Data center demand spike could drive 79% ERCOT price hike in 2027: EIA

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The US Energy Information Administration warns that surging data center demand could drive electricity prices in Texas's ERCOT grid up by 79% by 2027 in a high-demand scenario. Data centers could boost annual load growth by 15% in Texas and 4.7% in the PJM Interconnection region between 2025 and 2027. The forecast underscores the significant energy infrastructure strain posed by AI and cloud computing expansion.

In a high-demand scenario, data centers could drive 2025-2027 annual load growth 15% higher in Texas and 4.7% higher in PJM Interconnection, the Energy Information Administration said.