AI Generated Image
As U.S. Faces Extreme Heat, Data Centers Are Ordered to Use Backup Power to Prevent Blackouts
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright has directed grid operators in the eastern U.S. to require data centers to use backup power generators to reduce strain on the electrical grid amid extreme heat.
- This directive mainly affects 13 Mid-Atlantic states, where a shared grid managed by PJM faces record-high electricity demand due to a heat wave.
- PJM's system, spanning from Chicago to Virginia Beach, is expected to surpass a two-decade-old peak electricity usage record, prompting warnings and readiness orders for power plants.
- Experts express concern that increased use of diesel or natural gas backup generators at data centers could elevate air pollution in residential areas due to higher emissions compared to larger power plants or renewable sources.
- Unlike regions such as California, PJM has been slow to implement energy storage solutions like large batteries, which help manage power demand during extreme weather without requiring conservation measures.
