Data Centers and a Record Heat Wave Are Straining the US Power Grid Together
A severe heat wave across the eastern United States in early July 2026 pushed grid operator PJM to ask large industrial customers, including data centers, to shift to backup generators to free capacity for residential and commercial use, according to Al Jazeera reporting.
The strain comes as US data center electricity demand has grown from roughly 23 gigawatts in 2023 to about 42 gigawatts in 2026, with data centers' cooling systems alone accounting for as much as 40% of their electricity use in normal weather, a share that climbs further during extreme heat, per industry tracking cited by Al Jazeera.
Experts interviewed by Techxplore noted that data centers raise both wholesale generation costs and local distribution costs, both of which are typically passed through to residential ratepayers over time, though the scale of pass-through varies significantly by region and utility.
At least 11 states are considering legislation to temporarily restrict new data center construction while regulators assess the impact on residential electricity prices, according to Spotlight PA reporting.
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