Energy Secretary Chris Wright sent the proposal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that he hopes will accelerate the connection of data centers to the grid, according to a department press release.
Data centers use a large amount of power, and, in some cases, are expected to raise electricity prices.
Wright’s rule particularly seems to favor centers that come with their own “dispatchable” power sources — allowing such facilities to have their studies “expedited.”
It’s not entirely clear how dispatchable is defined, but it often refers to fossil fuel and nuclear plants that can be turned on and off at will. It may also refer to renewables if they come with batteries that can store the power they produce.
Under law, the secretary is able to send proposals to the independent commission, but it will ultimately be up to FERC whether to go through with it.
Read more at TheHill.com.
