PUC proposes curtailing data centers before other customers during grid emergencies
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission voted 4-0 to seek public comment on safeguards that would require certain new data centers and other large electricity users to reduce power demand before homes and smaller businesses during grid emergencies. The proposal would also require utilities to track major users and prevent large loads from receiving exemptions from emergency curtailments.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is proposing rules that would prioritize curtailments for new large electricity users, including data centers, when the regional grid faces reliability emergencies. The commission said the measures are needed because rapid data-center growth is increasing demand, while an independent analysis found that PJM could fall short of reliability standards from 2027 through 2030 if new power supply does not keep pace.
The tentative order would require utilities to maintain a registry of major power users, establish notification procedures, and potentially require customers with demand of at least 50 megawatts to pay the additional costs they impose on the electric system. The proposal will undergo a 30-day public comment period, with reply comments due 15 days later, before the commission considers a final order in January 2027.