It seems like a major U.S. energy regulator is trying to have it all. It wants grid operators to move faster in connecting power-hungry data centers, while also keeping costs down for regular consumers. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today issued orders to the six major regional grid operators under its jurisdiction. FERC has given the six regional transmission organizations and independent system operators 60 days to either justify their current rules for connecting data centers, manufacturing facilities, and other large energy users to the grid, or file changes to address certain issues the commission singled out. These organizations are often described as the “air traffic controllers” of the power grid. While they don’t usually own power plants or power lines, they help balance supply and demand, operate wholesale power markets, and coordinate grid planning across large regions.
In a press release, FERC said the orders are one of the most significant actions the commission has taken to “modernize the nation’s electric markets and push the economy into the future by speeding integration of large energy users onto the grid with additional rigorous consumer safeguards.”
