Good morning. The data-center backlash has reached the ballot box: Republicans are running ads against Trump's own AI buildout, Democrats can't agree how to respond, and local opposition keeps multiplying nationwide. The politics have caught up to the power.
Top Stories
GOP CANDIDATES BREAK WITH TRUMP OVER DATA CENTERS
Bloomberg News
Bloomberg found 25 federal or gubernatorial candidates have run anti-data-center ads since December, including 12 Republicans defying Trump's AI buildout push.
DEMOCRATS AGREE ON THE PROBLEM, NOT THE FIX
The Hill
Party leaders are split between data-center moratoriums and narrower plans to protect consumers from rising power bills.
DOE GRID REPORT PUTS AI AT THE CENTER
NOTUS
A draft federal study says AI, crypto and manufacturing are straining the wires, with data centers on track to consume 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028.
TEXAS DATA CENTERS BUILD A SHADOW GAS GRID
Texas Tribune / Floodlight
At least 15 gas plants are planned behind the meter, with nine permitted to emit the annual greenhouse gases of 35 coal plants.
700 TURN OUT AGAINST DATA-CENTER POWER LINE
Winchester Star
A 260-mile, 765-kV line built partly for Northern Virginia's data-center demand is running into fierce opposition from rural landowners along its proposed route.
Power & Grid
TEXAS ORDERS DATA CENTERS TO RIDE THROUGH GRID TROUBLE
E&E News
New large loads must stay connected through short disturbances or risk disconnection, a reliability rule industry says could cost up to $1 million per MW.
FERC COMMISSIONER CALLS PJM STATUS QUO "UNTENABLE"
Utility Dive
David LaCerte says stakeholder gridlock is driving the region into the ground as FERC prepares a July 23 conference on PJM governance.
U.S. UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR INSTALLATIONS JUMP 45%
Inside Climate News
Developers are projected to add nearly 43 GW this year, extending solar's construction boom despite federal policy changes.
SODIUM-ION STORAGE GETS A 4-GWH FACTORY
ESS News
Peak Energy plans a $71 million Sacramento plant with first shipments next year and more than 6 GWh of commitments through 2030.
COMED SUBSTATIONS UNLOCK 550 MW OF WIND
ComEd / Business Wire
Two new Illinois substations can connect enough wind generation to serve roughly 264,000 homes.
Data Centers
BIG TECH TARGETS NATIVE LAND FOR MASSIVE DATA CENTERS
The New York Times
Developers see land, power and faster approvals while tribal communities debate whether the boom offers opportunity or another extractive industry.
META CONTRACTOR CONTAMINATES RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM
The Guardian
Cheyenne traced rare bacteria to wastewater from Meta's Project Cosmo construction, revoked the site's discharge authority and tightened its rules.
NEW MEXICO PROBES FAKE LETTERS BACKING OPENAI DATA CENTER
Source New Mexico
Residents say their identities were used without permission on comments supporting Project Jupiter's air permit; the AG suspects a substantial number may be fraudulent.
MARYLAND COUNTY ADOPTS TWO-YEAR DATA-CENTER MORATORIUM
Inside Climate News
Prince George's County paused new hyperscale approvals while it reviews land use, infrastructure, energy demand and public-safety impacts.
DATA-CENTER OPPOSITION EXPLODES ACROSS 40 STATES
Newsweek
An advocacy report finds local opposition groups have multiplied nearly sevenfold since December, turning scattered fights into a coordinated national movement.
Stat of the Day
525,000+
Members of local data-center opposition groups
The advocacy report found 430 groups across at least 40 states.
Newsweek ↗