The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a stark ultimatum to U.S. grid operators as the data‑centre surge strains an already tangled power system nationwide. Tech firms demand massive electricity for AI workloads, but utilities wrestle with a patchwork of federal, state and regional rules that can stretch interconnection timelines to four years. Regulators face pressure to cut delays without significantly inflating costs for other ratepayers.

On June 18, FERC ordered six regional operators—PJM, MISO, SPP, CAISO, NYISO and ISO‑NE—to justify or revise their large‑load interconnection procedures within 60 days or face a regulator‑made decision. The directive targets faster application reviews, safeguards against passing data‑centre expenses onto other customers, clarifies infrastructure cost sharing, and defines treatment for facilities that generate power on‑site or offer demand‑flexibility.

The order forces operators to disclose hookup costs, opening a data‑centre “black box” to state scrutiny and potentially prompting legislatures to set clearer tariffs. While the move promises quicker grid access and limits cost‑shifting, analysts warn that without stronger state‑level large‑load tariffs, many projects may still encounter financing hurdles and uneven cost burdens for consumers across regions.