News Summary

• Data centers are one of the main drivers of a surge in demand for electricity.
• The price to build a new combined cycle gas turbine has risen from less than $1,500 per kilowatt of generating capacity in 2023 to $2,157 last year.
• Data center operators have been urged by the Trump administration to “bring their own power,” but utilities tend to pass on the cost of new generation to customers.
• Google has started to outline a new approach to adding generating capacity to the grid that relies on renewables paired with long-duration energy storage.