Data centers driving AI are straining the PJM grid, raising real risks for higher power bills, reliability issues, and more fossil generation.
The letter pushes governors, especially in Pennsylvania, to tie any data center incentives to hard requirements, not soft promises.
Key asks are that data center builders source most of their load from their own renewables instead of leaning on the existing grid mix.
It also calls for banning “queue jumping” in interconnection so AI data center projects don’t displace other generation and storage already waiting.
Projects that want to add fossil generation would need to prove they seriously evaluated renewable alternatives first.
The author also wants proof of binding customer commitments so speculative AI capacity doesn’t lock up grid resources and capital.
The piece is a useful signal that local stakeholders are starting to demand tighter guardrails on AI data center growth and its energy footprint, worth a full read for policy context.
