Artificial Intelligence Boom Disrupts Power Supply

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence infrastructure is causing massive changes in the United States energy system. According to ixbt.com, hundreds of land plots are planned to be seized and residential buildings demolished in the US to supply new data centers with power. This process is causing social and economic tension across the country against the backdrop of a sharp increase in energy consumption by tech giants, reports Ixbt.com. reports .

In particular, the energy company Georgia Power is forced to compulsorily acquire more than 330 land plots in Coweta and Fayette counties, USA. As part of the $16 billion Wansley project, a 56-kilometer high-voltage power transmission line will be built. Laying this grid will result in the demolition of 20–30 residential homes, while nearly 80 percent of new generation capacities will be directed specifically to serve artificial intelligence centers.

Tech Giants and Multi-Billion Dollar Costs

The expansion of energy grids is directly related to the huge investments made by major IT companies in the field of artificial intelligence. During the quarterly earnings presentation, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that within the next five years, billions of people will have personal AI agents to perform daily tasks. At the same time, the company raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to $130–145 billion, directing the main part of the funds to build the relevant infrastructure.

However, such huge expenses are also affecting financial indicators. Meta's free cash flow plummeted by 91% to $784 million in the second quarter, despite revenues rising by 28% to nearly $61 billion. Such financial pressures and infrastructure costs clearly demonstrate the tech market's dependence on energy resources.

Tariff Hikes and Public Discontent

The sharp increase in energy consumption by data centers is having a serious impact on electricity prices for ordinary consumers and industrial enterprises. In the PJM energy system, which serves areas from New Jersey to Illinois, the cost of backup generation capacities increased more than 10 times in a single auction cycle. Within a year, industrial tariffs rose by 31% in Pennsylvania and 26% in Ohio, with an average growth rate of 7% nationwide.

The expansion of energy infrastructure is causing sharp protests from local residents. To date, protests against the construction of data centers have taken place in 42 US states. Public resistance has led to the cancellation or postponement of tens of billions of dollars worth of projects. Residents of areas where the new power transmission line will pass claim that the compensation offered by Georgia Power is about $100,000 lower than the market value of the real estate. The company, in turn, emphasizes that compulsory seizure measures are applied in less than 1% of land acquisition processes.