FERC unanimously orders faster grid hookups for AI data centers, shifting upgrade costs to operators

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission unanimously approved a new rule requiring grid operators to speed up interconnection for large power users, particularly AI data centers. The rule says data centers must pay the full cost of related grid upgrades and cannot pass those costs on to ordinary customers. Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Oracle are among the companies cited as having signed a “Ratepayer Protection Pledge.” The move targets long waits for power hookups in parts of the U.S., where data centers can face multi-year queues as infrastructure lags demand.