By Humberto Sanchez | Arizona Capitol Times
Key Points:
- States face growing electricity demand due to data centers
- Lawmakers aim to balance affordability, growth, and decarbonization goals
- States are exploring various policies to regulate data center development next year
Affordability, meeting growing electricity demand and managing data center development will drive the energy agenda of most states next year.
A surge in electricity demand, primarily driven by the growing need for the power-hungry data centers needed to advance artificial intelligence, is forcing states to get creative to meet demand and address related repercussions, including rising prices.
States will face the challenge of balancing sometimes conflicting priorities: boosting power generation while fostering economic growth, keeping electric bills from skyrocketing, and, in some cases, meeting decarbonization goals.
