"While there's plenty for voters to be worried about right now, rising utility bills have become a hot-button issue. The success of Democrats in New Jersey, Virginia, and Georgia in this week's elections can be seen as something of a referendum on the state of energy policy and infrastructure in the US as power grids struggle to keep up with growing electricity demand from AI data centers, electric vehicles, and domestic manufacturing."
"These issues aren't going to disappear, and Democrats now face a tough road ahead to meet those challenges and make good on their campaign promises to lower electricity prices. "Consumers have sent a clear message: they are paying attention and will hold public officials accountable for decisions that impact their utility bills," Charles Hua, executive director of nonprofit consumer advocacy group PowerLines, said in an election day press release."
""Now, we have a bogey man - data centers who are these large energy users who are coming in and in many states getting sweetheart deals on wholesale electricity prices when regular consumers don't have that type of sway," says Tony Reames, a professor of environmental justice at the University of Michigan and director of the Urban Energy Justice Lab"
Rising retail electricity rates have become a decisive voter concern as power grids strain to meet growing demand. Increased demand stems from AI data centers, electric vehicles, and domestic manufacturing. New Jersey experienced retail rate spikes up to 20 percent this summer, prompting Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill to promise an emergency declaration and a freeze on rate hikes. Consumer advocates warn that voters will hold officials accountable for decisions affecting utility bills. Data centers are singled out as large energy users receiving favorable wholesale electricity deals that ordinary consumers cannot access. Democrats face significant challenges to lower prices and upgrade infrastructure.
Read at The Verge
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