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Author: WendyBG   😊 😞
Number: of 4163 
Subject: AI and electric power
Date: 06/03/26 1:51 PM
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No. of Recommendations: 5


https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/americas-data-center-b...


America’s Data Center Build-Out Is Falling Way Behind Schedule
Google, which is raising a fresh $80 billion, has a strategy for getting around the biggest bottleneck

By Katherine Blunt, The Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2026


Supply-chain backlogs, permitting fights and availability of power supplies are among the issues that have caused the construction of data centers to fall behind targeted timelines, with the gap growing wider in recent months: A JPMorgan analysis last month found that more than 60% of data-center capacity planned for completion in 2027 isn’t yet under construction, and another 7% is delayed…

In pursuing new facilities for its cloud operation, which brought in $20 billion in first-quarter revenue, Google has taken a novel approach to getting around some of the major bottlenecks facing data-center builders—in particular, the ability to secure the massive amounts of electric power they require. …

This year, Google became the only tech giant to own a power company with the $4.75 billion acquisition of Intersect, a wind and solar developer that in recent years pivoted to building such projects to support data centers. Intersect has energy projects under development to supply multiple gigawatts of electricity, Google said. One gigawatt can power hundreds of thousands of homes…

Companies including xAI, OpenAI and Meta have built or proposed building data centers powered by on-site gas generation. …

Federal regulators this week greenlighted part of the plan [for Microsoft to operate the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant]…

Under the Google agreement, demand-response company Voltus will pay homes and businesses to reduce power consumption during times of peak demand and make use of technology including home batteries and smart thermostats to manage that. The companies say the deal could create as much as 100 megawatts of capacity, which is roughly equivalent to that of a small power plant…
[end quote]

I was stunned by the huge capex expenditures – but then I noticed that this chart was quarterly! WOW!! Holy Toledo!!

image at https://discussion.fool.com/t/ai-and-electric-powe...
image1184×766 24.7 KB

The AI companies are spending enough to swing the economy but in very narrow slices. Meanwhile, they are using many creative ways to get the power for the AI operation. There’s a lot of push-back by ordinary power customers when the rates go up because of AI data centers.

Wendy

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Author: InParadise   😊 😞
Number: of 4163 
Subject: Re: AI and electric power
Date: 06/04/26 6:05 AM
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There’s a lot of push-back by ordinary power customers when the rates go up because of AI data centers.

There's a lot of push-back period, when it comes to data centers. It's swirling all around me right now. Google will get their data center. They have bought the land and it is zoned industrial. They have bought all the electricity for a wind farm, now under construction, that Apex had set up the ground work for about 5 years ago, then delayed construction until Google bought all their output. We have several solar farms trying to get the approvals needed. The locals are in an uproar, which to some extent is not unmerited, but these people will seriously bitch about anything, even a recent commitment to a rail trail by the County, mostly funded with Biden era grants. We are in MAGA land, where the "Piss on Biden" signs and Confederate flags are proudly flown. As pointed out by the linked article below, we have the highest electric rates in VA, yet all efforts to create more energy, any change whatsoever really, are bombarded with belligerence. Of course they will bitch endlessly about an increase in taxes, which are now off the table thanks to the bribes Google gave the county to allow them to purchase the land.

Our local on-line paper posted an article this morning on how the MAGA faithful were letting Trump down by fighting the data center and needed improvements. Brave man. His email box is going to be full: https://cardinalnews.org/2026/06/04/two-trends-con...

This paper is really well written, free to all, but I actually am a paid subscriber to it. The author of this piece is one of the founders of the on-line paper after most of the staff of the Roanoke Times were let go in the mass slaughter of local newspapers nationwide. There are small glimpses of hope in this nation, but you have to look hard.

IP,
who would love to have the sign franchise for this area
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