowered their summer demand forecasts to reflect the slower-than-anticipated pace of data centers and other large connections, potentially helping avoid heat-related blackouts and energy shortages in the coming months.

Demand is still expected to rise by 11 gigawatts this summer from a year earlier, equal to enough energy to power more than 8 million US homes on average, North American Electric Reliability Corp. said in its annual summer assessment. That increase, along with growing political pushback against data centers over energy affordability concerns, is making it harder for new facilities to quickly connect ...