Small businesses could see electricity bills surge 70% as AI data center energy demands skyrocket

"As data center expansion accelerates, consumers and small businesses are likely to bear the brunt of the consequences through higher electricity costs and brownouts and blackouts across the country," Brannon said.

"The average US household could be paying over a thousand dollars more annually for electricity by 2030 if steps are not taken to resolve the energy issues created by data centers," co-author Ike Brannon detailed.

"Policy action is crucial, and immediate steps must be taken to protect consumers and smaller businesses from the effects of rising energy demand," Brannon emphasized.

"Expectedly, AI is the driving force behind the rate increase suggested in the research, with the acceleration of data center growth fueled by rapid technology adoption."

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