Rising data center electricity use risks blackouts during winter storms

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warns that the rapid growth of data centers is significantly increasing electricity demand this winter, raising risks of grid instability and potential blackouts during severe weather events. Electricity demand across North America is expected to rise by 2.5% compared to last year, with data centers in regions such as the mid-Atlantic, U.S. West, and Southeast driving much of this increase. Texas, in particular, faces heightened risk due to ongoing data center expansion, which compounds challenges from past cold snaps when natural gas supply was constrained and demand surged. While Texas has bolstered its grid resilience by adding battery storage systems capable of quickly responding to short-term demand spikes, these batteries typically provide power for only a few hours. This limitation poses challenges during prolonged cold spells, as data centers consume electricity steadily throughout the day, making it difficult to maintain battery charge levels sufficient to support all users. NERC notes that if no major storms occur this winter, grid operations should remain