Data center-driven AI demand could push U.S. electricity use from 2.5% to 8% by 2030, but rapid efficiency gains like Google’s 33x improvement make forecasts shaky.
Missouri is stuck between overbuilding generation that could strand assets and underbuilding that could scare off data center investment and threaten reliability.
Existing law protects ratepayers from “unjust” data center costs, but they can still be exposed if traditional utilities expand aggressively for hyperscale loads.
The proposed fix is consumer regulated electricity: standalone “energy islands” where privately financed utilities power data centers off the main ratepayer-backed grid.
These CRE utilities would let hyperscalers pick their own power mix and contract models, while shielding Missouri households from direct exposure to AI infra build-outs.
CRE could also speed deployment by avoiding the slow permission-heavy process that legacy utilities face, freeing them to focus on existing customers and coal retirements.
The piece is a useful window into how states like Missouri may segregate AI data center power from public grids to manage risk and investment.
Source: Data centers will require innovation in MO energy sector | Opinion
