Inside the largest power market in the US: How PJM is navigating the collision of data centres, decarbonization, and affordability.
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges faced by PJM, the largest electricity market in the US, in managing energy supply amidst the growth of data centers and political scrutiny.
When the workings of an electricity market come to the attention of the White House, it’s usually a sign that something’s wrong. Back in January, 13 state governors went to the White House to agree plans for PJM, the largest electricity market in the US. The market is scrambling to find more energy supply to keep up with the boom in data centers, while holding down ratepayers’ bills. Managing the PJM grid is one of the toughest jobs in the US power industry. And these days it is being carried out in the full glare of political and public scrutiny. If you want to understand the pressures bearing down on the US electricity, PJM is the place to look. It is the largest grid in the country, serving 67 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia. And it is some of the world's most intense hotspots for new data center development, including the famous “data center alley” of northern Virginia, which takes roughly 90% of the country's internet traffic . When things get complicated for PJM, they get complicated for everyone. On this episode, host Ed Crooks is joined by Asim Haque, Senior Vice President for Governmental and Member Services at PJM, and by regular guest Amy…
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