Story perspectives

Texas orders statewide audit of data-center grid requests

By Drooid · Oct 2, 2026, 9:57 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Congressional and state officials are proposing bills and audits to shift grid costs to large-load data centers.
AI-focused data centers are expanding rapidly across the United States, driving a surge in electricity demand.
Census Bureau reports data-center construction spending rose 7.5% July-August, 73% YoY, reaching a $85 billion annual rate.
Ohio’s Ratepayer Protection Act failed after a Senate filibuster.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a statewide audit of data-center grid-connection requests.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 California deregulation, championed by Governor Pete Wilson, capped retail rates while forcing utilities into volatile spot markets, enabling Enron’s manipulation that drove wholesale prices up 800% in 2000 and triggered blackouts and PG&E’s bankruptcy. That crisis spurred demand-response reforms, and today Congress, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Ohio Senate are proposing audits to shift new AI-data-center grid costs onto ratepayers.

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Story summary

Congressional and state officials are proposing bills and audits to shift grid costs to large-load data centers.
AI-focused data centers are expanding rapidly across the United States, driving a surge in electricity demand.
Census Bureau reports data-center construction spending rose 7.5% July-August, 73% YoY, reaching a $85 billion annual rate.
Ohio’s Ratepayer Protection Act failed after a Senate filibuster.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a statewide audit of data-center grid-connection requests.

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