Trump administration wants tech companies to buy $15B of power plants they may not use | TechCrunch

"The Trump administration wants the largest electricity grid to add $15 billion worth of new power generation - and he wants tech companies to pay for it, even if they don't need the capacity. The White House and the governors of several states in the region want grid operator PJM to hold an auction for 15-year contracts for new generating capacity."

"PJM said it was reviewing the "statement of principles" and that it would soon release the results of a months-long planning process that is looking to add new capacity to the grid. The statement is nonbonding, though, and behind the scenes, PJM doesn't appear to be jazzed about the administration attempting to force its hand. "We don't have a lot to say on this," PJM spokesman Jeffrey Shields told Bloomberg yesterday."

The White House and several state governors want PJM to run an auction for 15-year contracts to add roughly $15 billion of new generation capacity, and they expect tech companies to bid even if they do not ultimately need the power. PJM is reviewing a statement of principles and a months-long planning process, but has not committed and appears reluctant. The PJM Interconnection serves over 65 million people across 13 states and faces rising electricity rates. Peak load and data-center demand for AI are increasing, and high natural gas prices are a major driver of recent price hikes.

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