All articles tagged with #energy grid
The Verge analyzes Loudoun County, Virginia—the globe’s most concentrated data-center hub—tracing its origins from AOL’s era to today’s AI-driven buildout, the economic gains in tax revenue and schools, and the rising resident pushback over noise, power demands, and looming transmission lines as communities weigh the trade-offs of hosting America’s cloud infrastructure.
President Trump again pushes data-center expansion, arguing communities that reject them will become backwards and poor and saying data centers are key to wealth and US AI leadership against China, even as bipartisan concerns about power grids, water use, and noise grow and some Republicans call for pauses or tighter regulations before the midterms.
Hyperscalers including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta and Oracle plan to spend about $750B this year on AI infrastructure for data centers—the largest capital project in human history—driving a nationwide buildout that strains utilities, land, water, and skilled labor while sparking a broad, bipartisan political backlash at federal, state, and local levels; Meta’s 5 GW Hyperion campus and Nvidia-backed plans illustrate the scale and economic ripple effects across construction, energy, and local communities.
Extreme heat and drought in Europe are pressuring Ukraine’s backup export routes and energy links as Russian strikes target ports and infrastructure, while drought weakens the Danube and irrigation systems; fires, water shortages, and cooling challenges at nuclear plants further test Ukraine’s resilience, with Europe’s climate conditions also creating vulnerabilities and the potential for Moscow to gain advantages.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the state's first statewide moratorium on permits for large data centers to give regulators time to craft new standards after localities said they were overwhelmed by a data-center boom. She frames the pause as a path to thoughtful, enforceable rules that won’t block innovation, while acknowledging the broader national debate over environmental impact and electricity costs. The move aims to balance AI- and tech-driven growth with local benefits and grid reliability, and comes amid ongoing political and public scrutiny of data-center development.
Overnight Ukrainian drone strikes left Kerch completely without power, with life-support systems running on backup power and authorities reporting outages across Crimea as Krymenergo warns of ongoing restrictions and emergency recovery efforts.
During a brutal NYC heatwave, Con Edison temporarily shut off power to about 9,800 southwest Queens customers to repair equipment, while voltage was reduced by 8% in large parts of Brooklyn and Queens to prevent wider outages, affecting roughly 400,000 customers. Cooling centers opened and dry ice distributed as residents were urged to conserve energy and avoid using major appliances during peak hours.
Ukraine has stepped up drone strikes against Crimea to degrade Russia’s defenses and sever supply lines, hitting air-defense networks, radar, bridges (notably the Kerch Strait and Chonhar), oil terminals, and energy facilities. The campaign has caused blackouts and evacuations, shifting some Russian forces to defense. Analysts say it could take weeks or months to substantially degrade Crimea’s military footprint, but Kyiv hopes sustained pressure will push Moscow toward negotiations.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s push to cap air conditioning at 78 degrees to ease the power grid drew online backlash after he also urged seniors to stay cool, hydrated and use cooling centers during a looming heat wave. Critics mocked the apparent contradiction, while supporters say climate policy must balance energy demands with public safety, pointing to ongoing measures like cooling centers and extended pool hours to counter extreme heat.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez announced a deal with General Electric Vernova to rebuild the country’s ailing electricity grid, a move aimed at restoring power after chronic outages caused by underinvestment and drought. The agreement signals a potential opening to US investment under Rodríguez, even as many key institutions remain Maduro loyalists and the energy ministry shifts away from military leadership; outages have plagued major cities like Caracas, highlighting the urgency of the repair effort.
New York lawmakers advanced a one-year moratorium on hyperscale datacenters over 20MW, with an environmental impact report and safeguards for energy use and ratepayers, sending the bill to Governor Hochul for signature amid a nationwide backlash over AI infrastructure.
British papers front the Southport inquiry verdict that three girls’ deaths could have been prevented with parental intervention, while other stories cover criticism of defence policy, plans to curb solar grid overload with paid laundry electricity on sunny weekends, research showing dull conversations can feel more engaging, and Trump’s deleted AI image plus a Monty Python callback on front pages.
Trump postponed a planned strike on Iran’s energy infrastructure after claiming productive talks with Tehran, a claim Iran denies; Turkey and Oman are quietly mediating, but Iranians fear the delay could be a strategic pause for a broader confrontation. The Revolutionary Guards warn of retaliation against Gulf energy and desalination facilities, with discussions about seizing Kharg Island in the Hormuz Strait. Experts note Iran’s dispersed grid makes a knockout attack difficult, yet the region faces severe humanitarian and economic risks from potential outages and further escalation.
President Trump and major tech firms sign the Ratepayer Protection Pledge at the White House, promising to cover the cost of new power for AI data centers so residential electricity prices stay affordable, aiming to spur AI growth while protecting ratepayers.
Russia launched a fresh wave of missiles and drones at Ukraine, destroying a house in Kyiv and damaging energy infrastructure amid freezing conditions, with power outages reported; Zelenskyy said about 297 drones and nearly 50 missiles were used, and casualties included at least one death in Lviv and multiple injuries. The strikes come as EU foreign ministers prepare a 20th sanctions package, with Hungary and Slovakia threatening to block measures over resumed oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline.