Data center hotspots driving growth in US electricity usage - EIA

AI generated summary

Data center developments in ten US states have contributed to a one percent increase in commercial electricity usage nationwide over the last four years, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA report highlighted a growth of 14 billion kilowatt hours in electricity demand across the US between 2019-2023, with most of the increase concentrated in states with rapid development of large-scale computing facilities such as data centers.

Virginia and Texas, known for their significant data center markets, experienced the highest electricity demand growth in absolute terms, while North Dakota saw the highest relative growth of 37 percent in electricity usage over the same period. Noteworthy data center players in North Dakota, like Applied Digital, have secured substantial financing for expanding their facilities to meet the increasing demand. Looking ahead, the EIA projects a three percent growth in commercial electricity sales in 2024 and one percent in 2025 as data center developments continue to evolve rapidly.