NEWS: Google and Voltus are teaming up to build a 1-GW VPP in PJM.

Leveling up: That's 10x bigger than the pair’s initial plan. According to Google, this marks “one of the largest known distributed capacity portfolios deployed by a hyperscaler to date.”

How it will work: Under a contract through 2040, VPP operator Voltus will aggregate smart thermostats, batteries, and other flexible capacity from homes and businesses to offset data center load. In return, customers will save on their bills and get “cash payments.” 

While we’re here: The Bonneville Power Administration has two new proposals to unclog its 47+ GW interconnection queue: 1) Utilize capacity at existing substations to offer non-firm service to 5 GW of data center load and 2) create a fast-track interconnection option for large loads with with co-located generation. To enter both programs, data centers must pledge to “pay their way.”