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Grid Delays Stall AI Boom: Google's Power Problem
15 Jan
Summary
- Data center power connection times now exceed a decade.
- Transmission grid limitations are Google's top challenge.
- Co-location with power plants offers a potential workaround.
Connecting to the U.S. electrical transmission system has become the primary challenge for powering Google's data centers, with interconnection timelines now exceeding a decade in some regions. This delay significantly impacts the expansion of energy-intensive data centers essential for developing and deploying artificial intelligence technologies.
Google's Global Head of Sustainability and Climate Policy, Marsden Hanna, highlighted that utilities are reporting up to 12 years just to study interconnection timelines. To address this, the country needs to streamline permitting for new transmission lines and deploy technologies that enhance power flow from existing systems.
As a workaround, Google is investigating co-location arrangements, situating data centers adjacent to power plants to potentially bypass the transmission system and its associated long wait times. While this strategy is being explored, federal and regional regulators are working to establish guidelines for co-location, addressing concerns about costs and reliability.
