The EIA is planning a first-of-its-kind mandatory survey of US data center energy use. (Wired)
EIA already runs compulsory surveys with energy generators and their industrial customers. Now, it’s time for data centers to hand over their data.
Laying the groundwork: The agency is running pilot data center surveys in Texas, Washington state, and northern Virginia, and a second tranche will cover at least three more states. These are slated to finish by late September. What they’re asking about: annual electricity use, behind-the-meter generation, cooling systems, square footage, and IT efficiency metrics.
Why it matters: Most data on data center energy use is still considered proprietary. As behind-the-meter gas generation proliferates—and ratepayer concerns mount—the survey could give regulators and utilities their first real baseline. But the EIA hasn’t indicated when a national survey would launch.