AI Data Centres Pose Potential Risks to US Power Grids

The proliferation of data centres powering artificial intelligence could lead to issues within the US power system, according to a new report by Bloomberg.

The agency found that more than half of households experiencing the most severe power distortions are located within 32 km of major data centres.

Experts analysed 1 million sensors in residential homes, monitored by Whisker Labs, along with market analytics from DC Byte. There appears to be a correlation between the proximity of a data centre and disruptions in the power flow.

Bloomberg asserts that such power supply issues could lead to appliance failures, increase the risk of fires, and cause blackouts. AI-powered data centres may become more problematic due to their unstable energy demands.

“No power grid is designed to handle such load fluctuations for one or more data centres at a time,” commented Bloom Energy’s Chief Commercial Officer Aman Joshi.

A representative from Commonwealth Edison, the largest energy company in Illinois, expressed strong doubts about the accuracy and assumptions underlying Whisker Lab’s claims.

Back in July, Bernstein warned of potential power shortages in the US due to AI.