A general view of electric lines as demand for power surges during a period of hot weather in Houston, Texas, U.S. June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Callaghan O’Hare/File Photo
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. data-center power demand could nearly triple in the next three years, and consume as much as 12% of the country's electricity, as the industry undergoes an artificial-intelligence transformation, according to a Department of Energy-backed study that was first reported by Reuters on Friday.
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory produced the report as the U.S. power industry and government attempt to understand how Big Tech's data-center demand will affect electrical grids, power bills and the climate.
