US heatwave raises alarms over AI data centre energy demands | Energy News

A massive heatwave across the United States is stressing the country’s power grid and water supplies, raising concerns about the impact of rapidly expanding AI data centres.
Public opinion and political figures are pushing for increased oversight of data centres in response to the significant use of resources such as electricity and water.
AI data centres are projected to increase their share of US power demand from 4% to 9% by 2030, according to the US Department of Energy.
Extreme weather events, like the current heat dome, are testing the ability of the power grid to manage growing electricity demand driven by AI data centres, transportation electrification, and new manufacturing.
Data centres are contributing to heat island effects, with a University of Cambridge study demonstrating local temperature increases near these facilities due to cooling systems.
In areas like Corpus Christi, Texas, data centres are drawing large amounts of water, exacerbating local water shortages and raising concerns about water supply availability during periods of high demand.

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