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The PJM Interconnection is considering bolstering its interconnection reliability requirements for “computational loads,” such as data centers and crypto-mining facilities, the grid operator said Tuesday.
The move to consider “ride-through” standards and other requirements comes after about 3,800 MW of data center load tripped offline in northern Virginia on July 22, the latest and largest such event in PJM’s history, the grid operator said.
The event — triggered by a fault on a 230-kV line in Dominion Energy’s zone — caused a high imbalance between generation and load, and large swings in voltage and frequency, PJM said.
During the event, which occurred in two waves, PJM’s overall load fell about 3.8% to 96,205 MW from 99,984 MW, according to the grid operator, which runs the electric system and wholesale power markets in 13 Mid-Atlantic and Midwest states and the District of Columbia.
