AI could reshape North Carolina’s grid — and its communities
Protests have erupted in North Carolina against the state's AI roadmap and specific data center developments, notably Amazon's proposed campus in Richmond County. Residents and environmental advocates are raising concerns about increased electricity demand, potential rate hikes by Duke Energy, and pollution from diesel generators. State agencies are currently reviewing air-permit applications for the Amazon data center campus.
North Carolina is grappling with the significant energy demands of rapidly expanding artificial intelligence and data center infrastructure, sparking protests and community concern. In July, nurses and environmental advocates demonstrated in Raleigh against the state's AI strategic roadmap, citing worries about electricity costs and new energy infrastructure.
Separately, Richmond County residents and allies convened in Rockingham for a public hearing by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) concerning air-permit applications from Amazon and Duke Energy. These permits are tied to Amazon's proposed $10 billion AI and cloud-computing campus, expected to create 500 jobs in the economically distressed county. Opponents voiced concerns about the environmental impact of 645 diesel-fired generators, which include 588 emergency backup generators for Amazon and 57 temporary generators operated by Duke Energy, despite the DEQ's initial air-dispersion modeling suggesting emissions would not violate health standards.
Energy costs are also a major point of contention. Attorney General Jeff Jackson challenged Duke Energy's proposed rate settlement, arguing residential rates would rise significantly more than the utility initially told regulators. Data centers are projected to account for 80 percent of Duke Energy's projected energy demand through 2030, intensifying pressure on the grid and potentially leading to higher customer bills and new power plants. Researchers from Duke University have proposed strategies to manage this demand, such as data centers agreeing to reduce electricity use during peak hours or investing in on-site power systems and virtual power plants.
The N.C. DEQ's Division of Air Quality is currently evaluating whether to issue the air permits for the Amazon and Duke Energy project following the public hearing and comment period.