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Meta's Texas Solar Purchase Smaller Than Data Center Gas Plant, Raises Clean Energy Commitment Questions

Meta's Texas Solar Purchase Smaller Than Data Center Gas Plant, Raises Clean Energy Commitment Questions

Meta's Texas Solar Purchase Smaller Than Data Center Gas Plant, Raises Clean Energy Commitment Questions
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Rep. Jamie Raskin Investigates Big Tech's Use of NDAs in Data Center Projects

Rep. Jamie Raskin Investigates Big Tech's Use of NDAs in Data Center Projects

Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, has launched an investigation into Amazon, Google, Meta, and Oracle regarding their use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). These NDAs are reportedly preventing local government officials from discussing crucial details about proposed data center projects with their constituents. The investigation stems from concerns that these secrecy agreements conceal information about the projects' potential impact on electricity bills, water consumption, public health, and taxpayer-funded incentives. With over 1,000 new data centers in development across more than 40 states, driven by the demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure, the use of such NDAs is raising questions about transparency and public accountability. Raskin's letters to the tech giants demand answers about these agreements, including whether they have been used to block public records requests. The inquiry also highlights instances where communities were kept in the dark abou...
TheStreetTheStreet
Mark Zuckerberg sends bold message to Meta investors after Muse

Mark Zuckerberg sends bold message to Meta investors after Muse

Meta's new project announcement flew under the radar. That may be intentional.
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Meta Secures Large Solar Purchase in Texas Amidst Data Center Expansion

Meta Secures Large Solar Purchase in Texas Amidst Data Center Expansion

Meta Secures Large Solar Purchase in Texas Amidst Data Center Expansion
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US Senate blocks bill to address data center costs

US Senate blocks bill to address data center costs

By Richard Cowan and Nichola Groom WASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The US Senate on Wednesday blocked legislation requiring state utility regulators to consider whether large electricity users, including data centers, should bear the incremental costs of power infrastructure built to serve them and
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Anti-Data Center Activists Clash with Pro-Growth Advocates at Tech Event

Anti-Data Center Activists Clash with Pro-Growth Advocates at Tech Event

At a 'Data After Dark' party held at PubKey, a Bitcoin bar, anti-data center activists confronted pro-growth advocates regarding the environmental and societal impact of data centers. The event, attended by individuals in business attire, featured a DJ and screens displaying tech-related visuals, including Ana de Armas as an AI character from 'Blade Runner 2049' and blinking servers. Frazier McCollum, an anti-data center activist, raised concerns about potential rolling blackouts in Maryland due to data center energy consumption and the impact on local communities' access to air conditioning and electricity. She expressed fears that unchecked data center expansion could lead to a lack of essential services. In contrast, Neeraja Deshpande, a conservative writer, argued that many concerns were exaggerated or solvable, suggesting nuclear reactors as a solution to energy issues without increasing emissions. The discussion highlighted a fundamental disagreement between those prioritizing immediate environmental...
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Amazon Signs 20-Year Nuclear Power Deal with Constellation, Unlocking $3 Billion Investment

Amazon Signs 20-Year Nuclear Power Deal with Constellation, Unlocking $3 Billion Investment

Amazon Signs 20-Year Nuclear Power Deal with Constellation, Unlocking $3 Billion Investment
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Senate Fails to Advance Data Center Bill Amidst Election-Year Disagreement on Energy Costs

Senate Fails to Advance Data Center Bill Amidst Election-Year Disagreement on Energy Costs

A bill aimed at addressing the impact of data centers on energy costs failed to advance in the U.S. Senate, falling short of the 60 votes needed. The measure, which had previously passed the House with a significant majority (417-3), garnered only 57-43 in the Senate. The bill, sponsored by Republican Senator Jon Husted of Ohio, proposed requiring utility regulators to consider adopting a federal standard that would charge large power customers, such as data centers, rates covering the cost of necessary grid upgrades. Democrats, including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, criticized the bill as insufficient, labeling it a 'fraud' and arguing it merely suggested rather than mandated action. They advocate for stronger legislation that would direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue mandatory rules for large electricity consumers to pay for grid improvements. The failure to pass the bill occurred as senators prepared to leave Washington for campaign activities ahead of the midterms, highl...
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ArcLight Completes Acquisition of 50% Stake in 5.4-GW North American Power Portfolio

ArcLight Completes Acquisition of 50% Stake in 5.4-GW North American Power Portfolio

ArcLight Completes Acquisition of 50% Stake in 5.4-GW North American Power Portfolio
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Senate Democrats Block Congressman Gabe Evans' Bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act

Senate Democrats Block Congressman Gabe Evans' Bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act

Senate Democrats have blocked Congressman Gabe Evans’ bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act for the second time in two weeks, despite the legislation passing the U.S. House of Representatives with an overwhelming 417–3 vote. The bill, designed to shield American families, farmers, seniors, and small businesses from bearing the costs of new energy infrastructure required by large-load data centers, failed to advance in the Senate after receiving 57 votes (53 Republicans and 4 Democrats), falling short of the 60 votes needed. Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper voted against the legislation, a move criticized by Congressman Evans, who stated that Senate Democrats prioritized 'political games' over a 'commonsense solution.' The Act would have required regulators in states without comparable protections to hold public hearings on a federal standard, ensuring large-load data centers pay the full incremental costs of new power generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. It also pr...
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U.S. Energy Department Awards Entergy $13.7 Million for Grid Modernization in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi

U.S. Energy Department Awards Entergy $13.7 Million for Grid Modernization in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has granted Entergy $13.7 million in federal funding to enhance electric grid reliability and meet increasing energy demands across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. This investment, part of the DOE’s Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) program, will enable Entergy to deploy advanced dynamic line rating technology across more than 1,000 miles of existing transmission lines. The project also includes targeted geographic surveys, substation and terminal upgrades, and hardware integration along 1,125 miles of transmission corridors. According to John Hudson, chief external affairs officer for Entergy, this new technology aims to deliver more reliable and affordable electricity by reducing congestion, improving system readiness for large loads, and potentially avoiding capital costs for other transmission upgrades. The upgrades are designed to increase transfer capability on selected transmissi...
ReutersReuters
Analysis-Alternative capital powers America's next wave of LNG and pipeline projects

Analysis-Alternative capital powers America's next wave of LNG and pipeline projects

By Vallari Srivastava, Curtis Williams and David French HOUSTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Alternative asset managers deploying cash from their insurance arms are reshaping how America's energy infrastructure is financed, emerging as major backers of LNG export projects and the pipelines moving crude and