AEP Ohio predicts power demands to double around Columbus, driven by data center needs
Data centers in central Ohio are gobbling up vast amounts of electricity so fast that American Electric Power expects demand for power to double between 2018 and 2028.
"We are seeing unprecedented growth in the demand for power from data centers in central Ohio," the power company said in response to questions from The Dispatch. "We expect the total demand for power in central Ohio to double between 2018 and 2028, mostly because of new data centers."
Data centers are basically warehouses that hold rows and rows of computer equipment storing photos, videos, emails and other information used by consumers and businesses.
More: Data center growth expands across Columbus region, state as electricity concerns rise
But the surge in demand for electricity is being driven by the rise of artificial intelligence that businesses and governments depend on to operate, said Kenny McDonald, president and CEO of the Columbus Partnership.
Running ChatGPT, for example, requires for more power than a Google search, he said.
"The energy needed to get an answer back on that query is a lot more," he said.
The most recent forecast from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in 2021 predicted future demand for electricity to be mostly flat in the state. The next forecast that is due out in a few months likely will tell a different story.
PJM Interconnect, the operator of the grid that oversees the flow of electricity in all or parts of 13 states, including Ohio, and the District of Columbia, is warning of potential shortfalls in electricity in the future caused by the retirement of big power plants and growing demand for electricity from data centers, new manufacturing and the growth of electric vehicles.
The growth in data centers in the region is quickly taking up capacity in the region, according to AEP.
"We are working to build new infrastructure to add capacity, but this process will take time. For now, we are carefully managing electric demand on our lines and equipment, and power usage from data centers does not pose a threat to the electric grid in central Ohio," the company said.
"We are committed to working with our customers, stakeholders, and regulators to find ways to serve new data centers while maintaining safe, reliable, and affordable electric service to all our other central Ohio customers."
AEP said it is seeing a small amount of data center development in other parts of its Ohio service territory, but most of its data center growth is here.
"Utilities across the country are experiencing similar circumstances," the company said. "The industry is focused on providing reliable power for all customers while supporting economic growth."
mawilliams@dispatch.com
@BizMarkWilliams
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: AEP Ohio sees surging demand for electricity driven by data centers
