Data Center Energy Demand Forecasts: Are American Consumers Paying for Speculation?

Across Pennsylvania and much of the mid-Atlantic, utility companies warn that electricity demand could surge two to three times in a few short years due to burgeoning data centers driving America’s fast-growing artificial intelligence economy. But behind these eye-popping projections lies an urgent question that should alarm every hard-working American: Are these forecasts grounded in reality or inflated speculation? How Much of This Demand Is Real—and Who Pays When It Isn’t? Lawmakers, regulators, and consumer advocates have raised red flags about whether utilities are relying on data center projects that might never materialize. If utilities build costly new power plants...