Latest Electricity News - Grid Technologies

Quebec is importing electricity from the United States as rising domestic demand and reduced hydropower availability limit exports, marking a shift in long-standing cross-border power flows and raising new questions about grid resilience and future electricity planning. Quebec’s electricity system is undergoing a significant shift as rising domestic demand and reduced hydropower availability have forced the province to import electricity from U.S. markets, reversing a long-standing pattern of net exports and altering regional grid dynamics. This change comes as provinces reassess how they share and balance resources across borders, including evolving arrangements such as the long-standing Ontario Quebec energy swap.…

Federal funds now support Alberta grid modernization and smart technology projects to improve electricity reliability and affordability under Canada’s energy strategy, as utilities and regulators collaborate on infrastructure upgrades amid rising demand and climate pressures. Canadian officials unveiled new federal funding to accelerate electricity grid modernization and resilience projects across Alberta and set the groundwork for broader reliability improvements. While the announcement is Alberta-focused, it reflects a wider national push to strengthen regional power systems, including ongoing efforts to stabilize and modernize electricity infrastructure in other provinces, as seen in Atlantic electricity.   At A Glance • Federal funds will…

Texas officials granted emergency authority for the grid operator to direct data centers and large users to switch to backup generators during a winter storm to help keep electricity flowing and avoid system failure across the state. Texas energy leaders took the rare step Sunday of authorizing emergency measures that allow the state’s primary grid manager to call on backup generators from data centers and other major facilities as a powerful winter storm drives electricity demand higher and threatens supply stability. The action aims to avoid repeat forced outages during extreme weather and to provide additional generation capacity when conventional…

California’s rise in solar and battery electricity is cutting into natural gas generation, with utilities using storage during peak times to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and reshape the grid's resource mix. California is seeing a substantial shift in how electricity is produced and consumed as solar power and battery storage reduce the state’s reliance on natural gas generation, reshaping the electricity mix and driving cleaner grid outcomes, a trend reinforced by recent assessments of statewide clean energy milestones documented in California Energy Commission progress updates.   At A Glance • Solar and batteries reduce natural gas electricity output• Batteries…

AI data centers are driving up electricity demand as companies scale artificial intelligence. Former Facebook executive Chris Kelly warns that efficiency and grid capacity will determine which AI firms succeed, even as consumers nationwide face rising electric bills amid rapid data center construction.   In This Post AI data centers are rapidly increasing electricity demand Chris Kelly warns efficiency will determine AI leaders Rising grid costs may reach household electric bills   Concern Mounts over AI Data Center Power Demand AI companies racing to expand computing power are driving a surge in electricity demand, raising concerns about grid capacity, energy…

U.S. data-center electricity demand is projected to reach 106 gigawatts by 2035, far higher than earlier expectations. The rapid expansion of AI-driven data facilities is raising serious concerns about grid reliability, reserve margins and regional infrastructure limits.   At A Glance • Data-center power demand in the U.S. could reach 106 GW by 2035, sharply higher than earlier estimates • Nearly one quarter of new data-center projects exceed 500 MW • PJM and Texas forecast tightening reserve margins and grid-stress risks • AI-driven load growth reshapes where future U.S. data centers are being built   U.S. Grids Brace as Data-Center…

Texas’s booming data-center and crypto-mining growth threatens grid reliability as facilities frequently trip offline during disturbances, prompting ERCOT to propose “ride-through” rules for large electronic loads to stabilize demand.   At A Glance Surge in high-power data centers and crypto-mining facilities in Texas is straining the grid. Frequent trips during voltage/frequency disturbances risk cascading outages on peak-demand days. New ERCOT proposals would require large computing loads to maintain output during grid events. Operators may need on-site generation or backup to meet “ride-through” requirements.   Texas Power Grid Faces Pressure from Data-Center Boom As Texas continues to attract high-power data centers…