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Montana committee hears national warnings about data‑center energy demands and grid risks
Summary
State legislators heard national and technical experts describe rapid data‑center growth, large new electricity demands, and utility and regulator tools (tariffs, interconnection rules, minimum load factors) designed to avoid cost shifting to ratepayers and protect grid reliability.
Chair Jones convened the Modernization and Risk Analysis Committee and invited national experts to brief lawmakers on the implications of large data‑center projects for Montana’s grid and ratepayers.
Alex McWard of the National Conference of State Legislatures told the committee that states are tracking a surge of bills addressing data‑center energy use — from reporting and tax incentives to new customer classes and tariffs for very large electric loads. “Data centers currently account for a little more than 4% of energy consumption in the U.S.,” McWard said, and “forecast suggests that this could more than double by the end of the decade.” He reviewed examples of state responses, such as Maryland’s requirement that utilities file specific…
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