English – The Conversation | It may be almost impossible to make data centers pay their ‘fair share’ of electricity costs by Theodore J. Kury, Director of Energy Studies, University of Florida AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. The article explains why it is extremely difficult to make large data centers shoulder a “fair share” of electricity costs: the calculation and allocation of those costs involve complex regulatory processes in which state utility commissions identify a utility’s asset and operating expenses, then try to apportion them among residential, commercial and industrial customers based on usage, peak demand and other metrics. Because data centers can dynamically shift their power consumption to avoid coincident‑peak charges, they can often minimize their allocated share, while the massive infrastructure upgrades they provoke—new substations, transmission lines, and additional generation—are spread across all ratepayers. Moreover, consumer advocates are often constrained from directly defending residential interests, leaving households exposed to higher rates if data‑center projects are over‑built or become obsolete. The author urges citizens to engage in regulator hearings and public comment periods to ensure that the costs of expanding the grid are not unfairly borne by ordinary consumers. Read more: https://theconversation.com/it-may-be-almost-impossible-to-make-data-centers-pay-their-fair-share-of-electricity-costs-283946 #PJM #Datacenters #Electricgrid #Ratepayers #Utilitycommissions