Can Data Centres Earn Their Power?

In brief

Oliver Kerr, Aurora Energy Research’s managing director for North America, talks with Arushi about electricity as a critical constraint on data center growth in the United States. Drawing on her work on recent market reforms in Texas, she argues that flexibility, not just new transmission and generation, will unlock the next phase of AI-led growth, with large electricity users helping to relieve grid constraints and improve reliability. Her written readout of the conversation, “Becoming an Angel for Prosperous Infrastructure,” is in the Library.

Key points

1. 01The task is no longer only building more infrastructure but using the grid more efficiently and connecting large loads faster.
2. 02Flexibility, alongside new transmission and generation, is essential to the next phase of AI-led growth.
3. 03Large electricity users can become active participants in the power system.