Booming demand for electricity in many states is causing soaring energy bills for commercial and residential customers alike. Most of the huge bump in demand is a result of new data centers coming online to power artificial intelligence, say experts.
But the Trump Administration’s hostility to clean energy project is also playing a role. According to WGN, more than $14 billion in new clean energy projects have been cancelled or delayed this year alone. These projects, in many cases, would have been crucial to making up the gap in grid capacity as obsolete coal plants are closing. Clean energy projects could see an even bigger decline if Trump’s megabill working its way through Congress becomes low.
In Illinois, rate payers can expect a 10-15 percent jump in their electricity bills beginning in June, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Last year, a new report from the Jack Kemp Foundation predicted AI could cause electricity rates to jump by more than 70 percent by 2029.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.
