Massive Power Disconnect Affects Largest U.S. Electric Grid, Highlights Data Center Risks
A significant power disconnect occurred on the largest U.S. electric grid, managed by PJM Interconnection, affecting areas from Washington, D.C., to Chicago. The incident was triggered when a transmission line in northern Virginia, home to the world's largest collection of data centers, went out of service. This caused data centers to switch to backup power, leading to a sudden drop of over 3 gigawatts in power demand, about 3% of the grid's total demand. Dominion Energy, the regional utility, reported that the situation was stabilized within minutes. The event underscores the challenges posed by data centers and crypto miners, which can destabilize grids due to sudden demand changes. 
