AI data centres are forcing U.S. electricity to be planned like scarce capacity
The grid is no longer just delivering power. It has to pre-commit firm supply years ahead while AI load keeps compounding.
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The grid is no longer just delivering power. It has to pre-commit firm supply years ahead while AI load keeps compounding.
Spot prices tell you what electricity costs now. Capacity prices tell you what it costs to guarantee it will still be there when the grid is stressed.
The question is no longer just how much firm capacity PJM needs. It is whether the new load that creates the need should pay for it directly.
Chevron is building a dedicated gas plant for a Microsoft data centre in Texas. Amazon secured 1.5 GW of dedicated solar. Roughly 30% of all planned data centre capacity is now expected to be on-site. The regulated grid is being bypassed at scale.