AI Boom Spurs Gas Plants, Renewables Push Back in US States

Renewable energy advocates and state lawmakers are confronting a surge in electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence computing and large data centers. renewable energy allies are trying to ensure that massive data centers will be powered by climate-friendly sources, too. At the same time, the AI boom has set in motion the biggest-ever construction boom of natural gas-fired power plants, and utilities and plant owners are reconsidering retirement plans for some aging coal units. Legislation on the desk of New York Governor Kathy Hochul would require data centres over a certain size to meet renewable energy benchmarks starting in 2030 and, by 2040, get at least 90 per cent of their energy from renewable energies. State actions in Michigan, Oregon and Minnesota aim to preserve preexisting emissions-free requirements through 2040, while environmental groups and corporations are using permitting and regulatory processes to press utilities and local authorities for cleaner power procurement. The coverage shows a mix of regulatory proposals, industry responses and activist pressure as jurisdictions balance fast-growing AI-related demand with climate targets.