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White House Urges Power Auction Amid Rising Electricity Costs

1/16/2026

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Governors Urge Power Auction

The White House and governors urged PJM Interconnection to hold a power auction to spur new power plants, addressing shortages linked to AI data centers.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro plans to attend while seeking a cap on wholesale price increases.
Rising electricity costs shape voter concerns ahead of the November elections, especially in New Jersey and Virginia, where data centers grow and utilities seek over $34 billion in hikes.

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Governors Demand Power Contributions

Governors and senators push data centers to contribute more to electricity costs due to grid impact.
Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced a bill to require tech firms to pay for grid upgrades.
Research indicates data centers could use nearly 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028, raising costs.
Microsoft executives express willingness to pay more as electricity prices become a key issue ahead of upcoming elections.

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Governors Urge Power Auction

The White House and governors urged PJM Interconnection to hold a power auction to spur new power plants, addressing shortages linked to AI data centers.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro plans to attend while seeking a cap on wholesale price increases.
Rising electricity costs shape voter concerns ahead of the November elections, especially in New Jersey and Virginia, where data centers grow and utilities seek over $34 billion in hikes.

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