Pennsylvania regulators are warning that the rapid growth of data centers could push the nation's largest power grid toward blackouts before the end of the decade. A new analysis from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission found the state could see as many as thirteen loss-of-load events a year by 2030 if data center connections outpace current projections and no new power plants come online in time.
Commission chairman Stephen DeFrank said the state stands at an energy crossroads, noting that data center growth brings real opportunity but cannot come at the expense of the households and businesses that already rely on steady, affordable electricity. The analysis, prepared by Synapse Energy Economics, ties the tightening supply to PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator serving roughly 67 million people across thirteen states and Washington, D.C. PJM expects about 32 gigawatts of additional peak demand by 2030, with close to 94 percent of that growth coming from data centers.
The grid already faced strain this year, when PJM ordered emergency measures during a July heat wave as demand climbed to a record high and the Department of Energy stepped in twice to reduce blackout risk across the Mid-Atlantic region. Researchers modeled a scenario with faster demand growth and fewer new power sources, under which the annual risk of shortfalls climbs past thirteen days a year.
Source: The Daily Caller - https://dailycaller.com/2026/09/16/data-centers-blackouts-pennsylvania-public-utility-commission/