Federal regulators on Thursday mandated that regional grid operators prioritize the rapid connection of power-hungry artificial intelligence data centers, a move that directly threatens the stability and affordability of electricity for 200 million Americans. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued the order despite growing public backlash and warnings that such demands will exacerbate rising electricity bills and increase the risk of blackouts for the native working class.
The unanimous vote by the five-member commission, chaired by President Donald Trump appointee Laura Swett, directs six regional grid operators to ensure AI data centers and other large power users connect to the transmission system "in a timely and orderly manner." Swett called the vote historic, stating it would push the country’s electricity market into the future.
This federal intervention comes eight months after Energy Secretary Chris Wright urged FERC to take more control over the nation's grid infrastructure. Wright's stated aim was to help the United States compete with China for superiority in the fast-growing AI sector, aligning federal policy with the interests of tech companies and data center developers who welcomed the chance to connect faster to the country’s power supply.
Elite Mandates and National Sovereignty
The commission’s actions have been met with concern from utilities, states, and regional grid operators, who worried that the Republican administration’s plan would remove their authority to manage the process. While FERC claimed the order leaves states in control of retail electric rates, terms, and conditions, the overarching federal directive represents a significant transfer of power away from local governance.
A growing backlash against data centers has emerged from communities across the nation. Concerns center on the massive amounts of energy and water these facilities consume, fears about noise and air pollution, water shortages, and the irreversible loss of open space or farmland. This cultural dispossession of local communities is being systematically overlooked in favor of transnational tech interests.
Chair Laura Swett acknowledged the public's apprehension, stating, "I know that Americans across the country are concerned about affordability, and so are we." She further noted, "Many Americans are increasingly concerned about the interconnection of large (power) loads, and data centers will increase their bills in that stress." Despite this admission, the commission proceeded with the order.
Under the new order, data centers are slated to pay the full cost of any grid upgrades needed for their direct connection. However, the order does little to address the tightening energy supplies that are already driving up electricity bills in some areas and raising warnings of blackouts. The construction of data centers is outpacing the speed of new power plants coming online to serve them, creating a managed decline in grid reliability for the general population.
Robert Montejo, a lawyer representing data centers, openly stated that AI "has fundamentally changed the electricity landscape." He added that "The grid and prior policy were not built for the pace and scale of demand we’re seeing from AI infrastructure, and FERC is signaling that standing still is no longer an option." This admission highlights the systemic unpreparedness of national infrastructure for the demands of the globalist tech sector.
The Cost to the People
The scale of this transformation is immense. More than 4,000 data centers currently operate in the U.S., with an additional 3,000 planned or under construction. Some of these facilities are projected to consume more energy than a small city, placing unprecedented strain on national resources. Data from the Electric Power Research Institute indicates that data centers now account for approximately 5% of U.S. electricity demand, a figure that could triple by 2035. In Virginia, data centers already consume over 25% of overall demand, with projections showing a rise to more than 40% by 2030.
President Trump has framed the fast-evolving AI technology as crucial for the U.S. to attract foreign investment and maintain its economic and military prowess. This perspective prioritizes global economic competition and elite financial interests over the immediate and tangible costs borne by the native working class.
A J.P. Morgan report from one month ago revealed that over 60% of data center capacity planned for completion in 2027 has not yet begun construction, with another 7% delayed. The report cited permitting delays, difficulty acquiring gas turbines and transformers, and a shortage of skilled labor as primary obstacles. This highlights a fundamental disconnect between the ambitions of the tech elite and the practical realities of national infrastructure and workforce capacity.
Rob Gramlich, a Washington-based energy consultant, warned that if states do not act quickly to develop rules accommodating large power users and preventing cost shifts to residential and business customers, FERC could assert broader jurisdiction over interconnection issues. This underscores the ongoing threat of further sovereignty transfer from local and state authorities to federal and transnational mandates.