Title page 1

Contents 3

Summary 2

Introduction 4

Frequently Asked Questions 4

What are data centers and how do they use electric power? 4

What is the electricity grid and how is it regulated? 5

How do data centers get their electric power? 7

How much electric power will data centers need? 8

What types of electricity generation are preferred for data centers? 9

What is the federal role in permitting electricity infrastructure for data centers? 10

What are the requirements for interconnecting power plants to the grid? 10

What is data center flexibility and how does it affect the grid? 11

Can data centers provide benefits to the grid? 12

How have data centers affected electricity prices? 13

Where is data center growth happening? 14

Can data centers cause blackouts? 15

What has the federal government been doing about data centers and the grid? 16

What have states been doing about data centers and the grid? 17

What has Congress been doing about data centers and the grid? 18

Additional Resources 19

Author Information 20

Disclaimer 20

Figure 1. Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators 6

Figure 2. Standalone Data Center Electricity Use by State in 2024 14

Figure 3. Projected Standalone Data Center Electricity Use by State in 2030 15