Trump administration pushes PJM to hold ‘emergency’ auction to supply data centers
Utility Dive • • business
Key Points:
- The Trump administration and bipartisan governors have requested PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. wholesale electricity market, to hold a one-time "emergency" auction allowing data centers to bid on 15-year power purchase agreements, potentially supporting $15 billion in new power plants.
- This emergency auction would mark a significant change from PJM's usual forward capacity market system, aiming to address rising electricity demand and capacity price spikes driven by rapid data center growth, particularly in northern Virginia.
- PJM is currently reviewing the proposal and will consider how it fits with its upcoming plan for data center interconnections; any auction would require Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval, with a potential timeline of six to twelve months before implementation.
- The initiative
