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Faster-than-Expected Data Center Load Growth May Cause Increased Regional Short-term Fossil Fuel Generation and Wholesale Electricity Prices

LCG, March 18, 2026--The EIA released a new "In-depth Analysis" of the potential impact of faster-than-expected near-term growth in data center power demand on power generation and wholesale prices on March 12. The analysis models the lower 48 states through 2027 and compares results to its base case scenario. Key takeaway from this sensitivity analysis is the potential increase in fossil fuels in some regions and potentially a significant increase in wholesale prices in ERCOT.

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Faster-than-Expected Data Center Load Growth May Cause Increased Regional Short-term Fossil Fuel Generation and Wholesale Electricity Prices

LCG, March 18, 2026--The EIA released a new "In-depth Analysis" of the potential impact of faster-than-expected near-term growth in data center power demand on power generation and wholesale prices on March 12. The analysis models the lower 48 states through 2027 and compares results to its base case scenario. Key takeaway from this sensitivity analysis is the potential increase in fossil fuels in some regions and potentially a significant increase in wholesale prices in ERCOT.

Read more

Industry News

PG&E Executes Contract with SolarReserve for 150 MW of Solar Power

LCG, December 23, 2009--SolarReserve yesterday announced a new power purchase agreement (PPA) with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for solar power generated from SolarReserve?s proposed Rice Solar Energy Project, a 150-MW facility to be built in Riverside County, California. Construction on the project is scheduled to commence in spring 2011, with operations planned to begin approximately 2 years thereafter.

The Rice Solar Energy Project will employ an advanced molten salt system from United Technologies Corp. The system will use thousands of mirrors to focus the sun's energy on a receiver set on top of a tower. The intense energy heats molten salt to over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit within the receiver. The molten salt then flows into a thermal storage tank, from which it can be pumped to a steam generator. The steam drives a turbine to generate electricity. The incorporation of the storage system enables the solar power plant to deliver power when the sun is either shining or not, thereby improving its value in the electricity market.

SolarReserve's chief executive officer stated, "Throughout the process, we have worked hard to minimize the project's impact on local resources, which is why the project is being developed on privately-owned land that had been previously used as an air field. Further, the project will use a dry cooling system that minimizes water usage without significantly impacting the plant's operational performance."

The PPA is subject to approval by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). California passed a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Program that requires utilities like PG&E to increase their electric supply procurement of eligible renewable generating resources by one percent of load per year. In September, the Governor signed an Executive Order that increased the requirement to 33 percent by 2020 and that now applies to all utilities, including publicly-owned municipal utilities.
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