Policy & Ethicsdata centersgrid infrastructureenergy policy
Data Centers Drive Rising Energy Demand Nationwide
8.0
U.S. electricity demand is rising and data centers are a major driver, with analysts projecting demand to grow about 25% by 2030 and data centers' electricity use potentially nearly tripling to 11.7% of national power. Residential prices rose 7.4% between September 2024 and September 2025, from 16.8¢ to 18¢ per kilowatt-hour, while Brattle Group estimates grid upgrades will cost $760 billion–$1.4 trillion over 25 years.
Key Points
- 1Project data centers' electricity use could nearly triple by 2030, reaching 11.7% of U.S. power.
- 2Estimates show grid upgrades need $760 billion–$1.4 trillion over 25 years due to aging transmission.
- 3Utilities, regulators, and developers must coordinate on investment, permitting, and pricing to manage affordability.
Scoring Rationale
High practical relevance and credible sourcing, but mostly summarizes projections without presenting novel technical solutions.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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