Data centers are poised to reshape the energy landscape in the United States in the coming years. Enacting policies to decarbonize the US power sector will ensure the country can meet the projected growth in electricity demand with clean energy while saving $1.6 trillion from harmful climate and health costs over the next decade.
Unmitigated data center growth puts the public at risk of large cost increases, from higher utility bills to public health costs to climate impacts. Increased transparency, greater accountability, and better planning are essential to guarantee responsible growth of electricity demand from AI and avoid overbuilding the electricity system.
Policymakers and regulators at every level of governance must use their authority—and standing—to ensure data centers are powered by clean energy and protect ratepayers by requiring data center operators to pay their fair share of new electricity costs.
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Citation
Clemmer, S., Maria Chavez, Samuel Dotson, James Gignac, Sandra Sattler, and Lee Shaver. 2026. Data Center Power Play. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://doi.org/10.47923/2026.16051
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