Bring‑Your‑Own‑Power pitches a private path for large data center demand

Developers, regional planners and industry groups urged lawmakers to consider a statutory pathway that enables very large customers to build private generation and distribution systems alongside the grid.

Glenn Lyons, who described a BYOP approach for large users, said private systems can reduce the need for massive transmission projects and preserve capacity on the public grid. "BYOP allows new large customers to build their own generation, finance their own infrastructure and operate independently of the grid," he said.

Gideon Powell of Cholla and other developers told the committee private capital can move faster than the interconnection queue and that statutory clarity would allow projects to proceed without creating unintended obligations or risks for utilities. Powell urged a narrow, staged approach focused first on the largest customers (data centers), with clear rules about isolation, notification and optional later interconnection.

Members raised concerns about customer protections, environmental and water constraints, and the need to preserve opportunities for grid support if private generators later interconnect. Lawmakers asked the proponents and utilities to convene follow‑up stakeholder meetings and to try to draft focused proposals for the interim report.