AI data centers are hiking electric bills for millions — even if there's not one in your town
AI data centers are using enormous amounts of electricity, and homeowners could end up paying the price. Here's how they could raise your utility bills, which states are pushing back and what you can do to protect yourself.
Windowless, fenced buildings larger than a shopping mall are popping up in American towns to keep up with the AI boom. These data centers, housing the computing power behind popular applications, are consuming an ever-growing share of electricity. In 2023, data centers accounted for about 4.4% of all U.S. electricity usage, up from 58 terawatt-hours in 2014 to 176 terawatt-hours in 2023.
The Department of Energy projects this could rise to between 6.7% and 12% of total electricity consumption by 2028. The impact extends beyond the facilities themselves, as utilities may need to build new power plants, substations, and transmission lines to meet demand, with costs potentially passed on to consumers. Data centers are drawing more and more electricity from the same grid that powers homes, with prices for securing this power rising sharply.
In some regions, households are already paying extra on their electricity bills due to growing data center demand. While some states and companies are taking steps to address the issue, the burden of rising costs remains a concern for consumers.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Guide's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
