Pennsylvania and New Jersey governors join forces with data center industry group to push for self-sufficient power guarantees.
In a surprise move, four US state governors - Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia - have teamed up with the Data Center Coalition, an industry trade group, to advocate for approvals of new data centers that can generate their own electricity. This joint proposal could benefit PJM Interconnection, the nation's largest electrical grid.
According to Pamela Quinlan, a principal at GQS New Energy Strategies, which represents the DCC, this "voluntary and heavily incentivized" plan offers a fast-track approval process for both data centers and their power sources. The idea was presented during a hearing held by PJM as it grapples with soaring energy demands and seeks federal approval later this year to speed up permit reviews.
Under the proposal, data centers would be required to generate power equal to their expected usage, which would then feed into PJM's regional grid, bolstering its reliability. Energy researcher Abraham Silverman noted that this strategy could also boost reliance by new data centers on natural gas.
However, critics argue that this approach may have unintended consequences, including increased reliance on fossil fuels and potential harm to local residents and governments. Paul Sotkiewicz, a former chief economist for PJM, expressed concerns about how states might "short-circuit" processes that affect these groups.
The proposal's specifics remain unclear, but it suggests that states would expedite permitting and siting for data operations. Data centers could generate power elsewhere in the same grid area approved by the state, without being tied to a specific location.
One concern raised by energy expert Joseph Bowring is who should lose power during grid stress, with some arguing that data centers should be interrupted first or last. Monitoring Analytics recommends ensuring the grid can guarantee continual service and reliability before allowing new connections.
The DCC-governors proposal is just one of more than a dozen plans being considered by PJM as it seeks public comment on a rule change meant to add suppliers to the grid. Federal regulators will ultimately decide whether this change is lawful and in the public interest.
In a surprise move, four US state governors - Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia - have teamed up with the Data Center Coalition, an industry trade group, to advocate for approvals of new data centers that can generate their own electricity. This joint proposal could benefit PJM Interconnection, the nation's largest electrical grid.
According to Pamela Quinlan, a principal at GQS New Energy Strategies, which represents the DCC, this "voluntary and heavily incentivized" plan offers a fast-track approval process for both data centers and their power sources. The idea was presented during a hearing held by PJM as it grapples with soaring energy demands and seeks federal approval later this year to speed up permit reviews.
Under the proposal, data centers would be required to generate power equal to their expected usage, which would then feed into PJM's regional grid, bolstering its reliability. Energy researcher Abraham Silverman noted that this strategy could also boost reliance by new data centers on natural gas.
However, critics argue that this approach may have unintended consequences, including increased reliance on fossil fuels and potential harm to local residents and governments. Paul Sotkiewicz, a former chief economist for PJM, expressed concerns about how states might "short-circuit" processes that affect these groups.
The proposal's specifics remain unclear, but it suggests that states would expedite permitting and siting for data operations. Data centers could generate power elsewhere in the same grid area approved by the state, without being tied to a specific location.
One concern raised by energy expert Joseph Bowring is who should lose power during grid stress, with some arguing that data centers should be interrupted first or last. Monitoring Analytics recommends ensuring the grid can guarantee continual service and reliability before allowing new connections.
The DCC-governors proposal is just one of more than a dozen plans being considered by PJM as it seeks public comment on a rule change meant to add suppliers to the grid. Federal regulators will ultimately decide whether this change is lawful and in the public interest.
The Data Center Coalition is teaming up with state governors to push for approvals, which sounds like a sweetheart deal if you ask me. It's all about who can get ahead of the curve and reap the benefits. I mean, what's the real incentive here - is it just about keeping those data centers powered on at all costs or is there something more under the table?
, but I gotta wonder, what's the real motive here? Is it really about ensuring reliability for PJM or are we just creating a new path for big corporations to squeeze more energy out of us? Like, have they thought about the ripple effects on local communities and the environment? What if all these data centers start generating power that's not even needed locally? We need to get our priorities straight and think about what this means for everyone, not just the data center industry 
I'm not sure I buy into this self-sufficient power guarantee for data centers. It sounds like states are just trying to greenwash their policies and appease the data center industry. Where's the concrete evidence that this will actually reduce our carbon footprint? And what about the impact on local residents who might be affected by these new power sources? We need more transparency, not vague promises of "incentives" 
We gotta make sure we're not relying on fossil fuels more than ever, and it's also important to consider the impact on local residents. What about communities that might be affected by all these new power sources? They need some protection too 
. Remember those old IT offices with rows of humming servers? Yeah, it's like that again but instead of just big computers, we're talking entire grids to support these data centers 
. I'm all for innovation and whatnot, but have you thought about the environmental impact? We should be focusing on renewable energy sources, not just generating power to feed into the grid 
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. Now they're trying to make their own power? I gotta say, it's kinda cool that states are teaming up with the industry to get things done faster 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good fast-track approval process?
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. I mean, who doesn't love a good power deal? And hey, if it helps PJM Interconnection boost its reliability, then win-win, right? Sure, there might be some concerns about relying on fossil fuels, but let's not jump to conclusions just yet 
. Maybe this is the start of something big and we should be excited to see how it plays out 
. We need to make sure they can generate their own electricity from renewable sources too 
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. Maybe we should see some diagrams of what the new power grid system would look like 
. Like, would data centers be connected to each other? Would they be powered by solar panels? A diagram could help us visualize the whole thing better 
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. I think it's a step in the right direction, but we gotta make sure we're not relying too much on fossil fuels 
️. The concern about local residents and governments is valid, though 
. One thing's for sure, the energy landscape is changing fast 
, and we gotta be prepared for it. The idea of data centers generating their own power and feeding into the grid makes sense, but we need to make sure it doesn't come at the expense of others 
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gotta weigh pros & cons here 
Not exactly eco-friendly.
. If one part of the grid goes down, who gets to keep their power? Should it be data centers or regular homes and businesses? It's like, what's the protocol here?
. We can't just rush into this without considering all the potential consequences. I hope they do more research before approving these new data centers...