Energy Secretary Chris Wright says data centers should be ready to bring their own power. (Axios)
The agency backs “bring your own generation,” or colocating data centers with gas, nuclear, or other power sources instead of depending on regional grids.
Yes, but: Critics, including former FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee, warn this could worsen shortages by diverting power to 24/7 data centers ahead of homes during extreme heat or cold.
The debate now sits with FERC, which rejected a similar idea last year but is reexamining it as data center load growth accelerates.