Energy

Power demand surge drives legislative efforts

Lawmakers are balancing economic and environmental factors with increasing energy generation.
Steam billows from a coal-fired power plant Nov. 18, 2021, in Craig, Colo. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

States are considering multiple strategies to meet the projected increase in electricity demand being driven primarily by artificial intelligence and the need for more power-hungry data centers.

From Connecticut to California, lawmakers have considered and enacted legislation to make it easier to construct new power plants and harder to retire older ones, including coal facilities. They have revamped rules to help develop nuclear and geothermal power, and moved to regulate data centers to ensure they assume some responsibility.

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