Senators will have a chance to question all five Federal Energy Regulatory Commission members this week as the agency takes on a prominent role in addressing rising power demand from data centers.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing comes as the commission has garnered bipartisan praise for its initial step last month addressing how to connect massive data centers onto the electric grid.
Instead of issuing one uniform rule, the commission sent show-cause orders to six regional grid operators, telling them to examine how large loads and co-located loads connect to the transmission system amid queue backlogs, cost-allocation disputes and affordability concerns.
Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) and ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) have signaled bipartisan interest in the issue, and both reacted positively to FERC’s action.
