Stein urges North Carolina regulators to require data centers to pay more for electricity
Gov. Josh Stein is urging the North Carolina Utilities Commission to adopt stronger electricity tariffs and clean-energy requirements for data centers. A proposed Duke Energy settlement would make large data center customers pay for some grid upgrades, but Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson say additional protections are needed to prevent costs from shifting to residents.
Gov. Josh Stein is pressing the North Carolina Utilities Commission to strengthen proposed rules governing data center electricity customers. He supports large-load tariffs that would require data center operators to cover more of the generation, transmission and grid-upgrade costs associated with their substantial power demand, and he wants the companies to provide clean-energy commitments similar to arrangements in other states.
The commission is reviewing a settlement between Duke Energy and data center customers that includes public contract templates, minimum purchase requirements and provisions requiring large users to reduce consumption during grid strain. Duke said the agreement balances affordability, reliability and clean-energy goals, while Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson argued that it does not go far enough and leaves uncertainty over who will pay for some infrastructure, including new power plants. The commission is expected to finalize the settlement after considering potential changes.