data center
Data centers (huge computer server farms) have become one of the primary sources of new electricity demand across the United States. Specifically, PJM, the largest power market grid in the world (covering 65 million customers in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia), is seeing a huge increase in the number of data centers. The PJM grid operator expects 11 GW (gigawatts) of additional electricity will be needed for new data centers by 2030 in northern Virginia alone, representing more than 40% of the state’s current peak demand. According to a new report from Aurora Energy Research, a high-growth case could drive additions of up to 15 GW of new electric demand in PJM by 2030, compared to a conservative scenario. Aurora says there's only one fuel source that can meet that kind of demand in the next five years: natural gas.
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