PANews reported on December 24 that according to a report by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), cryptocurrency mining and artificial intelligence (AI)-related operations are driving North American electricity demand to new highs, especially after data centers and facilities are connected to the power grid on a large scale. This growth poses a challenge to power demand forecasting and power grid reliability.
The report points out that the electricity use of crypto mining often fluctuates with market prices, resulting in sudden changes in grid load, while AI data centers significantly increase electricity consumption due to processing, cooling and storage requirements. The energy consumption characteristics and uncertainty of load behavior of these industries further increase the pressure on the grid during peak periods or operational failures.
Especially in areas where crypto mining and AI are concentrated, such as Texas, grid operator ERCOT reported that load changes in these industries could trigger power outage risks similar to variable energy resources and increase the complexity of grid management. NERC's long-term reliability assessment shows that Texas summer peak electricity demand is expected to grow 4.6% annually by 2029, far more than four times the previous forecast.
