The growing demand for electricity driven by AI and data centers is straining the US power grid, which is already challenged by aging infrastructure and extreme weather. Despite utilities like Dominion Energy implementing measures to mitigate these effects, such as building new transmission lines and using devices like filters and capacitors, the issue persists. Experts emphasize the need for better monitoring and understanding of power quality impacts from data centers to ensure consumers receive the power quality they are entitled to. The situation underscores the urgency for grid improvements to accommodate the increasing electricity demand and mitigate potential risks associated with poor power quality.
Key takeaways:
- AI data centers are causing significant power distortions, known as "bad harmonics," which threaten billions in damage to home appliances and aging power equipment.
- More than three-quarters of highly-distorted power readings are within 50 miles of significant data center activity, affecting both urban and rural areas.
- Distorted power quality can lead to increased risks of electrical fires, appliance damage, and grid instability, with areas like Northern Virginia's "data center alley" being heavily impacted.
- Efforts to mitigate these issues include building new transmission lines, using devices like filters and capacitors, and isolating data centers from residential power supplies, but measuring and addressing the problem remains a challenge.