Energy Glossary

Power generation or storage located on the customer's side of the utility meter, often used by data centers to reduce grid dependence or secure dedicated power supply.

Zoning that allows certain development types without requiring special permits or public hearings. Many Virginia counties have eliminated by-right zoning for data centers.

The maximum power output of a generator or maximum load of a facility, measured in megawatts. A typical hyperscale data center may require 100+ MW.

A data center model where multiple tenants share facility space, power, and cooling infrastructure while maintaining their own servers.

Siting a large load (like a data center) directly adjacent to a power plant, often to secure dedicated power supply. Subject to FERC regulation.

The Northern Virginia region, centered on Loudoun County, hosting the world's largest concentration of data centers and carrying 70%+ of global internet traffic.

Power plants that can be turned on or off and ramped up or down on demand, such as natural gas, nuclear, and hydro. Contrasts with variable renewables.

Electric Reliability Council of Texas. The independent grid operator managing 90% of Texas's electric load, largely isolated from the rest of the U.S. grid.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The federal agency regulating interstate electricity transmission, wholesale power markets, and natural gas pipelines.

One billion watts, or 1,000 megawatts. Used to describe large-scale power capacity. The entire U.S. has roughly 1,200 GW of installed generation capacity.

The largest cloud computing companies (AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Meta) that operate massive data center portfolios globally.

High-Voltage Direct Current. A transmission technology efficient for long-distance power transfer, used in projects like SunZia.

The backlog of generation and load projects waiting to connect to the grid. Currently exceeds 2,000 GW nationally, with multi-year wait times.

Electricity demand. Data centers are considered "large loads" that can significantly impact local grid infrastructure.

One million watts. The standard unit for power plant capacity and large facility demand. A single hyperscale data center may consume 100-300 MW.

"Not In My Back Yard." Opposition to development based on local impacts, regardless of broader benefits. Common in energy infrastructure siting.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The federal agency overseeing nuclear power plant licensing, safety, and decommissioning.

A regional transmission organization coordinating the grid across 13 states from Illinois to Virginia. The largest competitive wholesale electricity market in the U.S.

A long-term contract to buy electricity at a fixed price, often used by data centers to secure renewable energy and hedge against price volatility.

Public Utility Commission / Public Service Commission. State agencies regulating electric utilities, rates, and infrastructure investment.

An independent entity that coordinates, controls, and monitors the electric grid across a multi-state region. Examples: PJM, MISO, SPP, ERCOT.

Nuclear reactors with output under 300 MW, designed for factory fabrication and flexible deployment. NuScale is the only NRC-approved SMR design in the U.S.

A facility that transforms voltage levels for transmission and distribution. New data centers often require dedicated substation construction.

High-voltage power lines that carry electricity long distances from generators to distribution networks. Distinct from local distribution lines.