What The Tech: A.I and your utility bill
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Tech Reporter
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work, search for information, and even write emails. But some experts say AI could eventually affect something much closer to home: your monthly electric bill.
Lawmakers in Washington are debating whether technology companies should pay for the enormous strain AI is placing on the nation’s power grid. Here’s why.
Most of us think of AI as software. We type a question into ChatGPT and get an answer in seconds. What we don’t see are the massive data centers working behind the scenes. These giant facilities are filled with thousands of computer servers that operate around the clock.
And they use an incredible amount of electricity. Some of the newest AI data centers being built could eventually require as much electricity as two million homes. That growing demand is forcing utility companies to build more infrastructure, including substations, transmission lines and, in some areas, additional power generation facilities.
Consumer advocates worry that some of those costs could eventually show up on residential electric bills.
Their argument is simple: families shouldn’t have to subsidize some of the world’s wealthiest technology companies. The technology industry counters that data centers also bring economic benefits. They create jobs, generate tax revenue, and often improve local infrastructure in the communities where
they’re built.
The growth is happening rapidly. The United States already has thousands of data centers in operation, with major expansions underway in states including Virginia, Georgia, Arizona, Ohio, and Texas. Experts estimate data centers now account for roughly 4.5 percent of all electricity consumed in America. Within a few years, that number could double.
Electricity isn’t the only concern. These facilities also require enormous amounts of water to keep thousands of computer chips cool. Some large data centers can use millions of gallons of water every day.
Congress is now debating legislation called the Ratepayer Protection Act.
The proposal would require utilities to create rules that shift the cost of power grid upgrades to large energy users, including many AI data centers, instead of passing those costs on to residential customers.
The debate isn’t about whether artificial intelligence is coming. It’s already here. The question lawmakers, utility companies, and communities across the country are trying to answer is this:
Who should pay for the infrastructure needed to power the AI revolution? Because while artificial intelligence may feel invisible, the power plants, transmission lines and data centers behind it are anything but.
