Senate committee warns U.S. must speed transmission, interconnection and diverse generation to meet surging electricity demand

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee opened a hearing July 24 on how to meet a rapid rise in U.S. electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence data centers, electrification and returning manufacturing.

Chairman Mike Lee said, "America's electricity demand is surging," and the panel heard testimony from three witnesses who urged faster transmission development, shorter interconnection timelines and more generation of many types to keep power reliable and affordable.

Committee members and witnesses said the immediate obstacles are lengthy interconnection queues, slow permitting, fractured regulatory processes and a transmission system that does not move large blocks of power between regions quickly enough.

Peter Huntsman, chairman and chief executive officer of Huntsman Corporation, told the committee that manufacturing and other energy‑intensive industries need reliable, affordable power. "It is simply impossible to build a modern industrial and technological economy on an energy base that is neither reliable or affordable," Huntsman said, arguing that overly aggressive limits on hydrocarbons contributed to higher costs and plant closures in parts of Europe.

Jeff Tench, executive vice president for Vantage Data Centers, described rapid demand growth…