Texas grid faces AI-driven energy crunch: 99GW demand surge sparks debate on fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables

 The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the global energy landscape, and nowhere is this more evident than in Texas. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state’s primary grid operator, is grappling with an unprecedented surge in energy demand driven by data centers, cryptocurrency mining and hydrogen production. 

 Requests for new grid connections have skyrocketed to 99 gigawatts (GW)—up from 40.8 GW just a year ago. To put this in perspective, ERCOT estimates that meeting this demand by 2030 would require the equivalent of adding 30 nuclear reactors to the grid.

This staggering figure underscores the immense energy appetite of the AI revolution and raises critical questions about how Texas—and the world—will power the future...<<<Read More>>>...