Electricity Prices and Grid Capacity

Fox’s piece reports that surging AI and data-center demand is helping drive a 42% jump in U.S. residential electricity prices over the past decade, with the International Energy Agency estimating American data centers already consume more than 4% of U.S. power — comparable to Pakistan’s entire national use — and could more than double that by 2030. Exelon CEO Calvin Butler says its Chicago-area utility ComEd has seen unprecedented interconnection requests totaling over 30 gigawatts and is asking regulators to approve a $15.3 billion, four‑year grid upgrade while warning that new generation 'is not keeping up with the load that is coming on.' To close that gap, companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems and AI‑native geothermal startup Zanskar are using artificial intelligence to speed the design of advanced fusion reactors and to pinpoint viable geothermal sites, pitching these dispatchable, weather‑independent resources as a way to power data‑hungry AI without further destabilizing the grid. The article underscores that the AI boom is now a central driver of U.S. energy policy and investment decisions, forcing utilities, regulators and new‑energy firms to accelerate long‑lead projects or risk chronic constraints and even higher rates for households and businesses. The story fits into a broader public debate — reflected in industry conferences and social‑media commentary — over whether AI will worsen the energy crunch or help unlock new carbon‑free baseload power.