As rapid data center growth continues to drive electricity demand across the country, strains on the power grid could increase electric bills for all ratepayers and threaten reliability. Some parts of the country are predicting energy supply shortfalls due to data centers, and without strong regulations ratepayers could be forced to bear the cost of grid upgrades necessary to accommodate the extra load. Additionally, without more transparency into how many proposed data centers will actually get built, regulators have a challenge in proactively planning for potential growth.
State policymakers have unique jurisdiction over the retail electric system and a wide range of tools at their disposal to help combat these risks. From deploying clean energy and establishing consumer protections to requiring transparency and lessening the risk of stranded assets, states are exploring solutions to manage data center load growth across the country. We explore these solutions in Climate XChange’s upcoming State Policy Toolkit for Data Center Regulation on Electricity Affordability and Reliability.
In this webinar, we’ll review the impacts of data centers on electricity affordability and reliability, and what policy tools are available to states to protect ratepayers and the grid. Our speakers include:
– McKenna Beck, the Ralph Cavanagh Climate Solutions Fellow at NRDC and author of At the Crossroads: A Better Path to Managing Data Center Load Growth, who will provide a deep dive into how and where data centers are straining electric grids, as well as a survey of emerging state responses to bolster energy affordability while advancing clean energy.
– Jordan Gerow, Director of Policy and Research at Climate XChange, who will explore policy tools and examples included in Climate XChange’s soon-to-be-released State Policy Toolkit for Data Center Regulation: Electricity Affordability and Reliability, including large load tariffs, load flexibility, and better contracting and siting processes to promote the deployment of clean energy.