Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impact of data centres on rising electricity costs, with demand from AI-driven infrastructure placing a significant strain on energy grids. Wholesale electricity prices have already seen substantial increases in areas with high data centre concentrations, impacting household bills. Experts predict data centres' global energy consumption will double by 2030, potentially exacerbating the issue.
This surge in demand is driven by power-hungry data centres supporting cloud storage, video streaming, and AI training. The costs associated with expanding and maintaining electrical networks are passed on to consumers, regardless of their proximity to data centres. While some studies suggest increased electricity demand can lower prices by spreading infrastructure costs, this may not hold true as AI and data centre growth accelerates.
Utilities face pressure to upgrade power grids, leading to higher rates for households and businesses. Some regions are already experiencing significant price increases due to data centre loads, prompting calls for these facilities to pay their fair share. The situation is further complicated by lengthy permitting processes and regulatory hurdles that hinder the development of new energy generation and transmission infrastructure.
